1981 FOOL Classic: Toronto Osprey (91-63) vs Hartford Harpooners (106-48)

[kaosfere]

Hooray! Way to go, boys!

Man, however this ends, I am damn proud of my club for making it a solid fight.

[Alan T]

This time Aquino is not quite as sharp. In the bottom of the first he gives up two runs and then gives up a third run in the bottom of the second. That is all that Toronto can manage however. Hartford meanwhile is unable to do anything against Simpson until the fifth inning. With two outs, Miller doubles and scores Aquino whom had reached earlier on an error by the pitcher. McGill follows with his own double to score Miller. After four and a half innings, Toronto still leads 3-2.

Both pitchers hunker down and no one else is able to score until the top of the ninth. McDonald comes in once again to try to finish off Hartford. He strikes out Baker swinging, forces Walls to ground out to the second baseman and then strikes out Yamazaki swinging to end the game. Toronto wins 3-2 as McDonald gets his third save of the series.

Toronto leads the series 4 games to 3 and can win with one more win at home in game eight!

[Alan T]

In game eight, Artie Wiley will be looking to try to redeem himself from a horrible game four apperance. Thus far this series, Wiley has a 16.88 ERA. Gonzalez, the game 4 winner will be looking to close this out for Toronto.

[Tasan]

My reverse prediction is working!!!!

[muns]

Originally Posted by Tasan

My reverse prediction is working!!!!

lol gee thanks

[Alan T]

As everyone is itching to see whom the 1981 FOOL Champion will be, we take a quick break to announce this year's All star game rosters:

The All-Star Classic is here again! -- the 1981 Front Office Offseason League All-Star Game! This is a game for the fans. They choose the players that are the best at their positions. Then these fan favorites take on one another to determine which league is best. Who will be top league this season? -- the Continental League or the Republic League? We'll get the answer soon.

The Continental League All-Stars have these fine performers on their roster:


SP M. Brown (BAL)
SP D. Berui (NYH)
SP F. Yarbrough (BAL)
SP M. López (TOR)
SP R. Padilla (NVY)
SP C. Gonzáles (WYO)
SP J. Martínez (TOR)
MR C. Templeman (TOR)
CL T. Ishibashi (NVY)
CL D. Marnane (ATL)
CL R. Villegas (BAL)
CL L. St. James (WYO)
CF C. Wilson (TOR)
2B A. Payton (BKN)
3B A. Henry (WYO)
C J. Robinson (BAL)
C Y. Chong (BKN)
SS G. Simons (NVY)
RF E. Morgan (TOR)
1B L. Mendoza (BKN)
LF M. Suárez (BAL)
CF B. Waller (NYH)
CF R. Lang (BKN)
2B L. Abbott (ATL)
SS J. Negrete (WYO)
SS A. Luján (TOR)
CF A. Poole (ATL)
RF S. Oliver (ATL)


While the Republic League All-Stars will be represented by these talented players:


SP B. Smith (HAR)
SP J. Aquino (HAR)
SP J. Hart (BOS)
SP A. Wiley (HAR)
SP D. Robinson (HAR)
SP B. Silver (LI)
CL D. Hennessey (HAR)
CL J. Pérez (SD)
CL D. Brewer (COL)
MR D. Spencer (CLB)
MR K. O'Quinn (BOS)
CL M. Martínez (LI)
CF J. Smith (LI)
LF G. Baker (HAR)
3B S. McGill (HAR)
1B B. Barrett (SD)
C Á. Ramírez (CLB)
SS L. Crawford (LI)
RF J. Lane (SD)
2B F. Acevedo (CLB)
C F. Vázquez (HAR)
CF P. Morris (COL)
LF C. Drew (CLB)
CF D. Walls (HAR)
LF T. Roussy (CGO)
1B G. Miller (HAR)
1B A. López (LI)
SS R. Cruz (BOS)

[Young Drachma]

If Toronto pulls this off, color me massively impressed. Taking down a giant is hard work.

And for muns/Hartford, I can say that I understand what it's like to be there, homes.

[muns]

CL L. St. James (WYO)

boy did i screw that one up.... 2 years in a row he makes the squad after he gets cut....

[kaosfere]

Originally Posted by muns

boy did i screw that one up.... 2 years in a row he makes the squad after he gets cut....

Oh, like you don't have enough pitchers on the roster.

[Alan T]

Gonzalez pitches for Toronto to start game eight!

Anderson leads off with a single, to get Hartford going right. Miller bunts him to second, but Anderson foolishly gets caught trying to steal third. That ends up being a fatal mistake as McGill then singles, and would have scored him had he still been on base. Booker, follows with his own single, moving McGill to second, but Johnson harmlessly flys out to end the top of the first with no runs scored.

The bottom of the first starts with Meyer greeting Wiley pretty much the way they left off in game four. He takes the fourth pitch he sees to Left field deep for a solo home run to take a quick 1-0 lead.

No one scores in the second, and Hartford goes down harmlessly in the top of the third. Meyer leads off the bottom of the third once again, but this time strikes out swinging. Loiselle hits a one out single, and Wilson then reaches on an error by the pitcher which allows Loiselle to move to second. Morgan grounds the ball through the hole at second for a single, moving Loiselle to third and Wilson to second.. Loiselle is going home!! There will be no throw however and he scores easily.

Brown strikes out and then Lujan grounds out to end the third, but not before Toronto takes the 2-0 lead after three...

[muns]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

If Toronto pulls this off, color me massively impressed. Taking down a giant is hard work.

And for muns/Hartford, I can say that I understand what it's like to be there, homes.

He has earned it no doubt. He changed some stuff around that I was not counting on, and I have suffered because of it. My hat goes off to Kaos without a doubt....

[kaosfere]

Thanks, guys. I did all I thought I could do to improve my odds, and then just let the dice roll. I'll keep from fully accepting accolades until after it's all over, though. Still have 6 innings to hold on to this lead!

[Alan T]

Hartford answers in the top of the fourth with a Johnson double to start the inning. Sanchez comes up to bat and fouls off the first pitch.. fouls off the second pitch... fouls off the third pitch... takes a pitch for a ball. The 1-2 pitch... he fouls it off.. he then fouls off the sixth pitch... He takes the next two as balls.. after nine pitches the count is full.. and he fouls off the tenth pitch.. On the eleventh pitch he finally straightens one out but an easy catch by the center fielder for the first out.

Watkins comes up to bat, and grounds out to the second baseman, but Johnson is able to move to third with two outs. Walls then comes up and takes the first two pitches as balls before he grounds one between the first baseman and second baseman for a single. That will score Johnson from third! Wiley harmlessly grounds out to third to end the inning, but not before Hartford gets one back. Toronto leads 2-1.

Toronto is unable to score in the bottom of the fourth or bottom of the fifth. Hartford is unable to score in the top of the fifth or top of the sixth..

Toronto takes their lead into the bottom of the sixth with Wiley still pitching. Brown grounds ouut to start the inning, but then Lujan singles between 1st and 2nd. Muns evidently has seen enough and performs a double swap. He brings Morgan in to play Shortstop and brings Ramos in to pitch.

Ramos does not fare too well however and gives up a single to Mata, then a double to Carr which scores Lujan to make the game 3-1. He strikes out Gonzalez swinging before walking Meyer on 5 pitches. He does not show any better control to the next batter Loiselle as his first pitch is a ball, and the second pitch is way out of the reach of the catcher.. it is a wild pitch! Mata trots home from third, Carr moves over to third and Meyer moves to second on the pitch. Ramos ends up walking Loiselle on 5 pitches as well to load the bases for Wilson to bat with two outs in the bottom of the sixth....

[Alan T]

The first two pitches to Wilson are also Balls, before Ramos gets Wilson to foul off the next pitch and swing through another one. With a 2-2 count Wilson throws one outside for a full count.. everyone will be running... The 3-2 pitch, Wilson doesn't even take the bat off of his shoulder and strikes out looking to end the inning. Not before Toronto scores two however and takes a 4-1 lead after six innings.

[muns]

geez, not looking good at all

[kaosfere]

This is me chomping the hell out of my fingernails.

[Alan T]

The seventh and eight innings are uneventful for both teams as no one scores, and we enter the top of the ninth inning with Toronto leading 4-1. Hartford is batting to stay alive in this series.

A very familiar sight for Toronto fans as the crowd cheers McDonald coming out from the bullpen to pitch the ninth. A sense of electricity is felt through out the crowd.

Yamazaki leads off for Hartford by flying out to the left fielder.

Watkins takes three balls, and then watches the next two pitches go by as strikes. After watching five pitches without moving his bat once, the full count pitch comes in and Watkins grounds it hard through the hole at second base for a single.

Walls takes four straight balls to reach base and move Watkins to second.

Morgan comes up to bat as the tying run with one out in the top of the ninth!!

[kaosfere]

Originally Posted by kaosfere

This is me chomping the hell out of my fingernails.

.

[Alan T]

Morgan also has a problem lifting the bat off of his shoulders and takes the first two pitches as a strike... The next pitch.. also called a strike.. Morgan strikes out without even lifting the bat off of his shoulders for the second out.....

The fate of Hartford's season is now on the back of Anderson who comes to bat as the tying run with two outs...

[muns]

PINTCH HIT

[muns]

GOD

[muns]

lol

[Alan T]

Anderson takes the first pitch as a strike, then decides to swing at the next pitch but swings through without any contact.. The 0-2 pitch is fouled off... a fourth pitch is taken, but this time is a ball. Two more pitches, each fouled off.... finally the seventh pitch of the at bat, he tatoos to the gap in Right field.. this one is going to the wall.... Watkins scores easily from second... Walls to third...

[muns]

well there isnt anyone in the game that I want to bat right now than the man coming up

[Alan T]

Walls gets the signal from the third base coach to head home.. He rushes home.. the throw from the right fielder..... is in time.. Walls is nailed down at the plate for the final out of the eighth game of the 1981 FOOL Classic.

Toronto wins 4-2 and defeats Hartford in the 1981 FOOL Classic 5 games to 3!!

[kaosfere]

Hand it to you, muns. You're not making it easy.

[kaosfere]

WOOOO! Oh man. Awesome.

I'm without words for the moment. Congrats, mun. Couldn't think of a team I would rather beat for this... and I think you'll take that as the compliment it's meant as.

[muns]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Walls gets the signal from the third base coach to head home.. He rushes home.. the throw from the right fielder..... is in time.. Walls is nailed down at the plate for the final out of the eighth game of the 1981 FOOL Classic.

Toronto wins 4-2 and defeats Hartford in the 1981 FOOL Classic 5 games to 3!!

wow...... Heck of a game Kaos.... Heck of a game... Congrats on the Championship

[kaosfere]

Was it John Brown in right for me on that last play?

[Alan T]

In the All star game, The Continental League wins that as well with an impressive display of pitching, 4-0 over the Republic League.

Top performances from the All star game:

S. Oliver (ATL) 1 for 3 , 2 RBI , 1 run scored.
E. Morgan (TOR) 2 for 3, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 run scored.
B. Smith (HAR) 2 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed, 0 Earned runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by kaosfere

Was it John Brown in right for me on that last play?

Morgan was at right field.

[muns]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Walls gets the signal from the third base coach to head home.. He rushes home.. the throw from the right fielder..... is in time.. Walls is nailed down at the plate for the final out of the eighth game of the 1981 FOOL Classic.

Toronto wins 4-2 and defeats Hartford in the 1981 FOOL Classic 5 games to 3!!

Easy to second guess this one, with the best hitter in the game coming up in Mcgill and Anderson on second...... However Walls does have 97 speed and 100 baserunning instincs, so i can see why he was sent.

Was fun to read though. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Again congrats Kaos!

[muns]

Alan, thanks again for taking the time to type all of that out. Makes this thing so much better in terms of getting into it and the league then becomes even that much more enjoyable. Your hard work is apprecited.

[kaosfere]

Phew. Thanks. I never would have thought I'd be able to pull it off. And it was a good series, too! Glad to bring it back to the CL for another year.

And Toronto's first championsip ever! YAY!

Mind if I ask which of my changes threw you off?

[TeachEnEspanol]

Nice work guys. Congrats Kaos!!!

[Alan T]

Continental League
--------------------
MVP

1) Charlie Wilson (TOR)
2) Brian Waller (NYH)
3) Anthony Payton (BKN)

Pitcher of the Year:

1) Julio Martinez (TOR)
2) Mike Brown (BAL)
3) Floyd Yarbrough (BAL)

Rookie of the Year:

1) Greg Baird (NYH)
2) Jose Cardoza (NVY)
3) Christian Wurzburg (BKN)

Republic League
-------------------
MVP:

1) George Baker (HAR)
2) Joe Smith (LI)
3) Paul Morris (COL)

Pitcher of the Year:

1) Billy Smith (HAR)
2) Jorge Aquino (HAR)
3) Artie Wiley (HAR)

Rookie of the Year:

1) Billy Smith (HAR)
2) Theodore Roussy (CGO)
3) Ambrose Lewis (SD)

[Young Drachma]

Too cool. Nothing like beating a juggernaut! Great series by both clubs.

[Alan T]

I have refunded teams for an triggered incentives that I received by PM thus far. If you have any that triggered for your team from old contracts this season, you must get it to me before the next sim or I can't credit you back for them. This includes any players that received incentives for winning awards as well. As a reminder incentives are no longer allowed in future contracts.

After refunds for paid back incentives and such, here are the teams final balance sheets for the season:

Ann Arbor $10,277,308
Atlanta $5,440,904
Baltimore $7,939,204
Boston -$5,607,501
Brooklyn $17,829,515
Chicago $13,415,444
Colorado $25,823,248
Columbus $1,673,619
Hartford $10,412,271
Long Island $1,271,030
Napa Valley $24,533,640
New York $23,013,572
Rio Grande $13,407,446
San Diego $12,062,409
Toronto $4,713,631
Wyoming $6,787,700

[Pike]

Congrats Kaos, or in Spanish "El Gigante Asesino"

Great series, and thanks Alan for the PBP.

[Young Drachma]

I expected that, but the alternative was being over the cap and having someone released anyway. So oh well. Won't happen again, but I wouldn't have done anything differently this year. It is what it is.

[Tasan]

Wow, nice job kaos, part of me actually feels bad for muns, because, well, I hate HARTFORD. Not muns.

[Alan T]

Ok, I think I have everything done. Packing up the file now. The VL was folded so you'll see some various free agents in the pool this sim, some which are pretty decent players or prospects.

[Alan T]

New file is up!

[Chief Rum]

Wow, great job, kaos! Way to come through! And a fun Classic to read along with, too (good job, Alan).

[muns]

Originally Posted by kaosfere

Phew. Thanks. I never would have thought I'd be able to pull it off. And it was a good series, too! Glad to bring it back to the CL for another year.

And Toronto's first championsip ever! YAY!

Mind if I ask which of my changes threw you off?

Sorry Kaos I went to bed...... right as you typed that up i guess.

Your pitching, and how you had two lefties back to back and then of course you moved John Brown up It was more your pitching though..... You out managed me, and again tip of the hat sir...

[Young Drachma]

I know kaos has his own template for his, so I suspect this year's edition of the banner will be delightfully sweet to make!

[kaosfere]

Originally Posted by muns

Your pitching, and how you had two lefties back to back and then of course you moved John Brown up It was more your pitching though..... You out managed me, and again tip of the hat sir...

John Brown surprisingly did next to nothing for me: three hits in 26 AB. I probably would have been better off leaving Horswill in his spot.

This isn't the first time I've seen this. I often wonder if the game "punishes" otherwise good players when they first come up from the minors -- sort of an "oh, this is how the game is really played" shell shock. Dunno.

At any rate!

A damned good series, and I couldn't think of a finer opponent. You have had a monster over there, and I don't think you're done, by any means. I tip my hat to you, too!

(I'm glad my pitching paid off. At the risk of giving myself too much credit, I think my rotation in the series could be used as a good example of how teams can use their park to their advantage and maximize what they have on all fronts.)

I also put my weakest arm in the #3 spot. I wanted someone slightly better in games 4 and 8 (if it got that far), but I suspect that's fairly standard practice.

Once again, great seaons, muns, and here's to next year!

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by kaosfere

This isn't the first time I've seen this. I often wonder if the game "punishes" otherwise good players when they first come up from the minors -- sort of an "oh, this is how the game is really played" shell shock. Dunno.

It is just small sample size. The game doesn't punish someone when they first come up from the minors. I've had guys spend their entire career in the minors, and then come up for just the FOOL Classic and hit .500 or higher during the FOOL Classic in their first ever Major league at bats. Sometimes guys will play over their ratings for a bit and then fall below their ratings a bit, etc.. Eventually over time they will average out to be the type of player they are meant to be. Your guy probably just was in his low biorhythm and if he had another month or two, would eventually have an up swing. (Or maybe he is just a dud player who knows!)

[Anthony]

glad to see the guy i aquired from Atlanta - Steve Oliver - put up some good numbers in the All Star game. since he's making the same as John Hunt i basically got younger and better by exchanging those two. excellent pickup on my part. i paid a hefty price for the deal in terms of prospects, but you gotta give to get. my rotation now goes 4 deep, this is not good news for the RL.

[Pike]

Originally Posted by Anthony

glad to see the guy i aquired from Atlanta - Steve Oliver - put up some good numbers in the All Star game. since he's making the same as John Hunt i basically got younger and better by exchanging those two. excellent pickup on my part. i paid a hefty price for the deal in terms of prospects, but you gotta give to get. my rotation now goes 4 deep, this is not good news for the RL.

So '82 is a statement year as well then?! When do you expect all these excellent moves on your part to produce a championship/winning season?

Good Luck in '82 dude!