I'm just having a crazy 2008 season...

[Avalon1178]

Not for the Angels (my team) since I've already clinched but....

With 2 games to play in the season, the AL East, NL West, and NL East have yet to be decided.

The most exciting is the NL East, with the Yankees and their 96 wins are only ahead of the Boston Red Sox by 2 games! And get this....the Red Sox has stormed just the past few games by winning 6 straight games (7 out of 8) and the Yanks have lost 7 of its last 9 games. Oh, and want more drama? The last two games are THE YANKS VS THE RED SOX! Red Sox needs to beat the Yanks 2 more games and they'll be in a virtual tie.

As for the Wild Card, Red Sox are only a game behind the Detroit Tigers, but the Tigers have won its last 5 games and are playing the Tampa Bay Rays the last two games (who by the way are only 69-91)

Meanwhile in the NL West, Rockies are ahead of the Diamondbacks by only 1 game with 2 games to play. Rockies have also stormed just recently, winning 8 of its last 10 games, while the Diamondbacks have lost 7 of its last 10. And yes....the last two games are THE DIAMONDBACKS VS THE ROCKIES! The Diamondbacks are pretty much out of Wild Card contention (as that appears to be going to either the Phillies or Mets, whoever wins the NL East division), so they need win the last two games to regain the NL West lead or one out of two to force a tie.

Not much drama for NL East as the Phillies and Mets have clinched a tie for the playoffs with the Mets leading their division by 2 games with 2 games to play (and they'll be playing the Marlins who are only 77-83). The Phillies are playing the Nationals in its last two games.

What a season, eh?

[Avalon1178]

Okay, I just ran the sportscast on the Yanks vs Red Sox game...

Yanks SP is Chien-Ming Wang. Red Sox SP is Josh Beckett...

With Yanks leading 2-1 bottom of the 5th, Manny Ramirez hits a 2-run HR to give Red Sox a 3-2 lead. Then bottom of the 6th, Kevin Youklis followed it up with a 3-run HR for a 6-2 lead!!! Yanks started to chip away when Posada hits a solo-HR top of the 7th but the Red Sox closed the door as Papelbon shuts down the Yanks for the save!

Red Sox defeated the Yanks 6-3, and are now 1 game behind the AL East lead with one game to play!!!!

Meanwhile, Mets win and Phillies lost, giving the Mets the NL East division and the Phillies the Wild Card division.

In the NL West race, Diamondbacks continue to breathe through life support as they ecked out a victory against the Rockies 5-3. Although the game was close, Diamondbacks never relinquished the lead after Eric Byrnes led of the game with a solo shot. The Rockies had 3 solo HRs between Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, and Brad Hawpe, but it wasn't enough as the Diamondbacks had 3 HRs on its own between Byrnes and 2 HRs by Matt Reynolds. Brandon Lyon closed the game with his 43rd save.

Soooo...in game 162, the NL West and AL East fate will be determined.....one game playoff for each, or will the Yanks or Diamondbacks seize their respective divisions? We will see....

[nemesis04]

You got a lot of things going on there Avalon. Nice to that there are not just blowouts just happening. Good luck the rest of the way.

[Avalon1178]

Quote: Originally Posted by nemesis04

You got a lot of things going on there Avalon. Nice to that there are not just blowouts just happening. Good luck the rest of the way.

Thanks....but I think I have your HOF Sliders to thank more.

[DodgerFanatic2K3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Avalon1178

Okay, I just ran the sportscast on the Yanks vs Red Sox game... Yanks SP is Chien-Ming Wang. Red Sox SP is Josh Beckett... With Yanks leading 2-1 bottom of the 5th, Manny Ramirez hits a 2-run HR to give Red Sox a 3-2 lead.

Too bad that your rosters are totally inaccurate...... that kills all the realism for me


But besides that.... It's still a crazy "fantasy" season
.......especially for Boston LOL

[Avalon1178]

Quote: Originally Posted by DodgerFanatic2K3

Too bad that your rosters are totally inaccurate...... that kills all the realism for me But besides that.... It's still a crazy "fantasy" season .......especially for Boston LOL

I was using Knight's roster set when I started the season and decided to let the CPU deal with the trades rather than reflect it to real life (that would be too much for me).

But as you said, it is a "fantasy" season. Heh heh. I just wish there's a way to import my current roster set to the next installment of MLB 09 so I can keep the stats with me across seasons including records, trades, etc.

[DodgerFanatic2K3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Avalon1178

I was using Knight's roster set when I started the season and decided to let the CPU deal with the trades rather than reflect it to real life (that would be too much for me). But as you said, it is a "fantasy" season. Heh heh. I just wish there's a way to import my current roster set to the next installment of MLB 09 so I can keep the stats with me across seasons including records, trades, etc.

Ya I totally understand, I spent too much time trying to keep rosters accurate in my season because I'm so consumed with realism

Ya it would be awesome to be able to transfer stat and trade data from '08 to '09 but it would be close to impossible because they always change and improve the games internal code every season

[Avalon1178]

Quote: Originally Posted by DodgerFanatic2K3

Ya I totally understand, I spent too much time trying to keep rosters accurate in my season because I'm so consumed with realism Ya it would be awesome to be able to transfer stat and trade data from '08 to '09 but it would be close to impossible because they always change and improve the games internal code every season

Actually its not as bad or impossible as you think. Coming from a programmer background, provided they treat the "roster set" as plain ole data (i.e. numbers, stats, roster set, etc) and separate this from the logic or presentation (i.e. gameplay, stadium, etc), it can be done. But I don't work for Sony so I dunno how they designed their game...

[Avalon1178]

Final game of the season...two divisions yet to be decided. I am simulcasting the Yanks vs. Red Sox game and the Diamondbacks vs Rockies game. For the first game, a Yankees loss and a Red Sox win means there will be a tie in the AL East division, forcing an improbably one-game playoff after the Red Sox stormed back to win its last 9 games. For the latter game, with the Diamondbacks and Rockies tied atop the NL West, a Rockies win means an also improbable run as they will steal the division away from the Diamondbacks after winning 9 of its last 12 games.

Here goes....first simulcast with the Yanks vs Red Sox game (no play-by-play as that will take long, but just main highlights)

1st inning: Yanks on board first with Robinson Cano hitting a solo shot after 1-out off Clay Buchholz. Red Sox failed to answer at the bottom of the 1st after leaving Ortiz and Ramirez on base. Andy Pettitte escapes the mini-jam. Yanks 1, Red Sox 0.

4th inning: Yanks scored five runs off of Buchholz with one-out, capped in the inning by Shelley Duncan's three-run homer to center after Morgan Ensberg's two-run double to left. Pettitte once more, kept the Red Sox bats quiet at the bottom of the inning. Yanks 6, Red Sox 0.

5th inning: Looks like the Yanks are on its way to a division victory. With Mike Timlin of the Red Sox pitching in relief, Melky Cabrera singles home Jason Giambi from second. And once more, Red Sox didn't score on its bottom half of the frame. Yanks 7, Red Sox 0.

8th inning: Yanks pile on a few more runs off Red Sox reliever Javier Lopez, with A-Rod singling home two runs, scoring Shelley Duncan and Jason Giambi. Bottom of the 8th, Red Sox finally answers Pettitte, with Big Papi leading of the inning with a solo shot. However, Joba Chamberlain quickly silences the Sox (I guess they're not messing around!). Yanks 9, Red Sox 1

AND THAT IS IT FOLKS! Yanks beat the surging Red Sox, 9-1 to capture the AL East division! And with the Tigers win on its previous game, Red Sox are out of the playoff hunt as the Tigers capture the Wild Card Division.

So the AL playoffs is finally set!

AL West: Los Angeles Angels (ME!)
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL East: New York Yankees
Wild Card: Detroit Tigers

Now onto the Diamondbacks vs. Rockies simulcast....

[Avalon1178]

Now here comes the Diamondbacks vs. Rockies simulcast. Whoever wins in this game captures the NL West division and sends the other team packing. The pitching matchup is Dan Haren of the Diamondbacks against the Rockies rookie Greg Reynolds

1st inning: Rockies failed to score at the top half of their frame but the D-backs strike first on a single by Orlando Hudson off Rockies pitcher Greg Reynolds, scoring Jeff Salazar. D-backs 1, Rockies 0.

2nd inning: D-backs answer again! With a runner at first and two out, Justin Upton hits a two-run homerun, only his 9th of the season. D-backs 3, Rockies 0.

4th inning: Rockies finally respond at the top of the 4th, as Brad Hawpe connects for a solo-shot off Dan Haren with two outs. Rockies threaten further following the homerun with consecutive singles by Troy Tulowitzki and Cory Sullivan but Haren shuts them down. D-backs fail to answer at their bottom half. D-backs 3, Rockies 1

7th inning: Rockies TIES the game at their top half of the inning. Yorvit Torrealba started it off with a solo-shot to center. Then after pinch-hitter Todd Helton doubles, Kazuo Matsui singles him home off of reliever Tony Pena, who relieved Haren after giving up the Helton double. Pena retires the next two batters in order but not after the Rockies scores two runs! Now with Manny DelCarmen relieving for the Rockies, the D-backs are retired 1-2-3. Rockies have momentum! Rockies 3, D-backs 3.

8th inning: Rockies fail to score at their top half of the frame even though they threatened. D-backs jumped on that missed opportunity...ALMOST!!! With DelCarmen still pitching for the Rockies, with one out, Justin Upton singles then was followed by a Jeff Salazar double....Upton races home from first but was THROWN OUT! D-backs fail to score in the inning! Score remained tied at 3 going into the 9th inning... (wasn't gonna write a summary for this inning, but had to put this drama on here!)

9th inning: Here we go, with score tied, the Rockies had men on base with no out after pinch-hitter Edwin Bellorin and Kazuo Matsui walk. Edgar Gonzalez now the new pitcher for the D-backs and retires Garrett Atkins on strikes. Matt Holliday comes to the plate and......hits into a double play! D-backs out of the Rockies inning with score still tied! Now comes the D-backs. Rockies brought in reliever Steven Register to pitch the bottom of the 9th. Robby Hammock of the D-backs leads off with a single to center. Augie Ojeda sacrifices him to second. Stephen Drew is now pinch-hitting, but grounds out to first. Man on second, two outs. SS Emilio Bonifacio now up to the plate but was pulled for pinch-hitter Conor Jackson. Steven Register still on the mound for the Rockies.....

On a 2-1 count....Conor Jackson SINGLES TO CENTER SCORING ROBBY HAMMOCK FROM SECOND! D-BACKS WIN! D-BACKS WIN! FINAL SCORE: D-Backs 4, Rockies 3.

Now the NL picture is set:

NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks
NL Central: Houston Astros
NL East: New York Mets
Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies