Pawtucket has long been among the top teams in the National League, and while the team gets set to pursue its record 12th straight division title, change is in the air.
A slew of core players on this team are past their prime. The numbers are still there, but the timeline for their careers is dwindling. And GM Kevin Sharkey will have some big decisions to make.
"Certainly, there are 7 or 8 guys on this team who I'd love to see retire as a Polythene. And if we can make that happen, we will do it," Sharkey said. "But part of the problem with doing that is their pricetag. They're so expensive right now that their contracts are prohibiting us from building up our minor leagues."
GMs around the league are comparing this team to the Kansas City Shuffle of season 9. The run that they had completed was historic, but there was only a year or two left before they completely hit the wall. Instead of playing out that run, they retooled on the fly, and the result was a World Series title 3 seasons later, with a completely different roster.
"I feel this team will win the division for 3 or 4 more years," Sharkey remarked. "But fans in Rhode Island are getting tired of division titles. We're turning into the Atlanta Braves of Sharkey's World, with all our wild regular season success, and stunning playoff failures. I'm not sure if this team can compete with Colorado Springs or San Francisco in the coming seasons, and if thats the case, something has to be done."
And that something is clearly getting the young talent back for the aging players on their roster.
"I expect major changes around here this season," said longtime Polythene Frank Harris, one of two Pawtucket players who have been on the roster for every regular & post season game since opening day in season 1. "I always assumed Stan [Stan Jenner] & I would retire as Polythene in the same season, and go into the Hall of Fame together in the same class. And that is still our plan, totally. But we'll see if Shark allows that to happen."
Jenner added: "If moving us for youth is whats best for the organization, then I think Frank & I would be OK with that. Ideally, we'd love to end up in the same place, but we have no control over that. But if I can go somewhere else and get a 3rd ring, I would be OK with that. I'll end up as a Polythene again someday, that much I know."
One person who is still on the younger side of 30 that many people may not have been expected to move is 3 time All-Star Enrique Infante, who feels he has never fit in in Pawtucket. "The pressure that was put on my when they acquired me a few years ago was far too great. I'm a great pitcher, but I'm not C-Ram, and that's who they wanted me to be."
The 29 year old still has as much as a decade of great baseball in front of him, but may be the first to leave town.
"My agent informed me the other day that 6 teams are already in active negotiations to acquire my services. Obviously I can't say which teams they are, but I'm excited about the fact that most are in the American League. I hate batting," Infante joked.
Two of the newer Polythene, Jay Peters and Johnnie West both say they expect to be dealt before the trade deadline. "Obviously we don't have the history in Pawtucket that some of these other guys have," West said. "You're crazy if you think the franchise will move guys like Jenner & Thomson before they'd move us. The fans would go nuts. People who get statues of them erected in their cities aren't the type of people who get moved until the last possible minute."
Speaking of Julian Thomson, what lies in store for him?
"All I know, man, is if I get moved, it better be for the biggest package out there." Never one to shy away from boasting his own skills, the 6 time all star & 5 time silver slugger acknowledged this. "Yeah, I'll run my mouth. But when you're the best player in the world at his position, and your position is the most important of all the positions in the game, besides pitcher, you can be confident that what you're saying is accurate."
To be fair, he has a point. Thomson just recently turned 30 years old. He has 8 straight 100 run seasons, 5 seasons of 40+ doubles, 5 seasons of 20+ home runs, 6 seasons of 50+ stolen bases, and over 500 career RBIs - all in only 8 seasons played, and all from the leadoff spot.
"Don't forget that I'm a complete hitter now," Thomson added, regarding the fact that he's hit over .300 each of the last 2 seasons, and finished in the Top 5 in NL MVP voting both times.
"So if they trade me, I better go to a great team. I wouldn't mind winning a few World Series titles in San Francisco or Colorado Springs. And there's a few great guys in the American League who I'd like to play for."
Other people likely on the move are LF Rod Forbes, switch-hitting RF Paul Reese, and P Buddy Dorsey.
Pitcher Charles Randall, who doesn't have a lot of gas left in the tank, doesn't think the team should be so quick to unload.
"That's a lot of talent you're all speculating about. Why move them all right now, when you can keep them together and get me another World Series ring? Hell, at least wait 'til next offseason, when I'm a free agent and likely won't be resigned by Pawtucket," he joked.
Who knows what will happen. The rumors are flying though, and a lot of teams are going to get a lot better by having their pick of talent off the Pawtucket roster.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pawtucket Bracket
To view the complete bracket, and fill out your bracket beforehand, click here.
The final bracket is highlighted by 5 teams with multiple entries, features 2 Kansas City vs Rochester matchups, and has only 2 first round matchups not featuring an LCS winner.
In the #1 seed of the bracket, and the #1 overall seed of the entire tournament, are the season 5 KC Shuffle, who won a record 122 games, as well as the World Series. They face a season 7 Rochester team that caught a hot streak into the NLCS.
The 8th seeded San Francisco Sourdoughs of season 1 were the first ever NL Champions, and come from the only division in SW history to have 3 teams compete for a World Series Championship. They go up against the 9th seeded Charlotte knights of season 8, a good team in their own right, but a team that didn't become mighty until a few seasons later.
The 4th seeded Durham Savages of season 1 were the highest winning team in the inaugural SW season, only to be ousted in the ALDS, and then move to Little Rock immediately following the season. They go up against the first NL team to win the World Series, the season 2 Texas Tittyballs, one of only 2 NL franchises to have a WS title.
In the 5/12 matchup, division rivals Cheyenne of season 9 and Fresno of season 10 do battle. The Chillipeppers of season 9 were the first AL West team to dethrone the KC Shuffle, while the Fresno Fire Dragons are the only other AL West team to win the WS - albeit 2 seasons & 1000 miles later.
Colorado Springs NL Championship team of season 11 takes the #3 seed, and goes up against one of two Charleston Rebel teams in this bracket - this one the season 6 team that lost to Kansas City in the ALCS.
The season 5 Charleston Rebels, the 11th seed in this bracket, also lost to the KC Shuffle in the ALCS. Their road to a championship is off to a difficult start in this tournament, as well, as their first opponent is the World Champion Polythene of season 4.
Two underachievers face off in the 7/10 matchup. The Texas Tittyballs of season 5, who were unable to make the NLCS, go up against the Colorado Springs AltiDUDES of season 6, also unable to make the NLCS.
And in the final matchup of the tournament, the Kansas City Shuffle get their 4th #1 or #2 seed in the tournament, this time the #2 seed goes to the season 8 version of their franchise; a team which tried, and failed, to reach a record 8th straight LCS. They go up against the worst team in the tournament, record-wise, the season 9 Raging Rhinos of Rochester, whose 81-81 record was mocked as undeserving by many when their playoff run began.
If everyone goes to the link above & clicks the "predict it!" link above the bracket, and fills out how they think the bracket should unfold, I'll use those suggestions in helping me determine the winners of all 63 games to be played.
The first two games will be played on Monday, March 1st.
Both will be from the Kansas City bracket. The first game will be the 5/12 matchup, pitting Kansas City against Colorado Springs. The second game will be the 4/13 matchup, which is Pawtucket vs Rochester. Who should win these games?
The final bracket is highlighted by 5 teams with multiple entries, features 2 Kansas City vs Rochester matchups, and has only 2 first round matchups not featuring an LCS winner.
In the #1 seed of the bracket, and the #1 overall seed of the entire tournament, are the season 5 KC Shuffle, who won a record 122 games, as well as the World Series. They face a season 7 Rochester team that caught a hot streak into the NLCS.
The 8th seeded San Francisco Sourdoughs of season 1 were the first ever NL Champions, and come from the only division in SW history to have 3 teams compete for a World Series Championship. They go up against the 9th seeded Charlotte knights of season 8, a good team in their own right, but a team that didn't become mighty until a few seasons later.
The 4th seeded Durham Savages of season 1 were the highest winning team in the inaugural SW season, only to be ousted in the ALDS, and then move to Little Rock immediately following the season. They go up against the first NL team to win the World Series, the season 2 Texas Tittyballs, one of only 2 NL franchises to have a WS title.
In the 5/12 matchup, division rivals Cheyenne of season 9 and Fresno of season 10 do battle. The Chillipeppers of season 9 were the first AL West team to dethrone the KC Shuffle, while the Fresno Fire Dragons are the only other AL West team to win the WS - albeit 2 seasons & 1000 miles later.
Colorado Springs NL Championship team of season 11 takes the #3 seed, and goes up against one of two Charleston Rebel teams in this bracket - this one the season 6 team that lost to Kansas City in the ALCS.
The season 5 Charleston Rebels, the 11th seed in this bracket, also lost to the KC Shuffle in the ALCS. Their road to a championship is off to a difficult start in this tournament, as well, as their first opponent is the World Champion Polythene of season 4.
Two underachievers face off in the 7/10 matchup. The Texas Tittyballs of season 5, who were unable to make the NLCS, go up against the Colorado Springs AltiDUDES of season 6, also unable to make the NLCS.
And in the final matchup of the tournament, the Kansas City Shuffle get their 4th #1 or #2 seed in the tournament, this time the #2 seed goes to the season 8 version of their franchise; a team which tried, and failed, to reach a record 8th straight LCS. They go up against the worst team in the tournament, record-wise, the season 9 Raging Rhinos of Rochester, whose 81-81 record was mocked as undeserving by many when their playoff run began.
If everyone goes to the link above & clicks the "predict it!" link above the bracket, and fills out how they think the bracket should unfold, I'll use those suggestions in helping me determine the winners of all 63 games to be played.
The first two games will be played on Monday, March 1st.
Both will be from the Kansas City bracket. The first game will be the 5/12 matchup, pitting Kansas City against Colorado Springs. The second game will be the 4/13 matchup, which is Pawtucket vs Rochester. Who should win these games?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Jacksonville Bracket
The third of four brackets is posted. To view the complete bracket (so far), click here.
Unlike the Texas bracket, which was crammed with 5 World Series Champions, this bracket only has 2 champions in it. Four other teams in this bracket reached the World Series, only to lose.
The two world series champions, if they were to both win their first round game, would meet in the second round. Meaning this bracket will be completely wide open and unpredictable.
In the #1 seed are the season 4 Kansas City Shuffle, the second winningest regular season team in history, who lost in the World Series that year. Their opponent, the 16th seeded Norfolk Nomads of season 4, came one win away from being KC's opponent in that World Series.
In the 8 seed are arguably the most forgotten #1 seed (from their season) of all-time, the season 1 Scranton Dunder-Mifflins. This franchise has fallen on hard times for the last 8 or 9 seasons, so its easy to forget how dominant they were the first few seasons. In the 9th spot are the season 11 Charlotte knights, the defending AL Champions.
The 4th seeded New Orleans Breeze of season 9 are surprisingly one of many teams to earn a first round bye in their particular season, and then get swept in their opening series. Making things much more difficult for this 4 seed is their first round opponent, 13th seeded Charlotte of season 10, the World Series Champions.
In the 5th spot is our most recent World Series Champions, the Boise Bombers of season 12. Fittingly, the Bombers go up against their biggest rival franchise, the Kansas City Shuffle, whose season 10 team earns this brackets 12th seed.
The 3rd seed is the Rochester Raging Rhinos of season 5, the highest rated of all four Rochester teams in this tournament. They go up against arguably the weakest pennant winner of all-time, the season 3 Scottsdale Rangers.
In the 6th seed are the Pawtucket Polythene of season 5, the defending World Series Champions who blew a 3-1 lead in the WS, and subsequently blew their chance at repeating. They'll face off with the 11th seeded Fargo Nines of season 3, a team that was swept out of the ALCS.
Another Pawtucket entry, the season 2 version of the team takes the #7 seed. And as Pawtucket has done for much of its history, it will do battle with the Texas Tittyballs. This time, they'll go up against the 10th seeded Tittyballs of season 7, the National League Champions.
And in the final first round game of the Jacksonville bracket, the 2nd seeded Boise Bombers of season 11, a 112 win team that failed to reach the World Series, go up against the Pawtucket Polythene of season 10, a team that won 18 less regular season games than its opponent, but also managed to reach the LCS before falling.
Tomorrow, the final bracket is unveiled; the Pawtucket bracket, featuring 3 World Champions, 6 Pennant winners, and led by the winningest team of all-time, the 122-40 Kansas City Shuffle of season 5.
Unlike the Texas bracket, which was crammed with 5 World Series Champions, this bracket only has 2 champions in it. Four other teams in this bracket reached the World Series, only to lose.
The two world series champions, if they were to both win their first round game, would meet in the second round. Meaning this bracket will be completely wide open and unpredictable.
In the #1 seed are the season 4 Kansas City Shuffle, the second winningest regular season team in history, who lost in the World Series that year. Their opponent, the 16th seeded Norfolk Nomads of season 4, came one win away from being KC's opponent in that World Series.
In the 8 seed are arguably the most forgotten #1 seed (from their season) of all-time, the season 1 Scranton Dunder-Mifflins. This franchise has fallen on hard times for the last 8 or 9 seasons, so its easy to forget how dominant they were the first few seasons. In the 9th spot are the season 11 Charlotte knights, the defending AL Champions.
The 4th seeded New Orleans Breeze of season 9 are surprisingly one of many teams to earn a first round bye in their particular season, and then get swept in their opening series. Making things much more difficult for this 4 seed is their first round opponent, 13th seeded Charlotte of season 10, the World Series Champions.
In the 5th spot is our most recent World Series Champions, the Boise Bombers of season 12. Fittingly, the Bombers go up against their biggest rival franchise, the Kansas City Shuffle, whose season 10 team earns this brackets 12th seed.
The 3rd seed is the Rochester Raging Rhinos of season 5, the highest rated of all four Rochester teams in this tournament. They go up against arguably the weakest pennant winner of all-time, the season 3 Scottsdale Rangers.
In the 6th seed are the Pawtucket Polythene of season 5, the defending World Series Champions who blew a 3-1 lead in the WS, and subsequently blew their chance at repeating. They'll face off with the 11th seeded Fargo Nines of season 3, a team that was swept out of the ALCS.
Another Pawtucket entry, the season 2 version of the team takes the #7 seed. And as Pawtucket has done for much of its history, it will do battle with the Texas Tittyballs. This time, they'll go up against the 10th seeded Tittyballs of season 7, the National League Champions.
And in the final first round game of the Jacksonville bracket, the 2nd seeded Boise Bombers of season 11, a 112 win team that failed to reach the World Series, go up against the Pawtucket Polythene of season 10, a team that won 18 less regular season games than its opponent, but also managed to reach the LCS before falling.
Tomorrow, the final bracket is unveiled; the Pawtucket bracket, featuring 3 World Champions, 6 Pennant winners, and led by the winningest team of all-time, the 122-40 Kansas City Shuffle of season 5.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Texas Bracket
Today, the Texas bracket is presented. The winner of this bracket will play the winner of the Kansas City bracket in the final four. So one of the 32 teams you see listed will play in the March Madness World Series.
To view the bracket, click here.
The Texas bracket is easily the most competitive and repetitive bracket in the tournament. It features 5 World Series Champions in its field of 16, the most of any bracket. It also features 2 World Series runner-ups. Of these 7 World Series participants in this bracket, 6 are from the American League, marking half of all AL WS participants crammed into one super bracket.
As far as the repetitive aspect goes, 4 of the 16 teams are from Pawtucket (none of which won an NL Pennant). Kansas City has 3 teams in the bracket. Colorado Springs & Jacksonville each have two teams in the bracket. 11 of 16 seeds from 4 teams. You can bet the boys on the New Orleans, Charlotte, Texas, Iowa City, and Louisville squads in this bracket will do their best to make sure none of those 4 powerhouses gets the Texas Bracket Championship.
As mentioned yesterday, Colorado Springs season 10 team, which lost the World Series, is the brackets #1 seed. They'll face off against New Orleans season 12 team, the first NO team to reach the NLCS.
In the 8/9 matchup, Charlotte's season 9 squad, which won 104 regular season games and 0 playoff games, goes up against the 9th seeded Shuffle of season 3 - the 2nd of Kansas City's 5 career World Series title teams.
Another world series champion, the Jacksonville Juggernauts of season 7, earn the #12 seed, and will go up against the season 11 Pawtucket Polythene, the 5th seed, which were the 9th Polythene team in a 10 season stretch to reach the NLCS.
The winner will play either the 4th seeded Colorado Springs AltiDUDES of season 9, who won NL homefield advantage and then lost to Max Hernandez's great Rochester squad in the NLDS, or the 13th seeded Kansas City Shuffle of season 1, the 3rd World Series Champion so far in this bracket, and the first in Sharkey's World history.
In the lower half of the bracket, we start off with the only matchup in the first round of this bracket to not feature a League Pennant winner. In the #6 seed are the season 8 Texas Tittyballs, who lost to eventual World Series Champion Pawtucket in the NLCS, the 5th playoff meeting between the two teams in a 7 season stretch. Going up against Texas, fittingly, are the 11th seeded season 9 Pawtucket Polythene, who ran into the same Rochester team the spoiled the #4 seed AltiDUDES.
In the #3 seed, the season 6 Pawtucket Polythene, the winningest team in Polythene history, look to set up a Pawtucket-Pawtucket round of 32 matchup. But they must first get by #14 seeded Kansas City of season 11, the lowest seeded World Series Champion in the tournament.
In the #7 seed are the Iowa City Kaysons of season 2, the only AL team to beat Kansas City in the playoffs in the first 6 seasons of SW history. They'll face off with the Polythene of season 7, who got swept in the NLDS by an inferior Rochester team.
And closing out the bracket in the #2 seed are the World Series Champion Juggernauts of season 9, the only WS Champion to lose 3 games or fewer in their run to the title. This powerhouse will have to get by an upstart Louisville team from season 4 in their first round matchup.
Whichever team survives this super bracket to advance to the Final Four will surely be battle tested, and probably will be the favorite to win the entire tournament.
Tomorrow, the 3rd of 4 brackets is unveiled, the Jacksonville bracket. The AL Champion Kansas City Shuffle of season 4 are the #1 seed in this bracket.
To view the bracket, click here.
The Texas bracket is easily the most competitive and repetitive bracket in the tournament. It features 5 World Series Champions in its field of 16, the most of any bracket. It also features 2 World Series runner-ups. Of these 7 World Series participants in this bracket, 6 are from the American League, marking half of all AL WS participants crammed into one super bracket.
As far as the repetitive aspect goes, 4 of the 16 teams are from Pawtucket (none of which won an NL Pennant). Kansas City has 3 teams in the bracket. Colorado Springs & Jacksonville each have two teams in the bracket. 11 of 16 seeds from 4 teams. You can bet the boys on the New Orleans, Charlotte, Texas, Iowa City, and Louisville squads in this bracket will do their best to make sure none of those 4 powerhouses gets the Texas Bracket Championship.
As mentioned yesterday, Colorado Springs season 10 team, which lost the World Series, is the brackets #1 seed. They'll face off against New Orleans season 12 team, the first NO team to reach the NLCS.
In the 8/9 matchup, Charlotte's season 9 squad, which won 104 regular season games and 0 playoff games, goes up against the 9th seeded Shuffle of season 3 - the 2nd of Kansas City's 5 career World Series title teams.
Another world series champion, the Jacksonville Juggernauts of season 7, earn the #12 seed, and will go up against the season 11 Pawtucket Polythene, the 5th seed, which were the 9th Polythene team in a 10 season stretch to reach the NLCS.
The winner will play either the 4th seeded Colorado Springs AltiDUDES of season 9, who won NL homefield advantage and then lost to Max Hernandez's great Rochester squad in the NLDS, or the 13th seeded Kansas City Shuffle of season 1, the 3rd World Series Champion so far in this bracket, and the first in Sharkey's World history.
In the lower half of the bracket, we start off with the only matchup in the first round of this bracket to not feature a League Pennant winner. In the #6 seed are the season 8 Texas Tittyballs, who lost to eventual World Series Champion Pawtucket in the NLCS, the 5th playoff meeting between the two teams in a 7 season stretch. Going up against Texas, fittingly, are the 11th seeded season 9 Pawtucket Polythene, who ran into the same Rochester team the spoiled the #4 seed AltiDUDES.
In the #3 seed, the season 6 Pawtucket Polythene, the winningest team in Polythene history, look to set up a Pawtucket-Pawtucket round of 32 matchup. But they must first get by #14 seeded Kansas City of season 11, the lowest seeded World Series Champion in the tournament.
In the #7 seed are the Iowa City Kaysons of season 2, the only AL team to beat Kansas City in the playoffs in the first 6 seasons of SW history. They'll face off with the Polythene of season 7, who got swept in the NLDS by an inferior Rochester team.
And closing out the bracket in the #2 seed are the World Series Champion Juggernauts of season 9, the only WS Champion to lose 3 games or fewer in their run to the title. This powerhouse will have to get by an upstart Louisville team from season 4 in their first round matchup.
Whichever team survives this super bracket to advance to the Final Four will surely be battle tested, and probably will be the favorite to win the entire tournament.
Tomorrow, the 3rd of 4 brackets is unveiled, the Jacksonville bracket. The AL Champion Kansas City Shuffle of season 4 are the #1 seed in this bracket.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
First Bracket Unveiled
Each of the four brackets are named for the four most successful franchises in world history: Kansas City, Pawtucket, Jacksonville, and Texas.
Today I'll show you the Kansas City bracket.
This bracket features two World Series Champions, as well as 3 World Series runner-ups.
The AL Champion Jacksonville Juggernauts of season 8 are the brackets #1 seed. In the first round, they will face off with the Houston Aggies of season 1, and wildcard team who made a run to game 7 of the ALCS before losing.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the season 9 Fresno Fire Dragons/season 6 Texas Tittyballs game. The Fire Dragons 104 wins in season 9 was among the highest totals ever for a team that could not win its division. Meanwhile, the season 6 Tittyballs were the first of back to back NL Championship teams for owner longdayintro.
In the #5 seed are the Kansas City Shuffle of season 7, the first KC team in 5 seasons to not win the AL Pennant. They face off against the 12th seeded Colorado Springs AltiDUDES of season 8, which was the 7th straight team ohiopirate had put into the playoffs, but looking to become the first to reach the NLCS.
Awaiting the winner of this matchup is the World Series Champion Pawtucket Polythene of season 8, the 4th seed in the KC bracket. That is, of course, if they can beat the Rochester Raging Rhinos of season 4, the NL North Champions who got upset by a 6th seed in their only playoff series that year.
In the bottom portion of this bracket, is the 6th seeded Cheyenne Chillipeppers of season 7, who lost the division to 5th seeded Kansas City, and then lost to them in the ALDS. They will face off with 11th seeded Pawtucket of season 3, one of six Polythene teams in this tournament who lost in the NLCS.
World Series Champion Kansas City, of season 6, sits in the 3 seed, facing off with the season 12 Charlotte knights for the right to face Cheyenne of Pawtucket in the round of 32.
Meanwhile, NL Champion Colorado Springs of season 12, led by Christopher Ramirez (who has 11 teams in this tournament), take the #7 seed in this bracket. They will face off with a forgotten great team of season 1, the 10th seeded Atlanta City Slickers, who won their division & a first round bye.
And closing out the bracket, in the 2/15 matchup, is the Kansas City Shuffle of season 2, the only KC team of the first 6 seasons to not win the AL Pennant, facing off with the Santa Cruz Bay Kings of season 1, yet another wildcard team to reach the LCS.
To view the bracket, click here. When viewing the bracket, the first number in parentheses is the teams seed in this tournament. The number in parentheses following the team name is what season that particular team is from.
The second bracket, the Texas bracket, will be released tomorrow, featuring first seeded Colorado Springs of season 10, the only #1 seed in the tournament from the National League.
Today I'll show you the Kansas City bracket.
This bracket features two World Series Champions, as well as 3 World Series runner-ups.
The AL Champion Jacksonville Juggernauts of season 8 are the brackets #1 seed. In the first round, they will face off with the Houston Aggies of season 1, and wildcard team who made a run to game 7 of the ALCS before losing.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the season 9 Fresno Fire Dragons/season 6 Texas Tittyballs game. The Fire Dragons 104 wins in season 9 was among the highest totals ever for a team that could not win its division. Meanwhile, the season 6 Tittyballs were the first of back to back NL Championship teams for owner longdayintro.
In the #5 seed are the Kansas City Shuffle of season 7, the first KC team in 5 seasons to not win the AL Pennant. They face off against the 12th seeded Colorado Springs AltiDUDES of season 8, which was the 7th straight team ohiopirate had put into the playoffs, but looking to become the first to reach the NLCS.
Awaiting the winner of this matchup is the World Series Champion Pawtucket Polythene of season 8, the 4th seed in the KC bracket. That is, of course, if they can beat the Rochester Raging Rhinos of season 4, the NL North Champions who got upset by a 6th seed in their only playoff series that year.
In the bottom portion of this bracket, is the 6th seeded Cheyenne Chillipeppers of season 7, who lost the division to 5th seeded Kansas City, and then lost to them in the ALDS. They will face off with 11th seeded Pawtucket of season 3, one of six Polythene teams in this tournament who lost in the NLCS.
World Series Champion Kansas City, of season 6, sits in the 3 seed, facing off with the season 12 Charlotte knights for the right to face Cheyenne of Pawtucket in the round of 32.
Meanwhile, NL Champion Colorado Springs of season 12, led by Christopher Ramirez (who has 11 teams in this tournament), take the #7 seed in this bracket. They will face off with a forgotten great team of season 1, the 10th seeded Atlanta City Slickers, who won their division & a first round bye.
And closing out the bracket, in the 2/15 matchup, is the Kansas City Shuffle of season 2, the only KC team of the first 6 seasons to not win the AL Pennant, facing off with the Santa Cruz Bay Kings of season 1, yet another wildcard team to reach the LCS.
To view the bracket, click here. When viewing the bracket, the first number in parentheses is the teams seed in this tournament. The number in parentheses following the team name is what season that particular team is from.
The second bracket, the Texas bracket, will be released tomorrow, featuring first seeded Colorado Springs of season 10, the only #1 seed in the tournament from the National League.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sharkey's World March Madness
This weekend, the bracket for the first ever Sharkey's World Top 64 teams of all-time Tournament is unveiled. And over the coming weeks, while real life March Madness is taking place, these teams will be pitted against each other, until finally we have the true greatest team of all-time.
I'm not talking about "Oh, the Kansas City Shuffle are the greatest team of all-time." That's boring. I'm talking about a bracket pitting the season 1 KC Shuffle against the season 11 KC Shuffle. Which single team is the greatest ever.
It was tough to compile these 64 teams. I took a couple of criteria into account:
*Any 100 game winner in history qualified.
*Any LCS participant in history qualified.
*Teams were seeded based on their regular season record of that year.
*No World Series Champion could be lower than a 14 seed.
*No World Series participant would be a 16 seed.
*No World Series participant could face another world series participant in the first round.
I'll unveil the entire bracket sometime in the next few days. For now, I'll give you the seeds of the 12 World Series Champions.
Season 1 Kansas City is a 13 seed.
Season 2 Texas is a 13 seed.
Season 3 Kansas City is a 9 seed.
Season 4 Pawtucket is a 6 seed.
Season 5 Kansas City is a 1 seed.
Season 6 Kansas City is a 3 seed.
Season 7 Jacksonville is a 12 seed.
Season 8 Pawtucket is a 4 seed.
Season 9 Jacksonville is a 2 seed.
Season 10 Charlotte is a 13 seed.
Season 11 Kansas City is a 14 seed.
Season 12 Boise is a 5 seed.
And before anyone can say I hope you were fair with the teams that made it, I wasn't. I went by record & LCS appearances. Most teams don't have a participant. Kansas City & Pawtucket each have 10 participants. It's not bias in doing this, that I want to see as many Polythene teams as possible. It's fact based.
As far as how I determine who wins each matchup, I'm open to interpretation. I'm not goign to hold a vote, but when I post the matchups, I'll listen to peoples arguments before I "sim" the game in my head, and determine a winner.
Hopefully this will be something to liven up the league blog & world chat this season.
I'm not talking about "Oh, the Kansas City Shuffle are the greatest team of all-time." That's boring. I'm talking about a bracket pitting the season 1 KC Shuffle against the season 11 KC Shuffle. Which single team is the greatest ever.
It was tough to compile these 64 teams. I took a couple of criteria into account:
*Any 100 game winner in history qualified.
*Any LCS participant in history qualified.
*Teams were seeded based on their regular season record of that year.
*No World Series Champion could be lower than a 14 seed.
*No World Series participant would be a 16 seed.
*No World Series participant could face another world series participant in the first round.
I'll unveil the entire bracket sometime in the next few days. For now, I'll give you the seeds of the 12 World Series Champions.
Season 1 Kansas City is a 13 seed.
Season 2 Texas is a 13 seed.
Season 3 Kansas City is a 9 seed.
Season 4 Pawtucket is a 6 seed.
Season 5 Kansas City is a 1 seed.
Season 6 Kansas City is a 3 seed.
Season 7 Jacksonville is a 12 seed.
Season 8 Pawtucket is a 4 seed.
Season 9 Jacksonville is a 2 seed.
Season 10 Charlotte is a 13 seed.
Season 11 Kansas City is a 14 seed.
Season 12 Boise is a 5 seed.
And before anyone can say I hope you were fair with the teams that made it, I wasn't. I went by record & LCS appearances. Most teams don't have a participant. Kansas City & Pawtucket each have 10 participants. It's not bias in doing this, that I want to see as many Polythene teams as possible. It's fact based.
As far as how I determine who wins each matchup, I'm open to interpretation. I'm not goign to hold a vote, but when I post the matchups, I'll listen to peoples arguments before I "sim" the game in my head, and determine a winner.
Hopefully this will be something to liven up the league blog & world chat this season.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Career Coaching Victories - Regular Season
Sorry I've been such an awful commissioner this season. We need to get this blog back to greatness, starting now.
Here's the updated all-time coaching victories list.
Once again, pvc & sharkeyke remain #1 & #2, as both crossed the 1200 career victories mark this season.
OP, Dupala, & badercubed round out the top 5. OP & dupala remain 3 & 4, while bader leapfrogs the no longer active longdayintro, making his way into the Top 5 for the first time ever. All 3 of them joined the 1000 career victories club. Congratulations on that accomplishment.
The 1000 W club will get a slew of owners joining it next season.
JohnDerasmo, the returned snarfuller, & dubabe401 also leapfrog LDI, moving into 6th, 7th & 8th.
LDI, who hasn't collected a W in two seasons, remains in the Top 10 one more time, at #9.
And rounding out the top 10, for the first time ever, is original owner Hausenpfeffe, whose Turbocors have emerged as a power in the last few seasons, and continue to collect more Ws than Ls.
The complete list of active owners:
1. pvc4twenty 1244 (103.6 wins/season)
2. sharkeyke 1214 (101.2)
3. ohiopirate 1098 (99.8)
4. dupala 1059 (88.3)
5. badercubed 1025 (85.4)
6. johnderasmo 983 (81.9)
7. snarfuller 962 (87.5)
8. dubabe401 953 (79.4)
10. hausenpfeffe 936 (78)
11. kalikgod 934 (84.9)
12. krs96 926 (77.2)
13. hallgren 893 (81.2)
14. dawgfan1974 892 (89.2)
15. telecasting 881 (73.4)
16. jtrueblue74 867 (72.3)
17. nnurmo 851 (94.6)
18. ripnsnort 818 (81.8)
19. irishfury1 798 (72.6)
21. benny b la 761 (76.1)
22. dave23 758 (84.2)
23. vladyhop 741 (82.3)
25. peteskin 705 (58.8)
28. jlinchec 644 (80.5)
32. frog06 429 (61.3)
33. mcrobbyj 364 (72.8)
34. cjwagner 344 (68.8)
39. voteforlou 158 (79)
40. hhavey 156 (78)
41. hooner65 154 (77)
42. mattyfaz 146 (73)
48. cctigerfan 124 (62)
67. mikeg740 58 (58)
Top 10 Wins/Season (minimum 5 seasons)
1. pvc4twenty 103.6 (12 seasons)
2. sharkeyke 101.2 (12)
3. ohiopirate 99.8 (11)
4. rmkelley 94.8 (6)
5. longdayintro 94.7 (10)
6. nnurmo 94.6 (9)
7. mhoffa1382 92 (7)
8. dawgfan1974 89.2 (10)
9. dupala 88.3 (12)
10. landmanatee 87.8 (5)
Complete top 10 & top 10 W/S posted on SWHOF blog (link up top of this page).
Here's the updated all-time coaching victories list.
Once again, pvc & sharkeyke remain #1 & #2, as both crossed the 1200 career victories mark this season.
OP, Dupala, & badercubed round out the top 5. OP & dupala remain 3 & 4, while bader leapfrogs the no longer active longdayintro, making his way into the Top 5 for the first time ever. All 3 of them joined the 1000 career victories club. Congratulations on that accomplishment.
The 1000 W club will get a slew of owners joining it next season.
JohnDerasmo, the returned snarfuller, & dubabe401 also leapfrog LDI, moving into 6th, 7th & 8th.
LDI, who hasn't collected a W in two seasons, remains in the Top 10 one more time, at #9.
And rounding out the top 10, for the first time ever, is original owner Hausenpfeffe, whose Turbocors have emerged as a power in the last few seasons, and continue to collect more Ws than Ls.
The complete list of active owners:
1. pvc4twenty 1244 (103.6 wins/season)
2. sharkeyke 1214 (101.2)
3. ohiopirate 1098 (99.8)
4. dupala 1059 (88.3)
5. badercubed 1025 (85.4)
6. johnderasmo 983 (81.9)
7. snarfuller 962 (87.5)
8. dubabe401 953 (79.4)
10. hausenpfeffe 936 (78)
11. kalikgod 934 (84.9)
12. krs96 926 (77.2)
13. hallgren 893 (81.2)
14. dawgfan1974 892 (89.2)
15. telecasting 881 (73.4)
16. jtrueblue74 867 (72.3)
17. nnurmo 851 (94.6)
18. ripnsnort 818 (81.8)
19. irishfury1 798 (72.6)
21. benny b la 761 (76.1)
22. dave23 758 (84.2)
23. vladyhop 741 (82.3)
25. peteskin 705 (58.8)
28. jlinchec 644 (80.5)
32. frog06 429 (61.3)
33. mcrobbyj 364 (72.8)
34. cjwagner 344 (68.8)
39. voteforlou 158 (79)
40. hhavey 156 (78)
41. hooner65 154 (77)
42. mattyfaz 146 (73)
48. cctigerfan 124 (62)
67. mikeg740 58 (58)
Top 10 Wins/Season (minimum 5 seasons)
1. pvc4twenty 103.6 (12 seasons)
2. sharkeyke 101.2 (12)
3. ohiopirate 99.8 (11)
4. rmkelley 94.8 (6)
5. longdayintro 94.7 (10)
6. nnurmo 94.6 (9)
7. mhoffa1382 92 (7)
8. dawgfan1974 89.2 (10)
9. dupala 88.3 (12)
10. landmanatee 87.8 (5)
Complete top 10 & top 10 W/S posted on SWHOF blog (link up top of this page).
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