Jacksonville Bracket - First Round Results

In season 4, Kansas City & Norfolk came within one game of playing each other in the World Series, when Norfolk lost in game 7 of the NLCS to eventual World Champion Pawtucket. That series ended up being a great one. Kansas City/Norfolk would not have been a great one. KC would have won that one with ease, which would have allowed them to four-peat. And #1 seeded KC of season 4 wins its first round matchup, against that Norfolk team, with relative ease, as well.

That will set up a second round matchup with a much tougher opponent. Defending World Champion Charlotte entered season 11 a man down - and that man was Christopher Ramirez. That didn't stop them from winning their 5th straight division championship. Meanwhile, Scranton, of season 1, also won its division championship. Both teams, the #8 & #9 seeds, respectively, were then upset in their first playoff series. Charlotte is the more well-known team at this point in history, but that Scranton team was loaded, and would have no problem beating the knights.

In the 4/13 matchup, another Charlotte team looks to advance. This one goes up against a much better opponent than the 8th seeded Dunder-Mifflins. In the #4 seed are the New Orleans Breeze of season 9, a team that won 104 games. They face off with the 13th seeded Charlotte knights of season 10, who only won 97 games. On paper, this seems like a no brainer. But that New Orleans team choked, getting swept in its first playoff series, while that Charlotte team found another gear in the playoffs, winning the World Series. In a major upset here, the 13th seeded knights will move on to the second round.

Which sets up the first World Series Champion vs World Series Champion matchup of the tournament. The 5th seeded Boise Bombers of season 12 are our most recent World Series Champion. They would have absolutely no problem beating the 12th seeded KC Shuffle of season 10, who won 7 less regular season games than these Bombers, and were eliminated in 4 games in their first playoff series.

The 3/14 matchup is about as anticipated as a matchup can be with such a large difference in the two teams seeds. 3rd seeded Rochester of season 5 won a franchise record 110 games before losing in the NLCS. 14th seeded Scottsdale of season 3 only won 91 games, but reached the World Series. So whats more impressive? The 19 game regular season gap, or the team that won a few extra games in the NLCS? Rochester had a far more difficult road to travel to actually be able to reach the World Series, and along with that line of thinking, I think they would have handled Scottsdale with ease. And thus, our first League Pennant winner is eliminated from the tournament.

Which sets up a rematch for Rochester in the second round. Season 5 Pawtucket, whom beat Rochester in the NLCS, is the #6 seed in this bracket. This team had a 2-0, and 3-1 lead, in the World Series, before lowing in 7 games. Their opponent, 11th seeded Fargo of season 3, reached the ALCS, but failed to win a game in that series. Unlike the Rochester/Scottsdale game, the less successful playoff team doesn't win this one. Pawtucket moves on to give us a rematch of the Season 5 NLCS.

Another Pawtucket team, the season 2 squad that won NL homefield advantage, and then lost in the NLCS, is the #7 seed of this bracket. They go up against the 10th seeded Texas Tittyballs of season 7. While the Tittyballs of season 2 are the team that elimiated this Pawtucket team, Pawtucket & Texas didn't face off in the playoffs in season 7, only 1 of 2 seasons during a 7 year run that they didn't play. Just like that Pawtucket team choked in season 2, so does this one in the tournament, losing to lower seeded Texas. To be fair, though, this Texas team was defending NL Champions, and also went on to win the NL Pennant.

And in the final matchup of the Jacksonville bracket, Pawtucket loses again. This time, 2nd seeded Boise of season 11 take care of 15th seeded Pawtucket of season 10. This Boise team won a franchise record 112 games during the regular season, before falling to eventual World Champion Kansas City in the ALCS. Pawtucket also lost in the LCS, but not to the eventual World Champion, and they won 18 fewer games in the regular season than their opponent here.

To view the updated bracket, click here.

Tomorrow, the Texas bracket is unveiled.