11:59 PM Eastern
Well, probably not, but those of you who are frequent readers of this space and frequent listeners to the fine radio program that is often attached to these posts know that yours truly is a massive baseball geek. Such geekitude generally manifests itself in the 200 some-odd JaysTalks/PlayoffTalks/Blue-Jay-A-Day shows that I’m lucky enough to be allowed to do every season, but it also comes out in my hardcore baseball simulation habit.
Currently I’m in two leagues that play using Dynasty League Baseball as the game engine. DLB (www.designdepot.com) is a wonderful simulation. The most realistic, true-to-life simulation that I have ever played. They’re about to debut a new online version that will let people go to a central location to play the game against each other on the internet (which I understand is on computers now), and this afternoon I became one of the first dozen-or-so people to test out the new version.
I took on the game’s creator, Mike Cieslinski, in a World Series pre-play. He took the Yankees and I took the Phillies. Jamie Hall, who is the game’s Software Architect, gave Cieslinski a breather and took the Yankees’ reins for Game 3.
Now, the results of a simulated series don’t really tell us anything. Beyond the painfully obvious; anything can happen in a short series, regardless of who is playing whom. Such series are generally not about which team is the best, but rather which team is the best that week.
Still, this turned out to be a seriously one-sided series.
The Simu-Phillies swept away the Simu-Yankees, and they did it with boundless authoritah - outscoring the Yanks 33-13 over the four games.
The Simu-Series MVP? Believe it or not - Phillies’ catcher Carlos Ruiz, who hit .571/.600/1.214 for the series. A four-game OPS of 1.814. He had three doubles, two homers and five RBIs - the same counting totals as Pedro Feliz, who was the other offensive star.
Just in case you’re interested:
Game 1 was a 7-4 Philly win. They played home run derby the first two innings, with solo shots by Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard and Johnny Damon along with a two-run shot by Ruiz in just the first two innings. The Phils led 4-2 after two, but Nick Swisher’s two-run shot tied it in the 4th. It stayed that way until the 7th, when Ruiz led off with a double and the Phils loaded the bases with nobody out for Victorino, who stroked a two-run single. Chase Utley followed with a sac fly. Cliff Lee struck out 10 (just like he did in real life!) over 8 1/3 to get the win and Brad Lidge got the last two outs for the save.
Game 2 saw the Phillies jump out to a 5-1 lead through 4 1/2. Howard had a two-out RBI single in the first to open the scoring, and added a solo shot in the 5th. Ruiz tripled in the 5-1 run - the final nail against a shaky A.J. Burnett, who coughed up the five runs on nine hits and four walks in just five innings. Pedro Martinez shut the Yanks down through four - pitching out of a 2nd and 3rd, none out jam in the 4th - but he ran out of gas in the 5th. Alex Rodriguez sent him to the showers with a two-out, two-run homer. J.A. Happ came on to give up a two-run shot of his own, to Jorge Posada, that tied the game 5-5. But the Phils put together the game-winning rally against Phil Hughes in the 7th, with Feliz breaking the tie with an RBI double and Utley cashing a pair with a two-out single. Ruiz doubled in a run in the 9th and scored on a passed ball to make the final score 10-5.
Game 3 saw the series move back to Philly, and Damon broke a 2-2 tie with a solo shot off Cole Hamels in the 4th. It stayed that way until the 6th, when Howard tied it with an RBI single. Then, with two out, Raul Ibanez doubled in the go-ahead run and Feliz followed with a two-run homer. Happ got his second straight win with two perfect innings in relief of Hamels and the beleaguered Phillies bullpen held the Yankees hitless over four innings in a 9-3 spanking.
Game 4 was a tremendous pitchers’ duel between Sabathia and Joe Blanton (I figured the Phillies wouldn’t bring Lee back on short rest if they were up three games to none). At least, it was until Blanton got hurt and had to leave in the third. At that point, it was 1-0 Yankees thanks to a sac fly by A-Rod in the 1st inning. Brett Myers came on to throw 2 1/3 hitless innings, but Sabathia carried a no-hitter into the 5th. The only Philly baserunner to that point was Ibanez, who had walked in the second. In the 5th, Ibanez walked again, and then Ruiz took care of the no-hitter, the shutout and the lead with one swing of the bat - a two-run homer. The next hit the Phillies got was another two-run homer, this time by Feliz in the 7th. The Phils rallied for three more with two out in the 8th, and Lidge came on to throw a perfect 9th and secure a 7-1 win and the sweep.
Is that’s what’s going to happen? Of course not. I mean, the Phillies could sweep, and they took a step towards that with their win tonight, but of course it’s not going to go down exactly that way. It already hasn’t. Still, it was a lot of fun to play, and it certainly shows that the Phils are nowhere near overmatched in this World Series.
If you were wondering about the Yankees’ big hitters in the series, here you go: Derek Jeter was 3-for-17 and A-Rod 2-for-13 (though with a homer and 3 RBIs). Mark Teixeira was 6-for-18, but didn’t have an extra-base hit.
Back to real life now, and the Blue-Jay-A-Day pre-pre-game show will make its 2009 debut on Thursday night at 7:05 PM Eastern on The Fan590 and this very website. I’m not yet sure who the guest will be. Aaron Hill said no, Travis Snider said he’d love to, but can’t tomorrow - he’ll appear later in the series. I have calls in to Marco Scutaro and Rod Barajas that have yet to be returned.
We’ve already had Adam Lind, Ricky Romero, Lyle Overbay and Scott Richmond on to take calls - that was back this summer on Baseball Today - and I don’t know if it’s fair to go back to those guys again (though I might). John McDonald is a guy with whom you all want to talk, I’m sure, and I’m thinking that Brian Tallet and Marc Rzepczynski would be good, too, as would Scott Downs (who was easily the best guest last fall). I know that neither Vernon Wells nor Roy Halladay will do the show.
I’ll come up with somebody - your suggestions are welcome.
So are your comments - rational, reasonable ones are always welcome!
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Good morning, Mike. How about talking with Joe Inglett?
- B.J.Mike, well the umpires can’t get them all wrong and last night they showed us the real meaning of “who’s on first”.
- DaveDave
Any chance to get Dustin McGowan?
MW: Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be.
- Ryan McCallenmichael,
what a turncoat i turn out to be. here i was predicting a series for the ages based on the 2 best teams in baseball meeting up in your last post.
but now after witnessing the events of game 1 i’m now forecasting the phils in 5.
i know it’s just 1 game & it is the yanks they’re up against, but i think this game 1 & what transpired is very telling of what this outcome is now going to be.
yanks at home, rested but not overly rested as some indicated might be the case with the phils. their stud ace on the mound (certainly properly rested as well) & they get smoked……
the phils show no nerves, all business showing the world who’s got the more potent power & hitting line up.
and phils have c. lee (who absolutely paralyzed the pin stripes last night) set up for 2 more games if needed. so worst case might just need to find 1 more win from someone else. very doable no doubt.
the craziest thing about this though is what the fans & media in new york will be saying when this one is over & out. “what’s wrong with the yanks?”
“what changes need to be made in the off season to right this ship?”
how absolutely insane is that going to be in hindsight, i ask you…….
and if pedro puts up some magic in new york tonite as he’s done many times in the past. this one is all but over i’m afraid.
it takes a very big man to admit to his mistakes michael and i’m as big as a house right now on this one…….
you just watch.
MW: Unless, of course, the Yankees win tonight - right?
- darrell bishopHow about Mel Queen or one of the Jays’ minor league coordinators?
MW: I’d rather have it be the players.
- JJ“I know that neither Vernon Wells nor Roy Halladay will do the show.”
Why? And how do you know this? Somehow it doesn’t seem right that these 2 very high profile Jays would refuse.
MW: I know this because I talk to both of them on a regular basis during the season. Halladay has been a very, very tough guy to get onto the BJADPPGS - in fact, I’m not sure he’s ever done it. And since he knows that the lion’s share of the questions would be about his impending free agency, the trade talk and Cito, he wouldn’t want to have to deal with that. As for Wells, he told me straight out that he wasn’t interested in that sort of interaction with the fans anymore.
- FayJayMike….A real Jekyll and Hyde story with Cliff Lee…The “Jekyll” side has him on the biggest stage in baseball making non-chalant catches behind the back and pop-flies in such a relaxed manner, not to mention the 10 strikeouts and totally dominating N.Y. batters…The “Hyde” side of him goes back to Rogers Centre a few years back when he tossed his glove up in the stands in a fit of disgust as a member of the Indians.
MW: He’s now a completely different pitcher than he was prior to last season.
- chris m.Hi Mike,
Just throwing this out there, no rumors or facts behind it, but what do you think about a swap of Vernon Wells for Gary Matthews? Contract is the main reason, im sure that Wells is the better of the two, but two years from now Matthews contract is up.
MW: I doubt the Angels would consider that, given the contracts.
- SeanHi Mike,
Why was Rollins charged with an error in the 9th in Game one when he threw the ball away after stepping on 2nd base to force out the runner on 1st? I thought an error can not be scored on a play when an out is made. Please clarify.
MW: An error can be scored on any play in which an extra base is gained as a result of an error, whether an out is made on the play or not. I think you’re confusing this with the “you can’t assume a double play” rule. Had Rollins’ wild throw not gone into the dugout, and had Derek Jeter stayed at third and Mark Teixiera at first, there wouldn’t have been an error charged.
- Shmuel YitzchokAnother suggestion for a guest is Hay Dirkhusrt (err I mean Dirk Hayhurst). He’s an interesting player as he writes a regular column for his hometown Canton, OH newspaper and has a book coming out in the spring. So he’d have plenty to talk about!
- JJNice one Wilner:
This one is gone in 5. Yankee’s record when Burnett starts in post season will soon be 0-3. I was a little shocked at the 4-0 lead going into the 9th.
BTW fans, Vernon Wells cannot get any worse (I mean really look at those numbers), will he really hit 185 with 9 HR’s and 25 RBI’s, not likely. Unfortunately i think he fell into the category that A-Fraud admitted to this year. Maybe the truth will “set you free Vernon”.
Thanks
Trevor
MW: I don’t understand why some think that Wells’ bad season is proof that he was a steroid user. He was bad in 2006, terrific in 2007 and awful in 2008. So he got off the juice after ‘05, then got back on after ‘06 and got back off after last season?
- TrevorHoly smokes! It sounds like Ruiz was an absolute monster! What were his simu-numbers?
MW: Didn’t I give those in the post to which you’re replying (other than his 8-for-14)?
- KPI am for the Yankees but I think the Phillies hold the advanage over the Yanks in all positions except third base and a slight edge at shortstop.
- Jeff RobinsonI can’t believe the ignorance I’m reading of vernon. Not interested in the fans? Well were not interested in him. I go to lots of games and always say give vernon a break when my friends are on him but if he’s got such a positive attitude then I’m gonna have to join in.
MW: He didn’t say that he’s not interested in the fans, but can you blame him? He wasn’t exactly treated very fairly this year.
- jayRe poor ole Vern Wells:
MW: He didn’t say that he’s not interested in the fans, but can you blame him? He wasn’t exactly treated very fairly this year.
“Fairly”? In some cities his life would have been absolute hell - here all he had to contend with what always sounded like weak and sporadic booing - based completely on his absolutely atrocious performance (frankly, I didn’t think he was worth the effort booing entails.) With timely help from Rios, Millar and especially (”Mr. Cleanup”) Overbay, Ole Vern wss easily the biggest reason for the Jays losing season - he was simply AWFUL (bloated, obscene contract aside), and the fans were paying big money they actually earned to watch him fail repeatedly.
If ONLY the Jays could cut him loose there might be a ray of hope, but, sadly,as has been said, he’s going to be a killing burden until that contract expires - or just maybe (wishful thinking) that shrewd operator Beeston will find some way to get him off the payroll and out of town?
- KenCertainly was a lot of fun playing you Mike (I heard the interview when well with Jamie Hall) and kudos to you for waxing the tandem of Jamie and myself. I am faring a bit better in the USA TODAY simulation they are running before each game with me, but the Phillies are much better than the so called “Baseball media experts” are giving them credit for. DYNASTY League Baseball Online is way cool isn’t it?
MW: WAY cool. Everyone who is reading this - go buy it.
- Mike Cieslinski“He wasn’t exactly treated very fairly this year.”
While it may accomplish nothing, it was entirely fair to boo Vernon all season. He was atrocious. You can come up with the tired - it’s not his fault the Jays offered him that money - argument, but that doesn’t change the fact that Wells’ albatross contract and lack of high-calibre play is what keeps the Jays from being able to compete. I would never boo a Blue Jay, but I completely understand those who do. It’s an expression of frustration at the player Vernon has become since signing a superstar’s contract.
MW: The player Vernon has become? One terrible year playing on one shoulder, one terrific year, one awful year?
- Mike VilnaMW: The player Vernon has become? One terrible year playing on one shoulder, one terrific year, one awful year?
Precisely. First of all, the injury year is not an excuse. If he was so hurt that all he could put up were those numbers, he should have told the coaches to shut himself down. He was a negative with what he was bringing to the table, especially when the team had a capable CF in Rios. The awful year we need not discuss. As for the terrific year, I find that to be serious revisionist history. The Jays were 12.5 games back on August 22, and Vernon was hitting a whopping .280/.324/.436 with atrocious CF D. I care very little for the stat padding he did over the final 6 weeks of the season when the attention/TV is already tuned into the NFL. Vernon has been a maddeningly frustrating player since he signed his contract, and I’m not sure why that perplexes you.
MW: It’s probably because I don’t believe that big-league hitters have a switch that they can turn on and off that allows them to get hits when they want to. The coaching staff was completely aware of Wells’ injury situation in 2007.
- Mike Vilna