Windy City Ramblings - Playoff Edition

[tylertoo]

Black Sox move on from the Doubleday Series, getting by wildcard Louisville sluggers. We can mainly thank the pitching staff which gave up just 7 runs over 36 innings. The game 1 starter, Jeff Kiplinger, even chipped in with a solo HR.

An odd series perhaps from cleanup hitter Henry "Natural" Jones. With 136 RBI in the regular season, Sox were looking for him to drive in runs. In this series though, Jones went .143 with 2 RBI. Yet suddenly he became an on-base monster, drawing 11 walks in 18 plate appearances for a .667 OBP and 5 runs scored.

Another highlight is part-time IF Maddux Vaughn, who ended up as starting 2B after an infield shift caused by an injury to 3B Matthew Burgoon. Like so many scrubs thrust into a playoff spotlight, Vaughn rose to the occasion, hitting .412 with 6 RBI over the four games.

Now, on to the Cartwright Cup on the Valencia Stars. And this GM would like to cordially thank the Des Moines Kernels for knocking out the 114-win Hackensack Bulls out of the playoffs in the Doubleday Series, nice job!

[elligator]

Don't be so thankful yet, Chicago...Des Moines won the Landis Trophy last season.

[tylertoo]

Maddux Vaughn has informed me that he will need a 4-year, $40 million contract in order to stay on with the Black Sox beyond this year . I'm going to have to stop giving these guys glowing write-ups.