2058 Johnson League Tiebreaker Preview: Charlotte Flyers vs. Las Vegas Hustlers

[lordtoffee]

Despite the Frick League needing to have a 3 team tiebreaker between Omaha, San Fernando, and Valencia, the Johnson League also needs a tiebreaker. Charlotte and Las Vegas are going to play a one game tiebreaker with everything on the line. It turns out that outside of the casinos, the Flyers and Hustlers are going to be playing the high stakes game. Let's take a closer look at this matchup, and make a prediction.

The Hustlers entered the final series on the outside looking in, and knew that they would have to take care of their jobs against the Jackrabbits up in Canada and see how things went across the league. After dropping the first game, the Hustlers took the final 3 games. After a dramatic extra inning win in the second game of the series, the Hustler pitching staff completely shut out the Jackrabbits, and ensured that there is going to be at least one more game in Vegas.

For the Flyers, they were playing the marquee series of the final set of games. At home against Charm City, with a possible division title at stake. The 4 game series started out well for the Flyers, as they ended up winning the first two games, and you wouldn't have blamed the Flyers fans for thinking that they were going to steal the Atlantic title away from Charm City and gain the critical advantage of a bye and the ability to rest up their pitching staff while possible tiebreakers and long series would tire out their opponents. But the final 2 games of the season ended up being losses that have forced the Flyers to take a long trip out to the desert. To make matters worse, Dallas Dixon ended up getting hurt and is done for the year, which is a huge blow as Dixon was the table setter at the top of the lineup.

The biggest question in my mind is which pitching staff can better handle the strain of this tiebreaker. Marroquín is projected to get the ball for the Flyers, albeit on short rest as the Flyers run a 4 man rotation. He has won double digit games, and has pitched well down the stretch. For Vegas, they are projected to go with Harrel on short rest. He has been solid down the stretch as well. I would say that both bullpens would be about the same in terms of freshness, and this is a true Johnny Wholestaff situation, as you worry about your pitching after the game.

If you want to look at the regular season head to head, Las Vegas holds a 6-2 edge, with the Hustlers taking 3 of 4 games in the series in Las Vegas in July.

So who wins? I am going to say Vegas wins 4-2.

[Krathan]

The loss of Dixon is a tough blow. The good news is that Menzies will be back in the lineup. That could potentially help deal with the hole created by Dixon’s absence. I think Vegas has the edge but I’m not counting my boys out. We were 3 games out of a wildcard just a couple of sims ago. The team has fight in ‘em.

[lordtoffee]

The loss of Dixon is a tough blow. The good news is that Menzies will be back in the lineup. That could potentially help deal with the hole created by Dixon’s absence. I think Vegas has the edge but I’m not counting my boys out. We were 3 games out of a wildcard just a couple of sims ago. The team has fight in ‘em.

Your guys have been right in the middle of all of the chaos, and I can't imagine what all of these fanbases are going through.