OOTP Baseball Classic League Updates

A few undefeated and a few still yet to win a game..

Some undefeated some haven't won yet.

I finally got around to finishing the first round. Here's the standings. Some interesting games with lots of K's for pitchers. I am using 2020 as the base year.

Amazing pitching duel from Lefty Grove and Cole Hamels. Too bad someone had to win. Unfortunately it was the Phillies.

Here's the latest Baseball Classic League which includes the newest champions, 2009 Yankees. I've included Negro Leaguers, 1946 KC Monarchs and the KBO league, Doosan Bears who just won it in 2019.  Other key teams include in the NL East, the 92 Braves who won it over Toronto that year. Also my 2008 Phillies make an appearance. Can't believe I haven't used them yet. Also 1979 Montreal Expos is an interesting team. In the NL West, Hank Aaron and the 56 Braves along with 85 Cardinals, 2012 Giants. In the AL East, the defending champs 09 Yanks, along with Babe Ruth's 1918 Red Sox and the 1969 Orioles with a great pitching staff. In the AL West, The Bash Bros make their return with the 1989 A's. My tribute to the late Al Kaline in the 1961 Tigers. Another interesting team is the 1977 Rangers. And I figured I'd give the modern Twins a representation in the 2010 Twins. Should be an interesting league.

The Yankees are the champions of BCL7. After 2 years of playing out this league, I've FINALLY finished it! Kind of a personal victory for me because I gave up many times on this league. Here's the final wrap up on the World Series and BCL7-

YANKEES WIN THE WORLD SERIES!!! The 2009 New York Yankees are the newest champions of the Baseball Classic League! They defeated the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series 4-0. They won the game 8-7 as the Pirates tried to make a comeback but it was too little too late. The win was a team effort despite the poor pitching from Phil Hughes. He was quickly pulled in the 5th inning when the Yankees got down 4-1 and things started to look dire for NY. After that, the Yankees chipped away at Pirates starter Bruce Kison who finally cracked in the 6th inning. Even Stargell and Clemente couldn't bring back the Pirates in this game or series. Mariano Rivera got his 2nd save to close out the game with a groundball to Derek Jeter to start the celebration in the Bronx. The Yankees move onto the next league, BCL8, which will be debuted soon. Player of the Game - Nick Swisher Player of the Series -  Willie Stargell

YANKEES HAMMER PIRATES, WIN 9-5 The Yankees just keep hitting and the Pirates keep slumping. Melky Cabrera, who's been cold lately, came up huge and hit a 3 run HR to put away the Bucs in the bottom of the 8th inning. Derek Jeter had double in the 7th that score 2. The Pirates tried fighting back, but Mariano Rivera put any threats down in the 9th for the save. The Yankees are on their way to their first BCL World Series ever as a franchise. One more game in the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium and they can win it all at home. Player of the Game - Melky Cabrera

YANKEES TAKE A COMMANDING LEAD IN WS! The Pirates tried to take the initiative early on by scoring early in the game, but wasn't enough to hold off the hot Yankees. The Yankees are peaking at the right time while the Pirates seem to in a rut. The only ones hitting for Pittsburgh are Clemente and Stargell. Once they get on base, the bottom half leaves them stranded on base. Andy Pettitte pitched effective enough with help from Joba Chamberlain and a save from Mo Riveria. After the 1st inning blast, the Pirates had no offense to back Clemente and Stargell. Steve Blass pitched ok but he had a couple bad innings. Robbie Cano took advantage in the 4th and made the Pirates pay. The Yankees take a commanding 2-0 series lead back to Yankee Stadium for a night game in the Bronx. Player of the Game - Andy Pettitte

YANKEES TAKE GAME 1, 4-3 The Yankees and Pirates dueled it out for 10 innings at Three Rivers until the 10th inning when ARod smashed a solo HR to win it for the Yanks 4-3. Dock Ellis and CC Sabathia were dealing most of the game. Dock was great until he faltered in the 8th where he gave up 2 runs that tied the game at 3. A couple of walks, then a Mark Teixeria triple, followed by a Johnny Damon double got the Yankees back into the game. That was the end of Dock's day. Fast forward to the 10th inning where Ramon Hernandez had just come in, Alex Rodriguez greeted him with a deep drive over the centerfield wall at Three Rivers. Then Mariano Riveria closed out the Pirates in the bottom of the 10th. Yankees win 4-3. Lead WS 1-0. Player of the Game - Alex Rodriguez

PIRATES ONTO THE WORLD SERIES! The 1967 Cardinals title defense is over as they lose to the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 today at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pirates take the series 3-2. Next up for the Pirates is the 2009 New York Yankees who beat the 1915 Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. The Pirates came out to a storming lead against Cards starter Steve Carlton. They get 5 runs in the 1st inning. There was debate whether Carlton should start this game but the manager went ahead with one of his aces. Carlton couldn't even get out of the 1st inning before Dick Hughes came in. The Pirates scored 3 more runs in the 5th and that was it for St. Louis. Player of the Game - Gene Alley Series MVP - Richie Hebner 

Yankees onto the World Series! With Phil Hughes struggling early against the 1915 Tigers, Derek Jeter provided the lift the team needed. He started out the game with a 1st inning HR, but the key moment of the game came in the bottom of the 7th. Tigers had Cobb on 1st with a single. Then Bobby Veach smacks a long deep drive to centerfield over Brett Gardner's head. Cobb is rounding 2nd then 3rd, on the way home! But Gardner throws the ball to the cutoff man, Jeter and Jeter throws out Cobb at home plate! That play seemed to take the wind out of Detroit and gave the Yankees new life. The Yankees go on to score 9 runs over the next 2 innings to take the win. Cobb could've had his moment against Jeter in the top of the 9th when Derek could of rounded 3rd but Jeter with a smile towards Cobb smartly knew not to test him. Yankees face either the defending champs 1967 Cardinals or the 1971 Pirates. Player of the Game and Series MVP -

Down 2-1 in the series, The Cardinals hoped to continue that momentum gained in Game 3. They sure did and won 4-2 at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals are back in it and could win the series. Thought to be dead and gone, they've come back to life just in time. Bob Gibson pitched effective enough to hold the Pirates to 2 runs. Julian Javier provided the offense to win. Bad thing for the Cards though is that Game 5 is back in Pittsburgh. Player of the Game -  Bob Gibson

Despite the Tigers coming back to win Game 2, the Yankees didn't care. They went onto bludgeon the Tigers again in Game 3 13-5. Everyone had a hit with Nick Swisher get POTG. AJ Burnett pitched effective enough for the win. Jean Dubuc took the loss. Game 4 back at Navin tomorrow. Player of the Game - Nick Swisher 

Down to their last 3 outs of the season, down 5-2, a miracle happened in St. Louis for the Cardinals. Pirates closer, Dave Giusti was in to close out the game. He fell into quick trouble as he walked the first batter, Del Maxvill. Then a walk, a wild pitch from Giusti, led to another hero moment for last year's World Series hero, Bobby Tolan. He came up with and hit a bloop single to lead a rally that would win it for St. Louis, 6-4. To me, Tolan is the hero not Pirates pitcher. One of the most exciting games I've played in a long time. Pirates still have series lead 2-1. But the Cardinals are alive! Player of the Game (According to the AI) - Player of the Game (According to me) -

The Tigers make a comeback and win Game 2 to even the series at 1. Ty Cobb wasn't gonna be waxed 2x in a row and contributed with a run. The player of the game was starter Hook Dauss who ended up throwing a 3 hitter vs the 2009 Yankees. Derek Jeter was the only one to have any success against Dauss when he smacked a stand up double in the 6th then scored. Now the series moves to Navin Field for day games. Player of the Game - Hooks Dauss

Game 2 turned into sort of a pitcher's duel with Pittsburgh winning 3-0. The Pirates take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series and 1 more win sends them to the World Series over the defending champs. The Cardinals hopes are slowly closing. Player of the Game - Manny Sanguillen                                                     

Unlike the NLCS Game 1, ALCS Game 1 was all over before it started. Even the great Ty Cobb couldn't do anything to contain the 2009 Yankees as they cruised to a 14-4 win at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees teed off on Tigers starter Harry Coveleski and their relievers all game. CC Sabathia pitched dominate enough with 6 strikeouts for the win. South Carolina native Brett Gardner had a huge day with 2 triples and 5 RBIs. Yankees take a commanding lead into Game 2 with Andy Pettitte as Game 2 starter. Player of the Game - Johnny Damon

Bottom of the 9th with the Cards leading 4-3, the Cardinals made the decision to leave Bob Gibson in for the ninth. That proved to be a mistake, as Richie Hebner took Gibson deep on 2-2 pitch and tied the game up at 4. Still Gibson was left in for one more batter (WHY!?) and the relief pitcher Dave Guisti hit a single off Gibson. That was enough and Joe Hoerner the closer was brought in. After an out and another single from Roberto Clemente, the Pirates had the perfect setup. With 1 out and runners on 1st and 3rd, Willie Stargell faced Hoerner, who was lights out all year, and delivered. He hit a base hit that scored the pinch runner Vic Davalillo home and the Pirates take Game 1 by a score of 5-4. Stargell went 5-5 with 2 RBIs. Gibson the loss and Guisti the win. And all the chirping from the cardinal outside my window wasn't enough for St. Louis. This game was like a heavyweight bout. Both teams went back and forth until a knockout in the 9th. PIRATES 1 CARDINALS 0 Player of th...

The defending champs Cards take on the Roberto Clemente's Pirates, while Ty Cobb's Tigers take on Derek Jeter and the Yankees.

Cardinals won in LA 8-6. They take the NL West. Final Standings.

The biggest game of the year so far, has the 67 Cardinals headed to Dodger Stadium to take on the 81 Dodgers. Carlton vs Valenzuela. Will the Dodgers rip away and win the division from the current defending champs and division leaders or will St. Louis retain the division!? Personally I'd like to see a defending champ win another league but things could change.

The Yankees wrap the AL East with a victory over the Red Sox, while the Marlins who thought they had a shot, beat the 55 Dodgers to dash their hopes and give the division to the Pirates. Once the Pirates beat the Robins, the Marlins and Robins were both eliminated. The only hope for Brooklyn was to beat the Marlins to have a shot at beating Pittsburgh in the last game. In the West, the Tigers already wrapped it up in the AL, while in the NL, it comes down to the faltering 67 Cardinals and surging 81 Dodgers. The last game between LA and STL will decide who wins the NL West. Cardinals had been dominating the division all season until the last 4 games, where LA and SF started to make runs at them. Speaking of SF, they don't have a mathematical shot, so they are eliminated too. Too break for the Strato-matic champions. The only game that matters is LA vs STL in the next round.

The last few games are here and it's basically playoff baseball. First meeting between the last Strato-matic champion, 1993 Giants vs the current defending OOTP champions, 1967 Cardinals. I was expecting a close game and it was for 4 innings. But the Cardinals fell apart quick and now their on their 4th loss in a row. If the LA Dodgers win, they'll be a tie for 1st and the Cardinals could lose the division on the last game. Giants had a no hitter going into the 4th inning. Bob Gibson was basically out pitched by Trevor Wilson. Barry Bonds still without a HR showed up huge and teed off on Gibson. The Cardinal collapse was complete by the end of the game. After starting 12-0, will they end up losing the division!?

Yankees wrap up their division, Tigers holding off the White Sox while the NL will battle it out with 7 teams. 2 more games left in the season.