OOTP Baseball Classic League Updates

 After the 1 game playoffs, here's the final Standings. ALDS- 49 Indians vs 29 A's NLDS- 12 Giants vs 79 Expos

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