The Greatest MLB Tournament Ever Created (NL, Round One, Group 8)

Last group is here.

8. 1905 Giants (won WS)

v.

121. 1883 Braves (Beaneaters) (1st)

The Giants (all NY) will get 4 more shots to add to their teams who are moving forward; the 19th century gets 3 more chances not to get shut out.  A 24 year old Christy Mathewson leads New York; the future Braves have a 22 year old Charlie Buffinton.  

C Giants-Bresnahan

1B Giants-McGann

2B Braves-Burdock

SS Giants-Dahlen

3B Giants-Devlin

LF Giants-Mertes

CF Braves-Whitney

RF Braves-Buffinton

SP1 Braves-Whitney

SP2 Braves-Buffinton

SP3 Giants-Ames

Cl Push

Double: Bat WAR Giants

Double: Pit WAR Giants

Giants 10 Braves 5 - it's never going to happen for the 19th century

57. 1985 Cardinals (lost WS)

v.

72. 2008 Cubs (lost NLDS)

-First of two Cards/Cubs matchups in the last NL Group; can I interest you in a 30 year old Ozzie Smith against a 38 year old Jim Edmonds?  

C Cubs-Soto

1B Cubs-Lee

2B Cards-Herr

SS Cards-Smith

3B Cubs-Ramirez

LF Cubs-Soriano

CF Cards-McGee

RF Cards-Van Slyke

SP1 Cards-Tudor

SP2 Cubs-Lilly

SP3 Cubs-Zambrano

Cl Cubs-Wood

Double: Bat WAR Cards

Double: Pit WAR Cubs

Cubs 9 Cards 7 - the pitching wins it for Chicago, they get 5 out of the 6 possible points and advance.

25. 1917 Giants (lost WS)

v.

104. 2002 Braves (lost NLDS)

Didn't we just do Giants/Braves?  A 32 year old Art Fletcher leads the Giants; Glavine and Maddux are both 36 year old Braves.  

C Giants-Rariden

1B Giants-Holke

2B Giants-Herzog

SS Giants-Fletcher

3B Giants-Zimmerman

LF Giants-Burns

CF Braves-Jones

RF Braves-Sheffield

SP1 Giants-Schupp

SP2 Braves-Millwood

SP3 Braves-Maddux

Cl Giants-Anderson

Double: Bat WAR Giants

Double: Pit WAR Braves

Giants 10 Braves 6 - looked like the Giants were just going to sweep them clean off the earth, but Atlanta's pitching made it a game. Giants going on a nice run here; this is team 9 to move forward.  

40. 1908 Cubs (won WS)

v.

89. 1931 Cardinals (won WS)

-Cubs/Cards redux; Tinker (27) to Evers (26) to Chance (31) against a 33 year old Frankie Frisch.  The Cubs have 7 moving forward, the Cards 6.  

C Cubs-Kling

1B Cubs-Chance

2B Cubs-Evers

SS Cubs-Tinker

3B Cubs-Steinfeldt

LF Cards-Hafey

CF Cards-Martin

RF Cards-Watkins

SP1 Cubs-Brown

SP2 Cubs-Reulbach

SP3 Cards-Derringer

Cl Cards-Lindsey

Double: Bat WAR Cubs

Double: Pit WAR Cards

Cubs 9 Cards 7 - Chicago's Hall of Fame infield sweeps and it moves the 8th Cub team into the next round.

9. 1905 Cubs (3rd in NL)

v.

120. 1884 Braves (2nd in NL) (Beaneaters)

-Another Cub team comes right behind - and they face the winless 19th century.  Same infield, three years before; and it's an infield we'll be seeing a lot of in the Round of '64 (the 06'-09' clubs are all in) and they're playing basically the same club we just saw lose to the Giants earlier in the round.  

C Braves-Kling

1B Cubs-Chance

2B Braves-Burdock

SS Cubs-Tinker

3B Braves-Sutton

LF Braves-Hornung

CF Cubs-Slagle

RF Cubs-Maloney

SP1 Braves-Buffinton

SP2 Braves-Whitney

SP3 Cubs-Brown

Cl Cubs-Pfeffer

Double: Bat WAR Cubs

Double: Pit WAR Cubs

Cubs 10 Braves 6 - dead tied headed to the totals, and then the 19th century lost one more time (the deck's a little stacked)

56. 2013 Cardinals (lost WS)

v.

73. 1919 Giants (2nd in NL)

This is it for the Cards, their last shot to get a 7th team forward; the Giants will get two chances to get that tenth team into the next round.  St Louis has a 27 year old Matt Carpenter and a 30 year old Yadier Molina. The Giants have a 34 year old Art Fletcher. 

C Cards-Molina

1B Cards-Craig

2B Cards-Carpenter

SS Giants-Fletcher

3B Giants-Zimmerman

LF Giants-Burns

CF Giants-Kauff

RF Giants-Youngs

SP1 Cards-Wainwright

SP2 Cards-Lynn

SP3 Cards-Miller

Cl Cards-Mujica

Double: Bat WAR Giants

Double: Pit WAR Cards

Cards 9 Giants 7 - St Louis sweeps the pitching, that overcomes the Giants bats and St Louis moves on.

24. 1954 Giants (won WS)

v.

105. 1883 Reds (Red Stockings) (3rd in AA)

-It's the end of the 19th century; a 23 year old Bid McPhee is about to lose to a 23 year old Willie Mays.  

C Reds-Snyder

1B Reds-Reilly

2B Reds-McPhee

SS Giants-Dark

3B Giants-Thompson

LF Giants-Irvin

CF Giants-Mays

RF Giants-Mueller

SP1 Giants-Antonelli

SP2 Giants-Gomez

SP3 Giants-Maglie

Cl Giants-Grissom

Double: Bat WAR Giants

Double: Pit WAR Giants

Giants 13 Reds 3 - yup, I should have excluded the 19th century, yup - but they're all gone now.

41. 1910 Cubs (lost WS)

v.

88. 1990 Mets (2nd in NL East)

The Cubs try to join the Giants with 10 representatives headed to the next round; the Mets look for their third. Tinker is 29, Evers 28, Chance 33.  The Mets have a 28 year old Strawberry and a 25 year old Gooden.  

C Cubs-Kling

1B Mets-Magadan

2B Cubs-Evers

SS Cubs-Tinker

3B Mets-Johnson

LF Push

CF Cubs-Hoffman

RF Mets-Strawberry

SP1 Mets-Viola

SP2 Cubs-Cole

SP3 Mets-Cone

Cl Mets-Franco

Double: Bat WAR Cubs

Double: Pit WAR Mets

Mets 8 Cubs 7 - terrific matchup, the Mets pitching advantage keeps that last Tinker/Evers/Chance team from advancing.

And that wraps up the Round of 128 in the NL - 64 teams remaining in both leagues in the greatest baseball tournament ever.

Group 1

1. 1906 Cubs (lost WS)

v.

65. 1939 Reds (lost WS)

32. 1986 Mets (World Champions)

v.

33. 1976 Reds (World Champions)

16. 1912 Giants (lost WS)

v.

49. 1988 Mets (lost NLCS)

17. 1943 Cardinals (lost WS)

v.

48. 1906 Pirates (3rd in NL-no playoffs)

Group 2

2. 1902 Pirates (1st in NL-no playoffs)

v.

66. 1952 Dodgers (lost WS)

31. 1997 Braves (lost NLCS)

v.

34. 1972 Pirates (lost NLCS)

15. 1975 Reds (World Champions)

v.

50. 1977 Dodgers (lost WS)

18. 1908 Giants (2nd in NL-no playoffs)

v.

82. 1978 Dodgers (lost WS)

Group 3

3. 1909 Cubs (2nd in NL-no playoffs)

v.

62. 1903 Pirates (lost WS)

99. 1920 Dodgers (Robins) (lost WS)

v.

35. 2011 Phillies (lost NLDS)

115. 2013 Braves (lost NLDS)

v.

51. 2018 Dodgers (lost WS)

19. 1998 Braves (lost NLCS)

v.

83. 1977 Phillies (lost NLCS)

Group 4

4. 1944 Cardinals (won WS)

v.

61. 1929 Cubs (lost WS)

29. 1993 Braves (lost NLCS)

v.

36. 1949 Dodgers (lost WS)

13. 1942 Dodgers (2nd in NL-no playoffs)

v.

77. 1999 Braves (lost WS)

20. 1953 Dodgers (lost WS)

v.

84. 1972 Reds (lost WS)

Group 5

5. 1942 Cardinals (World Champions)

v.

60. 1934 Giants (2nd in NL-no playoffs)

28. 1941 Dodgers (lost WS)

v.

92. 1957 Braves (World Champions)

12. 1901 Pirates (1st in NL-no playoffs)

v.

76. 1951 Dodgers (2nd in NL-no playoffs)

21. 1974 Dodgers (lost WS)

v.

85. 1945 Cardinals (2nd in NL-no playoffs)

Group 6

6. 1904 Giants (1st in NL-no playoffs)

v.

70. 1948 Braves (lost WS)

102. 1967 Cardinals (World Champions)

v.

38. 1940 Reds (World Champions)

11. 2016 Cubs (World Champions)

v.

75. 2002 Giants (lost WS)

22. 1935 Cubs (lost WS)

v.

43. 2017 Dodgers (lost WS)

Group 7

7. 1909 Pirates (World Champions)

v.

71. 2009 Dodgers (lost NLCS)

103. 1958 Braves (lost WS)

v.

39. 1924 Giants (lost WS)

10. 1907 Cubs (World Champions)

v.

55. 1955 Dodgers (World Champions)

23. 1911 Giants (lost WS)

v.

87. 1928 Cardinals (lost WS)

Group 8

8. 1905 Giants (World Champions)

v.

72. 2008 Cubs (lost NLDS)

25. 1917 Giants (lost WS)

v.

40. 1908 Cubs (World Champions)

9. 1905 Cubs (3rd in NL-no playoffs)

v.

56. 2013 Cardinals (lost WS)

24. 1954 Giants (World Champions)

v.

88. 1990 Mets (2nd in NL East-no playoffs)

When we come back - it will be Group 1 in the American League, our first round of 64 matchups; the top seed - the 1939 World Champion New York Yankees.  

2018 Athlete of the Year

December is here.

Once more, with feeling, here are the nominees for 2018 Athlete of the Year:

     January: Nick Foles
     February: Yuzuru Hanyu
     March: Azura Stevens
     April: Arike Ogunbowale
     May: LeBron James
     June: Kevin Durant
     July: Kylian Mbappe
     August: Brooks Koepka
     September: Breanna Stewart
     October: Steve Pearce

     November: Drew Brees

     December: Anthony Davis

And the winner...

Breanna Stewart.

The closest competitor would have been Simone Biles and she didn't win a month; making this a pretty easy selection.  Koepka and Durant are your runners-up.  Stewart dominated both domestically and internationally (like Biles) in the year; I would have gone with the basketball player anyway if given the option - but I would have really sat with it (in retrospect, giving Biles November would have been the best option).

I've been doing this my whole life really, maybe starting as long ago as '79; I have the full hard copy contemporaneous records since 1990 (someplace in the blog I posted each athlete of the month+runners-up for the years prior to publication, so if you say "Hey, Jividen, who was the athlete of the month in June of 2003 and who were the 3 runners-up" I've already published that somewhere in the blog; maybe I'll put that stuff in one spot at some point).  

Here is each winner of my Athlete of the Year Award since 1990.

1990: Joe Montana

1991: Michael Jordan

1992: Mario Lemieux

1993: Michael Jordan

1994: George Foreman

1995: Hakeem Olajuwon

1996: Michael Jordan

1997: Tiger Woods

1998: Mark McGwire

1999: Tiger Woods

2000: Tiger Woods

2001: Barry Bonds

2002: Barry Bonds

2003: Lance Armstrong

2004: Peyton Manning

2005: Reggie Bush

2006: Roger Federer

2007: Tom Brady

2008: Usain Bolt

2009: Manny Pacquiao

2010: Maya Moore

2011: Aaron Rodgers

2012: LeBron James

2013: LeBron James

2014: Madison Bumgarner

2015: Serena Williams

2016: Michael Phelps

2017: Tom Brady

2018: Breanna Stewart

Athlete of the Month, December, 2018

Anthony Davis.  Runners-up: Jalen Hurts, LeBron James, Derrick Henry

That's it.  That's 2018.

     January: Nick Foles
     February: Yuzuru Hanyu
     March: Azura Stevens
     April: Arike Ogunbowale
     May: LeBron James
     June: Kevin Durant
     July: Kylian Mbappe
     August: Brooks Koepka
     September: Breanna Stewart
     October: Steve Pearce

     November: Drew Brees

     December: Anthony Davis

Coming up tomorrow - the 2018 Athlete of the Year

The Greatest MLB Tournament Ever Created (AL, Round One, Group 8)

Last group

8. 1948 Indians (won WS)

v.

121. 1963 Yankees (lost WS)

-The Yankees are in every single game in this last group; they've got 17 teams moving on to the Round of 64 so far. This is it for Cleveland - they've got 5 teams moving on.  The Tribe has a half dozen Hall of Famers, this club is led by a 30 year old Lou Boudreau, a 31 year old Ken Keltner, and a 33 year old Joe Gordon.  Mantle (31) and Maris (28) pace the Bombers.  

C Yankees-Howard

1B Yankees-Pepitone

2B Indians-Gordon

SS Indians-Boudreau

3B Indians-Keltner

LF Indians-Mitchell

CF Indians-Doby

RF Yankees-Maris

SP1 Indians-Lemon

SP2 Push

SP3 Indians-Bearden

Cl Yankees-Reniff

Double: Bat WAR Indians

Double: Pit WAR Yankees

Indians 9 Yankees 6 - it's Cleveland, better bats and they won the pitching matchups - a half dozen Indians clubs will compete in the next round.  

57. 1950 Yankees (won WS)

v.

72. 1987 Blue Jays (2nd in AL East)

-The Yankees try again to get that 18th team to move forward; this team is DiMaggio (35) and Berra (25).  Two Jays teams are headed to the next round; this is their last chance for a third, they've got the all 27 year old OF - Bell, Moseby, Barfield. 

C Yankees-Berra

1B Jays-Upshaw

2B Yankees-Coleman

SS Yankees-Rizzuto

3B Jays-Gruber

LF Jays-Bell

CF Yankees-DiMaggio

RF Jays-Barfield

DH Yankees-Mize

SP1 Jays-Key

SP2 Jays-Clancy

SP3 Yankees-Lopat

Cl Jays-Henke

Double: Bat WAR Yankees

Double: Pit WAR Jays

Jays 9 Yankees 8 - Toronto's pitching advantage carries the day here; the Yankees bid to add team 18 is thwarted again.

25. 1931 Yankees (2nd in AL)

v.

104. 2018 Red Sox (Won WS)

-Can I interest you in some Yankees/Sox before we finish off round 1?  How about 4 of them?  We're gonna flood the earth with Yanks/Sox before we finish cutting to 64.  The Yankees have 9 - 9 Hall of Famers on this club. The Babe's 36, Gehrig is 28, Dickey is 24.  Boston's got a 25 year old Mookie Betts and a 29 year old Chris Sale.  

C Yankees-Dickey

1B Yankees-Gehrig

2B Yankees-Lazzeri

SS Sox-Bogaerts

3B Yankees-Sewell

LF Yankees-Chapman

CF Yankees-Combs

RF Sox-Betts

DH Sox-Martinez

SP1 Yankees-Gomez

SP2 Sox-Price

SP3 Sox-Sale

Cl Sox-Kimbrel

Double: Bat WAR Yankees

Double: Pit WAR Sox

Yankees 9 Sox 8 - man, that was fun, New York had an enormous hitting advantage, Boston had an enormous pitching advantage - in the end, the Yankees were just enough to advance.

40. 1970 Orioles (won WS)

v.

89. 1958 Yankees (won WS)

Do I hear 19?  Will we get 19 Yankee teams in the Round of 64?  This Baltimore's last round one entrant - they've got 5 moving on.  Brooks is 33, Frank's 34 and Palmer's 24 for Baltimore. For New York - Mantle's 26, Whitey's 29 and Yogi's 33. 

C Yankees-Berra

1B Orioles-Powell

2B Orioles-Johnson

SS Yankees-Kubek

3B Yankees-Carey

LF Yankees-Siebern

CF Yankees-Mantle

RF Orioles-Robinson

SP1 Orioles-Palmer

SP2 Yankees-Ford

SP3 Orioles-McNally

Cl Yankees-Duren

Double: Bat WAR Yankees

Double: Pit WAR Orioles

Yankees 9 Orioles 7 - well, there's 19, Baltimore had a sizeable pitching edge, but the Yanks were able to split the individual pitching matchups - that plus the bats gets them home.

9. 1998 Yankees (won WS)

v.

120. 2016 Red Sox (lost ALDS)

-can I hear 20?  Are a third of the remaining AL teams going to be Yankees? Boston's got 4 squads moving on.  New York's led by a 24 year old Jeter, a 29 year old Bernie Williams.  Boston's got a 24 year old Mookie Betts and a 40 year old David Ortiz.

C Yankees-Posada

1B Yankees-Martinez

2B Sox-Pedroia

SS Yankees-Jeter

3B Yankees-Brosius

LF Yankees-Curtis

CF Yankees-Williams

RF Sox-Betts

DH Sox-Ortiz

SP1 Sox-Price

SP2 Sox-Porcello

SP3 Yankees-Cone

Cl Yankees-Rivera

Double: Bat WAR Yankees

Double: Pit WAR Yankees

Yankees 12 Sox 5 - that Sox club is pretty good, most of these matchups were tight - but the Yankees take the sizeable majority of them and gives that organization 20 representatives in the Field of 64. 

56. 1923 Yankees (won WS) 

v.

73. 1901 White Sox (1st in AL)

-Last chance to see another south side team in the field, 2 White Sox clubs are moving on, New York has 20.  Which seems like a lot.  A 28 year old Babe Ruth carries this Yankee team; Chicago's got a 31 year old Clark Griffith.  

C White Sox-Sullivan

1B Yankees-Pipp

2B Yankees-Ward

SS White Sox-Shugart

3B White Sox-Hartman

LF White Sox-McFarland

CF White Sox-Hoy

RF Yankees-Ruth

SP1 Yankees-Bush

SP2 White Sox-Griffith

SP3 White Sox-Callahan

Cl White Sox-Piatt

Double: Bat WAR Yankees

Double: Pit WAR Yankees

Yankees 9 White Sox 8 - well, here's a thing - Chicago dominates the matchups, they have more good players than New York does - but the Yankees win the totals and then take the tiebreaker, because the good players they have are really - really good.  Ruth, by himself, had more than half the WAR of the entire White Sox offense; that brings New York win #21.

24. 1903 Red Sox (Americans) (Won WS)

v.

105. 1941 Yankees (Won WS)

New York's already won two matchups against Boston in this last group - will this be Yankee team 22 to move forward?  The Sox have a 36 year old Cy Young; New York has a 26 year old Joe DiMaggio.

C Yankees-Dickey

1B Sox-LaChance

2B Yankees-Gordon

SS Sox-Parent

3B Sox-Collins

LF Yankees-Keller

CF Yankees-DiMaggio

RF Push

SP1 Sox-Young

SP2 Sox-Dinneen

SP3 Sox-Hughes

Cl Yankees-Murphy

Double: Bat WAR Yankees

Double: Pit WAR Sox

Sox 8 Yankees 7 - the key here is Buck Freeman's earning a push with Tommy Henrich; swing that for the Yankees and New York walks away with this one.  

41. 1957 Yankees (lost WS)

v.

88. 2013 Red Sox (won WS)

Last game!  Last game of the Round of 128 for the AL; after this, we've hit just 64 American League teams remaining in the greatest baseball tournament ever.  Mantle's 25 and Yogi's 32 for New York; Pedroia's 29 and Ortiz is 37 for the Sox.  Last game!!

C Yankees-Berra

1B Sox-Napoli

2B Sox-Pedroia

SS Yankees-McDougald

3B Yankees-Carey

LF Sox-Gomes

CF Yankees-Mantle

RF Sox-Victorino

DH Sox-Ortiz

SP1 Yankees-Sturdivant

SP2 Sox-Lackey

SP3 Yankees-Turley

Cl Sox-Uehara

Double: Bat WAR Sox

Double: Pit WAR Sox

Sox 11 Yankees 6 - super tight through the matchups; both totals were also tight - but Boston wins them both and nabs the last two spots in the next round.

That's it - that's the Round of 128. 

64 Teams remain in the American League.  

Group 1

1. 1939 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

65. 1915 Tigers  (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

97. 1969 Twins (lost ALCS)

v.

96. 1977 Yankees (World Champions)

16. 1936 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

80. 2011 Yankees (lost ALDS)

112. 1978 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

48. 1973 Orioles (lost ALCS)

Group 2

2. 1927 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

63. 2007 Red Sox (World Champions)

98. 1950 Red Sox (3rd in AL-no playoffs)

v.

95. 2013 Tigers (lost ALCS)

15. 1937 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

70. 2002 Red Sox (2nd in AL East-no playoffs)

111. 2011 Rangers (lost WS)

v.

47. 1922 Browns (Orioles) (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

Group 3

3. 1942 Yankees (lost WS)

v.

67. 1979 Orioles (lost WS)

30. 1932 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

94. 1942 Red Sox (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

14. 1929 A's (World Champions)

v. 

78. 1921 Indians (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

110. 1934 Yankees (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

v.

83. 1985 Blue Jays (lost ALCS)

Group 4

125. 2003 Mariners (2nd in AL West-no playoffs)

v.

61. 2002 Angels (World Champions) 

100. 1905 A's (lost WS)

v.

93. 2017 Astros (World Champions)

116. 1963 White Sox (2nd in AL - no playoffs)

v.

77. 1949 Yankees (World Champions)

20. 1917 White Sox (World Champions)

v.

45. 1909 Tigers (lost WS)

Group 5

5. 2018 Astros (lost ALCS)

v.

69. 1997 Yankees (World Champions)

28. 1995 Indians (lost WS)

v.

37. 1938 Yankees (World Champions)

117. 1980 Orioles (2nd in AL East-no playoffs)

v.

53. 1921 Yankees (lost WS)

108. 1964 Yankees (lost WS)

v.

44. 1934 Tigers (lost WS)

Group 6

123. 1974 A's (World Champions)

v.

59. 2015 Blue Jays (lost ALCS)

27. 1947 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

91. 1990 A's (lost WS)

11. 1969 Orioles (lost WS)

v.

75. 1984 Tigers (won WS)

22. 1998 Astros (lost NLDS)

v.

43. 1928 A's (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

Group 7

7. 1954 Indians (lost WS)

v.

71. 1975 A's (lost ALCS)

26. 1971 Orioles (lost WS)

v.

90. 2018 Indians (lost ALDS)

10. 1909 A's (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

v.

55. 1920 Indians (World Champions)

106. 1985 Yankees (2nd in AL East-no playoffs)

v.

87. 1961 Tigers (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

Group 8

8. 1948 Indians (World Champions)

v.

72. 1987 Blue Jays (2nd in AL East-no playoffs)

25. 1931 Yankees (2nd in AL-no playoffs)

v.

89. 1958 Yankees (World Champions)

9. 1998 Yankees (World Champions)

v.

56. 1923 Yankees (World Champions)

24. 1903 Red Sox (Americans) (World Champions)

v.

88. 2013 Red Sox (World Champions)

The Greatest MLB Tournament Ever Created (NL, Round One, Group 7)

Last group is here.

7. 1909 Pirates (won WS)
v.
122. 1885 Giants (2nd in NL)

-5 Pittsburgh teams are already moving forward; no one from the 19th century has made the cut. Wagner's 35 and Clarke's 36 for the Bucs; this is a Giants club with half a dozen Hall of Famers.

C Push
1B Giants-Connor
2B Pirates-Miller
SS Pirates-Wagner
3B Giants-Esterbrook
LF Pirates-Clarke
CF Giants-O'Rourke
RF Giants-Dorgan
SP1 Giants-Welch
SP2 Pirates-Camnitz
SP3 Pirates-Maddox
Cl Pirates-Adams
Double: Bat WAR Pirates
Double: Pit WAR Pirates

Pirates 9 Giants 5 - dead even after the matchups, and it took a Pirate pitching rally just to square it - but they then added to that with both the totals and, once again, the 19th century remains shut out

58. 1946 Cardinals (won WS)
v.
71. 2009 Dodgers (lost NLCS)

-4 Cardinals squads are moving on; the Dodgers have a dozen - the only franchise within a shouting distance of the Yankees. The Cards have a 25 year old Musial and 30 year old Slaughter. The Dodgers have a 25 year old Matt Kemp and a 21 year old Clayton Kershaw.

C Dodgers-Martin
1B Cards-Musial
2B Dodgers-Hudson
SS Cards-Marion
3B Push
LF Dodgers-Ramirez
CF Dodgers-Kemp
RF Cards-Slaughter
SP1 Cards-Pollett
SP2 Cards-Breechen
SP3 Dodgers-Kershaw
Cl Cards-Dickson
Double: Bat WAR Dodgers
Double: Pit WAR Push

Dodgers 7 Cards 6 - the Dodgers trailed headed to the totals, but edged ahead with a slight win in the overall bats. 13 Dodger clubs  have advanced as they continue to dominate the NL. 

26. 1976 Phillies (lost NLCS)
v.
103. 1958 Braves (lost WS)

-2 Phillies teams have advanced; 7 Braves entrants will join them. The Phils have a 26 year old Mike Schmidt and a 31 year old Steve Carlton. For the Braves - Aaron (24) Mathews (26) Spahn (37)

C Braves-Crandall
1B Braves-Torre
2B Phillies-Cash
SS Braves-Logan
3B Phillies-Schmidt
LF Braves-Covington
CF Phillies-Maddox
RF Braves-Aaron
SP1 Braves-Spahn
SP2 Braves-Burdette
SP3 Phillies-Lonborg
Cl Phillies-Reed
Double: Bat WAR Braves
Double: Pit WAR Phillies

Braves 9 Phillies 7 - man, this was super competitive, the Braves tied the mound matchups, even though Philly won the totals, and that allowed Milwaukee's offensive advantage to be the deciding factor.  

39. 1924 Giants (lost WS)
v.
90. 1981 Dodgers (won WS)

-Always fun, Giants/Dodgers --- the Giants have a half dozen teams moving on and their lifelong rivals have more than doubled them up.  It's a Giants club with 8 Hall of Famers, led by a 26 year old Frankie Frisch.  It's the last ride for this Dodger core - Garvey's 32, Cey's 33, Lopes is 36 - there's Dusty (32) and Reggie Smith (36).


C Push
1B Giants-Kelly
2B Giants-Frisch
SS Giants-Jackson
3B Giants-Groh
LF Dodgers-Baker
CF Giants-Wilson
RF Giants-Youngs
SP1 Dodgers-Valenzuela
SP2 Dodgers-Reuss
SP3 Dodgers-Hooten
Cl Dodgers-Howe
Double: Bat WAR Giants
Double: Pit WAR Dodgers

Giants 8 Dodgers 7 - the Giants win almost every bat, the Dodgers win every single arm; it's as close as it can be - but offense beats defense, and the Giants add their 7th victory.

10. 1907 Cubs (won WS)
v.
119. 1981 Reds (1st in NL West)

5 Cubs teams and 5 Reds teams have moved forward - which organization hits a dozen? The Cubs have Tinker (26) Evers (25) Chance (30). The Reds have a 33 year old Bench and a 36 year old Seaver.


C Cubs-Kling
1B Cubs-Chance
2B Cubs-Evers
SS Reds-Concepcion
3B Cubs-Steinfeldt
LF Reds-Foster
CF Reds-Griffey
RF Reds-Collins
SP1 Cubs-Overall
SP2 Cubs-Brown
SP3 Cubs-Lundgren
Cl Reds-Hume
Double: Bat WAR Cubs
Double: Pit WAR Cubs

Cubs 11 Reds 5 - tight through the lineup, but the Cubs blasted them in the pitching matchups and cruised on home.  

55. 1955 Dodgers (won WS)
v.
74. 2005 Cardinals (lost NLCS)

-another Dodgers/Cards matchup; 13 Dodgers clubs are moving forward, the Cards are at 4. The Dodgers have half a dozen Hall of Famers, they're led by a 28 year old Duke Snider and a 33 year old Roy Campanella.  St Louis has a 25 year old Albert Pujols and 33 year old Jim Edmonds.

C Dodgers-Campanella
1B Cards-Pujols
2B Cards-Grudzielanek
SS Dodgers-Reese
3B Dodgers-Robinson
LF Cards-Sanders
CF Dodgers-Snider
RF Dodgers-Furillo
SP1 Cards-Carpenter
SP2 Dodgers-Erskine
SP3 Cards-Mulder
Cl Cards-Isringhausen
Double: Bat WAR Dodgers
Double: Pit WAR Cards

Dodgers 9 Cards 8 - I love a tiebreak; the Dodgers bats just get by the Cards gloves - the Dodgers are nearing the Yankees for total number of teams moving on to the next round, no one else is in the vicinity.  

23. 1911 Giants (lost WS)
v.
106. 1876 Cubs (White Stockings) (finished 1st)

-the Giants try to add to their total, can the 19th century break through? 30 year old Christy Mathewson leads the Giants - Cap Anson's a 25 year old Cub.

C Cubs-White
1B Giants-Merkle
2B Cubs-Barnes
SS Cubs-Peters
3B Cubs-Anson
LF Giants-Devore
CF Push
RF Giants-Murray
SP1 Giants-Mathewson
SP2 Giants-Marquard
SP3 Giants-Ames
Cl Giants-Crandall
Double: Bat WAR Giants
Double: Pit WAR Giants

Giants 11 Cubs 4 - hot start for the Cubs and then the Giants drove them clean out of the tournament.

42. 1911 Pirates (3rd in NL)
v.
87. 1928 Cardinals (lost WS)

6 Pirates clubs, 4 Cardinals - we're finishing up Group 7, who will earn the last slot? It's a 37 year old Honus Wagner; it's a 41 year old Grover Cleveland Alexander. 

C Cards-Wilson
1B Cards-Bottomley
2B Cards-Frisch
SS Pirates-Wagner
3B Pirates-Byrne
LF Cards-Hafey
CF Cards-Douthit
RF Pirates-Wilson
SP1 Pirates-Leifeld
SP2 Pirates-Adams
SP3 Cards-Haines
Cl Pirates-Ferry
Double: Bat WAR Cards
Double: Pit WAR Pirates

Cards 9 Pirates 8 - have I mentioned I love a tiebreak; the Cards bats just get by the Bucs arms to close out Group 7. 

The next time we see Group 7:

7. 1909 Pirates
v.
71. 2009 Dodgers

103. 1958 Braves
v.
39. 1924 Giants

10. 1907 Cubs
v.
55. 1955 Dodgers

23. 1911 Giants
v.
87. 1928 Cardinals

We finish up the AL Round of 128 next time with AL group 8 - led by the 1948 Indians.