KOA Radio 850
October 5, 2011: Aurora, Colorado – On the eve of the Sovereign League playoffs, Mark Gunter and George Crocker play “Fact or Fiction” over the upcoming series with Bakersfield with an assortment of members of the Borealis.
Crock: Whoo hoo… ariba… ariba … playoff time, baby. And this is like déjà vu all over again!
Gunt: You can say that again, George. Aurora and Bakersfield all over again.
Crock: It’s like déjà vu all over again!
Gunt: Right. Aurora and Bakersfield meet up for the 3rd time in four years as first round opponents in the Sovereign League playoffs, and this year promises to be a doozy.
Crock: FACT! It’s Groundhog Day without the little rodent. It’s Bear season instead.
Gunt: You’ve got it, George. We’re playing “Fact or Fiction” with the Borealis. Should we get started?
Crock: FACT!
Gunt: Very good. Leading off, 3B Jim White. Jimmy, you led the Sovereign League in RBI this year. Congratulations for that. In Aurora’s championship season, you hit .317 and had 14 RBI in 16 playoff games. Last year you had one RBI and hit .071. Fact or Fiction: Will the real Jim White show up this season?
White: Fact, of course! Nine of my 18 hits against Bakersfield this year were for extra bases and I had 12 ribbies in 16 games. I do need to cut those strikeouts down, though. Cortez was kinda rough on me.
Crock: FACT! Do you know that Jimmy White, My Homey from A-O-da-WAY-to-go-O-Hi-O lead the league in RBI hitting leadoff since June 23rd? That’s like 90 games at leadoff!
Gunt: As a matter of fact, Jim is #2 all time in the PEBA in RBI by a 3B with 452. That’s 106 fewer than Ollie Morris, who by the way has 400 more at-bats. But leading the league from the leadoff spot is pretty impressive.
Crock: Okey dokey, next up is Aurora’s #2 career hits leader, Chris Weaver. Chrissy, my boy, you’re a career .324 hitter in the regular season and a career .342 hitter in the playoffs. You know a little about pitching. Fact or Fiction: Does Bakersfield have the upper hand in this series because of their pitching?
Weaver: Oh, man… that’s a tough one. I’d have to say… mmmm… fact. This is hard. It’s real tough. If you look statistically, they shine. Lower ERA, fewer HR, lower BABIP, fewer walks. The one place our staff looks better is strikeouts. Our fear is getting into a home run derby with them. With those bats – Lilly, Pew and Emery – we could be in trouble.
Gunt: I’m sorry Chris, but… FICTION! Yes, on the surface, things don’t look good, but when one looks deeper, things look rosier for the Borealis. Aurora’s home/away splits are very close – WHIP, OAVG, BABIP. Aside from giving up more HR on the road, the differences are minor; and Bakersfield hit fewer HR at home! On the other hand, Bakersfield’s splits are really skewed towards their home park. Teams are hitting 50 points higher when the Bears are on the road, 46 points higher on BABIP. More HR, too. Let us remember, Game 5 would be played in Colorado.
Crock: And take a look at those Bears pitchers! Their ace Pedro struggled against the Borealis, as Aurora won all three of his starts against them. Raúl Cortéz lost two of his three starts, and none of their starters has really impressive road numbers.
Gunt: Our next “Fact or Fiction” question goes out to Manager Juan Toro. Juan, John Knight limped home. After hitting better than .380 into the end of May, and being better than .350 shortly after the All-Star game, the All-Star outfielder finished at .312, getting only 23 hits since July 23rd – and only 2 multi-hit games – for a .198 average down the stretch. He struggled against Bakersfield this year. “Fact or Fiction”: John Knight will maintain his normal spot in the lineup and be a major contributor?
Toro: Why-a you guys-a put-a me in a bad-a spot? You know-a that when-a da Jaguar fall from-a its-a tree, he-a swim back-a to da shore.
Crock: Whoa now! What are you say, Juan-a-mundo? Is that a… fiction?
Toro: I’m-a saying that John, he is-a a pro. He will-a be back. For now, we will-a shift the lineup some. With El Chupacabra outta of action, we need-a to get our best-a RBI bat in-a position to drive-a da runs in.
Crock: FICTION! Who am I to argue with the Juan-a-mundo? He who makes out the lineup. Although in 2007, we were down to Game 5 against The Lake and I told our manager… oh God, what was his name? Anyway, I told him I had the winning lineup. If he had listened, we’d have won! Imagine this lineup: Crocker leading off. Batting second, George Crocker. In the third slot, #49, “Babe” Crocker…
Gunt: No wonder you guys lost. Alrighty, next up starting pitcher George Thompson. George, you are the PEBA strikeout king. You’re also #4 in walks all time. Having given up 20 HR this season, Fact or Fiction: Will Borealis pitchers wilt under the power threat of the mighty Bears?
Thompson: For me, fiction. Actually, Tempe gave me the most trouble. I faced Bakersfield three times and won all three. I only gave up 3 HR in those starts, and all three in my first start of the season. Emery was 3-11 and Pew was 2-12. Lilly had only 4 AB, with 1 HR; the only one that trio hit. As a team? Fac-tion? We did surrender 23 HR in those 18 games we played, but we also struck out 140 Bears in 157 innings, and they only hit .233 – .266 in BABIP. So what do you make of that? Pew, Lilly and Emory hit 10 of those HR. Pew had three off of Roach, and those guys beat up Kojima up a bit, too. Actually, Tillman had better success. I think we’ll give up some HR, but I think as long as we keep them off base, it will take a lot of solo shots to beat us.
Crock: FICTION! King Thompson focused only on the starters. The bullpen actually has very good numbers against Bakersfield. Get the lead to the ‘pen and Aurora’s #2 bullpen will drive them home.
Gunt: To address that statement, we have Aurora closer Juan Suárez here to examine the bullpens. “Vulture”, tell us, Fact or Fiction: Aurora’s bullpen will slam the door on the Bears?
Suárez: Fact.
Crock: Wow, that’s pretty deep, Juan; could you elaborate?
Suárez: Our ‘pen is strong.
Crock: You think? What evidence supports this fact?
Suárez: Teams only hit .212.
Crock: (waits a bit for more) Well… yeah, but Bakersfield had an equally impressive .221.
Suárez: Our ‘pen strikeout more.
Gunt: So which reliever do you think will make the difference?
Suárez: Me.
Crock: Isn’t that just like a vulture? Every vulture I have talked with has had very little to say. Thanks to all our guests for joining us.
Gunt: We should be in for a treat, that’s for sure. Aurora’s top-ranked offense in the Sovereign League and Bakersfield’s #2 pitching staff. Fact or Fiction, George: Hit for show, pitch for dough, offense gets you to the show, pitching wins in the postseason?
Crock: Man, why do you ask me that? FACT! Of course Aurora wins. Miguel Garcia pitches a Game 5 gem – 3-1, 10 K. What I want to know is what are your thoughts about the Charleston-Manchester series, Money?
Gunt: Are you kidding? Those losers in Manchester? They’re run poorly, lucky to even have made it. I’m shocked Arlington choked down the stretch. Any team that treats its players like the Maulers do deserve to get mauled! Besides, Charleston is stacked. What I’m really hoping for is an Aurora-Florida matchup. You know what that means.
Crock: Oh yeah… Ice Cold going home! And A.K. and Nelly… battle royale! Cage fight, baby! Alligator wrassling! That’s what I wanna do. I’ll show you, Nelly!
