Who's going to win UCSBA World Series?

[John]

Let's try something different here. We don't often talk about what's happening in the feeder leagues, but during tomorrow night's sim there's going to be an exciting Game 7 between the UCLA Chili Peppers and the Cincinnati Unifiers to determine the UCSBA World Series winner. UCLA has forced this decisive game by winning the last two. This included a thrilling Game 5 where the only run of the game scored in the bottom of the 9th on the only hit allowed by Cincinnati in the entire game; a pinch hit single by utility man William Murphy.

(A side note: Holy crap, William Murphy is the very definition of "clutch". He received all of 14 AB during the regular season. He's gotten 8 AB in the playoffs and has 3 hits. He's maximized those 3 hits; each one has been a walk-off game-winning single. He also has thrown in a 9th inning game-tying sac fly for good measure - UCLA won that game in 11. Murphy is draft-eligible and I've got to wonder if anyone is noticing this and raising him up their draft board.)

So it's all coming down to tomorrow night for these two team. The favored Unifiers are playing at home and have Charlie Chaney going for them (who, if born 5 days earlier, would be eligible for Saturday's draft). UCLA will counter with 19-year-old Scott Bailey.

My question to you guys: which one will take home the trophy? I'd love to hear your picks and maybe a few words on why you think your choice will win. I'll chime in after a few of you have had your say. Don't forget to cast your vote in the poll above this text!

[John]

Now I just know someone's going to step up and say a few words about UCLA-Cinci Game 7. After all, you'd all of course feel terrible if I wrote all the above for nothing. Who's going to make the commish happy?

[James Bowman]

I voted for Cincinnati. After being shutout the last two games, I think they'll get back on track in game 7. I'm predicting another hit barrage off of Bailey similar to game 3.

[Maulers]

UCLA!

[Nigel]

My vote is going Cincinnati as well. Both pitchers look competent, but both bullpens are atrocious. Whoever gets to the opponents starter first wins. How bout that game five in this seriesl? Yeesh. I think both "Monk" and "Cobra" are headed towards being very high draft picks in the near future.

[klewis]

I went with UCLA. I noticed the two pitchers actually faced off one another 5 days ago.

Scott Bailey took the loss and got smacked around for 10 hits and 6 runs in 5.2 innings of work. I'm looking for him to redeem himself because we all know he has the digital intangibles within himself.

I think it will be a close game and one of the team's bullpen will blow it up (sounds like a generic prediction huh?). Both teams have average bullpens... well at least on paper.

The game is at Cincinnati though. But UCLA has back to back shutouts and momentum going for them. I still pick UCLA because I feel Bailey is the better pitcher this year when compared to Chaney.

[John]

Throw me in with the UCLA crowd. There's no way in heck I'm banking against William Murphy. If that dude hits another pinch hit walk-off single, I'm going to consider taking him #1 overall.

[John]

Well, the favored Unifiers pulled it out. They clobbered Scott Bailey with 5 runs in the 2nd inning. UCLA mounted a furious rally with 5 of their own in the 8th, trimming the lead to 7-6. The Chili Peppers's big mistake was in their handling of William "Clutch" Murphy. They wasted their premier pinch hitter by bringing him in with 1 out in the 9th and no one on. By now they should know that his specialty is 9th inning walk-off singles. What they should have done was shown a little patience, let runners get on base and then brought in Murphy. Instead they released their secret weapon too early and the rally fell short.

Congratulations to Cincinnati for winning the USCBA World Series. Let's see if it translates into Unifiers being taken early on draft day.