Call to the Post - 2038 Playoff Edition
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2023 12:57 pm
The Thoroughbreds cruised through the last couple of months of the season with not much on the line and finished with a record of 108-54, which was the third best record in the league. After not having a lot to play for during most of the year they now have to amp things up as the face the Scottish Claymores. Kentucky won the wild card so they will hast the first 2 games of the 5 games series.
Overall Kentucky was 7th in runs scored, 2nd in ERA and 1st in defensive efficiency - The Claymores were 11th in runs scored, 11th in ERA and 15th in defensive efficiency.
The Scottish finished at 93 and 69, 15 games behind Kentucky in the standings.
Based on those numbers Kentucky should be the heavy favorites but the truth is the Claymores may have been the one team Kentucky really didn't want to face in the playoffs. Kentucky managed but a single win against the Claymores in the regular season and went 1-6 overall scoring only 13 runs total in those 7 games against the Scottish. The Kentucky offense is going to have to do much better than that if they want to win the series.
DH Dan Gore and First Baseman Antonio Santos are coming off two of the best offensive seasons that Kentucky has ever had and they will be relied on heavily. Both hit the 40 home run plateau - Dan Gore set the Thoroughbred record for total bases (348) while Santos had the third best OPS ever for a Kentucky player at 1.008.
Gore hit .200 vs the Scottish with zero extra base hits while Santos was not much better - he hit .227 with one double.
Shu de Mu will most likely hit leadoff and will be a key component in this series with his ability to get on base and be a menace on the base paths. When Mu struggles usually so does the entire offense. After Santos centerfelder Pedro Bermudez had the teams 2nd best WAR (4.9) much of that coming from his ability to track to balls in the outfield. He and shortstop Naomi Honma will need to be at their defensive best.
On the mound Dong Hak Yi (21-6 2.93 ERA) will likely get the ball to start game 1 and if it goes 5 he will be the guy getting the extra start. Yi had a fantastic season, by far the best of his career and he will be in the running for the pitcher of the year award. He wasn't as effective down the stretch as he was early on and some will point to his league leading 233 innings pitched and say that fatigue could be setting in. He will look to hope to prove those critics wrong starting tonight.
The Thoroughbreds have a deep and talented rotation and the have not yet named their game 2 starter. One would have to assume that both Rory Soutar (21-8 2.74) and Ruben Rivera (11-10 3.74) will get a start in this series. Rivera managed to stay healthy all season long and he is well rested as Kentucky used caution with him and didn't pitch him for the last 3 weeks of the season. Rivera is their most talented pitcher but he was arguably their least effective starter this season so it will be very interesting to see how he does, Kentucky didn't sign him to 134 million dollar contract to sit on the bench during the playoffs.
For the Scottish the trio of Castanieda, Woodard and Daikawa are a force that has the ability to blow games wide open. Daikawa hit the 50 homer plateau, Woodard drove in 131 runs and Castanieda had an OBP of .400.
On the mound the injury to Juan Rodriguez doesn't help the Claymores as the talented youngster is out for the playoffs. The Claymores have made effective use of an 'opener' on many occasions this season so it is likely that Kentucky will have to face an array of different arms and pitching styles this sim.
After last season's playoff success, a first round knockout would be a big disappointment but can Kentucky overcome their regular season struggles against the Claymores??
Overall Kentucky was 7th in runs scored, 2nd in ERA and 1st in defensive efficiency - The Claymores were 11th in runs scored, 11th in ERA and 15th in defensive efficiency.
The Scottish finished at 93 and 69, 15 games behind Kentucky in the standings.
Based on those numbers Kentucky should be the heavy favorites but the truth is the Claymores may have been the one team Kentucky really didn't want to face in the playoffs. Kentucky managed but a single win against the Claymores in the regular season and went 1-6 overall scoring only 13 runs total in those 7 games against the Scottish. The Kentucky offense is going to have to do much better than that if they want to win the series.
DH Dan Gore and First Baseman Antonio Santos are coming off two of the best offensive seasons that Kentucky has ever had and they will be relied on heavily. Both hit the 40 home run plateau - Dan Gore set the Thoroughbred record for total bases (348) while Santos had the third best OPS ever for a Kentucky player at 1.008.
Gore hit .200 vs the Scottish with zero extra base hits while Santos was not much better - he hit .227 with one double.
Shu de Mu will most likely hit leadoff and will be a key component in this series with his ability to get on base and be a menace on the base paths. When Mu struggles usually so does the entire offense. After Santos centerfelder Pedro Bermudez had the teams 2nd best WAR (4.9) much of that coming from his ability to track to balls in the outfield. He and shortstop Naomi Honma will need to be at their defensive best.
On the mound Dong Hak Yi (21-6 2.93 ERA) will likely get the ball to start game 1 and if it goes 5 he will be the guy getting the extra start. Yi had a fantastic season, by far the best of his career and he will be in the running for the pitcher of the year award. He wasn't as effective down the stretch as he was early on and some will point to his league leading 233 innings pitched and say that fatigue could be setting in. He will look to hope to prove those critics wrong starting tonight.
The Thoroughbreds have a deep and talented rotation and the have not yet named their game 2 starter. One would have to assume that both Rory Soutar (21-8 2.74) and Ruben Rivera (11-10 3.74) will get a start in this series. Rivera managed to stay healthy all season long and he is well rested as Kentucky used caution with him and didn't pitch him for the last 3 weeks of the season. Rivera is their most talented pitcher but he was arguably their least effective starter this season so it will be very interesting to see how he does, Kentucky didn't sign him to 134 million dollar contract to sit on the bench during the playoffs.
For the Scottish the trio of Castanieda, Woodard and Daikawa are a force that has the ability to blow games wide open. Daikawa hit the 50 homer plateau, Woodard drove in 131 runs and Castanieda had an OBP of .400.
On the mound the injury to Juan Rodriguez doesn't help the Claymores as the talented youngster is out for the playoffs. The Claymores have made effective use of an 'opener' on many occasions this season so it is likely that Kentucky will have to face an array of different arms and pitching styles this sim.
After last season's playoff success, a first round knockout would be a big disappointment but can Kentucky overcome their regular season struggles against the Claymores??