10/2/2008: Trenton, NJ – It was a historic day on September 27^th.  Despite a hard fought loss to New Orleans (3-2), the West Virginia Coal Sox loss clinched a wild card spot for your Bureaucrats.  How did the Bureaucrats do it?  Compare the overall stats to last year and they are almost the same (-9 runs scored and –11 runs allowed).  Include the fact that they were plus 5 Pythagorean (89 versus 94) and it looks a little like luck.

The “luck” might just be the pitching staff.  “We have one of the best pitching staff’s in baseball.  We were 2^nd in team ERA (3.66) and bullpen ERA (3.24) in the Imperial League this year.  Our top 3 starting pitchers are as good as anyone in baseball.  Víctor Matos, Ronald Workman and Michael Bender could be aces for many teams.  They logged 644.1 innings and 46 wins.  For our team, they are just 3 straight games worth of headaches for opponents.  Our bullpen is impossible to score against.  Closer Peter Goodwin closed 42 out of 46 saves.  What more could a pitching staff do?” said manager Rafael Navarro.

Unfortunately for the light-hitting Bureaucrats, they will be facing the juggernaut known as the New Orleans Trendsetters.   With starting pitchers like Conan McCullough, Chandler Davis, Edward Coleman and Chris Nicholson, there was no question why this was the top pitching staff in terms of starter’s and overall ERA.  C Jeff Cline, DH Ernest Conrad, and 1B Augusto Valdéz averaging 33 home runs and 106 RBIs each led an amazing offensive display all season.

The challenge is set.  October 4^th,7:05 at New Orleans’ New Frontier Park.  Let’s just hope the luck of the Bureaucrats continues.