Interleague Play

 After 4 years of interleague play, how have the two leagues stacked up against each other? Here is the record of Superior League Teams playing the Major league. There are 300 interleague games each year.

2019 153-147 .510

2020 143-157 .477

2021 162-138 .540

2022 149-151 .497

Overall 607-593 .506

But the Superior league has yet to win a world series in the OOTP era. With Las Vegas up 2-0, maybe this is the year that changes.

One Lannister will bring World Series ring to Casterly Rock

 Tywin Lannister has been a busy man the last few weeks, taking his private jet to catch as many Green Day and Las Vegas games as possible. His older son Jaime leads off and plays left field for the Gamblers. His younger son Tyrion is a backup infielder for the Dukes.

“I can’t say I’ve always been proud of my boys. Jaime turned down raising a family, ruling a kingdom, and providing me heirs to join the kings guard. And Tyrion is a runt who killed his own mother while being born. But in the last year I’ve been incredibly proud of both their efforts to win the championship ring.”

“Tyrion hasn’t been playing everyday, but I understand with the DH rule, he’ll get a chance to start against their lefties. He’s come a long way in this league. I’m glad to see he hasn’t let his size stop him from doing some damage with the bat.”

“Jaime has been a great lead off hitter. When the Gamblers bats go cold, he can steal a base and score a run without a hit.”

One way or another, Tywin will have a World Series win to celebrate in the near future.

SL Championship series games 4-6

 Game 4:

After an RBI by Roberto Vargas, Lloyd Braun hit a 2 run homer in the second to put the Gamblers up 3-0. Ben Angus allowed 2 runs over 6 innings, and Doug Guzman and Ryan Robinson finished the 5-2 game without giving up any late Baltimore homers.

Game 5:

Cale Black homered in the 2nd, and Lou Cook hit a 2 run shot in the 7th. Larry Presley pitched a 3 hit shutout over 7 innings, and Smith pitched 2 perfect innings for the save.

Game 6:

The Gamblers went to veteran Joel Camels to try and close out the series. He exceeded all expectations, pitching a perfect game for the first 5 innings. In the 4th, Las Vegas loaded the bases for Roberto Vargas, whose grand slam put them up 4-0. Camels allowed a single in the 6th, but no runs through 7.

In the 8th Ryan Robinson relieved Camels after a leadoff single. Robinson got out of it with a flyout and a double play grounder. Still with a 4-0 score, Robinson came back out for the 9th. He struck out the side.

Las Vegas will go to their first ever World Series and will open at home against Green Day.

SL Championship Series

 Las Vegas vs Baltimore

Game 1:

Matt Summerville pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings and Las Vegas took a 1-0 lead to the 8th. With 2 out, Tad Suzuki singled and the Gamblers brought in closer Alejandro Chavarria. Pinch hitter Clarence Wilkins hit a 2 run homer. One single later, Jorge Cendejas hit a 2 run homer. Claude Smith pitched the final 2 innings, allowing one run, for the save.

Game 2:

The Gamblers took a 5-0 lead behind good pitching from Joel Camels and a 3 run sixth inning homer by Raul Saldana. With a 4 run lead in the 9th Baltimore gave a scare with homers by Jason Robinson and Cale Black. Ryan Robinson was able to hold on to save the game, 5-4.

Game 3:

Finley and Noel Walton each pitched well, and a 2-2 game went into extra innings. With Smith in his 3rd inning of relief, Jaime Lannister walked, stole second, moved to 3rd on a groundout, and scored on a sac fly. In the bottom of the inning Ramon Martinez walked Cale Black with one out. After a flyout, Fausto Thibodeaux singled to left. For some unknown reason Black, a slow runner, took off for third, running into the final out.

ML Championship Series

 Portland vs Green Day

Game 1

Jim Jackson homered in the first off Joseph Smith Langford, the first 2 runs Langford had allowed in the postseason. Green Day added runs in the 3rd and 4th.

Nate Brown pitched 7 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, and 11 strikeouts. In the 7th, a solo homer by Howard Jenkins made it a 4-2 game, but Sam Sherbourne pitched 2 perfect innings for the save.

Game 2: 

Green Day went with Trace Parks, who at home had been 8-0 with an 0.95 ERA. After only 2 batters however he had to leave the game with a tweaked hamstring. 6 Green Day relievers shut Portland down, while Marlon Lewis pitched a fine game for the Decepticons.

Lawrence Wilson broke the scoreless tie with a homer to lead off the fifth. Still 1-0, Sam Sherbourne again came on for the 8th and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the 9th, Sherbourne started the inning, striking out Nutkin before tiring. He allowed a single to Derrick Williams and walked Virgil Blanchard. Green Day went to lefty Ken Stafford, who struck out Dave Riley and got Jenkins to fly to center.

Game 3:

Andrew Clayton had an uncharacteristic loss of control, walking a season high 4 in 4+ innings. On the season, he had only allowed more than 2 walks twice. Green Day took a 3-0 lead as Jim Thompson shut down the Cons.

Down 4-0 in the 7th, Portland started to threaten. Thompson walked Blanchard, then with 1 out Jenkins and Williams followed with a double and triple. Michael Simpson came on in relief and stranded Williams at third.

In the 8th, Portland added another run and loaded the bases with one out. Green Day brought on Stafford, who struck out Jenkins before retiring Willams. In the 9th, Daniel McPherson struck out the side to save the 4-3 win.

Game 4:

Green Day got 3 in the first, one on a Byron Jones homer. With a 4-2 lead in the 5th, Wilson hit a 3 run homer to make it a 7-2 game.

In the 6th, pitcher Gene West was on first with 2 out when Jones doubled to right. West was sent, and thrown out by about 60 feet.

In the bottom 8th, Green Day started with Johnny Anderson but after he only got 1 of the 3 batters he faced out, Green Day again went to Sherbourne. He walked the bases loaded but got Metcalfe to hit into an inning ending double play. In the 9th, he pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give Green Day their first ever world series appearance.

Division Series Game 5

 Hollywood vs Portland

Cesar Corona homered in the first off Andrew Clayton. In the top 2nd, Howard Jenkins hit a 2 run homer off Jason Richardson. Portland stretched the lead to 3-1 in the 3rd as Richardson walked the opposing pitcher, then loaded the bases with nobody out, however they only got one run on a Nutkin sacrifice fly.

Hollywood tied it in the bottom of the inning on an LJ Burroughs sac fly and Will Daugherty’s single. Hollywood pinch hit for Richardson in the inning and went to Pat Evans. An inning later they Brought in Rangel.

Rangel walked Ramon Andino to start the 5th. Rangel didn’t allow a hit, but Andino scored the go-ahead run thanks to two wild pitches. Portland added on in the 8th as Vargas singled in Masuda. 

In the 9th, Roberto Gomez sealed Hollywood’s fate with a 2 out, 2 run homer off Joe Pinches. 5 Decepticon relievers combined for 6 2/3 scoreless innings as they won the game 7-3.

Las Vegas vs Toledo

With ace Shawn Finley on the mound, the Las Vegas lineup of death scored 7 runs in the first 3 innings, following the plan of the 1990s Utes.

Michael Rondon led off the second with a homer. After 2 walks, Roberto Vargas doubled in one and Lloyd Braun followed with a sacrifice fly. Next Inning Ken Sanders led off with a homer and Vargas hit a 3 run homer. Finley allowed one run over 6 innings, and 3 relievers combined to get the last 9 outs, giving up just one run. 

Division series Toledo vs Las Vegas

 Game 1:

Shawn Finley pitched a 2 hitter over 7 innings as LV won 4-0. Roberto Vargas hit a 2 run homer in the 8th.

Game 2:

Ken Sanders had 3 hits, and Roberto Vargas drove in 4 as Las Vegas took a 6-2 lead into the 7th. Jeff Hayes ran into some trouble, and with 2 outs left James Willits came in to face Cary Lee. Lee homered, and the Colby Rinard, another lefty, homered to tie the game. In the 8th, Las Vegas went to Martin Garcia.

The first 3 Toledo batters homered against Garcia, making it 5 homers in a span of 6 hitters. Toledo won, 9-7.

Game 3:

Lee allowed 2 runs, pitching into the 7th. Willie Benson and Bobby Barrios each hit 2 run homers off Joel Camels. Ryan Sargent struck out 3 in the last 2 innings as Toledo won 6-2.

Game 4:

Ben Angus and Michael Farley were both brilliant, not allowing a run. In the 8th, Josh O’Keefe, who had been hitless in the series before this game, hit a 2 run homer off reliever Jesus Palmeiro. 3 Las Vegas relievers closed out the shutout, 2-0, as the Gamblers stay alive for game 5.

Division series: Portland vs Hollywood

 Game 1: 

The B’s scored in the first 2 innings, and had Cristobal Rangel on the mound, a guy who was untouchable in the 2021 postseason. Rangel did not have his best stuff this day, striking out only 2 batters through 5. In the 5th he loaded the bases with 3 singles by the bottom of the Portland order. Pinch hitter Ronald Franks then unloaded the bases with an inside the park grand slam.

With the score 5-3 in the bottom 9th, Mark Hunter gave up 3 straight singles to load the bases. Marcelino Lopez replaced him and gave up a 2 run double to Henry McKain. With the winning run on third, he intentionally walked Erik Valentin. Lopez then struck out Jesus Durango and Will Daugherty, and got Cesar Corona to line out to second.

In the 10th, Nutkin Jr. drove in Roberto Gomez with a sac fly, and Portland held on for a 6-5 win.

Game 2:

B’s scored 8 runs off Thomas Smith in the first 4 innings, and Jason Richardson allowed 1 run over 5 innings before leaving the game. In the 7th, Masuda hit a 3 run homer off Fozzy Wacha to make it 8-5.

In the 9th, Masuda hit another 3 run homer with 2 out against Emmanuel Bianchi to tie the game at 8. Lopez came on to pitch the bottom of the 9th and gave up back to back doubles, the 2nd by Daugherty as the B’s walked it off.

Game 3:

Langford pitched a 1 hitter over 7 innings as Portland won 7-0. Metcalfe and Masuda had 3 hits each, and Langford added a 2 run double.

Game 4:

Portland scored 2 in the first off Brad Hayes. Daugherty came up with the bases loaded and score tied in the 4th and hit a 3 run double. Hollywood’s bullpen allowed no runs and the B’s added on for a 9-2 win to force game 5.

Division Series: Green Day vs Bay Area

Game 1: 

John Stewart led off the bottom first with a homer. In the 6th, Ryan Jones hit a 2 run homer off Green Day ace Nate Brown. Jon Fields tied it up in the 8th with a homer.

For the next 9 innings, nobody would score. In the bottom 10th, Jim Jackson was on second with 2 out when Lawrence Wilson singled, but Peter Rabbitt threw him out at the plate. Green Day loaded the bases in the bottom 15th, but Wilson struck out.

In the 17th, Green Day put the first 2 on when Tyrion Lannister singled in the winning run. For the game, Green Day pitchers struck out 20 without allowing a walk.

Game 2:

Green Day got some bullpen rest as Jim Thompson pitched a complete game 5 hitter, winning 8-1. Chris Townsend was knocked out in the 2nd, forcing Bay Area to use multiple relievers again.

Game 3:

Anthony Henderson was dominant again in his 2nd postseason start, allowing 2 hits in 4 innings while striking out 8. A rain delay forced him and Trace Parks out early.

Bay Area scored 3 off Parks, and added homers by Eugene Wheeler and Ryan Jones to win the game 5 to 1.

Game 4: 

Miguel Cruz homered in the first and hit a 2 run double in the second. Joe Perry took a 3-0 lead into the 7th when all hell broke loose. With 2 out and 2 on Alberto Vargas singled, 3-1. Bryan Morris walked to load the bases. Trever Burton walked, 3-2, and Perry left. Reliever Gerald Ellis walked pinch hitter Byron Jones to tie the game. Jim Jackson singled in 2. 

That 5-3 score held up. Sam Sherbourne pitched the last 2 innings for the save.

Division Series: Miami vs Baltimore

 Game 1:

Scott Elzy had a no-hitter through the first 4, but gave up a homer to Lou Cook in the 5th. In the 6th, Jason Robinson hit a 2 run homer, and later Cook added a 2 run shot off reliever Roberto Gonzalez. Dennis Tracy, making an emergency start, allowed 1 run over 6 innings as Baltimore took the opener 6-2.

Game 2:

Larry Presley, working on 3 days rest, only pitched into the 3rd inning but allowed just one run. The game was tied in the 6th when Miami went to relief ace Ervin Russell. Russell walked one and then gave up a 2 run homer to Jason Robinson. Chris Bray pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and James Batts had a 2 inning save.

Game 3:

Jerry McDonald led off the game with a homer, and Davis Reed hit a 3 run shot to put Miami up 5-1 in the 4th. Chance Eaton pitched well into the 6th, but 2 on Bill Taylor hit a 3 run homer off reliever Josh Devlin to make it close, 5-4. Miami added 2 runs later and the rest of the bullpen pitched well as the Stars won 7-4.

Game 4:

Miami scored first, but catcher Tad Suzuki hit a 2 run homer in the second off Brad Moulds, and in the 5th Jason Robinson hit a 3 run shot off lefty reliever Mike Ashley. Peter Johnson allowed 1 run over 7, and Claude Smith pitched the final 2 to eliminate the top-seeded Stars.

Wild card: Toronto vs Bay Area

 Game 1:

Miguel Cruz hit a 2 run homer off Carlos Hernandez in the first inning. Those were the only runs Bay Area scored, and the only ones they’d need. Anthony Henderson pitched 7 shutout innings before allowing one in the 8th. He finished with 8 innings, 4 hits, zero walks and 7 strikeouts. Papelbrad pitched a scoreless 9th.

Game 2:

Emilio Vallejo homered to lead off for Toronto. Eugene Wheeler tied the game at one with a 6th inning homer, and one inning later hit a 3 run shot to give Bay Area a 6-1 lead. Vallejo and Juan Mendoza hit back to back homers in the 8th, trimming the lead to 6-3. In the bottom 9th, Papelbrad gave up a 1 out single, then a double. He got a groundout, with one run scoring, then hit Elijah Foster with a pitch to put the tying run on base. Bobby Barbettini came in to strike out Angel Garcia and close out the series.

Wild card: Baltimore vs Texas

 Game 1: 

The teams battled to a 4-4 tie going to the bottom 9th. Fausto Thibodeaux had 2 homers for the Colts. Claude Smith got the first 2 out before Mark Robinson reached on an error. Lou Miller then took a 3-2 pitch deep to left field for a walk off homer.

Game 2:

Noel Walton allowed 1 run through 6 2/3, Cale Black had 4 hits, and Jorge Cendejas had 3 RBI as Baltimore won 8-1.

Game 3:

Baltimore had leads of 6-0 after 3 and 7-3 after 5. In the 8th, Texas rallied against James Batts. Gerald Thomas doubled in the 3rd run of the inning, making it a 1 run game, and with 2 out Mark Robinson doubled in 2 to give Texas an 8-7 lead. In the bottom of the 9th, Texas went to Jonny Wilson to close out the series. Jason Robinson led off with a triple, and Cale Black hit a 2 run homer to advance to the next round.

Wild card: Portland vs St Louis

 Game 1:

Joseph Smith Langford pitched 6 shutout innings as Portland blanked St Louis 5-0. Roberto Gomez had a 2 run homer. Wesley Stephens gave up all 5 runs for the Robins.

Game 2:

Fred Kelly pitched 7 innings of 2 hit ball, giving St Louis a 2-0 lead. After 8, they had a 4-1 lead. In his second inning of work John Harrington retired 2 of the first 3 batters. 1 out away from tying the series, he then gave up 4 straight singles, including a game tying one to Ronald Franks. In the 10th, Squirrel Nutkin Jr. had a 2 run double and later scored. Portland won 7-4 and swept the series.

Wild Card: NY Knights vs Toledo

 Game 1:

Robert Rosario doubled in the first, but hurt his knee sliding into 2nd and had to be removed from the game. Light hitting shortstop Jeff Peterson hit a 2 run homer in the second off Dorian Ivey, who had struck out 300 in the regular season. Ivey struck out 9 in 4 2/3 innings but allowed 3 runs and left the game in the 5th with a sore elbow. Mark Stevens pitched 7 innings, allowing 1 run, and Jerry Foster got the 2 inning save as NY won 4-2.

Game 2:

This game was all Cary Lee. He pitched a scoreless first and then came up with 2 on and hit a 3 run homer off Juan Hernandez. Next time up, he hit a 2 run homer. Lee pitched 7, allowing 2 runs and striking out 8. Hernandez went the distance despite allowing 7 runs. Toledo won 7-2 to even the series.

Game 3:

Cary Lee again started the scoring with a 2 run homer in the 3rd, this time while playing right field. Toledo added a run in the 5th off Drew Tobin, who pitched a quality start ( 6 IP, 3 runs). Michael Farley allowed 2 runs over 7, both on hits by #9 hitter Greg West. West had a homer in the 5th and a single in the 7th. Rosario, back in the lineup in a knee brace, went 2-4 as the designated hitter.

Toledo asked Ryan Sargent for a 2 inning save, protecting a 1 run lead, and he delivered. He struck out 2 in a perfect 8th. He struck out the first 2 in the 9th, then got Robert Zoffinger on a grounder to second.

Toledo will face Las Vegas next.

End of regular season

 Top MVP candidates in the major league:

Hollywood center fielder Eric Valentin led the league in hitting (.320), hits (202), stolen bases (69), and WAR (7.6). Shortstop Will Daughterty had 7.3 WAR, 102 walks, and 86 RBI WAR for the league's best team. A .247 batting average however will probably keep him from winning a second straight MVP.

Miguel Cruz of Bay Area is still going strong at age 38. He led the league in RBI (106), finished second in walks with 101, and third in homers with 35. A late season slump dropped his average to .273, he had been over .290 in mid-September.

Green Day's Jim Jackson hit .290 with 25 homers, 37 steals, and a league leading 99 runs scored. He was second in position player WAR with 7.4, and added another 0.8 in 110 innings on the mound. Jackson was removed from the rotation to concentrate on center field everyday starting in August.

Several pitchers had memorable seasons. Nate Brown was 14-6 for Green Day, leading the league with a 1.89 ERA. He struck out 229 in 229 innings. Bay Area's Anthony Henderson, a 22 year old second year player, was 18-5 with a 2.02 ERA, striking out 282 in 209 innings. Jason Richardson and Cristobal Rangel of Hollywood also won 18 games. Richardson had a 2.01 ERA in 179 innings. Rangel had 266 strikeouts and a 2.72 ERA in 235 innings. 

Portland's Andrew Clayton had one of the best control seasons in league history. He was 15-5, with a 2.10 ERA, and walked only 15 batters in 184 innings. Joe Pinches of Hollywood led the league with 49 saves and had a 1.85 ERA. Among pitchers with 162 or more innings, this was the second lowest walks per 9 innings ever, after Wampa's 1988 season.

Kelsey Lester should have rookie of the year in hand after hitting .287 with 27 homers and 76 RBI while playing strong defense in right field. Among rookies, Lester led the league in just about every offensive category.

In the Superior league, Raul Saldana led in WAR (9.0) while hitting 30 homers, 106 RBI, and stole 40 bases in 47 attempts. Miami's Jerry McDonald was second in WAR (8.5) while leading in total bases (331) and runs scored (120). McDonald and Saldana play for the league's best two teams. Louisville's Jimmy Walker hit 35 homers while shutting down the running game behind the plate. Yoon-tae Kim missed some time due to injuries, but won the batting title (.316) and hit 32 homers. Cale Black (.308-39-107) and Mark Lee (.316-38-105) each made a run at the triple crown.

The best player of them all, however, might be Cary Lee of Toledo. He hit .254 with 27 homers and 76 RBI while playing strong defense in right field, good for 5.2 WAR. And every 5th day he went to the mound, where he won 17 games, had a 2.78 ERA, and struck out 221 batters in 217 innings, good for another 5.2 WAR. Combining his batting and pitching feats, Lee is the only player in the league to top 10 wins above replacement. His best start was his first game of the year, when he pitched a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and no walks. He missed a perfect game by hitting the first batter, who was then thrown out trying to steal. Lee set down the next 26.

Lee is also a Roger Chillingworth award contender, with the second most wins in the Superior League. Carsen Olson didn't have the greatest record (15-15) but led the league in innings (253) and his 348 strikeouts are the second highest ever, after only his 2021 season. Malcolm Sherman (11-9) led in ERA with 2.09, but only pitched 168 innings. Dorian Ivey had a 2.20 ERA along with 300 strikeouts. Shawn Finley led both leagues in wins (19), finished 5th in ERA (2.63), and struck out 237 batters. He also pitched 38 consecutive scoreless innings.

Among rookies, Cleveland's Jorge Solis (13-13, 2.56) was one of the few bright spots on the league's worst team. Texas's Gerald Thomas hit .308 with 11 homers, and Baltimore's Lou Cook led rookies with 24 homers and 72 RBI. Louisville's Ryan Jones hit .293 while splitting time between second and short, and teammate Melvin Walton stole 58 bases. Utah's Ben Jones hit 21 homers with 59 RBI and played strong defense in right field.