Old Forbes Field on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.

Lodi Crushers Dominate in the Regular Season

Come from Behind with a 4-0 3rd Week to Sweep Past the River Rats & Devil Rays

The Lodi Crushers dominated the regular season, then navigated through a treacherous post-season - three different teams had 4-0 playoff weeks - to win a deserved title, their third in five years and fifth in 10 years.  As close to a dynasty as this league has seen.

We limited rosters spots to 20 (from 22) and cut out the 5th starting pitcher and the 2nd DH/U.  Also, we gave half-credit for SP points if the pitcher pitcher  4, 4.1 or 4.2 innings in a week.  In the post-season, rather than pushing the season an extra week (partly because the lock-out pushed the season openers an extra week), we used higher seed to break ties.  While it was not necessary this year, the Crushers could have used it if either the dRays or Rats had tied them in overall record.  We also created a Toilet Bowl to allow the three teams that did not make the Final 5 to continue to compete.

team (first round pick)

     Clubbers:   Ohtani

     Homeboys:   Soto

     Rats:   Harper

     Oakies:   Guerrero

     Fishermen:   Ramirez

     Hanks:   Trout

     Devil Rays:  T Turner

     CRUSHERS:   Olson

Regular Season:  The Homeboys got out of the gate fast, 15-6 after three weeks.  But they were over-powered by the Oakies who put together back-to-back 7-0 weeks to start with an 18-3 record.  The Rats were 5 back, and the Crushers 9 back.  The defending champion dRays got little traction early on with a 13-22 record, including three 0-7 weeks.

The Crushers made their move in week #6, going 6-1, 6-1, before reeling off five straight 7-0 weeks:  52-32.  They backed it up with 5-5-6 for weeks 13-15 to clinch 1st place.  Meanwhile, the Rats got hot, going 7-0 in weeks 14 & 15, eventually nosing out the Oakies for 2nd place.

Regular Season Standings:

80-27    Crushers

68-42     Rats

65-40     Oakies

55-54     Clubbers

49-57     Fishermen

47-65     dRays

43-65     Homeboys

41-70     Hammerin' Hanks

Playoffs:  

The Crushers & Rats got byes into the Final 5.  In the first round, the Clubbers & Fishermen were promted to the F-5, while the Homeboys & Hanks moved to the newly-created Toilet Bowl.  The #3 Oakies then faoced the #6 dRays for the final spot in the F-5, with the dRays easily moving on.

Playoffs: Final 5:

The dRays (4-0) continued their playoff roll into the first week, dominating the field with one of the best weeks of the year; the Rats (3-1) finished 2nd and the Crushers (2-2) 3rd.  In the second week, it was the Rats (4-0; 7-1) turn to dominate, with the Crushers (3-1; 5-3) finishing 2nd and the dRays (2-2; 6-2) 3rd.  The Rats needed to beat the Crushers by one game or tie the dRays in order to be crowned champions.  It was not to be.  Instead, the Crushers (4-0; 9-3) took the top spot, with the Clubbers playing spoiler by finishing 2nd (3-1; 4-8), with the dRays (2-2; 8-4) in 2nd and the Rats (1-3; 8-4) in 3rd.  The Fishermen (1-11) never got it together.

Meanwhile, in the inaugural Toilet Bowl, the Homeboys found life (2-0; 1-1; 2-0; 5-1) to beat the Oakies (2-4) & Hanks (2-4).