BIFF BARNES BASEBALL BONANZA

(AP-Boston, Massachusetts)
TML American Highlight Reel - October 2007 =================================================

gggIn perhaps the most exciting finish to any TML season, there ended up being a three-way tie for the Gehrig Wild Card, between Oklahoma, Traffic and Mordor! The first tie-breaker playoff was won by Traffic, 7-6, over Mordor. Eric Bruntlett made a game-saving catch in the top of the 9th, leaving the game tied at 6-6. Vlad Guerrero led off the home 9th with a walk-off HR. Chad Cordero picked up the win in relief. Oklahoma then beat Traffic, 8-5, to take the Gehrig Wild Card. Traffic held Oklahoma's David Ortiz and Jermaine Dye (a combined 117 HR & 315 RBI during the regular season) to 0-8, but it was the bottom of the order that did the damage. Magglio Ordonez, Matt Holiday and Matt Grudzielanek went 4-11, with 6 RBI (2 each).
Curt Schilling picked up the win and Bobby Jenks the save.
gggIn the Steinmetz, Albany (6-8) backed into the Wild Card, as Burleigh finished only 1 game back of Albany, with Crimea and 'Skayuna just another 2 games behind. Albany now has the honor of being the first team ever in TML history to make the playoffs with a losing record (78-82)!

nnnThe first round of the playoffs are now set. In the Oceanic Conference, Arkansas will host Albany (who has swept the Travs the past two seasons). The Travs won 9 of the 10 meetings this season. Valparaiso takes on Walla Walla. Those two teams split 5-5 during the season.
In the Atmospheric Conference, Toxic Waste will begin the defense of their TML Title against Rensselaer (all ten of their meetings this season were saved by J.J. Putz[6] or Mariano Rivera[4]). Beverly will host Oklahoma. The Hillbilliles won the regular season series, also 6-4.

mmmTraffic's Derek Jeter was leading the TML in batting, prior to the tie-breaker playoffs and went 2-9, losing the batting crown to Ghostwood's Miguel Cabrera, .3350 to .3348. Oklahoma's David Ortiz was the HR champ with 64 blasts. Teammate Jermaine Dye easily led the league in RBI with 166. Hialeah's Ichiro Suzuki led the TML with 230 hits. Rocky Mountain's Juan Pierre took the SB crown (55 SB), three more than Albany's Hanley Ramirez. Toxin Jason Giambi, as he had done all year, led the TML in both SLG (.689) and OBP (.489).

nnnBeverly's Roy Halladay (21-6) was one of three 20-game winners and led the TML in ERA at 2.01. Arkansas' Chien-Ming Wang (20-6) and Toxin Greg Maddux (22-7) completed the trio. Maddux tossed a 4-hit shutout in his final start and earned his TML leading 350th career victory in style! Toxin Johan Santana took the strikeout crown away from Beverly's Jake Peavy, 237-225. Toxin J.J. Putz (45 saves, 0.91 ERA) earned "Fireman of the Year" honors. Jonathan Papelbon, splitting his season between Brandon and Walla Walla, was 27 out of 28 in save opportunities and posted a combined 0.60 ERA in 45 GR.

mmmBelow are some awards and tid-bits from October
2007 in the TML American.
=============================================
** Player of the Month **
(CR) Lance Berkman
.474, 37-57, 8-1-5, 52 TB,
13 R, 15 BI, 9 W, 28 RC
Note: Repeat winner Berkman tallied 69 RCs in the final two months, which is more than 20 more RCs than any other player!
---------------------------------------------
** Pitcher of the Month **
(BV) Brad Penny
3-0, 1.67, 4 GS, 27 IP, 27 H, 1 HR,
6 W, 14 K, .260 OAVG
---------------------------------------------
** Best Pitching Performance of the Month **
Glenmont's Carlos Zambrano hurled another gem, this time a complete game 1-hitter on the road at the Maine Liners. He fanned 10 and only walked 2.

10/4/2007, GL06-ML06, Shea Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
2006 Haymakers 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 - 4 10 0
2006 Liners mmm0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 m1 1
Haymakers nnnnnnIP H R ER BB K PCH ERA
Zambrano W 15-12 9 1 0 0n 2 10 116 3.58
---------------------------------------------
** Best Offensive Performance of the Stretch **
Oklahoma's Magglio Ordonez blasted two HRs, good for 5 RBIs and then added an RBI-single in the 8th, to lead his team to a 10-6 win over the 'Machine.

10/18/2007, BZ06-OS06, AT&T Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
2006 BigW'zMa'ne 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 - 6 11 2
2006 Supercells m2 0 0 0 4 1 1 2 x - 10 13 1
Supercells AB R H BI AVG
Ordonez dh 5 2 3 m6 .294
1st: 2-run HR; 3rd: F7; 5th: 3-run HR;
6th: P1; 8th: RBI-1B
---------------------------------------------
** The Dogfight Game of the Month **
In a battle for the Steinmetz Wild Card, the River and Avalanche hooked up in a battle royale! The lead changed hands a number of times. Each team scored in the 10th, before the River blew the game open in the 12th, scoring 4 times.

10/17/2007, CR06-AV06, Fenway Park
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm123 456 789 012 R H E
2006 River mmmm002 100 001 104 - 9 21 0
2006 Avalanche 100 011 010 100 - 5 10 1
---------------------------------------------
** The Blowout Game of the Month **
The Chinooks are highlighted in this spot once
again, this time blowing out the defending TML
Champs, 20-4. The 7-run 2nd inning was topped
by a 10-run 5th! The top four batters in the
Chinooks' lineup went 15-24, with 12 RBIs.
22-game winner Greg Maddux was chased in the
2nd. The Chinooks had 26 hits, but no HRs!

10/17/2007, TX06-RM06, Yankee Stadium
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
2006 River Rats 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 - 4 8 2
2006 Chinooks mm0 7 1 010 0 1 1 x - 20 26 0

Chinooks AB R H BI AVG
Pierre cf 7 3 4 4 .298
Iguchi 2b 5 2 4 2 .294
Patterson dh 6 2 4 2 .305
Howard 1b 6 1 3 4 .311
---------------------------------------------
** Overtime Game of the Month **
The T-Bred and Travelers matched up in what
began as a pitching duel between Roy Oswalt
and Ervin Santana, and ended as the season's
longest extra-inning game. The T-Breds won
the game in 18 innings, 4-3, but the Travs
had runners on 1st & 3rd when the game ended!

10/6/2007, HT06-AR06, Busch Stadium
mmmmmmmmm123 456 789 012 345 678 R H E
T-Breds m010 000 010 000 000 002 - 4 8 1
Travl'rs 000 010 001 000 000 001 - 3 14 3

************** Top 18th inning, T-Breds batting
2-2 0 --- 00 Hunter lined a single to
shallow right (X)
2-2 0 1-- 00 Garciaparra tripled deep to right
center, Hunter scored (>X)
Rincon now pitching
3-2 0 --3 10 Barrett grounded out to second,
Garciaparra scored (BX)
4-2 1 --- 20 Ichiro to first on an error by the
second baseman Izturis (BBX)
4-2 1 1-- 02 Uggla grounded out to the mound,
Ichiro to second (1CCX)
4-2 2 -2- 22 Tatis struck out (SBSBS)
************** Bottom 18th inning, Travelers batting
4-2 0 --- 01 Carroll lined a double to right
center (CX)
Mora pinch hitting for Cruz
4-2 0 -2- 22 Mora grounded out to second,
Carroll to third (CBBFFX)
4-2 1 --3 02 Rowand struck out (FFS)
4-2 2 --3 10 Barrett allowed a passed ball,
Carroll scored (BB)
4-3 2 --- 21 Rodriguez lined a single down the
left field line (BB.CX)
4-3 2 1-- 12 Amezaga singled to left center,
Rodriguez to third (CBSX)
4-3 2 1-3 22 Izturis struck out (CSBBFS)
=============================================
Up next ... the first round of the playoffs!
Staff Columnist - Biff Barnes

BIFF BARNE'S BASEBALL BONANZA

(AP-Denver, Colorado)
TML American Highlight Reel

September 2007

=================================================

The Toxic Waste River Rats (20-8) not only had a great September, but did it by beating up second place Traffic, 12 games to 2, thereby clinching the Gehrig Division Crown. The fight for the Gehrig Wild Card will be between Traffic, Mordor and Oklahoma, with Rocky Mountain a long shot. It will be an exciting finish.
On the other side of the Atmospheric Conference, the Beverly Hillbillies (19-9) clinched the Gatto Division Crown, while Rensselaer (14-14) was able to clinch the Gatto Wild Card. The remaining four teams will battle for last place.
In the Oceanic Conference, the Valparaiso Drench (18-10) clinched the Steinmetz Crown, but the battle for the Steinmetz Wild Card will come down to 'Skayuna, Albany, Burleigh and perhaps, Crimea.
In the Ruth Division, the Arkansas Travelers (20-8) have opened up a 7-game lead over Walla Walla, who in turn, now have only a 5-game lead over Hialeah and Cheticamp. Walla Walla plays Danny Way *and* Chicago (both lottery bound) in October, so one would think they have a BIG scheduling advantage on their way to at least the Ruth Wild Card.
The TML batting lead has changed hands yet again, now with Traffic's Derek Jeter (.335) leading Ghostwood's Miguel Cabrera (.333) by 2 points. Carolina's Joe Mauer (.331), Rensselaer's Brian Roberts (.331) and Valparaiso's Omar Vizquel (.328) are within striking distance. Oklahoma's David Ortiz has taken over the HR lead over Rocky Mountain's Ryan Howard, 58 to 56. Oklahoma's Jermaine Dye's 157 RBI leads Howard by 22. Jeter leads Hialeah's Ichiro Suzuki in hits by one, 209 to 208. The stolen base title is between Rocky Mountain's Juan Pierre (48 SB, 26 CS) and Albany's Hanley Ramirez (47 SB). Toxin Jason Giambi still leads the TML in SLG at .723 and OBP at .500.
Beverly's Roy Halladay tossed the season's first NO-HITTER (see below) and is still putting up nice numbers, leading the TML with a 1.98 ERA and a 19-6 record, including a league-leading
12 complete games. Toxin Greg Maddux (20-5) became the first 20-game winner this season, his 10th 20-win season, 9 of them as a Toxin. Maddux has won 10 or more games in each of his 19 seasons in the TML! Maddux' only non-win in September came in a game at Brandon, when he lost his no-hit bid in the 7th, and then the win, when normally relaible J.J. Putz blew the save (and took the loss) in the bottom of the 9th. Arkansas' Chien-Ming Wang (18-6) is on his way to a 20-win season. Beverly's Jake Peavy has taken over the stikeout lead with 225. Toxin Johan Santana is second with 217, and Rocky Mountain's Jeremy Bonderman has slipped to third, with 211.
Toxin J.J. Putz (42 saves, 0.97 ERA) has finally overtaken Valpo's Bob Wickman (37) in the "Fireman of the Year" chase. Arkansas' B.J. Ryan has moved into second with 38 saves. Toxic Waste (83-1) blew their first lead of the season after 7 innings. Oklahoma still leads the TML in victories (12) when trailing after 7.
Rensselaer still only has the one come-from-behind late victory. Valparaiso, Traffic and Maine have now all played 50 or more 1-run games, and still have a winning record in those contests! In October, look for some exciting match-ups, as the season winds down to the playoffs!

Below are some awards and tid-bits from October 2007 in the TML American.
=============================================
** Player of the Month **
(CR) Lance Berkman
.407, 44-108, 8-0-10, 82 TB,
21 R, 26 BI, 16 W, 41 RC

---------------------------------------------
** Pitcher of the Month **
(GL) Carlos Zambrano
6-1, 2.07, 8 GS, 3 CG, 1 Sho, 61 IP,
25 H, 4 HR, 32 W, 64 K, .121

^^^
Note: Zambrano not only tossed a CG 1-hitter against Beverly, but also spun *two* CG 2-hitters (against Carolina & Ghostwood)
*and* combined with Pinto on yet another 1-hitter against Carolina! He managed to pitch around his 32 walks! What a month!
---------------------------------------------
** Best Pitching Performance of the Month **
Hillbilly Roy Halladay more or less secured his bid for "Pitcher of the Year" by tossing the TML's first NO-HITTER of the season! He blanked division rival and playoff bound Rennselaer. Halladay had retired the first 13 batters, before an error by secondbaseman Durham spoiled the "perfecto." Halladay walked a batter in the 8th, but he was retired on a GIDP.

9/23/2007, RS06-BV06, Yankee Stadium
............1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ..R H E
Strikers ...0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0
Hillbillies 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 x - 5 9 1
Hillbillies ...IP H R ER BB K ERA
Halladay W 18-5 9 0 0 0 1 .3 1.91
---------------------------------------------
** Best Offensive Performance of the Stretch **
Supercell Jermaine "Mr. Clutch" Dye struck like
lightning, driving in 7 runs in the first two
innings of the game, leading his team to a big
win over division rival Mordor. Dye is the
TML leader in RBIs, with an incredible 157
(22 more RBIs than the Chinook's Howard)!

9/14/2007, MM06-OS06, AT&T Park
...........1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ''R H E
Marauders' 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 - 4 5 0
Supercells 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 x - 9 7 1
Supercells AB R H BI AVG
Dye rf 4 1 2 7 .317
1st: Grand Slam; 2nd: 3 RBI-2B; 4th-K; 7th-K
---------------------------------------------
** The Dogfight Game of the Month **
This game was a battle, that saw the River
blow a 6-0 lead, as the Drench pulled into
a 7-7 tied after 4.5 innings. Crimea opened
up an 18-8 lead, but the Drench fought back,
but fell short. Raul Ibanez had 6 RBI for
Drench and Adrian Beltre had 5 RBI for the
River. The two teams used nearly a dozen
different pitchers.

9/10/2007, VD06-CR06, Wrigley Field
'''''''1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 '''R H 'E
Drench 0 1 0 0 6 1 5 0 0 - 13 18 1
River '6 1 0 0 2 9 0 0 x - 18 16 1
---------------------------------------------
** The Blowout Game of the Month **
The Chinooks pounded the 'Machine into
submission, with a 21-2 final. The 'Machine
only managed a "safety" ... ooops ... wrong
sport! Chinook Ryan Howard blasted three
HRs in the rout. Every spot in the Chinook
batting order scored at least one time.
C.C. Sabathia recorded a CG win.

9/12/2007, RM06-BZ06, Safeco Field
''''''''''''''1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 '''R H E
Chinooks '''''0 4 1 0 8 1 2 1 4 - 21 23 0
BigW'zMac'ine 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 - '2 '6 2
---------------------------------------------
** Overtime Game of the Month **
After battling for 13 innings, the Hillbillies
got a clutch 2-out, 2 RBI single by J.D. Drew
to take a 7-5 lead in the top of the 14th.
The Liners mounted a 2-out rally in their half
of the 14th. Sean Casey doubled off Joel
Zumaya to bring the score to 7-6, with runners
on 2nd & 3rd. Zumaya induced Bengie Molina to
ground out to second to end the marathon.

9/18/2007, BV06-ML06, Shea Stadium
''''''''''''123 456 789 012 34 ''R H E
Hillbillies 101 300 000 000 02 - 7 11 1
Liners '''''100 120 100 000 01 - 6 13 0
************** Top 14th, Hillbillies batting
5-5 0 --- 11 Zimmerman grounded out to second
(CBX)
5-5 1 --- 12 Winn struck out (CBCFS)
5-5 2 --- 12 Quinlan lined a single to shallow
center (CBFX)
5-5 2 1-- 32 Peralta walked, Quinlan to second
(BBCBC>B)
Torres now pitching
5-5 2 12- 31 Theriot walked, Quinlan to third,
Peralta to second (BBBCB)
5-5 2 123 02 Drew singled to left center, Quinlan
scored, Peralta scored, Theriot to
third (FSX)
7-5 2 1-3 12 Rodriguez struck out (FFBS)
************** Bottom 14th, Liners batting
7-5 0 --- 21 Jones grounded out to second (BBSX)
7-5 1 --- 10 Lopez grounded out to third (BX)
7-5 2 --- 02 Scutaro lined a single to left
(CFFFX)
7-5 2 1-- 32 Quentin walked, Scutaro to second
(BBFBF>B)
Zumaya now pitching
7-5 2 12- 22 Casey grounded a double down the first
base line, Scutaro scored, Quentin to
third (BCFBX)
7-6 2 -23 10 Molina grounded out to second (BX)
=============================================
Up next ... October ... the stretch drive!
Staff Columnist - Biff Barnes