BIFF BARNES BASEBALL BONANZA

(AP-Papeete, Tahiti)
TML American Highlight Reel - Post Season 2007 ==============================================

hhhhhhhThe Beverly Hillbillies, led by Mike Dickinson, convincingly won the 2007 TML Championship! The Hillbillies cruised through consecutive series sweeps! First taking out the defending TML Champs, Toxic Waste, in the Atmospheric Conference Finals and then Bill Jelks' Arkansas Travelers in the TML World Series. The Toxins folded like a cheap lawn chair in the Conference Finals, just barely keeping the team ERA under double-digits! Beverly was only trailing for one inning (middle of Game 4) at any time during the 4-game sweep!
In the TML World Series, the Hillbillies used timely hitting (batting *under* .200 as a team) and great pitching (1.75) to win the TML Title. The Beverly bullpen only allowed one run in the series. Arkansas suffered from some un-timely late-inning relief failure.


Machine Gun Max Quick Take:
mmmmSome managers are quick to point out that Dickinson was greedy in winning his second title in four years. Manager Mike (shown at left) back at his Green Acre Farms categorically denied he was piggy. In fact, out of the generosity of his heart, he announced that he was putting AROD on the trade market. It was rumored he had already received one team's offer of all its picks for AROD. When asked about it Dickinson shrugged and said. " that seems a bit light to me. Maybe if the fellow threw in a couple of more future MVP prospects in the deal or a Cy Young Award winner, I think we'd be close. Well I might need a bit more. I'll get back to you on it."

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** 2007 TML Player of the Year **
(OS) David Ortiz
.288, .413, .671, 161 G, 25-4-*64, 394 TB,
*147 R, 149 RBI, 130 W, *174 RC
* led TML

kkkkkkkkkMLB sports writers seem to have a problem voting for a DH for MVP. But, in the TML, Ortiz played 1B all season for Oklahoma. Ortiz drew 11 1st place votes and a total 238 MVP points, to be selected "2007 TML Player of the Year." Rocky Mountain's Ryan Howard (4 1st place votes; 193 points) finished 2nd. Beverly's Travis Hafter (2; 166) finished 3rd, followed by Ortiz' teammate Jermaine Dye (4; 158) and Toxin Jason Giambi (2; 139).

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** 2007 TML Pitcher of the Year **
(BV) Roy Halladay
21-6, *2.01, 30 GS, *12 CG, 2 Sho, 237.2 IP,
202 H, 14 HR, 16 W, 139 K, .226 OAVG
* led TML

In a run-a-way, Beverly's Roy Halladay was voted "2007 TML Pitcher of the Year." Halladay received 22 of the 23 1st place votes and a total of 110 points. Despite Halladay being only one of two 20-game winners this season, leading the TML in ERA, complete games, and fewest walks per 9 (0.60), *and* tossing the only No-Hitter of the season, one person left Halladay completely off their ballot! Hialeah's Roy Oswalt finished a distant 2nd, (the other 1st place vote; 35 points), followed by Toxin Greg Maddux (17 points) and Arkansas' Chien-Ming Wang (16 points).

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** 2007 TML Fireman of the Year **
(TX) J.J. Putz
1-2-45-46, 0.91, 66 GR, 3 BS, 69.1 IP,
53 H, 0 HR, 5 BB, 90 K, .208 OAVG

Toxin J.J. Putz earned the "2007 TML Fireman of the Year", saving 45 out of 48 games and posting a 0.91 ERA. Putz did not allow a HR all season, K'd 90 batters in 69.1 IP and only walked 5 (one IW). Arkansas' B.J. Ryan (4-2-40-44) finished a close 2nd. Carolina's Huston Street (7-4-36-43) was 3rd and Beverly's Akinori Otsuka (7-4-35-42) was 4th.

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** 2007 TML Golden Glove Awards **
1B: Mark Teixeira (TX)
2B: Luis Castillo (TR)
3B: Eric Chaven (CA)
SS: Adam Everett (M9)
LF: Eric Byrnes (CH)
CF: Vernon Wells (SS)
RF: Ichiro Suzuki (HT)
C: Ivan Rodriguez (AR)
P: Greg Maddux (TX)
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Happy Holidays!
Staff Columnist - Biff Barnes