The final week of the 2019 season saw the championship come down to two matches.  The Lannisters could claim the title with a win or tie over the Thunderwolves.  The Possums still had hope and could win with a victory over the Legion and a Lannisters’ loss.  Third place also hung in the balance with the Armadillos looking to pass the Legion with a victory over the Lasershow.

It was fitting that the season came down to a final weekend with the title on the line between the Possums and Lannisters.  Last year, the two teams would have shared the title if not for Craig Kimbrel’s remarkable non-save, three-strikeout outing that delivered the title to the Armadillos.  Both teams had a chance to vanquish the ghost of last year and finish a year-long mission to reclaim the title.

In the end, the Lannisters were able to defeat the Thunderwolves and seize the championship.  The Possums did what they needed to do and defeated the Legion, but again fell just a hair short of claiming the ultimate prize.  The Armadillos defeated the Lasershow to claim third place after the Legion’s loss to the Possums.  After a season of improved play, Sean’s team (like many others) felt the fatigue of the season.  This was evident in the PhoeGnomes / Goofballs battle that ended in a 4-4-2 tie.

RK Possums (14 – 8 – 2) vs.  CP Legion (13 – 9 – 2)

For the Possums to win the title, they needed to beat the Legion.  They were able to accomplish this goal despite some shaky hitting and a few pitching struggles.  Charlie Blackmon had two home runs and Shin-Soo Choo added two steals.  This was enough to win OBP and tie steals.  Chris had the edge on offense thanks to a huge week from Trea Turner (three home runs, one steal) and Jose Ramirez (three home runs, eight RBI).

The Possums had better pitching thanks to great pitching from Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.  The pair combined for 22 strikeouts in 12.0 IP.  The Legion failed to win any pitching categories with the exception of saves.  The end result was a microcosm of both teams’ seasons.  The Legion dominated on offense.  They led the league for the season in home runs and OBP.  They were second (just behind the Goofballs) in SLG.  However, their pitching continued to be a problem and the team couldn’t get reliable innings.  This led to a series of defeats against the Possums and Lannisters, the two teams with the league’s best and most consistent pitching.  The Possums led the league in strikeouts for the year and were near the top in all other pitching categories.  This consistency allowed the team to compete for the title all season, and almost take home the trophy.

JK Lannisters (15 – 8 – 1) vs.  KK Thunderwolves (10 – 11 – 3)

The Possums’ victory meant that the Lannisters needed to win or tie against the Thunderwolves to win the championship.  They were able to deliver a clutch performance in the season’s final week and claim the Dirt Mountain League’s top prize.  They did it with a combination of timely hitting and dominant pitching.  On offense, the team led the league for the week in OBP and SLG and were second in RBI and home runs.  Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Matt Chapman each had two home runs and totaled 13 RBI.  Trey Mancini added a grand slam, and role players like Tommy Edman contributed as well.

On pitching, Gerrit Cole was dominant again and struck out 14 in just 7.0 IP.  Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in his final start, and Kenley Jansen added two saves.  The Thunderwolves did their best to keep the week close and started out hot with a two home run game from Jorge Alfaro.  They also enjoyed spectacular starts from Zack Greinke, Chase Anderson, and Lance Lynn.  However, the team couldn’t match the volume of the Lannisters’ pitching output and a desperation start from Adam Plutko turned sour and sealed the win for the Lannisters.  The Thunderwolves gave everything they had to try to pull the upset, but the Lannisters wouldn’t be denied.

Although this season did not come down to the final day, the end result was in fact determined by one pitching matchup.  If the Possums had defeated the Lannisters in Week 22, and all other results stayed the same, they would have won the title by ½ a game.  That week came down to a Sunday pitching battle that decided two categories which determined the outcome of the week.  The Lannisters won ERA and WHIP by small margins and won 5-3-2.  The Possums could have won by the same score with tiny adjustments to the week’s pitching totals.  On that Sunday, Gerrit Cole started for the Lannisters versus Max Scherzer for the Possums.  Scherzer was excellent with 6.0 IP, one earned run, nine strikeouts, and just two hits and walks.  However, Cole was slightly better with 8.0 IP, 15 strikeouts, one earned run, and just one hit.  This was enough for the Lannisters to win the week and, indirectly, the title.  Cole’s dominant presence throughout the season made him the team’s unquestionable MVP and the only reason the title wasn’t decided among the Possums, Legion, and Armadillos.

The win erases the disappointment from last season for the Lannisters, who claimed their fifth title since 2013.  There are currently five players on the Lannisters’ roster who were also present on the 2013 title winner:  Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Stephen Strasburg, and Kenley Jansen.  These five players have formed a remarkable core for the title winners.  The team has endured challenges from all sides over the last seven years and have found a way to compete despite drafting at the bottom nearly every season.

LK Armadillos (11 – 8 – 5) vs.  SM Lasershow (5 – 19 – 0)

The Armadillos were able to end their season with a strong victory and capture third place.  The team led the league in home runs and RBI for the week, and posted the best ERA, WHIP, and quality start numbers as well.  Alex Bregman had two home runs and seven walks along with three home runs from Pete Alonso and Jorge Soler.  No pitcher allowed more than two earned runs for the week and Jack Flaherty ended the year with an 11 strikeout start.  The Armadillos were able to leapfrog the Legion and claim the bronze medal for the season.  The finish is impressive considering the team’s injury problems.  The championship follow-up saw the losses of Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, and others.  The strong finish is attributable to solid depth and talent up and down the roster.

Final Notes

Despite the Lannisters’ strength, the 2019 season proved to be the most competitive to date.  Seven teams were in contention into the last third of the season.  Two of the Lannisters’ losses this year were to the Lasershow.  The league’s top teams including the Armadillos, Possums, and Legion, were all in contention with just three weeks left to play.  Either the Legion or Possums could have won the title with just a little bit more luck.

Lower-ranked teams like the Lasershow and Thunderwolves continued to make strides and progress with the addition of strong young players.  Sean was near the top of the league in SLG despite a lack of home runs.  If he can find more power, the team could be a more consistent week-to-week threat.  The Thunderwolves tied for the league lead in saves and posted good pitching overall.  If the PhoeGnomes showed more consistency, they could easily contend with the other top-tier teams.

With so many teams in contention, the 2020 season should be outstanding.  Thank you for being part of the league this year.  Now it’s time to begin the offseason, where every team can start to build for the future and to pursue the title next year!