The NEBL championship started out how everyone predicted. Worcester dominated the first 2 games. Great pitching followed by good defense and hitting gave them a comforting 2-0 lead. As things went down the road to Manchester we saw a change in attitude for this Millers team. In game three we saw a slugfest. Manchester had a record breaking 20 hits. The charge was led by Files, who’s 4 for 4 at the plate. Sadly though Worcester is preventing this from converting to runs. As the game heads to the 8th its still scoreless. Pitching for Manchester was P Terry Long, whose been insignificant for most of his career. Up to bat was 2B Jordan Shavers, whose had a rough night, striking out twice. Long dealt with Shavers poorly, beaning him on the first pitch. It seemed as though the Millers would once again choke in the 8th and 9th inning, as they’ve done all season. After a wild pitch Shavers stole second, putting him in scoring position. Long went on and walked the next two, making it bases loaded with zero outs. Manchester needed something asap, or the best hitting performance all season would be put to waste. Thomas squared up at the plate looking to drive in a couple runs. Two balls fly past, he swings at one of them. Looking to throw him off again, Long places one far outside the box. Thomas bites and swings, but he makes contact, flinging the ball directly to 2B Jim Sanchez, who converts it into an out and looks for two. Shavers hesitates breaking for home, he watches Sanchez tag up second and motion throwing to first. He takes off. Sanchez throws it to first who immediately throws it home. Shavers slides as C Jarred Horridge prepares for the hit. Dust flies. As it begins to settle the ump yells. “OUT!” The crowd cheers, a triple play! Manchester survives the inning in beautiful fashion and prepares to take the lead. First up is none other than Files, the crowd roars. Files is currently 4 for 4 looking to make it five. He sends the first two behind him and into the crowd. He’s not looking to wait, he wants a hit. The next pitch comes fast, down the middle. Files cracks it over the third baseman's head and into a hole that get him to second. A walk later and Sanchez walks up to hit with 0 outs and two men on. Almost the exact same situation that the Valentines had. Sanchez doesn’t wait though. On his first pitch he sends it deep and over the outfield wall. Putting Manchester up 3-0. They would hold this lead. Long closes out the game with two strikeouts and forcing a dribbler to first, where a simple step on the bag ended the game. Game 4 and 5 went just as well, Manchester won both, 10-6 and 2-0.They were in complete control now. Game six was looking to go just as well. But down 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th, a comeback was needed, which is funny because almost every game Manchester entered the 8th inning losing, they lost. Comebacks were not their thing. After failing to score in the 7th, they went to the 8th. They just have to make sure Worcester doesn’t score. Five minutes and 2 pitches after taking the field Worcester hit one of the fence. Then the next batter hit a triple. And the third brought him in with a double. Manchester crumbled and lost 4-1. Worcester then proceeded to stomp them in game 7, allowing 3 hits. Worcester wins the series 4-3.
The USBL championship was gifted a new team this year, the Eagles of Dayton! Who completely dropped the ball in their first championship series. Game 1 was the closest of them all. With the game tied in the top of the 9th at 4, Dayton had a chance to win in front of their home crowd. With one out it seemed hopeful that they’d at least be going into extras. That is until an error in right field allowed a man come from second to home on a what should've been a single from Beebe which ended up actually getting him to third. A sac fly later and Louisville's up 6-4. They managed to get out of the inning without anymore fumbling but failed to score and lost. Game two was much worse. P Jose Ramos completely shut the Eagles offense. The performance was so bad, Dayton’s crowd started booing their own players. Ramos pitched 9 strikeouts in 7 innings before being pulled after fans started throwing racial slurs his way and throwing stuff onto the field. Ramos wouldn’t take the mound the rest of the series. Louisville won that game 10-1. In game 3 Louisville continued their string of big wins. This time in the form of 19 runs. Beebe hit 4-4 and had 6 RBIs in a fantastic performance for the guy in his 3rd championship series. It seemed as though the Stallions couldn’t be stopped. Game 4 ended at Churchill Park with a score of 2-0, a two run homer hit by P Alex Tovar late into the 8th inning killed what was left of an Eagles spirit. Louisville sweeps, 4-0.Well congrats to Worcester and Louisville. Offseason should be up soon! I'm glad to be back!

Last edited by MyTeamIsDr.Pepper (5/25/2019 8:55 pm)

I think Rochester is my favorite design so far!  Very nice!  

The USBL storyline on race will be very interesting to read too, curious how that will end (though it sounds like they will take a MLB-like ban on minorities for at least the near future)

The 1890 NEBL season was full of surprises. First, the season started off with two runs, both great in their own ways. Worcester started the defending of their title by going 25-5 in their first 30 games. This would’ve been the top story, but as the Valentines were doing this, the new team, the Bluebirds, went 0-30. You read that right, zero and thirty. Not a single win. Some of these loses included a series against the Valentines, where the Bluebirds were outscored 1 to 44 in 3 games. Buffalo was so pitiful they were averaging more players at games than fans. Players started quitting mid game. Requesting trades and straight up just not showing up to practice and games. Buffalo almost folded after their 40th straight lost. Hope finally came on August 1 and 2nd when Buffalo won. Back to back, at home against Rochester, who also managed a, equally hysterical, 10 wins. It was a historical season. Worcester eventually cooled off. And through the second half of the season cruised. Ending with the second seed for the 6th straight season. Catching 1st this year wasn’t Manchester, who completely deflated after their choke in the championship last season. It wasn’t Boston either. It was Providence, who came out of nowhere. Led by CF Josh Stewart. They stormed to 71 wins and look like they might be the ones to actually be able to beat Worcester. In third place wasn’t Manchester or Boston either. It was the Bulldogs. New York finally got things to click together. There was some bumps and streaks however. Including a 12 game slid in the middle of the season. But things ended well, with New York winning their last 6 games. Following the ‘Dogs are the Sugarmen who, with their aging core, managed to get a respectable 65 wins. Next up were the Revs and then the Millers. Who seemed like they aged a decade over one offseason. Their fast, strong core seems sluggish at times. Like they reached their max and had given up. Hopefully they’ll get back in their grove for next season. Rounding out the basement were the usuals, Brooklyn and Hartford (on top of Rochester and Buffalo) Who spent another season dwindling with younger pieces.Over in the USBL, almost the opposite happened. Chicago and Detroit immediately jumped to the 1 and 2 spot. Louisville and Hamilton kept it close however. Through the first 50 it was all tied up at 30 wins. This was the same for the bottom half of the league however. Just like Manchester, Dayton fell off a cliff. Sitting in 7th place through 50. Cincinnati was the worst they’ve ever been. Shipping away the last piece from the Championship run a half decade ago a week into the season. The big improvements were by the Railers who got 14 more wins than last year. Finally St. Louis stayed in last. Rumors of relocation or them folding are in the air but nothing is confirmed. By the end of the season Louisville regained their spot on top after the youth of Detroit and Chicago showed as they slowed down as the season continued. Hamilton clinched 2nd, giving fans a rematch of the 1888 championship.Now, racial issues increased even more. On top of banning black and hispanic players, Evansville owner has started barring them from spectating games, barring them from even stepping onto stadium grounds. He was also connected to the lynching of a group of young boys who snuck into the game one night. The owner, Tom Wagner, had all accusations dropped overnight. It’s suspected other owners were following in his steps and planning a strike to ban colored players league wide. The biggest objectors to these claims were Detroit and Chicago. Whether they’d give into the claims much like its suspected the rest of the league will is unknown. But tension is high. Armstrong had one thing to say and it was that he was looking for the best possible solution and he was trying his best in choosing the best for the league.Now for my championship predictions! I have Providence surprising the Hearts in 7 games and Louisville running the AC in 5.

So Buffalo and Rochester finished their inaugural seasons with a combined record of 12W-188L

And not a single 1962 Mets joke?!

Steelman wrote:

Are we for certain no murders or clubhouse violence occurred in Buffalo?! Geeze. I played on a softball team that went 0-11 one season and that was brutal. I can't imagine 2-98.

While there was no violence, many players did quit on the team, especially ones not getting paid much, they most often opted to go to more minor league and local teams and play there. Also, the Bluebirds stay in Buffalo is highly likely to be over, whether they fold, or in a best case senario for the league, relocate, is still up in the air. Buyers from Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Albany have all been interested in purchasing the teams however, so it'll be something for sure.