The Story of Nelson Gore

[NYY #23]

What a day for a playoff baseball game to be playing a baseball game in New York. The tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks that everyone remembers all too well. So it was a little bit of a distracting day to get ready for a one game playoff. While it is mostly a matter of pride winning the division, since the loser will win the wild card, I still really, really wanted to win this game. We ended our season really hot, almost too hot. The trick is to keep that going through the playoffs. 11 game winning streaks are great, but I'd rather have the 11 game winning streak once we got to the playoffs. We are bound to cool off, I just hope it continues throughout the playoffs.

We had a few transactions before the game -

Received:
MR - Matthew Frevert
CL - Angel Bernard
C - Janensis Guerrero
1B - Hongwu Quian
2B - Jose Rodriguez

Lost:
C - Richie Williamson
1B - Osvaldo Morales
3B - Justin Walker
2B - Braulio Hiraldo

Nothing like shaking things up right before the playoffs begin.

We sent Aubert Galliano to the mound tonight, who entered the game 6-1. We fell down early in the second, after the Scrappers scrapped out a run to put them up 1-0. But as I've found out when you are on a hot streak things just seem to go your way. The bottom of the fourth started off with two quick outs. Jose Rodriguez and Ming-an Zhu hit two out back to back singles. That is when things got really interesting as we walked three straight times to go up 2-1. Hongwu Quian fell behind in the count 0-2 and knocked in a pair of runs with a single that looked like a routine play to put us up 4-1.

We surrendered another run in the top of the 5th to cut our lead to 2 runs. I brought in Matthew Frevert in the sixth to hopefully preserve the lead, and he did failing to allow a hit over the next four innings to pick up the save.

4-2 Win
W: Aubert Galliano (7-1)
SV: Matthew Frevert (4)
HR: None

On to the playoffs where we take on the Hudson Valley Renegades, who finished 45-31 in the McNamara Division.

We finished a perfect 11-0 in the month of September and get a day off before the playoffs begin. After a rough start to the season I must confess that this was the most fun I've had managing. I feel like we've got a great group of guys and I really love the Cardinal's organization. I am worried about some of the more recent transactions though, it has left us a little thin at some positions with very little flexibility. We'll do our best though. On to the playoffs.

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Editors note - I wish I realized that there was a wild card in the playoffs, and that I was in the wild card lead. Nothing like a lot of added drama when I had an 8 1/2 game wild card cushion that I didn't realize….

[NYY #23]

Starting off the playoffs with Daryl Hall on the mound I felt pretty good about our chances. We got on the board first with a home run by Guillermo Toribio and opened up a 4-0 lead after an Orlando Santos home run in the fifth.

Daryl Hall cruised through 5 innings without giving up a run, but got into some trouble in the 6th surrendering 3 runs, and again in the 7th before I pulled him and brought in Stolmy Pimental. Clinging to a 6-5 lead I brought in our closer Angel Bernard to pitch the 8th and 9th innings. A two run home run by Hongwu Quian in the eighth inning gave us two insurance runs and Bernard didn't allow a run to pick up the save.

An unusual game as we scored all of our runs on home runs which is rare, but a win is a win so I'll take it.

8-5 Win
W: Daryl Hall (1-0)
SV: Angel Bernard (1)
HR: Orlando Santos (1), Oliver Barnes (1), Hongwu Quian (1), Guillermo Toribio

[NYY #23]

After winning the opening game against Hudson Valley I didn't want our guys to let up. Ramon Juampere took the mound tonight and was able to pitch 6 innings while allowing just one run. I turned the ball over to Matthew Frevert for the final three innings and he didn't allow a run.

We scored one in the first and two in the third which turned out to be all the runs we needed to move up 2-0 in the series. We've got an off day tomorrow, which isn't necessarily what you want when you are playing so hot, but we'll use it to travel to Hudson Valley, where we look to knock off the Renegades.

3-1 Win
W: Ramon Juampere (1-0)
SV: Matthew Frevert (1)
HR: None

2 games to 0 series lead

[NYY #23]

Its days like this that make my job as a manager both easy and fun. We had Aubert Galliano on the mound tonight, who has been pitching great recently. He gave us seven strong innings to pick up the win. We started off the fourth inning by scoring nine runs to break a scoreless tie. We just rolled after that, scoring 17 runs on 12 hits to advance to the championship round of the playoffs after sweeping the Renegades.

17-1 Win
W: Aubert Galliano (1-0)
HR: Guillermo Toribio (2), Toby Reinas (1)

Defeated the Hudson Valley Renegades 3 games to 0 series lead

[NYY #23]

I fee like this is a battle between my past and the future. We advance to the championship round only to take on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. After trailing Mahoning all year we battled our way back to tie them for the division lead and force a one game playoff which we won.

Now we meet again in the playoffs as we battle for the championship. This series has extra significance for me as the Scrappers are the affiliate of the Indians, the first team I managed and quite honestly a franchise where things didn't go well that I still harbor some bad feelings towards. We've been playing real hot baseball and I really hope we can keep it up for one more round.

[NYY #23]

Game one at home and once again our ace Daryl Hall got the game one call. For four innings we had a scoreless battle with the Scrappers. We scored 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth and Hall didn't give up a run for seven innings while striking out 11. He was just sensational today to start the championship round.

Good relief by Stolmy Pimental and we scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth so I was able to save my closer for when I really needed him. One down three more to go….

8-1 Win
W: Daryl Hall (2-0)
SV: Stolmy Pimental (1)
HR: None

[NYY #23]

The second game of the championship series and Leopaldo Malveiro took the mound. We fell behind early when Malveiro gave up an RBI double in the fourth, but we battled back in the bottom of the fifth when Orlando Santos hit a three run home run that put us up for good.

We scored a pair of runs in the sixth and a pair of runs in the seventh and Malveiro held the Scrappers to 2 runs over seven innings. Matthew Frevert got into some trouble allowing 2 runs in relief during the eighth inning, but Angel Bernard came on to get out of the jam and pick up the save.

We hit the road and travel to Mahoning Valley with a 2-0 series lead, two wins away from a championship.

7-4 Win
W: Leopaldo Malveiro (1-0)
SV: Angel Bernard (2)
HR: Orlando Santos (2)

[NYY #23]

We hit the road for game three of the series and Aubert Galliano got the start for us. A solo home run by Guillermo Toribio in the top of the fourth put us up 1-0. Galliano rolled through 5 2/3 innings without giving up a run and striking out 11, but I took him out once he reached his pitch count. He wasn't too happy being removed from a 1-0 game, but it isn't worth risking his future for one game.

Clinging to a 1-0 lead I thought it would be best to bring in our closer Angel Bernard to get us through a couple innings and hopefully score an insurance run. Bernard pitched great though, and didn't walk anyone or give up any hits. He didn't throw many pitches and worked very efficiently so I was able to use him for the final 3 1/3 innings. Orlando Santos drove in an insurance run in the top of the ninth that we didn't end up needing.

We are now up 3 games to 0 and need to win just one more game to close out the series. I'm hoping we can just get in this one more win and not start to cool off. I don't know how long we can keep up this hot streak, and my biggest fear is when we do lose we are going to go on a losing streak. I guess that is the manager's job to worry. We just need to go out there tomorrow and close out this series.

2-0 Win
W: Aubert Galliano (2-0)
SV: Angel Bernard (3)
HR: Guillermo Toribio (3)

[NYY #23]

Needing just one more win to close out the series I faced a tough decision before the game. Start Daryl Hall or give the ball to Ramon Juampere for the start. With the travel day Hall would be pitching on three days rest, but Juampere has been pitching well, and with a 3-0 lead I chose not to risk it. Worst case scenario Hall would be available to pitch tomorrow.

Ramon Juampere didn't pitch bad tonight, giving up 3 runs in 6 innings. He struck out 7 and one of the runs was unearned, but he left the game trailing 3-2. Stolmy Pimental surrendered a run in relief and our ninth inning rally only netted us one run as we left the tieing run 90 feet away at third base.

We are still in control of the series with a 3-1 lead, but it would have been nice to close out the series with a sweep. Daryl Hall will take the ball for us in game five tomorrow.

4-3 Loss
L: Ramon Juampere (1-1)
HR: None

[NYY #23]

We needed just win to end the series and I felt real good with Daryl Hall taking the mound tonight. Hall has been our ace this year, but tonight he struggled lasting just 4 1/3 innings and giving up 5 runs.

Our offense couldn't came through when we needed them to, and we dropped our second straight game. We head back home for game 6 after an off day. It would be really nice if we didn't need game 7.

5-3 Loss
L: Daryl Hall (2-1)
HR: Guillermo Toribio (4)

[NYY #23]

I have to be honest and say that I was a nervous wreck before today's game. I tried my best to not let the guys notice this, but I know they could probably sense it. We were back at home though and I just wanted to tell everyone that we needed to close out the series. Of course that is easier said than done.

Leopaldo Malveiro took the mound for us tonight and after a 1-2-3 first inning my nerves started to calm somewhat. When Oliver Barnes hit a 3 run home run in the bottom of the first I felt relieved and when we scored two more runs in the bottom of the first I felt real good about our chances.

Malveiro rolled through 5 innings striking out 9 but really wasted a lot of pitches. He held the Scrappers to one run though and left the game with a 6-1 lead. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but I brought in our closer Angel Bernard to give us a couple of innings and move us closer to victory. Stolmy Pimental closed out the game and we rolled to a 7-1 victory and the championship! What a great feeling. We've been through a lot this year, but I love how we just came together toward the end of the year and never gave up. I'm proud of these guys, I really am.

I don't know what my future holds yet, but whatever happens next I'll always have fond memories of managing the Muckdogs.

7-1 Win
W: Leopaldo Malveiro (2-0)
HR: Oliver Barnes (2)

[NYY #23]

And with this post this dynasty will come to an end. As manager I had perhaps the worst season I ever manager with the AZL Indians (18-35) and one of the best with the Batavia Muckdogs (51-26). I don't think I've ever got a score of 100 before, or probably ever will again. It just seemed like everything went right for a while.

I played out a couple more seasons, one with the Quad City River Bandits (77-63) and one with the Nashville Sound (81-63), but I got lazy and didn't do any recaps, but I kept playing. Not bad seasons, not great, but the opportunity existed for Nelson Gore to move up to the majors, which was the goal from the start. I had a choice between several teams to manage, but in the end there are several things I love about this game, but the separation of duties between a GM and manager just don't work as well as I'd like, in my opinion. So in the end I thought it would be best to call it quits and put this to an end, and hopefully at least give it a proper burial. It was fun while it lasted. Thanks to everyone who read.