While not much could match the drama and craziness of the final day and (long) night of the Major League Baseball regular season, we wanted to see if 2K Sports’ MLB 2K11 could provide an insight into the possible postseason wackiness on the way.

We used two roster sets – the latest official roster available from 2K Sports and the set from mkharsh33, which is the consensus choice as the best user roster to be had for the title.

What did we find? Well, there is more kookiness to come.

The Rays were able to carry the momentum of their amazing charge into the postseason by taking the first two games of this series on the road.
Then reality – and Ian Kinsler – hit.

Kinsler knocked in nine runs over the final three games and C.J. Wilson closed the door on Tampa in the decisive Game 5.

Justin Verlander was great. C.C. Sabathia was better.

The hefty lefty struck out 12 in a complete-game shutout to eliminate the Tigers with a 9-0 win in Game 4 after Verlander had given Detroit a shutout win in the series’ opener.

Mark Teixeira hit two home runs and drove in five in the Game 4 rout.
 

This really wasn’t much of a series as Philly’s pitching overwhelmed the Cards.

Sorry, no perfect game for Roy Halladay, but Doc started the fun with a complete-game, 2-hit shutout in Game 1. Then Cole Hamels tossed his own scoreless gem in Game 3. In all, St. Louis only mustered five runs in the four games.
 

As often is the case in real life, pitching beat hitting.

J.J. Putz was the hero with saves in all three wins. Ian Kennedy continued to shine for the D-backs rotation.

Prince Fielder was more like a pauper, going hitless in the series for the Brew Crew.
 

Ah, if only Kinsler was this good for my fantasy baseball team. The Rangers’ second baseman was a Yankee killer in this series, homering in all four wins.

Wilson was his dominating self with victories in Games 1 and 5, and the bullpen led by closer Neftali Feliz and set-up man Koji Uehara shut down New York’s high-powered offense.

No cyber insects swarming the neck of Joba Chamberlain in this one, however. Maybe next year.
 

The Phillies took a commanding 2-0 lead in this series, but the Diamondbacks used stellar pitching performances (except for a 17-11 win in a Game 4 slugfest) and big games at the plate by Justin Upton to shock Philadelphia.

Halladay was roughed up in Game 6 as the cover boy surrendered seven earned runs in six innings.

I’m sure that won’t go on the back of the box for MLB 2K12.
 

Lyle Overbay was the hero.

Yes, that Lyle Overbay.

Overbay, who was released by the Pirates a day after the trading deadline and scooped up off the scrap heap by his former team, rewarded Arizona’s loyalty with three RBI to help the D-backs rally for a Game 2 win to tie the series.

His best was yet to come.

The two clubs traded wins in the series until Game 7 when Overbay slammed a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game and the series for Arizona.

Yes, that Lyle Overbay. Walk-off homer. World Series MVP.

Even Rays’ first baseman Dan Johnson thinks that’s rather unlikely.
 

No love for the Rays in this series. The Rangers outscored Tampa Bay 17-4 in the three games.

Evan Longoria hit more like Eva Longoria, going hitless in the series.
 

No matter the roster, Verlander is good. Really good.

The right-hander hurled a 2-hit shutout in Game 1 and the Yanks never recovered.
 

This series was all about Ryan Howard, who slammed a pair of home runs in Game 1 and two more in the decisive Game 4. 
A preview of things to come from Howard? You can bet a $5 footlong on it.
 

The Cinderella Diamondbacks were at it again, steamrolling the Brewers in this series.

Again, pitching trumped hitting as Kennedy and the Arizona staff shut down the potent Milwaukee lineup. Nyjer Morgan went hitless in the series. Sorry, Tony Plush.
 

The immortal Mike Napoli hit seven home runs in this series. Seven.

No truth to the rumor his bat was cyber corked.

While Napoli was hitting bombs, the Tigers weren’t hitting anything. All three of their wins were 1-run, low scoring games. The losses, well, blowouts.
 

Cliff Lee, not Halladay, was the star of this series.

The lefty didn’t surrender an earned run in his two starts, including a Game 7 gem in which he whiffed 12.

Howard, again, was a monster, going 3-for-4 with three RBI in the 3-0 win in the decisive game.
 

Pitching and Howard were all the Phillies needed to dispatch the Rangers.

After a loss in Game 1, Philadelphia won the next four, including two 1-run victories.

Halladay tossed a shutout in Game 4 and Howard knocked in 12 in the five-game series, including a three-run homer in a 5-4 victory in Game 5.
 

All in all, both rosters, and the 2K sim engine, were mostly true to life; The outcomes produced are feasible. We'll have to wait and see how it all unfolds.

You may scoff at Overbay being such a huge factor in the World Series for the D-backs in the first simulation, but as baseball – and sports in general – have shown time and time again, expect the unexpected.