[Ben E Lou]

2003 POST-SEASON REPORT

POTENTIAL FREE AGENTS/CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
CF James “Handyman” Wuest—He made $7.01M this year. I sign him to a 6-year deal, for $8M per year. He’ll be 38 when it runs out.
3B Anthony Jones—He wants $3.03M for 3 years. With Harry “Pluto” Reid looking almost ready at AAA (5/7/5, .906OPS), I decide that Jones will not be re-signed.
SP Steve Adams—He went 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA, and is only 27. I sign him to a 4-year deal for $4.75M per year.
SP Ronald Smith—I’ve got two youngsters at AAA almost ready to go, but Smith only wants $1.26M per year for four years. That’s a nice insurance policy.
MR Edgar Thornley—He wants $3.05M per year for 3 years. He was my top setup guy, but with the depth I have at MR, I’d rather not spend that chunk of change.
SS James Beazley—He’s a 34-year-old backup, wanting $860K per year. He’s historically provided a good bat off the bench (.808 lifetime OPS). I sign him up
CF Craig Regner—Backup who can play all three OF positions. He only wants a 1-year deal for $500K. I keep him.

PLAYOFF REPORT

DIVISION SERIES VS. CINCINNATI

Reds Info
The Reds, like us, had no one put up “superstar” offensive stats, but they had some solid production out of several guys. They had five guys with 90+ RBI: 2B Lawrence Mcdaniel (.260-30-99), LF Chris Rettig (.276-27-100), RF Randy Argo (.254-26-91), SS Gene Maurice (.269-22-102) and 3B Earl Saenz (.292-22-91). Leadoff hitter Julian Gonzalez was a nice sparkplug (.280, 91R,36SB). The pitching staff was led by Cy Young candidate Ramon “Smokey” Flores (21-4, 2.54). Their #2 guy, Vernon Ferguson, also turned in a good year (13-11, 3.33). The rest of the rotation is suspect. Their bullpen is solid. 37-year-old closer Alton Homes had 41 saves and a 2.63 ERA.

Game 1
Baumer starts Game 1 for us, against their #3 guy, Fabian Valtierra, who was 7-12 with a 4.05 ERA on the year. We put runners on second and third with one out in the first, but Feely and Swenson are unable to deliver. However, in the top of the third, Birnbuam draws a one-out walk, and Anthony Jones goes yard to deep center, giving us a 2-0 lead. The Reds score an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, on a Baumer throwing error. In the top of the 7th, 2B Wiens gets a leadoff double, and Sweeney, pinch hitting for SS pardo, sacrifices him to third. Beazley pinch hits for Baumer, but grounds out to third, then Birnbaum K’s. In the bottom of the inning, the Reds get three runs off of new pitcher Brandl, and take a 4-2 lead. WE come right back in the top of the 8th, as Swenson doubles in Jones, and Camacho follows with a 2-run shot, to give us a 5-4 lead. Unfortunately, Mcallister and Thornley can’t hold ‘em. They give up five runs in the bottom of the eighth, and we go down quietly in the ninth. Reds win 9-5.

Game 2
We send Castonguay to the mound in game 2, against their ace, Flores. Early on, this one is a classic pitcher’s dual. Neither team gets a hit until the bottom of the 3rd, when Cincy’s 8 and 9 hitters start off the inning with back-to-back singles, but Castonguay holds ‘em right there. Neither team seriously threatens until the bottom of the fifth, when Cincy’s catcher, Gregory Nisbet, who had only 3 homers all year, hits a solo shot to left. Flores continues to shut us down, but we break through with an unlikely two-out rally in the top of the seventh. Swensen walks, Camacho gets an infield hit, then Wiens doubles them both in. Castonguay remains in the game through the 8th, giving up no more runs. In the top of the 9th, we blow it wide open off of RP’s Alberto Plaza and Ronnie Yarbro. Feely leads off with a solo homer, then Sweeney, who has subbed at 2B, follows with a single to left and a steal. He goes to third on a catchers throwing error. Camaco is intentionally walked, and Wiens hits a sac-fly to score Sweeney. Plaza is replaced by Yarbro, but does no better. He gives up a walk, then a 3-run homer to PH Paul Eckhoff. We lead 7-1, and the Reds go down humbly in the bottom of the 9th. Expos win 7-1.

Game 3
The series moves to Montreal for this one. We send Adams to the mound against Vernon Ferguson. Cincy breaks through first, in the top of the third, on a 3-run shot by Randy Argo. We get two back in the bottom of the 4th, on a Wiens DP and a Pardo triple. We get two more the next inning as Wuest doubles in Birnbaum and Jones. There’s no further scoring until the 9th, when Marmolejo comes in to shut ‘em down. Unfortunately, he’s unable to do so. Mcdaniel singles in a run to tie us up at four. We do nothing in the bottom of the 9th, and it goes to extra innings. Rettig leads off the top of the 10th with a homer off of Marmolejo, and they manage another run as well. We go quietly in the bottom of the 10th, and we’re down two games to one. Cincy 6, Montreal 4.

Game 4
With our backs against the wall, we send Baumer back out there on 3 days’ rest against rookie Samuel Cardenas (12-12, 5.20). Baumer doesn’t appear to have his best stuff today, and he gives up a single run in each of the first three innings. However, our offense jumps on the rookie early and often. Birnbaum leads off the bottom of the first with a solo homer, and by the time the inning is over we’ve sent 9 men to the plate and scored four runs. Feely hits a two-run shot in the bottom of the second as well. Baumer coasts from there, and ends up going 7 innings . Camacho puts the finishing touches on the win with a grand slam in the bottom of the 8th, giving him 6 RBI on the day! We take an 11-3 win to avoid elimination at home.

Game 5
This is a re-match of Game 2, pitching-wise: Castonguay vs. Flores. This time the offenses are able to break through though. The Reds get a two-run double from Mcdaniel in the bottom of the first to grab an early lead. We come back in the next frame as Pardo doubles in Wiens for one run. In the top of the third, Flores gets wild, walking three straight batters with one out. Swenson makes him pay with a sac fly, scoring Jones without a throw, and it is all tied up at 2-2. The pitchers hold ‘em until the top of the 6th, when Swenson leads off twith a single, and is followed by a Camacho double, scoring him. Wiens grounds to first, sending Camacho to third, then Pardo singles in Camacho, and we lead 4-2. Saenz gets a solo homer in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to 4-3. In the bottom of the 7th, backup catcher Ryan Porter delivers a pinch-hit homer off of Castonguay to tie the game. Just as in Game 2, we make it happen once Flores is gone in the top of the 8th. Swenson walks, and Sweeney pinch runs. Camacho strikes out, then Wiens singles to center, sending Sweeney to third. Pardo follows with a single, scoring Sweeney. Our scoring ends there, but it is enough. Thornley gives us a scoreless 8th, and Marmolejo gets ‘em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9th, and we advance to the NLCS!!! Montreal 5, Cincy 4

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES VS ARIZONA
The D-Backs, last year’s World Champions, were the NL Wild Card team, with a record identical to ours: 88-74. The D-Backs relied on pitching to get them where they are. Their team batting average was .241 (29th), but their team ERA was 3.50 (3rd). Offensively, their two main weapons were RF Gregory “Air” Franko (.271-36-103) and LF Justin Muirhead (.285-29-98). CF James Parente chipped in 88 RBI’s while hitting .233. Apart from the three of them, no one had over 65 RBI. Their ace pitcher, Kim Thomas (13-9, 2.54) strained his rotator cuff in the last week of the regular season and will miss the entire postseason. They still have Terry Hall (12-5, 2.75) and Jamie Steigerwald (13-9, 3.33). Their bullpen is pretty strong also. Merle Grizzle had 10 saves and a 3.00 ERA, and Jeffery Pricket had 28 with a 1.87 ERA.

Game 1
The series opens in Arizona. Baumer goes out there against Douglas Treece (11-16, 4.20). “Air” Franko opens the scoring in the bottom of the first with a two-run shot off of Baumer. Feely answers with a solo homer leading off the 2nd. Franko and Parente get back-to-back homers to lead off the 4th, and we’re down 4-1. Pardo doubles in Wiens for a single run in the top of the 5th. Muirhead gets a solo homer to lead off the 6th, and that ends the scoring. The D-Backs follow their blueprint from the season: good pitching, and offense by Franko, Muirhead and Parente. Arizona 5-2

Game 2
Game 2 features Adams vs. Steigerwald. Our offense goes crazy in this one, chasing Steigerwald in the third inning. When the dust clears, we win by a touchdown, 14-7. Swenson drives in five runs, and Camacho has 4 RBI’s. We get seven doubles in the game. Adams gets the win. Montreal 14-7

Game 3
We send Castonguay to the hill in this one. He is opposed by Terry Hall. Muirhead doubles in a run in the top of the first but we come back with two in the bottom, from a Swenson sac-fly and a Camacho single. No other scoring happens until the bottom of the 6th, when Birnbaum singles in Swensen to give us a 3-1 lead. However, it falls apart in the top of the 7th. , as Castonguay gives up five runs. The big blow is a pinch-hit triple by Chase Smith—a .345 hitter in a backup role this year. We load the bases in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, but Feely strikes out looking, and we’re down 2 games to 1. Arizona wins 6-3

Game 4
Smith gets his first postseason start, and this one is utterly forgettable. Smith, Brandl and Bach all get rocked in this one. Muirhead has two homers for Arizona. We fall 17-2.

Game 5
Baumer refuses to have the NLCS lost on his watch. He carries a perfect game into the top of the ninth inning before giving up a one-out single to the 26th batter he’s faced on the day, and is replaced. Swensen and Wiens collect 2 RBI’s each. Baumer strikes out 12 in 8 1/3 innings, and we win 4-0

Game 6
Adams gets roughed up in the third inning, and we fall behind 6-0. Parente hits two homers and drives in 6 runs on the day. The D-Backs coast to and 11-5 win to take the NLCS

SEASON RECAP
Detroit beats Arizona 4 games to 3 to win it all.

Monday 11/3/2003:

American League Rookie Of The Year Award:
Jesus Quintana (TEX)!
He batted .283 in 502 AB, with 11 homers and 47 RBI.
National League Rookie Of The Year Award:
Samuel Cardenas (CIN)!
He had a record of 12-12 with an ERA of 5.20.
In 32 games started, he pitched 187 innings, fanning 159 and walking 109 batters.
American League Cy Young Award:
Perry Edelstein (DET)!
He had a record of 15-3 with an ERA of 1.71.
In 29 games started, he pitched 168.1 innings, fanning 139 and walking 19 batters.
American League MVP Award:
Moises Escobar (TEX)!
He batted .344 in 570 AB, with 34 homers and 103 RBI.
National League Cy Young Award:
Justin Ward (LA)!
He had a record of 18-1 with an ERA of 1.68 and 1 shutouts.
In 34 games started, he pitched 225.2 innings, fanning 170 and walking 42 batters.
National League MVP Award:
Larry Entwistle (C()!
He batted .266 in 575 AB, with 47 homers and 130 RBI.
American League Gold Glove Award Winners:
Pitcher: Mauro Uribe (BOS)
Catcher: Max Alvarez (NY)
First Base: Ronald Rodriguez (KC)
Second Base: Keith Thompson (TEX)
Third Base: Anthony Schuster (ANA)
Shortstop: George Francois (ANA)
Leftfield: Jason Bevilacqua (BOS)
Centerfield: Joaquin Fernandez (TB)
Rightfield: Matthew Wellman (CLE)
National League Gold Glove Award Winners:
Pitcher: Ramon Flores (CIN)
Catcher: Gregory Nisbet (CIN)
First Base: Peter Adams (CIN)
Second Base: Rodney Campbell (ATL)
Third Base: Richard Reel (PIT)
Shortstop: Jay Penning (FLO)
Leftfield: Hugo Reyes (NY)
Centerfield: Eduardo Reyes (HOU)
Rightfield: Antonio Mejia (NY)

MANAGER UPDATE

This was a pretty good year. I think I made the owner happy. I more than met his expectation.

Well, that much is definitely true. His mood rises to 100!

THOUGHTS
We bring the first Division Title to Montreal since 1952. What more can be said? We’re also returning a good bit of talent. This team could challenge for the world title for a few years.