Top 75 FOOL Teams of All-Time (1961-2034)

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 06:39 PM

As part of the upcoming diamond anniversary of FOOL (75th), I've decided to take a nod from muns' Managers list, (as well this little ditty from Minor League Baseball I always liked) to discuss the best teams throughout FOOL history to this point.

I'll count down from 75 to #1 of the best teams in FOOL history. It's an especially interesting project for me, because I want it to be inclusive to the teams of the last 25 years that have been good, as well as including the dominant teams of the league's proud history.

After all, why do a fast-sim league if you can't recap history right? This will probably be a long series that might end up extending into the 75th anniversary season, but hopefully it'll be a fun look back and a nice way for me to delve into the history of things as I haven't been able to do any real features in a while.

HT to Alan for compiling the history in a central location, because without it, it wouldn't be possible to do this!

I came up with a formula that will let me fairly judge the teams across history and now that I've completed the process, I can come up with a much better ranking than what we started with originally.

So with that, here goes the official list!

Code:

75. 1984 San Diego Fathers
74. 2012 Chico Rebels
73. 1987 Atlanta Firecrackers
72. 2009 Detroit Wolverines
71. 1969 Compton Brothers
70. 1964 Charleston Chew
69. 2019 Hammersmith Hooligans
68. 1965 St. Louis Terriers
67. 1987 Hartford Harpooners
66. 1967 Valdosta Peanuts
65. 2019 Montreal Majestics
64. 1961 St. Louis Terriers
63. 2025 Edmonton Edge
62. 2013 Apex Assassins
61. 2026 Edmonton Edge
60. 2007 Atlanta Firecrackers
59. 2030 New York Heroes
58. 1985 Baltimore Gothams
57. 1973 Colorado Rancheros
T-55. 2012 New York Heroes
T-55. 2020 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines
54. 2022 Edmonton Edge
53. 2015 Montreal Majestics
52. 2023 New York Heroes
51. 1982 Napa Valley Winemakers
50. 1983 Napa Valley Winemakers
49. 1976 Columbus Crusaders
48. 2021 New York Heroes
47. 2034 Hartford Harpooners
T-45. 1978 Baltimore Gothams
T-45. 1967 Ann Arbor Wolverines
44. 2024 Baltimore Charm
43. 2005 Colorado Rancheros
42. 1974 Valdosta Peanuts
41. 2019 Napa Valley Winemakers
40. 1981 Toronto Osprey
39. 2027 Boston Settlers
38. 2008 Atlanta Firecrackers
37. 1965 New York Highlanders
36. 1962 Baltimore Gothams
35. 1966 Colorado Rancheros
34. 1980 Hartford Harpooners
33. 2016 Montreal Majestics
32. 2014 Baltimore Charm
31. 1969 Brooklyn Brownstones
30. 1975 Chicago Thunderstorms
29. 2031 Tokyo Cyclones
28. 2028 Napa Valley Winemakers
27. 2003 Napa Valley Winemakers
26. 1964 St. Louis Terriers
25. 2006 Valdosta Peanuts
24. 1970 Valdosta Peanuts
23. 1968 Rio Grande Roadrunners
22. 1979 Baltimore Gothams
21. 1977 Hartford Harpooners
20. 2004 Valdosta Peanuts
19. 2001 Napa Valley Winemakers
T-17. 2009 Valdosta Peanuts
T-17. 2011 New York Heroes
16. 1963 St. Louis Terriers
15. 2018 Baltimore Charm
14. 2033 Hartford Harpooners
13. 1984 Hartford Harpooners
12. 2002 Compton Brothers
11. 1987 Colorado Rancheros
10. 2029 Napa Valley Winemakers
9.  2017 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines
8.  1986 Hartford Harpooners
7. 2032 Baltimore Charm
6. 2010 Boston Settlers
5. 1972 Valdosta Peanuts
4.  1961 Baltimore Gothams
3.  1988 Hartford Harpooners
2. 1971 Valdosta Peanuts
1. 1996 St. Louis Terriers

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 07:08 PM

The grading scale assessed teams based on their performance, with emphasis on Classic titles, then pennants and then overall records. I tried to be inclusive, too, because of the sheer number of repeat champions in the league though, there are going to be lots of them mentioned as we go through.

Tasan · 09-06-2009, 07:20 PM

Did this get reset or something? I thought you had this list going already.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasan

Did this get reset or something? I thought you had this list going already.

Yeah, but it was way off. Like, somehow I thought I could just eyeball the teams and figure it out. But it was a goofy idea. So I pulled out Excel a little bit ago, came up with a formula and then threw all of the teams eligible into it and I have an actual list now and it's WAY better than what I would've come up with before.

And the list is done.

So now I just need to start recapping.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Yeah, but it was way off. Like, somehow I thought I could just eyeball the teams and figure it out. But it was a goofy idea. So I pulled out Excel a little bit ago, came up with a formula and then threw all of the teams eligible into it and I have an actual list now and it's WAY better than what I would've come up with before.

And the list is done.

So now I just need to start recapping.

Awesome. Can't wait to see it.

Tasan · 09-06-2009, 07:41 PM

That's really cool DC. Can't wait to see it.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 07:42 PM

75. 1984 SAN DIEGO FATHERS (96-58)
This team is a curious choice for this list. But it's solely on the performances of Bobby Barrett and Guillermo Arrojo that I managed to list them. Arrojo anchored a pitching staff despite being 37-years old. He won 16 games that year and melded that with David Lee's 16-win season and Ambrose Lewis' 21 wins to advance to the RLCS for the second straight year. They took the Hartford, which was gunning for its seventh straight RL pennant and despite forcing the series to 7 games, faltered in the end.

Still, it's little doubt this was the franchise's proudest time and the best team they ever entered into FOOL.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 07:47 PM

74. 2012 CHICO REBELS (99-63)
The fact that this team managed to rank higher than the 2015 team that won the RL pennant tells you just how good they were. After capturing the regular season RL title by 12 games over New York, they advanced to the post-season before losing a crushing seven game series to the Heroes who exacted their revenge.

Still, the Rebels boasted a lineup of SIX 100+ RBI guys. (Daniel Drolet, Luis Marquez, William Tylor, Felipe Vazquez, Yosuke Yamada) There were only four teams on this list (we're talking the best teams in FOOL history) that have ever had a lineup more bruising. These guys were good and deserved better than their fate.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 07:53 PM

73. 1987 ATLANTA FIRECRACKERS (95-67)
The '87 'crackers were a balanced team on both sides of the ball. Led by hurter Tu-fu Qian, they managed to advance to the FOOL Classic against Colorado. This was a funny matchup since it was a rematch of the '73 Classic that Chief had taken part of when he ran the Rancheros and now he was on the other side, running Atlanta while upstart Tasan finally unseated the Hartford juggernaut to attempt his turn at a Classic.

In a tight battle that took the whole 9 games, the Firecrackers lost. But regardless of that result, this team is immortalized as one of the best to ever take the field in FOOL's illustrious history.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 07:56 PM

72. DETROIT WOLVERINES (87-75)
The Wolverines were huge underdogs against the dominant Rancheros, especially after finishing 14 games back during the regular season. But with a lineup anchored by LF Johnny Ayers (.305/28 HR/116 RBI) that season and a pitching staff of steady performers -- not one boasting more than 13 wins that year -- the Wolverines shocked the world and made the FOOL Classic. They were dispatched in five straight games by Valdosta, but it doesn't understate the fact that a team together can often beat superstars with the right mix of skill and luck.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:05 PM

71. 1969 COMPTON BROTHERS (95-59)
The Brothers have the distinction of being the first FOOL expansion team to make the postseason. The team melded a mix of youngsters with veterans to reach the Classic in their 5th season of existence. The team included Hall of Famers Joe Morris and Pete McKeane, as well as SP Tom Williams, who pitched for the Gothams in the early 60s when they won back-to-back titles.

They went down in dramatic fashion, losing in the 13th inning of Game 9 to the Brooklyn Brownstones.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:13 PM

70. 1964 CHARLESTON CHEW (102-52)
After losing in the CLCS in '63 to Worcester, the league moved to FOFC and changed the rules only to let league champions into the post-season. The Chew came back in '64 and made their only foray to the FOOL Classic.

The team boasted early FOOL stars in Hall of Fame 3B Rick Inman and closer Orlando Diaz.

The Chew were defeated by the St. Louis Terriers in the first FOOL Classic played on this forum and giving the Terriers their first title on the third try.

Though the franchise moved to Atlanta, the seeds of success were sown those early days in Charleston and this team was the proudest days for the team in the early years.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:20 PM

69. 2019 HAMMERSMITH HOOLIGANS (92-70)

This was the breakout season for the Hooligans which resulted in their first RL pennant. Led by the bats of 3B Pat Jackson and 1B Miguel Serrano, they belted their way into the postseason and used Ryu Hasegawa's arm (and his 25-4 record) to advance to the FOOL Classic, which they dropped to the Napa Valley Winemakers in seven games that year.

Were it not for the dominance of the Napa Valley squad that beat them in the post-season and the regular season excellence of Montreal that year, this team would rate even higher than they do. They scored over 900 runs that year and made the RL pay all season long.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:24 PM

68. 1965 ST. LOUIS TERRIERS (103-51)
This was the sunset to the original Terriers dynasty. They made their 5th straight FOOL Classic appearance, but the team was nothing like its predecessors. Still, there was hope in Terrier nation that the club could "go out a winner" on the arms of Joe Morris and then-closer Pete McKeane. Overall, it was pitching that made this team great and what would've led them to the promised land one last time.

The only offense force the team boasted was free agent refugee from Baltimore 2B Christian Larsen, who had won titles (against St. Louis) with the Gothams in '61 and '62.

In the end, the New York Panthers captured their lone title against the Terriers and sent the franchise into dormancy until the club was revived in the 1980s.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 08:27 PM

Two of my personal favorite teams on this list so far. I like that. Some good teams all around so far. I remember most of them pretty clearly. Keep up the good work, DC.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:32 PM

67. 1987 HARTFORD HARPOONERS (109-45)
It's really hard to convey nearly 50 years later how good this team really was. Maybe the fact that they 1) were a shell of POONER teams past might say it all, but only one team in FOOL HISTORY had higher combined VORP than this squad. One. And that squad is a lot higher on this list than right here.

But these 'Pooners underachieved relative to the rest of the franchise and ran up against the upstart Rancheros and their resurgence. Steven McGill (3B) and Hsueh-liang Zhao (1B) were the only two 100+ RBI guys on this squad, but as usual, the 'Pooners were pitching derived and anytime a team has TWO guys with 20+ saves and a rotation where the 4th starter has 18 wins, you know they must be doing something right. But that's what happens when you have a rotation of FOUR Hall of Famers (Jorge Aquino, Dylan Robinson, Tom Shaw, Billy Smith) coupled with a Hall of Fame closer (Denny Hennessey).

I don't care how good you think your team is. These guys would've made them quake. And they weren't even the best Pooners to hit the scene.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:36 PM

66. 1967 VALDOSTA PEANUTS (99-55)
Remember when your great granddaddy sat you on his knee and told you about the time when the Valdosta Peanuts weren't worldbeaters? When people were surprised about the little upstarts from down south who shocked the world and made the FOOL Classic in 1967 and managed to LOSE?

Well, it happened. And this guys were the schlubs to do it.

Except, they weren't schlubs at all. Some of the names will be familiar to you. Rick Inman, Heath Palmer, Bryan Hughes, Carlos Gonzales.

But in the end, these Peanuts ran up against a formidable team from Ann Arbor that railed them in seven games.

But then, they retooled, came back and well...the rest is history.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:42 PM

65. 2019 MONTREAL MAJESTICS (125-37)
This squad has the distinction of the record for most regular season wins in FOOL history. After a dominating regular season, where they finished 32 games ahead of Napa Valley, the Majestics took their dominating lineup to the post-season where they expected to head towards FOOL Classic Coronation.

Instead, they ran up against a steamroller in the form of the Napa Valley Winemakers who claimed their first title in 16 years, beating Montreal in six games en route to dispatching Hammersmith in the Classic.

Just how dominant was this team? With a BVORP of over 400, their offensive performance stacks up with some of the best postseason teams of all time.

The Majestics had 4 100+ RBI guys in LF J.D. Blackmore (.311/32 HR/139 RBI), 1B Marty Harrington (.277/38 HR/139 RBI), RF Ben Keyte (.333/29 HR/ 153 RBI) and Catcher Dale Bryan (.288/14 HR/ 100 RBI)

Keyte and Blackmore are two of the three players who have played over 2000+ games for the Majestics/Cyclones franchise in their modern history.

The team's pitching wasn't much to sneeze at, either. Emmett Quero (30-3, 1.92 ERA, 306 K) became FOOL's tied the then-FOOL record for most wins in a season with 30. He was backed up by 3-other 20 game winners in Antonio Blanco (24-8), Alejandro Escalante (21-9) and Arutro Hernandez (25-11) who were nicknamed "The French Quarter" by local fans during their run in Montreal, who were dazzled by the quartet of hurlers.

Though they failed to make the Classic, this team has to be on everyone's list of one of the best to ever step on the field during a regular season.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 08:46 PM

Man, how good was that Napa Valley team? Per DC's list, so far, they beat two Top 75 teams on their way to the trophy.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 08:46 PM

The 2019 NV team, that is. See 2019 Hammersmith and 2019 Montreal for reference.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:48 PM

64. 1961 ST. LOUIS TERRIERS (112-42)
This team started it all. They boasted the patented pitching which made the Terriers famous and were home to some of the early stars that helped the fledging league get its start.

Some of the standouts of the original Terriers were the man for whom the Most Outstanding Pitcher award is named -- Gabriel Prado -- who went 19-3 during this first season. Another player who many thought was destined for greatness in the early years was Rob Roberts, who won 17 games that year and later finished his career in Hartford.

Though not known for their offense, the team boasted three 100+ RBI guys and scored almost 900 (899) that season on their way to a dominant performance against the RL before winning the RLCS over Gary.

The Terriers lost to the Baltimore Gothams in the first-ever FOOL Classic.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 08:56 PM

63. 2025 EDMONTON EDGE (85-77)
This is the first team featured on this list to actually win a FOOL Classic. The Edge weren't a dominant team. They beat out Baltimore by just two games to make the playoffs that year, but after a grueling seven-game tilt with Apex, they beat New York in eight games to clinch the title that eluded the franchise two years earlier.

On paper, there is little about this team that would really stand out to you. On paper, this is the worst team to ever win a title in FOOL.

But 1) games aren't played on paper and 2) performers that come up clutch and win titles are therefore better than those who exist only in theory.

That being said, this team was balanced. 1B Carlos Trujillo was the lone 100+ RBI guy, but also his .309 for the team and started all 162 games that year. The pitching staff was led by 22-game winner Kiernan Browne.

In the end, what we have here is a situation where grinding out victories can often lead teams to excellence on the big stage. Because we'll always remember this team by the jewelry they acquired one fall for outperforming all of those put in front of them.

Is that not the definition of greatness?

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:02 PM

62. 2013 APEX ASSASSINS (92-70)
Whoever told you that offense doesn't win championships doesn't know the story of the 2013 Assassins. This team knocked off Baltimore in five games to advance to the FOOL Classic where they beat New York in eight games to capture their first title after three straight CL pennants.

The rotation was led by 17-game winner Bryan Lamb, but was probably the best example in FOOL history of how a bullpen can steady a team towards the post-season and beyond.

On offense, the leader was RF Colin Lockyer who hit .312 with 24 HRs and 109 RBI that year. Though he wasn't a home-run hitter, SS Kirby Striplng was a fan favorite and belted over 200 hits (to lead the team) and registered a .316 average over the course of the year.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

The 2019 NV team, that is. See 2019 Hammersmith and 2019 Montreal for reference.

Indeed. They're on this list, too.

The list is pretty heavily skewed towards teams that won titles over those that did not. Because well, I just felt like that was the best measure of greatness, really. So after going through and registering the list, I was pretty happy with how it came out, because I honestly wasn't sure if it'd work or not.

But I think it came out pretty good overall and is a nice cross-section of the past and present of FOOL eras, which was an important thing for me to do able to do.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:09 PM

61. 2026 EDMONTON EDGE (98-64)
The Edge enjoyed winning so much in 2025 that they came back and put another winning season together the following year. But it didn't come easy. After sending Napa Valley grape crushing after five games, they entangeled themselves in a nine-game battle with Hammersmith before claiming the title for the second straight year.

Again, Kieran Browne led the team with 22 wins and a trio of 15-game winners anchored the rotation (Johnny Catron, Ki-tak Kim, Armando Rojas)

Offensively, the team offered up 1B Jorge Garcia who had 13 HRs and 85 RBI on .303 hitting that year. RF Arturo Hernandez led the team in HRs (17) and RBI (91) for the light-hitting Edge, but in the end, they put together a winning formula that kept the title north of the border for a second straight year.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

61. 2026 EDMONTON EDGE (98-64)
The Edge enjoyed winning so much in 2025 that they came back and put another winning season together the following year. But it didn't come easy. After sending Napa Valley grape crushing after five games, they entangeled themselves in a nine-game battle with Hammersmith before claiming the title for the second straight year.

Again, Kieran Browne led the team with 22 wins and a trio of 15-game winners anchored the rotation (Johnny Catron, Ki-tak Kim, Armando Rojas)

Offensively, the team offered up 1B Jorge Garcia who had 13 HRs and 85 RBI on .303 hitting that year. RF Arturo Hernandez led the team in HRs (17) and RBI (91) for the light-hitting Edge, but in the end, they put together a winning formula that kept the title north of the border for a second straight year.

That was the closest my team came to getting a title since the re-start.

It has been a bittersweet time for Hammersmith management since the move from Atlanta.

Edmonton always finds a way. Kudos to ekcut.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:16 PM

60. 2007 ATLANTA FIRECRACKERS (85-77)
This team finished 27 games behind the Valdosta Peanuts for the Continental Cup (2nd place) that year. They finished just a game ahead of Brooklyn for that honor. But once they made the playoffs, it was all business.

They knocked off the Valdosta juggernaut in five games and then played ruined the Christmas of all fans in fantasy baseball land, knocking off the Boston Settlers (who had yet to win a Classic in 47 years) in a epic 9-game series.

This team featured 16-game winner Christian Miller, 23-game winner Marcel MacDonald and hard-hitting RF Jesus Ramirez who hit .343 with 106 RBI that year.

This was the first title in franchise history for the esteemed Firecrackers who had been on the doorstep so many times before, but hadn't been able to convert until this season.

Alan T · 09-06-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

60. 2007 ATLANTA FIRECRACKERS (85-77)
This team finished 27 games behind the Valdosta Peanuts for the Continental Cup (2nd place) that year. They finished just a game ahead of Brooklyn for that honor. But once they made the playoffs, it was all business.

They knocked off the Valdosta juggernaut in five games and then played ruined the Christmas of all fans in fantasy baseball land, knocking off the Boston Settlers (who had yet to win a Classic in 47 years) in a epic 9-game series.

This team featured 16-game winner Christian Miller, 23-game winner Marcel MacDonald and hard-hitting RF Jesus Ramirez who hit .343 with 106 RBI that year.

This was the first title in franchise history for the esteemed Firecrackers who had been on the doorstep so many times before, but hadn't been able to convert until this season.

That was perhaps my third most frustrating ending to a season in FOOL history

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

60. 2007 ATLANTA FIRECRACKERS (85-77)
This team finished 27 games behind the Valdosta Peanuts for the Continental Cup (2nd place) that year. They finished just a game ahead of Brooklyn for that honor. But once they made the playoffs, it was all business.

They knocked off the Valdosta juggernaut in five games and then played ruined the Christmas of all fans in fantasy baseball land, knocking off the Boston Settlers (who had yet to win a Classic in 47 years) in a epic 9-game series.

This team featured 16-game winner Christian Miller, 23-game winner Marcel MacDonald and hard-hitting RF Jesus Ramirez who hit .343 with 106 RBI that year.

This was the first title in franchise history for the esteemed Firecrackers who had been on the doorstep so many times before, but hadn't been able to convert until this season.

I had some terrific Atlanta teams in the early 2000s. Nice to see one here. I think I won it in 2008 as well. It will be interesting to see if that team is also on this list.

I am not sorry for the restart, because I think FOOL is in a great place now. But, like Tasan and Teach in 1987, perhaps, I sometimes get the wistful what could have beens when I think of the Firecrackers circa 2007-09. There was a lot of talent in that franchise at the time.

If anyone still has that league file, it would be interesting to see someone play out a "what could have been" sim out to maybe 15-20 years, so those of us around at that time could see how our teams and players would have turned out.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:23 PM

59. NEW YORK HEROES (87-75)
The Heroes didn't let the fact that they edged out Chico by just a game to get into the 2030 playoffs stop them from lassoing the Rancheros in six games in the RLCS tthat season.

They just used patented New York heroics en route to the 5th title in franchise history. The Bash Brothers of 2B Xavier Jimenez (29 HR/ 122 RBI) and LF Nick Vega (37 HR/110 RBI) were the jolt the team used all season, but really, this was the Juan Sierra show. His 21-5 record, with 338 strikeouts were possible the most dominant performance by a pitcher in FOOL history.

So it is then fitting that he was the leader of the squad that won the title. He did his part that year, going 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in the post-season.

If it's possible to win a title and stay under the radar, this team provided the blueprint.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan T

That was perhaps my third most frustrating ending to a season in FOOL history

I think it was only the second time I had beaten you in a playoff series, IIRC, after a long history of failing (even in years when I had the better record, which was rare). Yeah, I would imagine it would be frustrating for that team to lose, being as great as it was.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:29 PM

58. 1985 BALTIMORE GOTHAMS (91-63)
This team was simply no joke. They dropped just two games during the '85 playoffs and let's not forget that they faced off against a Hartford team that was in the midst of its dominance and coming off a title the year before.

So just who were these worldbeaters? It's not exactly a team of future Hall of Famers. Gilbert Perreault won 15 games that year and is best known for the work he did with Columbus in the 70s, but he still had it working in the 80s too. David Lewis was probably the ace, his 50.8 VORP led the team.

This is another example (that we're seeing a recurring theme of) that for every dominant team on the FOOL championship map, we have teams that are simply balanced, mixed and get the job done to capture their titles.

No one on this team had more than 68 RBI. But there were six guys who had at least 40+ RBI. So lots of contributors made this won work for them.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:35 PM

57. 1973 COLORADO RANCHEROS
Back to the days when there were no playoffs and you had to win your league to into the playoffs, 1973 had playoffs anyway. Boston and Colorado finished the regular season tied for the league's best record. So the two teams played five games to determine the league champion and it went all the way down to the wire too, but Colorado knocked off the Settlers to face off against Atlanta in the FOOL Classic that year, winning in eight games.

The Rancheros that year featured 19-game winner Rob Goodwin and 16-game winner Ite Beens, a 22-year old ace that was the darling debutante of FOOL in those days and who many of us were predicting huge things for.

The offense was comprised of catcher John King (20 HR/101 RBI) and fan favorite 3B Teruo Miyahara, a Vulture League exile who spent his entire FOOL career as a Ranchero. (.300/26/97 RBI)

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 09:36 PM

Maybe it's time for a break now.

More to come...I figure the suspense is worth waiting for the little capsules I write on the teams, though I expect you all to chime in on the teams you remember fondly since there's only so much I can derive from stats of the more modern squads.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 09:58 PM

That 1973 team was the culmination in a lot of frustration. Three straight RL championships, only to lose the first two times to Alan's amazing early 70s Valdosta dynasty. I was overjoyed that greygoose's Atlanta squad managed to beat out Valdosta in 1973.

This was a pinnacle season in Chief Rum's management history in more ways than just the title. It was my last as the manager of Colorado. 1974-1975 are the only two seasons of FOOL that I was not a manager in FOOL.

And, then, of course, in 1976, I returned to take over...greygoose's ATL squad. Go figure.

Neither Beens nor Miyahara ended up being all that great. I completely forgot about Rob Goodwin. He didn't end up great either. I'm not sure I had anyone great on that team. That's probably a good reason why Tasan struggled in his early years there. See, Tasan, wasn't your fault--I just didn't leave the franchise in a good spot.

TeachEnEspanol · 09-06-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I am not sorry for the restart, because I think FOOL is in a great place now. But, like Tasan and Teach in 1987, perhaps, I sometimes get the wistful what could have beens when I think of the Firecrackers circa 2007-09. There was a lot of talent in that franchise at the time.

If anyone still has that league file, it would be interesting to see someone play out a "what could have been" sim out to maybe 15-20 years, so those of us around at that time could see how our teams and players would have turned out.

Man, Chief, I can barely even think of that time period because my head might explode...but seriously, it is it always going to be a huge "what if." I think I've done the best I can with what I got in the rebuild (which, let's be honest, wasn't much to start with) and I've learned a lot along the way...but it really took a lot of heart to get to the place that we're at now and I'm not sure I'll ever love another team the way I loved some of those players back then.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 11:18 PM

T-55. 2012 NEW YORK HEROES (87-75)
Despite finishing 12 games back in the RL race, the Heroes still won the Republic Shield handily that year over Plano. They then grinded out a seven game series victory over Chico en route to the Classic that year against Apex.

The trio of Jared Quinn, Matt Taylor and Hyeong-ro Yi combined for over 90 HRs and over 300 RBI that season, which more than made up for the team's average pitching obscured only by the two-headed monster of Shoji Miyamoto (21-12) and Murdock Kendall (16-8).

The Heroes beat Apex in six games to claim the team's second straight title post restart in '12.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 11:22 PM

T-55. 2020 ANN ARBOR WINGED LINGERINES (87-75)
If you want to know the story of the 2020 Ann Arbor team, you must familiarize yourself with the name of one Marty Harrington. His 47 HR/156 RBI season was one for the record books and his performance took his team there.

Coupled with the performance of Carlos Esquivel, who at 24 played well beyond his years (18-11, 3.86), Ann Arbor knocked off Hammersmith in seven games, despite finishing 18 games behind them during the regular season.

In the post-season, they knocked off perennial contenders Edmonton to claim their second title in four years.

Young Drachma · 09-06-2009, 11:29 PM

54. 2022 EDMONTON EDGE (87-75)
The first title for the Edge came this season in the first of two battles with the New York Heroes in the FOOL Classic. The Edge finished second in the league that year, but knocked off Montreal in six games.

Franchise icon Carlos Trujillo had a solid season (.306/24 HR/88 RBI), but the real leaders of this ballclub were 3B Tony Ibarra (.261/32 HR/118 RBI) and RF Marc Gill (.314/27/101 RBI)

Pitching was consistent with four starters notching 15 or more wins, which is what led them to their first title in franchise history during the '22 season.

Chief Rum · 09-06-2009, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

55. 2020 ANN ARBOR WINGED LINGERINES (87-75)
If you want to know the story of the 2020 Ann Arbor team, you must familiarize yourself with the name of one Marty Harrington. His 47 HR/156 RBI season was one for the record books and his performance took his team there.

Coupled with the performance of Carlos Esquivel, who at 24 played well beyond his years (18-11, 3.86), Ann Arbor knocked off Hammersmith in seven games, despite finishing 18 games behind them during the regular season.

In the post-season, they knocked off perennial contenders Edmonton to claim their second title in four years.

That was the best Hammersmith team I ever fielded. That was a very frustrating loss.

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 04:46 PM

All right, hopefully I can finish all of the team capsules now. Maybe I should've just posted the list and let you all riff on the teams themselves. But it's too late now, I guess.

muns · 09-07-2009, 04:55 PM

WOW this is fun trip back to memory lane. Thanks again DC. I just skimmed the list, but will def get more reading time from me later on. Looking forward to the rest of this

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 05:03 PM

53. 2015 MONTREAL MAJESTICS (87-75)
A CL manager once said "Any team that has Emmett Quero is probably going to be the favorite to win a title each year for a long time." And the Majestics proved this. They road the back of his 20-5 season (where he struck out 322 batters) to the title that year.

Offensively, they were led by 1B Mauro Coronoado who hit .340 with 24 HRs and 110 RBI during an all-star campaign.

It took a hard fought seven game series over Apex before they had the chance to dispatch Chico in six games to claim what was then the first title for the franchise since 1981 when they were still in Toronto.

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 05:10 PM

52. 2023 NEW YORK HEROES (91-71)
The '23 Heroes finished just a game out of first in the RL that year, so it was a crapshoot for prognosticators to determine which team would emerge victorious in the RLCS.

But led by a cohesive lineup anchored by Gabriel Duran and three other batters who had over 90 RBI that year (Jose Gonzales, Nick Vega, Aaron McIntosh), the veterans from New York rode Juan Sierra's arm (26-12, 300 K) past Hammersmith in six games, before knocking off nemesis Edmonton in eight games to claim their second title in three years and third straight RL pennant along the way.

Code:

Team Batting Leaders
Batting Average	Aaron McIntosh	.334
On-Base Pct	Aaron McIntosh	.391
Slugging Pct	Gabriel Durán	.479
OPS	Aaron McIntosh	.869
VORP	Aaron McIntosh	51.5
Games	Lawrence Carroll	162
At-Bats	Aaron McIntosh	655
Runs	Aaron McIntosh	102
Hits	Aaron McIntosh	219
Total Bases	Aaron McIntosh	313
Singles	Aaron McIntosh	173
Doubles	Dale Bryan	33
Triples	Gabriel Durán	4
Home Runs	Gabriel Durán	31
RBIs	Gabriel Durán	101
Stolen Bases	José Gonzáles	32
Caught Stealing	José Gonzáles	15
Walks	Lawrence Carroll	80
Strikeouts	Nick Vega	169
	 	
Team Pitching Leaders
ERA	Juan Sierra	2.18
Wins	Juan Sierra	26
Losses	Johnny Riley	15
Winning Pct	Juan Sierra	.684
Saves	Matsusuke Tanaka	37
Games Pitched	Pedro Guerrero	65
Games Started	Lorenzo Hernández	41
Complete Games	Juan Sierra	8
Shutouts	Juan Sierra	5
Innings Pitched	Juan Sierra	305.0
Hits Allowed	Lorenzo Hernández	289
Home Runs Allowed	Johnny Riley	33
Strikeouts	Juan Sierra	300
Walks Allowed	Lorenzo Hernández	134
Walks per 9 IP	Juan Sierra	1.18
Hits per 9 IP	Juan Sierra	7.44
Strikeouts per 9 IP	Juan Sierra	8.85
WHIP	Juan Sierra	0.96
OAVG	Juan Sierra	0.226
OOBP	Juan Sierra	0.276
OSLG	Juan Sierra	0.300
OOPS	Juan Sierra	0.577

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 05:18 PM

51. 1982 NAPA VALLEY WINEMAKERS (90-64)
Napa Valley was a franchise that had a long, terrible history in Texas before being acquired by a new ownership group in the mid-1970s. COmmitted to building a successful FOOL franchise though, was no easy task for the baseball neophytes and the first few years were rough ones -- yet familiar to fans of the Texas franchise.

A move to the west coast, gave the franchise a fresh start and with this, came home that better days were ahead for the club that had just two winning seasons in franchise history when it was acquired.

After some stops and starts, 1982 offered new promise to the squad and gave fans belief that the Winemakers could do the unthinkable -- win the Continental League Pennant -- which is exactly what they did in 1982.

The rotation was anchored by Joe Hart (18-11, 205 K, 2.20 ERA) but was aided by Jesse McGorry (16-7, 184 , 2.52) who finished his career with 300 wins, but little do many know that the team also had veteran leadership in the form of Charles Wilson, who had featured on so many Valdosta title teams in the 1970s.

Napa Valley faced off against Hartford in the FOOL Classic that year, in the midst of their sixth straight RL championship, but in an eight game battle, the Winemakers proved victorious and closed the book on their past failures and ushered in a new era of Winemakers baseball that endures to this day.

Code:

Team Batting Leaders
Batting Average	Rodrigo Cruz	.274
On-Base Pct	Gareth Simons	.359
Slugging Pct	José Gonzáles	.422
OPS	Gareth Simons	.781
VORP	Thierry Fournier	46.5
Games	Rodrigo Cruz	154
At-Bats	Thierry Fournier	595
Runs	Thierry Fournier	121
Hits	Thierry Fournier	160
Total Bases	Thierry Fournier	242
Singles	Thierry Fournier	113
Doubles	José Gonzáles	29
Triples	Gareth Simons	13
Home Runs	Kenko Nishida	22
RBIs	Gareth Simons	78
Stolen Bases	Thierry Fournier	73
Caught Stealing	Thierry Fournier	17
Walks	Thierry Fournier	79
Strikeouts	Gareth Simons	162
	 	
Team Pitching Leaders
ERA	Joe Hart	2.20
Wins	Joe Hart	18
Losses	Carlos Gonzáles	12
Winning Pct	Jessie McGorry	.696
Saves	Takamasa Ishibashi	42
Games Pitched	Takamasa Ishibashi	60
Games Started	Carlos Gonzáles	31
Complete Games	Joe Hart	15
Shutouts	Joe Hart	4
Innings Pitched	Jessie McGorry	243.1
Hits Allowed	Jessie McGorry	215
Home Runs Allowed	Pedro Ortíz	24
Strikeouts	Carlos Gonzáles	205
Walks Allowed	Pedro Ortíz	62
Walks per 9 IP	Jessie McGorry	1.18
Hits per 9 IP	Joe Hart	6.52
Strikeouts per 9 IP	Carlos Gonzáles	8.88
WHIP	Joe Hart	0.89
OAVG	Joe Hart	0.209
OOBP	Joe Hart	0.250
OSLG	Joe Hart	0.286
OOPS	Joe Hart	0.536

Alan T · 09-07-2009, 05:20 PM

I remember the early 1980 Winemaker teams as they kind of became Valdosta-west. I know they goe Wilson and Carlos Gonzales which made me end up rooting for them more than Wyoming at the time. I think there was another 2 or 3 of my old players that they picked up when Wyoming let them just walk for no reason.

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 05:25 PM

50. 1983 NAPA VALLEY WINEMAKERS (96-58)
FOOL's return to expanded playoffs began in '83, but the defending champion Winemakers weren't daunted by a longer road to the championship.

After a franchise record season in wins, the team's two-headed monster of Joe Hart and Jessie McGorry used the veteran leadership of Valdosta's former ace Carlos Gonzales (16-10, 2.93 ERA, 269 K) to offset a relatively light hitting offense (the team hit .231 as a team that season) that included Hall of Famer Theirry Fournier to cruise into the playoffs anyway.

Once there, the Winos swept Baltimore en route to another hot date with the Harpooners. But again, the result was the same as the POONER juggernaut couldn't resist the temptation of sipping vino and as a result, the Winemakers became the first team in over a decade to win back-to-back titles.

Code:

Team Batting Leaders
Batting Average	Thierry Fournier	.287
On-Base Pct	Kenko Nishida	.347
Slugging Pct	Ramón Chávez	.525
OPS	José Gonzáles	.826
VORP	José Gonzáles	52.9
Games	Tom Andrews	154
At-Bats	Thierry Fournier	603
Runs	Thierry Fournier	103
Hits	Thierry Fournier	173
Total Bases	Ramón Chávez	270
Singles	Thierry Fournier	129
Doubles	Ramón Chávez	42
Triples	José Gonzáles	12
Home Runs	Ramón Chávez	26
RBIs	Kenko Nishida	79
Stolen Bases	Thierry Fournier	39
Caught Stealing	Thierry Fournier	22
Walks	Kenko Nishida	58
Strikeouts	Héctor Morales	188
	 	
Team Pitching Leaders
ERA	Jessie McGorry	2.14
Wins	Joe Hart	20
Losses	Carlos Gonzáles	10
Winning Pct	Joe Hart	.667
Saves	Dave Webb	24
Games Pitched	Harry Clark	73
Games Started	Joe Hart	39
Complete Games	Jessie McGorry	11
Shutouts	Jessie McGorry	4
Innings Pitched	Jessie McGorry	303.1
Hits Allowed	Jessie McGorry	246
Home Runs Allowed	Pedro Ortíz	28
Strikeouts	Carlos Gonzáles	269
Walks Allowed	Pedro Ortíz	64
Walks per 9 IP	Jessie McGorry	1.36
Hits per 9 IP	Carlos Gonzáles	6.63
Strikeouts per 9 IP	Carlos Gonzáles	9.48
WHIP	Joe Hart	0.94
OAVG	Carlos Gonzáles	0.209
OOBP	Jessie McGorry	0.262
OSLG	Jessie McGorry	0.312
OOPS	Jessie McGorry	0.574

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan T

I remember the early 1980 Winemaker teams as they kind of became Valdosta-west. I know they goe Wilson and Carlos Gonzales which made me end up rooting for them more than Wyoming at the time. I think there was another 2 or 3 of my old players that they picked up when Wyoming let them just walk for no reason.

I'd forgotten how many future Hall of Famers were on those ballclubs until I started to do this little feature. It's crazy stuff how good some of the teams of the past have been.

Montreal_GM · 09-07-2009, 05:40 PM

Having not taken part in the early seasons of FOOL this is a nice look back in time. Thanks!

Young Drachma · 09-07-2009, 05:42 PM

49. 1976 COLUMBUS CRUSADERS (89-65)
This team goes down in history as one of the more surprising in history. Not just because they managed to win the RL pennant, but in the anonymous fashion they managed to do it.

The Crusaders were a franchise that always seemed to be on the cusp, but no one could have expected how they managed to get there. Offensively, the team boasted a few notables in catcher Anibal Ramirez, who was one of the best in the league during the 1970s. Holden Matthews (.337/16 HR/108 RBI), Jose Isla (32 HR/109 RBI) were also featured prominently.

But the team's pitching was the real surprise. Their top four starters were all 26 or younger and were the real reason the team went all the way that season.

24-year old Gilbert Perreault (16-8, 3.86) "veteran" 26-year old Ron Fritz (14-6, 2.36 ERA) and 25-year old Jesus Lopez (16-9, 4.03 ERA, 214 K) were all somewhat known quantities. But no one expected 23-year old rookie Ryan Wilkins to have a career year in his first FOOL season. He went 17-7 with a 3.77 ERA and 196 K en route to the team's title tilt with the Valdosta Peanuts.

In a tight, nine game battle the Columbus Crusaders managed to take the title over the heavily favored Peanuts.

Code:

Team Batting Leaders
Batting Average	Holden Matthews	.337
On-Base Pct	Ánibal Ramírez	.397
Slugging Pct	Holden Matthews	.496
OPS	Holden Matthews	.876
VORP	Ánibal Ramírez	54.1
Games	José Isla	154
At-Bats	Holden Matthews	623
Runs	Ánibal Ramírez	96
Hits	Holden Matthews	210
Total Bases	Holden Matthews	309
Singles	Ánibal Ramírez	155
Doubles	Holden Matthews	47
Triples	Rubén Mendoza	7
Home Runs	José Isla	32
RBIs	José Isla	109
Stolen Bases	Juan Reyes	34
Caught Stealing	Rubén Mendoza	15
Walks	José Isla	70
Strikeouts	José Isla	182
	 	
Team Pitching Leaders
ERA	Ron Fritz	2.94
Wins	Ryan Wilkins	17
Losses	Patrick Bentley	12
Winning Pct	Ryan Wilkins	.708
Saves	Aaron Dailey	44
Games Pitched	Aaron Dailey	65
Games Started	Ron Fritz	31
Complete Games	Patrick Bentley	4
Shutouts	Ron Fritz	1
Innings Pitched	Ron Fritz	217.1
Hits Allowed	Patrick Bentley	248
Home Runs Allowed	Patrick Bentley	29
Strikeouts	Ron Fritz	236
Walks Allowed	Ron Fritz	75
Walks per 9 IP	Patrick Bentley	1.87
Hits per 9 IP	Ron Fritz	8.03
Strikeouts per 9 IP	Ron Fritz	9.77
WHIP	Ryan Wilkins	1.17
OAVG	Ron Fritz	0.248
OOBP	Gilbert Perreault	0.299
OSLG	Ron Fritz	0.352
OOPS	Ron Fritz	0.667

09-06-2009, 07:20 PM	#3
Tasan College Starter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Houston, or there about	Did this get reset or something? I thought you had this list going already. __________________ 2011 Golden Scribes winner for best Interactive Dynasty

09-06-2009, 07:41 PM	#6
Tasan College Starter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Houston, or there about	That's really cool DC. Can't wait to see it. __________________ 2011 Golden Scribes winner for best Interactive Dynasty

09-06-2009, 08:27 PM	#15
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	Two of my personal favorite teams on this list so far. I like that. Some good teams all around so far. I remember most of them pretty clearly. Keep up the good work, DC. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

09-06-2009, 08:46 PM	#19
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	Man, how good was that Napa Valley team? Per DC's list, so far, they beat two Top 75 teams on their way to the trophy. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

09-06-2009, 08:46 PM	#20
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	The 2019 NV team, that is. See 2019 Hammersmith and 2019 Montreal for reference. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

09-06-2009, 07:08 PM	#2
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	The grading scale assessed teams based on their performance, with emphasis on Classic titles, then pennants and then overall records. I tried to be inclusive, too, because of the sheer number of repeat champions in the league though, there are going to be lots of them mentioned as we go through.

09-06-2009, 07:42 PM	#7
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	75. 1984 SAN DIEGO FATHERS (96-58) This team is a curious choice for this list. But it's solely on the performances of Bobby Barrett and Guillermo Arrojo that I managed to list them. Arrojo anchored a pitching staff despite being 37-years old. He won 16 games that year and melded that with David Lee's 16-win season and Ambrose Lewis' 21 wins to advance to the RLCS for the second straight year. They took the Hartford, which was gunning for its seventh straight RL pennant and despite forcing the series to 7 games, faltered in the end. Still, it's little doubt this was the franchise's proudest time and the best team they ever entered into FOOL.

09-06-2009, 07:47 PM	#8
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	74. 2012 CHICO REBELS (99-63) The fact that this team managed to rank higher than the 2015 team that won the RL pennant tells you just how good they were. After capturing the regular season RL title by 12 games over New York, they advanced to the post-season before losing a crushing seven game series to the Heroes who exacted their revenge. Still, the Rebels boasted a lineup of SIX 100+ RBI guys. (Daniel Drolet, Luis Marquez, William Tylor, Felipe Vazquez, Yosuke Yamada) There were only four teams on this list (we're talking the best teams in FOOL history) that have ever had a lineup more bruising. These guys were good and deserved better than their fate.

09-06-2009, 07:53 PM	#9
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	73. 1987 ATLANTA FIRECRACKERS (95-67) The '87 'crackers were a balanced team on both sides of the ball. Led by hurter Tu-fu Qian, they managed to advance to the FOOL Classic against Colorado. This was a funny matchup since it was a rematch of the '73 Classic that Chief had taken part of when he ran the Rancheros and now he was on the other side, running Atlanta while upstart Tasan finally unseated the Hartford juggernaut to attempt his turn at a Classic. In a tight battle that took the whole 9 games, the Firecrackers lost. But regardless of that result, this team is immortalized as one of the best to ever take the field in FOOL's illustrious history.

09-06-2009, 07:56 PM	#10
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	72. DETROIT WOLVERINES (87-75) The Wolverines were huge underdogs against the dominant Rancheros, especially after finishing 14 games back during the regular season. But with a lineup anchored by LF Johnny Ayers (.305/28 HR/116 RBI) that season and a pitching staff of steady performers -- not one boasting more than 13 wins that year -- the Wolverines shocked the world and made the FOOL Classic. They were dispatched in five straight games by Valdosta, but it doesn't understate the fact that a team together can often beat superstars with the right mix of skill and luck.

09-06-2009, 08:05 PM	#11
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	71. 1969 COMPTON BROTHERS (95-59) The Brothers have the distinction of being the first FOOL expansion team to make the postseason. The team melded a mix of youngsters with veterans to reach the Classic in their 5th season of existence. The team included Hall of Famers Joe Morris and Pete McKeane, as well as SP Tom Williams, who pitched for the Gothams in the early 60s when they won back-to-back titles. They went down in dramatic fashion, losing in the 13th inning of Game 9 to the Brooklyn Brownstones.

09-06-2009, 08:13 PM	#12
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	70. 1964 CHARLESTON CHEW (102-52) After losing in the CLCS in '63 to Worcester, the league moved to FOFC and changed the rules only to let league champions into the post-season. The Chew came back in '64 and made their only foray to the FOOL Classic. The team boasted early FOOL stars in Hall of Fame 3B Rick Inman and closer Orlando Diaz. The Chew were defeated by the St. Louis Terriers in the first FOOL Classic played on this forum and giving the Terriers their first title on the third try. Though the franchise moved to Atlanta, the seeds of success were sown those early days in Charleston and this team was the proudest days for the team in the early years.

09-06-2009, 08:20 PM	#13
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	69. 2019 HAMMERSMITH HOOLIGANS (92-70) This was the breakout season for the Hooligans which resulted in their first RL pennant. Led by the bats of 3B Pat Jackson and 1B Miguel Serrano, they belted their way into the postseason and used Ryu Hasegawa's arm (and his 25-4 record) to advance to the FOOL Classic, which they dropped to the Napa Valley Winemakers in seven games that year. Were it not for the dominance of the Napa Valley squad that beat them in the post-season and the regular season excellence of Montreal that year, this team would rate even higher than they do. They scored over 900 runs that year and made the RL pay all season long.

09-06-2009, 08:24 PM	#14
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	68. 1965 ST. LOUIS TERRIERS (103-51) This was the sunset to the original Terriers dynasty. They made their 5th straight FOOL Classic appearance, but the team was nothing like its predecessors. Still, there was hope in Terrier nation that the club could "go out a winner" on the arms of Joe Morris and then-closer Pete McKeane. Overall, it was pitching that made this team great and what would've led them to the promised land one last time. The only offense force the team boasted was free agent refugee from Baltimore 2B Christian Larsen, who had won titles (against St. Louis) with the Gothams in '61 and '62. In the end, the New York Panthers captured their lone title against the Terriers and sent the franchise into dormancy until the club was revived in the 1980s.

09-06-2009, 08:32 PM	#16
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	67. 1987 HARTFORD HARPOONERS (109-45) It's really hard to convey nearly 50 years later how good this team really was. Maybe the fact that they 1) were a shell of POONER teams past might say it all, but only one team in FOOL HISTORY had higher combined VORP than this squad. One. And that squad is a lot higher on this list than right here. But these 'Pooners underachieved relative to the rest of the franchise and ran up against the upstart Rancheros and their resurgence. Steven McGill (3B) and Hsueh-liang Zhao (1B) were the only two 100+ RBI guys on this squad, but as usual, the 'Pooners were pitching derived and anytime a team has TWO guys with 20+ saves and a rotation where the 4th starter has 18 wins, you know they must be doing something right. But that's what happens when you have a rotation of FOUR Hall of Famers (Jorge Aquino, Dylan Robinson, Tom Shaw, Billy Smith) coupled with a Hall of Fame closer (Denny Hennessey). I don't care how good you think your team is. These guys would've made them quake. And they weren't even the best Pooners to hit the scene.

09-06-2009, 08:36 PM	#17
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	66. 1967 VALDOSTA PEANUTS (99-55) Remember when your great granddaddy sat you on his knee and told you about the time when the Valdosta Peanuts weren't worldbeaters? When people were surprised about the little upstarts from down south who shocked the world and made the FOOL Classic in 1967 and managed to LOSE? Well, it happened. And this guys were the schlubs to do it. Except, they weren't schlubs at all. Some of the names will be familiar to you. Rick Inman, Heath Palmer, Bryan Hughes, Carlos Gonzales. But in the end, these Peanuts ran up against a formidable team from Ann Arbor that railed them in seven games. But then, they retooled, came back and well...the rest is history.

09-06-2009, 08:42 PM	#18
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	65. 2019 MONTREAL MAJESTICS (125-37) This squad has the distinction of the record for most regular season wins in FOOL history. After a dominating regular season, where they finished 32 games ahead of Napa Valley, the Majestics took their dominating lineup to the post-season where they expected to head towards FOOL Classic Coronation. Instead, they ran up against a steamroller in the form of the Napa Valley Winemakers who claimed their first title in 16 years, beating Montreal in six games en route to dispatching Hammersmith in the Classic. Just how dominant was this team? With a BVORP of over 400, their offensive performance stacks up with some of the best postseason teams of all time. The Majestics had 4 100+ RBI guys in LF J.D. Blackmore (.311/32 HR/139 RBI), 1B Marty Harrington (.277/38 HR/139 RBI), RF Ben Keyte (.333/29 HR/ 153 RBI) and Catcher Dale Bryan (.288/14 HR/ 100 RBI) Keyte and Blackmore are two of the three players who have played over 2000+ games for the Majestics/Cyclones franchise in their modern history. The team's pitching wasn't much to sneeze at, either. Emmett Quero (30-3, 1.92 ERA, 306 K) became FOOL's tied the then-FOOL record for most wins in a season with 30. He was backed up by 3-other 20 game winners in Antonio Blanco (24-8), Alejandro Escalante (21-9) and Arutro Hernandez (25-11) who were nicknamed "The French Quarter" by local fans during their run in Montreal, who were dazzled by the quartet of hurlers. Though they failed to make the Classic, this team has to be on everyone's list of one of the best to ever step on the field during a regular season.

09-06-2009, 08:48 PM	#21
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	64. 1961 ST. LOUIS TERRIERS (112-42) This team started it all. They boasted the patented pitching which made the Terriers famous and were home to some of the early stars that helped the fledging league get its start. Some of the standouts of the original Terriers were the man for whom the Most Outstanding Pitcher award is named -- Gabriel Prado -- who went 19-3 during this first season. Another player who many thought was destined for greatness in the early years was Rob Roberts, who won 17 games that year and later finished his career in Hartford. Though not known for their offense, the team boasted three 100+ RBI guys and scored almost 900 (899) that season on their way to a dominant performance against the RL before winning the RLCS over Gary. The Terriers lost to the Baltimore Gothams in the first-ever FOOL Classic. Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-06-2009 at 08:58 PM.

09-06-2009, 08:56 PM	#22
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	63. 2025 EDMONTON EDGE (85-77) This is the first team featured on this list to actually win a FOOL Classic. The Edge weren't a dominant team. They beat out Baltimore by just two games to make the playoffs that year, but after a grueling seven-game tilt with Apex, they beat New York in eight games to clinch the title that eluded the franchise two years earlier. On paper, there is little about this team that would really stand out to you. On paper, this is the worst team to ever win a title in FOOL. But 1) games aren't played on paper and 2) performers that come up clutch and win titles are therefore better than those who exist only in theory. That being said, this team was balanced. 1B Carlos Trujillo was the lone 100+ RBI guy, but also his .309 for the team and started all 162 games that year. The pitching staff was led by 22-game winner Kiernan Browne. In the end, what we have here is a situation where grinding out victories can often lead teams to excellence on the big stage. Because we'll always remember this team by the jewelry they acquired one fall for outperforming all of those put in front of them. Is that not the definition of greatness? Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-06-2009 at 08:57 PM.

09-06-2009, 09:02 PM	#23
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	62. 2013 APEX ASSASSINS (92-70) Whoever told you that offense doesn't win championships doesn't know the story of the 2013 Assassins. This team knocked off Baltimore in five games to advance to the FOOL Classic where they beat New York in eight games to capture their first title after three straight CL pennants. The rotation was led by 17-game winner Bryan Lamb, but was probably the best example in FOOL history of how a bullpen can steady a team towards the post-season and beyond. On offense, the leader was RF Colin Lockyer who hit .312 with 24 HRs and 109 RBI that year. Though he wasn't a home-run hitter, SS Kirby Striplng was a fan favorite and belted over 200 hits (to lead the team) and registered a .316 average over the course of the year.

09-06-2009, 09:09 PM	#25
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	61. 2026 EDMONTON EDGE (98-64) The Edge enjoyed winning so much in 2025 that they came back and put another winning season together the following year. But it didn't come easy. After sending Napa Valley grape crushing after five games, they entangeled themselves in a nine-game battle with Hammersmith before claiming the title for the second straight year. Again, Kieran Browne led the team with 22 wins and a trio of 15-game winners anchored the rotation (Johnny Catron, Ki-tak Kim, Armando Rojas) Offensively, the team offered up 1B Jorge Garcia who had 13 HRs and 85 RBI on .303 hitting that year. RF Arturo Hernandez led the team in HRs (17) and RBI (91) for the light-hitting Edge, but in the end, they put together a winning formula that kept the title north of the border for a second straight year. Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-06-2009 at 09:09 PM.

09-06-2009, 09:16 PM	#27
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	60. 2007 ATLANTA FIRECRACKERS (85-77) This team finished 27 games behind the Valdosta Peanuts for the Continental Cup (2nd place) that year. They finished just a game ahead of Brooklyn for that honor. But once they made the playoffs, it was all business. They knocked off the Valdosta juggernaut in five games and then played ruined the Christmas of all fans in fantasy baseball land, knocking off the Boston Settlers (who had yet to win a Classic in 47 years) in a epic 9-game series. This team featured 16-game winner Christian Miller, 23-game winner Marcel MacDonald and hard-hitting RF Jesus Ramirez who hit .343 with 106 RBI that year. This was the first title in franchise history for the esteemed Firecrackers who had been on the doorstep so many times before, but hadn't been able to convert until this season.

09-06-2009, 09:23 PM	#30
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	59. NEW YORK HEROES (87-75) The Heroes didn't let the fact that they edged out Chico by just a game to get into the 2030 playoffs stop them from lassoing the Rancheros in six games in the RLCS tthat season. They just used patented New York heroics en route to the 5th title in franchise history. The Bash Brothers of 2B Xavier Jimenez (29 HR/ 122 RBI) and LF Nick Vega (37 HR/110 RBI) were the jolt the team used all season, but really, this was the Juan Sierra show. His 21-5 record, with 338 strikeouts were possible the most dominant performance by a pitcher in FOOL history. So it is then fitting that he was the leader of the squad that won the title. He did his part that year, going 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in the post-season. If it's possible to win a title and stay under the radar, this team provided the blueprint.

09-06-2009, 09:29 PM	#32
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	58. 1985 BALTIMORE GOTHAMS (91-63) This team was simply no joke. They dropped just two games during the '85 playoffs and let's not forget that they faced off against a Hartford team that was in the midst of its dominance and coming off a title the year before. So just who were these worldbeaters? It's not exactly a team of future Hall of Famers. Gilbert Perreault won 15 games that year and is best known for the work he did with Columbus in the 70s, but he still had it working in the 80s too. David Lewis was probably the ace, his 50.8 VORP led the team. This is another example (that we're seeing a recurring theme of) that for every dominant team on the FOOL championship map, we have teams that are simply balanced, mixed and get the job done to capture their titles. No one on this team had more than 68 RBI. But there were six guys who had at least 40+ RBI. So lots of contributors made this won work for them.

09-06-2009, 09:35 PM	#33
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	57. 1973 COLORADO RANCHEROS Back to the days when there were no playoffs and you had to win your league to into the playoffs, 1973 had playoffs anyway. Boston and Colorado finished the regular season tied for the league's best record. So the two teams played five games to determine the league champion and it went all the way down to the wire too, but Colorado knocked off the Settlers to face off against Atlanta in the FOOL Classic that year, winning in eight games. The Rancheros that year featured 19-game winner Rob Goodwin and 16-game winner Ite Beens, a 22-year old ace that was the darling debutante of FOOL in those days and who many of us were predicting huge things for. The offense was comprised of catcher John King (20 HR/101 RBI) and fan favorite 3B Teruo Miyahara, a Vulture League exile who spent his entire FOOL career as a Ranchero. (.300/26/97 RBI)

09-06-2009, 09:36 PM	#34
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Maybe it's time for a break now. More to come...I figure the suspense is worth waiting for the little capsules I write on the teams, though I expect you all to chime in on the teams you remember fondly since there's only so much I can derive from stats of the more modern squads. Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-06-2009 at 09:37 PM.

09-06-2009, 09:58 PM	#35
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	That 1973 team was the culmination in a lot of frustration. Three straight RL championships, only to lose the first two times to Alan's amazing early 70s Valdosta dynasty. I was overjoyed that greygoose's Atlanta squad managed to beat out Valdosta in 1973. This was a pinnacle season in Chief Rum's management history in more ways than just the title. It was my last as the manager of Colorado. 1974-1975 are the only two seasons of FOOL that I was not a manager in FOOL. And, then, of course, in 1976, I returned to take over...greygoose's ATL squad. Go figure. Neither Beens nor Miyahara ended up being all that great. I completely forgot about Rob Goodwin. He didn't end up great either. I'm not sure I had anyone great on that team. That's probably a good reason why Tasan struggled in his early years there. See, Tasan, wasn't your fault--I just didn't leave the franchise in a good spot. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

09-06-2009, 11:18 PM	#37
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	T-55. 2012 NEW YORK HEROES (87-75) Despite finishing 12 games back in the RL race, the Heroes still won the Republic Shield handily that year over Plano. They then grinded out a seven game series victory over Chico en route to the Classic that year against Apex. The trio of Jared Quinn, Matt Taylor and Hyeong-ro Yi combined for over 90 HRs and over 300 RBI that season, which more than made up for the team's average pitching obscured only by the two-headed monster of Shoji Miyamoto (21-12) and Murdock Kendall (16-8). The Heroes beat Apex in six games to claim the team's second straight title post restart in '12. Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-09-2009 at 12:28 AM.

09-06-2009, 11:22 PM	#38
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	T-55. 2020 ANN ARBOR WINGED LINGERINES (87-75) If you want to know the story of the 2020 Ann Arbor team, you must familiarize yourself with the name of one Marty Harrington. His 47 HR/156 RBI season was one for the record books and his performance took his team there. Coupled with the performance of Carlos Esquivel, who at 24 played well beyond his years (18-11, 3.86), Ann Arbor knocked off Hammersmith in seven games, despite finishing 18 games behind them during the regular season. In the post-season, they knocked off perennial contenders Edmonton to claim their second title in four years. Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-09-2009 at 12:28 AM.

09-06-2009, 11:29 PM	#39
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	54. 2022 EDMONTON EDGE (87-75) The first title for the Edge came this season in the first of two battles with the New York Heroes in the FOOL Classic. The Edge finished second in the league that year, but knocked off Montreal in six games. Franchise icon Carlos Trujillo had a solid season (.306/24 HR/88 RBI), but the real leaders of this ballclub were 3B Tony Ibarra (.261/32 HR/118 RBI) and RF Marc Gill (.314/27/101 RBI) Pitching was consistent with four starters notching 15 or more wins, which is what led them to their first title in franchise history during the '22 season.

09-07-2009, 04:46 PM	#41
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	All right, hopefully I can finish all of the team capsules now. Maybe I should've just posted the list and let you all riff on the teams themselves. But it's too late now, I guess.

09-07-2009, 04:55 PM	#42
muns Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Baltimore MD	WOW this is fun trip back to memory lane. Thanks again DC. I just skimmed the list, but will def get more reading time from me later on. Looking forward to the rest of this

09-07-2009, 05:03 PM	#43
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	53. 2015 MONTREAL MAJESTICS (87-75) A CL manager once said "Any team that has Emmett Quero is probably going to be the favorite to win a title each year for a long time." And the Majestics proved this. They road the back of his 20-5 season (where he struck out 322 batters) to the title that year. Offensively, they were led by 1B Mauro Coronoado who hit .340 with 24 HRs and 110 RBI during an all-star campaign. It took a hard fought seven game series over Apex before they had the chance to dispatch Chico in six games to claim what was then the first title for the franchise since 1981 when they were still in Toronto.

09-07-2009, 05:18 PM	#45
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	51. 1982 NAPA VALLEY WINEMAKERS (90-64) Napa Valley was a franchise that had a long, terrible history in Texas before being acquired by a new ownership group in the mid-1970s. COmmitted to building a successful FOOL franchise though, was no easy task for the baseball neophytes and the first few years were rough ones -- yet familiar to fans of the Texas franchise. A move to the west coast, gave the franchise a fresh start and with this, came home that better days were ahead for the club that had just two winning seasons in franchise history when it was acquired. After some stops and starts, 1982 offered new promise to the squad and gave fans belief that the Winemakers could do the unthinkable -- win the Continental League Pennant -- which is exactly what they did in 1982. The rotation was anchored by Joe Hart (18-11, 205 K, 2.20 ERA) but was aided by Jesse McGorry (16-7, 184 , 2.52) who finished his career with 300 wins, but little do many know that the team also had veteran leadership in the form of Charles Wilson, who had featured on so many Valdosta title teams in the 1970s. Napa Valley faced off against Hartford in the FOOL Classic that year, in the midst of their sixth straight RL championship, but in an eight game battle, the Winemakers proved victorious and closed the book on their past failures and ushered in a new era of Winemakers baseball that endures to this day. Code: Team Batting Leaders Batting Average Rodrigo Cruz .274 On-Base Pct Gareth Simons .359 Slugging Pct José Gonzáles .422 OPS Gareth Simons .781 VORP Thierry Fournier 46.5 Games Rodrigo Cruz 154 At-Bats Thierry Fournier 595 Runs Thierry Fournier 121 Hits Thierry Fournier 160 Total Bases Thierry Fournier 242 Singles Thierry Fournier 113 Doubles José Gonzáles 29 Triples Gareth Simons 13 Home Runs Kenko Nishida 22 RBIs Gareth Simons 78 Stolen Bases Thierry Fournier 73 Caught Stealing Thierry Fournier 17 Walks Thierry Fournier 79 Strikeouts Gareth Simons 162 Team Pitching Leaders ERA Joe Hart 2.20 Wins Joe Hart 18 Losses Carlos Gonzáles 12 Winning Pct Jessie McGorry .696 Saves Takamasa Ishibashi 42 Games Pitched Takamasa Ishibashi 60 Games Started Carlos Gonzáles 31 Complete Games Joe Hart 15 Shutouts Joe Hart 4 Innings Pitched Jessie McGorry 243.1 Hits Allowed Jessie McGorry 215 Home Runs Allowed Pedro Ortíz 24 Strikeouts Carlos Gonzáles 205 Walks Allowed Pedro Ortíz 62 Walks per 9 IP Jessie McGorry 1.18 Hits per 9 IP Joe Hart 6.52 Strikeouts per 9 IP Carlos Gonzáles 8.88 WHIP Joe Hart 0.89 OAVG Joe Hart 0.209 OOBP Joe Hart 0.250 OSLG Joe Hart 0.286 OOPS Joe Hart 0.536

09-07-2009, 05:20 PM	#46
Alan T Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mass.	I remember the early 1980 Winemaker teams as they kind of became Valdosta-west. I know they goe Wilson and Carlos Gonzales which made me end up rooting for them more than Wyoming at the time. I think there was another 2 or 3 of my old players that they picked up when Wyoming let them just walk for no reason. __________________ Couch to ??k - From the couch to a Marathon in roughly 18 months.