Just Win The Odd Numbered Games

Today in VEB's All-Time Sim Tournament, the 1888 Browns pulled out a big win in game three against the 1987 Cards by a score of 5-4. You can check out the box score here. The Browns pulled it out despite four errors (for the love of Pete, give them fellows some gloves) and three CS. Silver King pitched a complete game (shocking) for the victory. Latham went 0-4 with an error and a CS, a feat which should have some kind of a name (like the Steve Jeltz hat trick or something).

This is definitely the best series of round one of the play-in, as far as I'm concerned. You have my favorite Cardinal team of all-time against probably the weakest of the Four Time Champions. The 1888 Browns were supposed to be decimated by the fire sale that cost them Caruthers and Foutz and Welch and Bushong but they still managed to win the pennant behind a still strong pitching staff of King, Nat Hudson, and Icebox Chamberlain. If Hudson or Chamberlain can steal a game against Whitey's Boys then this series is over.

In the other interesting series, as far as TGOG is concerned, the 1887 Browns are tied with the 1996 Cards one game apiece. If you remember, the 96 Cards were LaRussa's first Cardinals team and they lost to the Braves in the NLCS after being up three games to one (and running into the buzz saw that was Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz). If the dang computer could figure things out to the point where the 1887 Browns could throw Foutz, Caruthers, and King, the Browns would romp to victory. But, as things are set up, they're going to have to make due with King and Hudson. Hudson, btw, got shellacked in game two and King, after throwing a complete game victory in game one had to come back and throw 7 and 2/3 innings in game two. The handicap of having to use only their third and fourth best pitchers in the series might be too much for the Browns to overcome. Game three is tomorrow.

You can follow the tournament day by day at Viva El Birdos and I'll give periodic updates as long as Four Time Champions are still alive.