CBA Strat-o-matic 2008 PLayoffs Pgae

Indiana defeated Marc Wasserman's Brooklyn Superbas 4 games to 1. Bob Fidler moved on to

face the winner "Wolfman" Shapiro's Skokie whose Wolfmen defeated Jack Frost's

Joliet defeats Maine

Indy defeats Philly.

Brooklyn wins 4 games to 1. Skokie defeats SD in a high scoring series.

Scott Kenan had to endure Johann Santana's card getting thumped twice. We both agree that a guy like Santana who never gave up more than 6 runs in a start was unlikely to should have given more than that twice. He was shelled by Brooklyn especially future HOF'er Sammy Sosa who hit a pair against him and 1 against Harang in game 2. Sosa is an all time CBA playoff HR leader behind Thome. Game 1 went Brooklyn's way from the outset scoring 7 runs before inning 4 in an 8-1 win. Halladay went all the way for his first of two CG wins. Byrnes also HR'd fro BSP.

Game 2 was another BSP win behind lefty Eric Bedard who K'd 11, scattered 1 run and 8 hits in a CG victory. A complete opposite of last years debacle vs his former Philly team. Shoppach managed a HR off the dominant lefty for Carolina.

Game 3 was a great game. Carolina edged Brooklyn 6-5, in a managers duel that went to the end. Carolina jumped out early with 2 quick runs in the first. Brooklyn came back with a Ryan Doumit 2 run HR. Top 5 Roberts walked and Adam Dunn clouted a long 2 run HR to take a 4-2 lead. Bottom 5 Brooklyn storms back on 3 hits the last a double by series MVP Todd Helton. Tied after 5, 2-2. Then the matchup-PH shuffle began with various substitutions made. In the top 6 Hermida singles Hafner doubled, 2nd and 3rd. Then Ryan Zimmerman deliverd a key hit against Mahay for 6-4 lead and that would be it for Brooklyn. They made it close after a Wells double and IRod single in the 7th, and they held off a 9th inning rally with Gregg and Valverde combining as set and relief. Final 6-5.

Game 4 Brooklyn got off with 3 quick runs in the 1st, on Santana. He who yielded a Miguel Cabrera 2 run job and Sosa solo blas (3 HR)to follow which is all Brooklyn needed scoring 9 in a 9-1 win. Brandon O'Phillips went 3-4, and Wells struck a 3 run HR to put it away. Halladay won his 2nd in another CG, avenging last years debacle losses he suffered.

Game 5 was all Brooklyn again for the series win. Dice K was masterful shutting down the Copperheads with a 9 K 5 BB shutout for his first playoff win. BSP wins 7-0, Todd Helton HR, and Ryan Howard hit an insurance clout. Lots of doubles in this one as well as the series. Brooklyn hit .291 as a team. Carolina hit .221. BSP hit 9 HR to CCS' 2. Dunn hit .294 had a HR and 2 doubles to lead CCS whose bats fell to the Brooklyn starters, Halladay, Bedard, and Matsuzaka

The final results are in and its....all over we have the Staub finalists and the Clemente finalists. What a war its going to be. Look who is here in the dance. Jack Frost. The longtime Joliet manager who has brought his Jackhammers from CBA abyss to the glory of the final four. Frost has earned his keep trading, drafting, and crafting his team week by week in the quest to capture the brass ring of Dawson. With that well in hand, Joliet took care of a tough rival and GM the tandem of Mike Koepp and James Blakeley. Blakeley taking the reigns of a strong team machine took a commanding 3-1 lead before crafty Jack came back to tie. Maglio the series star had 2 HR 8 RBI hit .444 and had game 7's big hit a double. Game 7 saw Mike Koepp's CM lose to Jack Frost's and Joliet moved on up, this years Dawson darlings to the Staub finals against.... Howwwwwl...The Wolfmen.John Miller has taken the reigns of the Wolfpack, and took them through San Diego in very high offensive producing series Lots of runs, everyone shelled. It was a classic playoff series. You should check the boxes on the web...Chipper Jones hit .400 with 3 HR 10 RBI, and the hero Ramon Castro who knocked in 7 with 2 HR in only 6 AB! Skokie went nuts! .338 batting average, 15 HR, 4 by Gary Mathews Jr alone. SD spread the offense around with Mann3Ramirez hitting well, as well as McCann and his 2 HR. Did Miller ever get the most out of that lineup. An amazing performance.Speaking of amazing, the way Marc Wass' Superbas put away Carolina was just as impressive as the Skokie win. Marc Wass' Brooklyn Superbas are known for strong offensive teams holding many CBA top team and Individual records since '97. This season they hit .291 this year in an "off" season. In the Rd 1, 5 game win, they also hit .291 had 9 HR. 3 of them in the last hurrah for aged Brooklyn superstar Sammy Sosa. Sosa was CBA's all time leading HR and RBI king before ARod took over. Sosa had a great final year hitting another 24 to finish his career and add 70 more RBI's. In this playoff his bat shone once more with 3 HR, 2 of them game deciding blasts. All 3 were significant. Sosa and Thome are CBAs all time playoff HR leaders.Philly and Indiana staged and completed their series after some Net problems. When will anyone get this system perfected in Glen Head. Thanks to the Hamayachiguchie network they were playing some Clemente ball. Lots of power, 12 HR for Philly. Berkman and Hawpe tried to carry the Phans bats. Martinez, and Jeter had a pair, No speed, caught twice. Philly pitching let em down with ace Hamels getting shelled twice. Verlander fared worse. Escobar split 2. Odalis did a fair job. But Indy managed to get by hitting only .273 vs Rob Hite's team. They hit but 5 HR, but stole 10 bases. They will need to produce more against Brooklyn's tough rotation.

Its Brooklyn vs Indiana in Indiana.
Its Joliet at Skokie. Could there be a rematch of last years finals between Wolfman and Fidler? Or will Wass and Frost fight it out. Indy the 2006 champs, Brooklyn the 2004 champs, Skokie the 2007 Staub champs, or Joliet a newcomer with the Dawson 2008 champs. Who will it be?

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