So, you had a Final Four of Texas, Virginia, Ohio State and Tennessee on that NCAA bracket, huh?
Well, don't fret. That was only basketball. It was just a warmup for the real tournament.
The all-time Yankees tournament -- and here's your bracket:
Each matchup is a best-of-seven series.
How an I doing this? little while back, I picked up something called Out Of The Park Baseball 2021. Think Strat-O-Matic for your computer. It's got every MLB team ever, so I figured I'd set up a little tournament.
Who is in the tournament? All 27 World Series-winning Yankees teams, from Ruth's '23 team to the Core Four's last hurrah in 2009. All in one, 32-team bracket.
I had to give five teams byes. The first The first three seemed obvious -- 1927, 1961 and 1998. Then I went for 1939 (the best team from the 1936-39 dynasty), and 1951 (DiMaggio's last year, Mantle's first, and the middle team in the 5-in-a-row stretch).
I didn't seed teams, but set up the bracket so no teams from the same eras would meet in the early rounds. The other decisions: Yes, I used the DH. I decided to NOT enable injuries, because I didn't want Mantle running over another sprinkler in my tournament. I used the teams' World Series rosters. I let the computer set the lineups and 4-man rotations (which led to a few curious lineup choices, I admit) and ran the simulation.
So, make your picks. The tournament results are in hermetically-sealed envelopes stored in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnals porch. I'll start releasing first-round results on Tuesday, and will milk this for all it's worth release the results a little at a time until we reach the finals. Play ball!
Sixty-one, of course.
ReplyDeleteWith or without the DH.
1998
ReplyDeleteFirst off. Thanks. This was fun. Made me think about what I value about championship teams. It didn't end the way I would have thought.
ReplyDeleteHere's my bracket.
First Round
Clipper
1953 d. 2000
1978 d. 1941
1932 d. 1952
Bomber
1999 d. 1938
1956 d. 2009
Scooter
1958 d. 1943
1936 d 1952
1949 d. 1923
Bambino
1928 d. 1977
1996 d. 1947
1937 d. 1950
SECOND ROUND
Clipper
1927 d. 1953
1978 d. 1932
Bomber
1999 d. 1951
1939 d. 1956
Scooter
1998 d. 1958
1936 d. 1949
Bambino
1928 d. 1996
1961 d. 1937
Third Round
1927 d. 1978
1999 d. 1939
1936 d. 1938
1961 d. 1928 (The toughest one so far)
Semi Finals
1999 d. 1927
1961 d. 1936
Finals
1999 d. 1961
Totally surprised that this was my choice. I’d of thought 1927 or 1961 for sure. I think it comes down to balance and bullpens. My money is on Mariano.
Doug K.
Jeez, come on, folks. How come everyone isn't jumping on this? And thanks to Doug K., all you have to do is copy and paste his list and then tweak the dates to the ones you want to pick.
ReplyDeleteThis got really tough in the later rounds. I wouldn't have expected to end up with two 1920s teams in the final. But, there it is.
First Round
Clipper
1927 (bye)
1953 d. 2000
1978 d. 1941
1932 d. 1952
Bomber
1951 (bye)
1939 (bye)
1999 d. 1938
1956 d. 2009
Scooter
1998 (bye)
1958 d. 1943
1936 d 1962
1923 d. 1949
Bambino
1961 (bye)
1928 d. 1977
1996 d. 1947
1937 d. 1950
SECOND ROUND
Clipper
1927 d. 1953
1932 d. 1978
Bomber
1999 d. 1951
1939 d. 1956
Scooter
1998 d. 1958
1923 d. 1936
Bambino
1928 d. 1996
1961 d. 1937
Third Round
1927 d. 1932
1999 d. 1939
1923 d. 1998
1928 d. 1961
Semi Finals
1927 d. 1999
1923 d. 1928
Finals
1927 d. 1923
What a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon! Thanks for this tasty treat!
ReplyDeleteIt gave me the opportunity to go back in history and relish some of the most insanely good teams in Yankees history. It was especially eye-opening to consider the 1927 team with statistics that were beyond gaudy. Ruth had 165 rbis and batting behind him Gehrig had 173 - how is that even possible? Lazzeri, Combs and Koenig scored over 300. Ruth and Gehrig scored almost as many by themselves. These guys “murdered” the AL with the team hitting 291 doubles and over 100 triples (that was a big centerfield). I don’t see how any other Yankees team could keep up with them. Even the pitching staff hit!
But...
What I remember about the 98 team was the way they beat people in every possible way. I spent more time that summer laughing and shaking my head in disbelief.
I would see these two teams playing a seven game series with the 27 team on top.
Ah, the pleasures of history. Whiling away the hours in anticipation of another season of mediocrity.
What a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon! Thanks for this tasty treat!
ReplyDeleteIt gave me the opportunity to go back in history and relish some of the most insanely good teams in Yankees history. It was especially eye-opening to consider the 1927 team with statistics that were beyond gaudy. Ruth had 165 rbis and batting behind him Gehrig had 173 - how is that even possible? Lazzeri, Combs and Koenig scored over 300. Ruth and Gehrig scored almost as many by themselves. These guys “murdered” the AL with the team hitting 291 doubles and over 100 triples (that was a big centerfield). I don’t see how any other Yankees team could keep up with them. Even the pitching staff hit!
But...
What I remember about the 98 team was the way they beat people in every possible way. I spent more time that summer laughing and shaking my head in disbelief.
I would see these two teams playing a seven game series with the 27 team on top.
Ah, the pleasures of history. Whiling away the hours in anticipation of another season of mediocrity.
LOVE IT, BBB.
ReplyDeleteOne small problem: I can't see the whole of the brackets on my fabulous invalid of a computer. But I will look at the others' up there, and make my choices accordingly.
They are:
First Round
Clipper
1927 (bye)
1953 d. 2000
1941 d. 1978
1932 d. 1952
Bomber
1951 (bye)
1939 (bye)
1999 d. 1938
1956 d. 2009
Scooter
1998 (bye)
1958 d. 1943
1936 d 1962
1923 d. 1949
Bambino
1961 (bye)
1977 d. 1928
1947 d. 1996
1937 d. 1950
Toughest picks in the first round here are 1932 over 1952 (1952 might have a little more pitching. But oh, those 1932 sluggers!), 1941 over 1978 (Hate to pick against that team); 1956 over 2009 (That 2009 infield is a killer); and 1977 over 1928 (Both great teams; I think 1977 was more well-rounded.)
Second Round:
Clipper
1927 d. 1953
1941 d. 1932
Bomber
1999 d. 1951
1939 d. 1956
Scooter
1998 d. 1958
1936 d. 1923
Bambino
1977 d. 1947
1961 d. 1937
(Tough, tough Bomber Division picks here.)
Third Round
1927 d. 1941
1939 d. 1999
1998 d. 1936
1977 d. 1961
(It just keeps getting tougher...)
Semi-Finals
1927 d. 1939 (A match for the ages. But I go with Ruth and Gehrig.)
1998 d. 1977 (Another dogfight.)
Final
1998 d. 1927 (I'd feel more confident about this if it were over a season, rather than a series. Any chance of that happening, Bernie? But great as 1927 was, I gotta go with Mo—and I have trouble going with a team in the all-white era, great as this one is.)
It’s probably too late, but can we model in the Newark Bears? My dad told me years ago that the Newark Bears were so loaded up they could have won the World Series too. Kinda curious if that’s old man swilling Ballantine stuff.
ReplyDeleteWell, they wouldn't have beat the 1937 YANKEES, who had DiMaggio and Gehrig at their best. But yeah, that 1937 Bears team was legendary.
ReplyDeleteWith the likes of Charlie Keller, Joe Gordon, Spud Chandler, and George McQuinn on the roster, the 1937 Bears went 109-43 in the regular season, finishing first in the International League by 25 1/2 games. They then swept both the Syracuse Chiefs (sorry, Duque) and the Baltimore Orioles to take the league title.
But wait, there's more!
The Bears had to play the champions of the late, lamented American Association, in what was then known as the Little World Series. The Red Birds had gone "only" 90-64—but they included such future Cardinals stars as Country Slaughter, Max Lanier, and Mort Cooper.
The first 3 games of the series were in Newark. The Red Birds came to town—and won all three.
The horror...the horror.
The Bears then went to Columbus, where they won the last 4 games, by a combined score of 29-6. Yeah, baby!...
But an even better year?
ReplyDelete1938. Newark won 104 games, and swept through the International League again. THIS time, though, they faced the Kansas City Blues—another Yankees Triple-A team—in the Little World Series, and lost in a hard-fought 7 games.
The same year, the Yanks themselves won their third straight World Series, sweeping the Cubs.
So...a World Series sweep, and the Yanks' top two farm teams dominating, and playing each other in the second-level World Series.
Yeah, I guess that qualifies as an okay season for a Yankees fan.
ReplyDeleteI really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
God bless you
I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.
ReplyDeleteLOTTO, lottery,jackpot.
Hello all my viewers, I am very happy for sharing this great testimonies,The best thing that has ever happened in my life is how I win the lottery euro million mega jackpot. I am a Woman who believe that one day I will win the lottery. finally my dreams came through when I email believelovespelltemple@gmail.com and tell him I need the lottery numbers. I have spend so much money on ticket just to make sure I win. But I never know that winning was so easy until the day I meant the spell caster online which so many people has talked about that he is very great in casting lottery spell, . so I decide to give it a try.I contacted this great Dr Believe and he did a spell and he gave me the winning lottery numbers. But believe me when the draws were out I was among winners. I win 30,000 million Dollar. Dr Believe truly you are the best, all thanks to you forever