Tourny Time

With the Tournament just around the corner and the standings about to go dark, it's time for the Softball Guy to make some predictions. All predictions below are based on the current projections for the tourny and that all teams will hit 10 games (a current point of contention), but the end result will likely be close to the same.

Skipping the first round and going directly to round 2, it's easy to see Pot Fever, Liberty Square Sliders (surviving the Blue Pups), Dragon Slayers, DGS, Destroyers and Moderately Sober to win their match-ups. The Dude and the Big Lebowskis also should prevail, but without a Tourny Win to date, we won't put them in as a lock just yet. Owego Fire Department could suffer an upset at the hands of the sneaky 44th ranked Big Riggin who will have knocked of the Big Sticks in dramatic fashion, but likely escape to play again. BIJ wins, but is scared by a renewed FDA team, meanwhile The Diplomats lose to the Tourny tough Saints. Capitol Punishment celebrates their rise from most Beeriffic a year ago to #15 overall with a close game but eventual loss to the Hired Guns, but the Keystoners hold off the 24sixers to advance. Texas Republic gets a scare from the formidable Vito Power, who manages to escape the Raucus Caucus in a one run affair, but TR pulls out the W and continues on toward a repeat. Harry's Full disclosure loses to the Get Fresh Crew, while License to Ill and the Cap City Flyers manage to win their matchups.

In the 3rd round, we see some real match-ups, the biggest being the Liberty Square Sliders v. Moderately Sober, with the Sliders tournament roster prevailing to advance closer to their eventual non-existent 3rd place game. The Big Lebowski's, drunk with the joy of their first win ever, fall to their much hailed friends the Destroyers in another epic game. Texas Republic knocks off the Bubby despite his 7 HR's in that game, while DGS, Dragon Slayers, Pot Fever, Keystoners, and BIJ all win handidly.

The Elite eight sees the Destroyers fall to the team formerly known as the Insliders, Texas Republic knock of the Dragon Slayers, Pot Fever advance easily to the final 4, and DGS takes down Big In Japan in extra innings.

The Final Four pits DGS against the Liberty Square Sliders and Pot Fever against Texas Republic. In a shocking upset only to Robbie Softball, Texas Republic explodes for a route of Pot Fever, in the game TR rocks the sage pitcher for 4 HR's and advances to the championship to defend their title. LNF's Sliders put up a fight against the Commish and longtime rival DGS, but the resistance is futile and DGS escapes a nail-biter again for a win.

Texas Republic marches into the championship game confident of a repeat, but poor weather turns a sloppy game against them, dragging their power down and allowing for the linedrive hitting DGS to make it a game. Both teams keep it close through 6, but in the bottom of the 6th DGS drops 5 runs on TR and it proves too much for the Lone Star team to overcome, effectively ending their bid for immortality and returning DGS to their former glory.