John Reel again guided the Golden Marlins to the 45+ championship. It was John's sixth championship in the division. It is a crime that he doesn't get more consideration for Manager of the year! What does a manager need to do to get votes for that?! He recruits top talent, keeps everyone happy during the regular season, while pointing all efforts to the second season. He managed a pitching staff perfectly throughout the playoffs to a 6-0 sweep to the championship. My hat is off to you John!!!
The championship was the first (in any division) for Bob Coffey (congrats Bob!), and the 21st (in all divisions) for Tom Maney! Are you kidding me?!
Seven Members of the Golden Marlins were also members of this year's 35+ Champion Cubs: Tom Maney, Randy Craft, TJ Scorsone, Ron Lochner, Phil Gadomski, Jim McQuade, and Mike Girard.
Maney, Craft, Lochner, Gadomski, and Golden Marlin - Mike Ferraro were also 45+ Labor Day Tournament Champions. Quite an achievement!!!
The final game in the 45's was much more tense than the final score would indicate.
The Giants held a 1-0 lead and had a second run thrown out at the plate on a great play by Marlins' second baseman, TJ Scorsone.
The Marlins' bats erupted for a four run second inning. Ron Lochner started the rally with a single. Phil Gadomski and Mike Ferraro contributed walks, and Chuck Sohl tied the game with a RBI single. Tom Maney made it 3-1 with a two-RBI single, and after Randy Craft singled, Mike Girard capped the rally with a RBI single to make the score 4-1. A perfect relay by the Giants cut down Maney at the plate to end the rally.
The Fish would again hang a crooked number in the bottom of the fourth, when ageless Skip Treece would lead off with a walk and a stolen base. One out later, Tom Maney would double and Skip would only move to third, as he had to wait to see if Tom's double would be caught. Randy Craft would follow with a RBI single to make it 5-1. Mike Girard would then double to the right center field wall to score two, and end Giants' starter, Bob Bolt's, day. Chris Abrams came on and got the last two outs in the inning.
Tony Nardacci led off the 5th for the Giants with a single, but was immediately erased on a beautifully turned 5-4-3 double play. That DP would prove huge when the Giants would rally with two outs and nobody on to score two runs on a walk to Dick Stark, followed by singles by Steve Lounello and Mike Kane, and a 2 RBI double by Jack Riley. Skip Treece cut the double off before it reached the wall and turned and fired a strike to cutoff man Randy Craft, who then wheeled and threw a strike home to hold Mike Kane at third. That would prove BIG, as John Latorre then struck out the next Giant hitter to end the rally with the Marlins leading 7-3.
TJ Scorsone led off the bottom of the 5th with a single but was erased when he pulled his hamstring trying to steal second (damn that sniper!). Abrams got the next two Marlins hitters quickly to help get the Giants bats back to the plate for a much needed rally.
The inning started with great promise for the Giants, as Mike Lannon walked and Bob Bolt singled. With the tying run in the on deck circle in the form of Ron Smaka, John Reel pulled the trigger on a change of pitchers. On came Phil Gadomski with two on and no outs and the entire Giants bench on their feet, feeling the magic of a come-from-behind rally. Mash was unflappable as he struck out Tony Nardacci (who never strikes out) and got Smaka and Stark to ground into force plays. Inning over!
After Abrams got the top of the Marlins line-up in order in the bottom of the sixth, Mash was back to the mound for the final inning of the 2010 season. He induced a grounder to first and two grounders to second and the celebration began. Vintage Mash 1 strike out and 5 ground balls in 6 batters!
Congatulations to the Giants on a great regular season! They are a great bunch of guys and were as gracious in defeat as they are classy in victory. A big tip of the cap!
The championship celebration lasted for hours. We even got to share the celebration with a few of the classiest players in the league: Jim Konstantakis, Steve Lounello, and Dick Stark. Dick will be missed by this league, as he moves his base of operations to Charlotte, NC. You will make many new friends there, just as soon as they see you swing a bat. Anyone who can hit like that won't take long to find a bunch of temmates that are glad to have him around. The entire Marlins family wishes him the best. This league is much better from having had him as a member for the last 15 years! God Speed Dick!