New York 5 Points

2022 World Series MVP: New York v. San Antonio

The 2022 Stroh's World Series MVP Award goes to....

LF BEN TOMLINSON, NY. Round of Applause!

Tomlinson was absolutely unstoppable in the World Series. He hit .524/.630/.952 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. More importantly, he was a factor in NY's biggest moments. NY's crucial turning point came in Game 4 with them down 2-1 in the series and down 4-1 in the 9th inning. NY went on to score 5 runs in the top of the 9th which included an RBI single from Tomlinson. Then in Game 5 Tomlinson blew up, going 3-3 with 2 HR and 4 RBI to secure an 8-1 victory. Tomlinson's offensive spark was the complement that NY's dominant pitching staff needed. New York fans everywhere celebrated this World Series as one of the franchises proudest moments. Cheers.

2022 NLCS MVP: San Antonio v. New Orleans

The 2022 Stroh's NLCS MVP Award goes to....

SP GARMAN PHELPS, SA. Round of Applause!

Garman Phelps's performance against New Orleans was nothing short of heroic. Phelps started Game 3 and had a 1 hitter going through 6 inning pitched when tragedy struck. Phelps felt a sharp pain in his back and had to be pulled from the game with San Antonio up 1-0. After being pulled his replacement, Errol "Goose" McCarthy, proceeded to give up 4 runs and San Antonio ended up losing 4-1. Trainers weren't sure if Phelps would be able to come back that series but when Game 7 rolled around San Antonio had little options. Phelps was given some heavy duty painkillers and went out to pitch 7  innings for the Aztecas, allowing only 3 hits. He struggled with his control that game due to the injury and ended up giving up some unearned runs, but his courage was unquestionable. Phelps put San Antonio in a position to win.

2022 ALCS MVP: New York v. Omaha

The 2022 Stroh's ALCS MVP Award goes to....

SS FRED HART, NY. Round of Applause!

NY really won this series with the collective efforts of its rotation and bullpen, however, Fred Hart was clearly the statistical leader of the pitching staff and worthy of the Award. Hart had a rough outing in Game 1 due to some errors and his inability to stop the Wolverines from picking up hits. Yet in a testament to his resolve and fortitude, Hart came back in Game 5 and pitched a gem, allowing NY to take a 3-2 lead in the series. In Game 5 Hart had 11 Ks in 8 IP and gave up 1 ER. Nobody's future looks bright than Casino Hart's right now. Drink on to that Fred.

2022 NLDS MVP: San Antonio v. Miami

The 2022 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....

CF MILO TODD, SA. Round of Applause.

No player in recent memory has become more despised by Miami Banditos fans than CF Milo Todd. Todd torched the Banditos in Games 3 and 4 of the San Antonio sweep by batting .412/2/7.  Todd's Game 3 Player of the Game performance included a HR and 4 RBI as he went 4 for 5. Todd was also a defensive whiz in CF for the Aztecas, helping keep Miami's offense a non factor. "Ice Water" Todd lived up to his name and will deservedly have a shower of Ice Cold Stroh's this offseason.

2022 NLDS MVP: New Orleans v. Cincinnati

The 2022 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....

1B CORY MITCHELL, NO. Round of Applause!

After Cincinnati took a 2-0 lead in the series, the remaining 5 games were all decided by only 1 run! Cory Mitchell tilted the scales heavily in New Orleans favor though. Mitchell batted .407 with .452 OBP through the series but it was his clutch performances in Games 5 & 7 which really won the series for the Dukes. In Game 5 tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 8th, Mitchell launched a game winning HR off reliever Luis Martinez. Then in Game 7 in the top of the 10th Mitchell led off with a double and eventually scored the series winning run. Congrats Cory and write your story this offseason with a case of Stroh's.

2022 ALDS MVP: New York v. Washington

The 2022 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....

SP ALEX CAMPBELL, NY. Round of Applause!

The NY pitching staff was tops among the AL in 2022 and proved to also be the factor in its successful series against Washington. Alex Campbell made 2 great starts against the Admirals and picked up 2 big wins. In a pivotal Game 3, with the series tied 1-1, Campbell pitched an 8 inning, 4 hit, shutout and picked up the Player of the Game. Campbell came back out in Game 6 and this time went 7 innings to pick the win, only allowing 2 ER. Alex Campbell may find himself feeling guilty about leaving Boston for NY but its nothing a little Stroh's can't cure.

2022 ALDS MVP: Omaha v. Minneapolis

The 2022 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....

CL FRANCISCO HERRERA, OMA. Round of Applause.

Despite sweeping Minneapolis, Omaha really snuck by in this series by a small margin. Each of the 4 games was decided by one run and the last 3 games went into extra innings. Omaha's bullpen, led by Herrera, was able to shut down Minneapolis and give their offense a chance to win the game. Herrera was nothing short of remarkable, appearing in 3 of the 4 games and earning 2 Wins. His totals for the series were 2-0, 5.0 IP with 2 hits allowed and 11 Ks! His self given nickname of "Great One" rubs the more modest teammates the wrong way but if he keeps pitching like that in the postseason he will have earned it.

2022 NL King Cobra Wildcard MVP: New Orleans v. St. Louis

...Will Meyer, 2B, New Orleans.

Similar to the AL pick, in that it reflects late inning dramatics from Game 2 of a 2-game-sweep.

In Game 1, the 33-year-old Myer (a former SeaWolf) was a decent contributor, going 1-3 with 2 RBI in a 6-2 Dukes win. In Game 2, the Dukes were trailing 6-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. St. Louis's closer retired the first two batters, and so now the Dukes were down to their final out. Things looked very bleak. Trailing by 3 with 2 outs in the 9th... I bet their winning percentage was under 5%.

But then, a rally: a single, followed by a walk, followed by a hit by pitch, followed by another walk to force in a run. So now it's 6-4, 2 outs, bases loaded. Walt Wolf is scheduled to bat, but the Dukes pinch hit with Myer, who had been sitting because he doesn't start against lefties. Myer drives a 1-1 pitch to deep left center, and it lands. The runner from 3rd scores, the runner from 2nd scored, and it's tied. The speedy Henry Melton (7-9-10 baserunning ratings) had been on first, and he's going to try to come all the way around... which he does. Myer wins the game with a bases clearing double, sending the Dukes on to the next round.

Incidentally, if you are St. Louis in that situation, you absolutely cannot give up a deep double. You need to be playing a "no doubles" defense, with outfielders basically starting at the wall. There's a tradeoff in doing so, yes: if the Dukes get a single, the tying run almost certainly scores from 2nd, whereas if your OF is in you might prevent that. But the tradeoff is worth it--you can't lose on a double. Gotta place some blame on Savages' manager Jeffery Taylor, who was in his first year as a manager at any level this season, after being Las Vegas' bench coach for 6 years.

2022 AL King Cobra Wildcard MVP: Minneapolis v. Denver

... Kealaalohi Nerida, CF, Minneapolis.

This is more of a "narrative" pick than a "stats" pick, but then, stats-wise, nobody really stood out in the 2 game sweep.

So, the narrative... Back during the 2018 World Series, the Minneapolis Mutiny entered the top of the 9th inning of Game 6 trailing Memphis by 1, where a loss would end the series and make the Razorbacks the champions. But with 2 outs and runners on, Nerida hit one of the most dramatic World Series home runs in EWB history, propelling the Mutiny to the win in Game 6. They went on to win the title with a Game 7 victory, giving the franchise their one and only championship.

Four years later, the now 34-year-old Nerida is mostly a role player, as evidenced by the fact that he got just 180 ABs this year. He still has power though: he hit 13 HRs in those 180 ABs.

Anyway, bottom of the 9th of Game 2, win the score tied 1-1. The Mutiny get the leadoff hitter on, then make 2 outs. They bring in Nerida as a pinch hitter, and he drives a 2-2 pitch 385 feet for a game-winning and series-clinching home run. It was his only at bat of the series, but boy was it dramatic, and reinforced Nerida's reputation as a tremendous clutch performer. He's something like the "Big Shot Bob" of EWB.