2008 NLCS MVP: Houston v. Atlanta
The 2008 Stroh's NLCS MVP Award goes to.....
C ROBERT BRYANT, HOU. Round of Applause!
Robert Bryant is a sure fire Hall of Famer and may even contend with his future colleague, Vincent Carter, as the league's best catcher ever. However, one thing missing from Bryant's resume is a World Series. His only other postseason was the with the 2006 Black Gold when they lost the World Series to Washington DC. At 37 Bryant realizes that this year may be his last real shot and he's playing with a fervor. In the NLCS against Atlanta: Bryant got at least a hit in every single game; hit 11-25, .440 avg, 3 runs, 1 HR, and 7 RBIs; was named Player of the Game in Game 5; got a crucial walk in the bottom of the 11th which allowed his pinch runner to eventually score the game/series winning run in Game 6. In all Bryant was the most consistent and also the most productive Houston player. He helped lead a slight underdog Black Gold team to a pretty convincing NLCS title over the perennial powerhouse Atlanta Confederates. Kick up your feet old man, your playing days aren't over yet but you can still drown those catcher's knees in a bucket of ice cold Stroh's...on the house champ.
2008 ALCS MVP: Washington v. Omaha
The 2008 Stroh's ALCS MVP Award goes to.....
SP PEDRO "LOOSE" MACIAS, WAS. Round of Applause.
No other Admiral was depended on more than Pedro Macias in this series. Sure, the argument could have been made that other offensive players actually contributed more statistically, yet with the series on the line there was only one player who could really be the Admiral saviour, Macias. Macias has always had a great knack for shutting down Omaha, one of the most potent offensive organizations in modern EWB. With the series tied 1-1, Esteban Mendoza called on Macias to pitch a big Game 3 and Macias responded. He was able to go 7.1 IP and only allow 4 hits with 5 K's allowing Washington to squeak by 2-0. Macias was named the Player of the Game as Washington went up 2-1. The Admirals went on to win Game 4 but with a 3-1 series lead, haunting memories of the 2007 Omaha come back came flooding into their psyche's. History seemed to be repeating as Omaha won the next 2 and forced a Game 7. The rematch of the Ballew/Macias showdown in Game 3 was going to happen. Macias was not as focused as Game 3 and perhaps a little fatigued but still made an impressive effort despite the Admiral defense making some poor plays behind him. Macias was able to navigate the Admirals through 5.2 IP and only gave up 2 ER with 5 hits, enough to allow the offense to do the rest. No other SP has been as consistent as Macias in really shutting down Omaha and there's no doubt that without Macias in the rotation, Washington would never had advanced to the World Series. So Pedro, "loosen" up your already "Loose" demeanor and pop open an ice, cold, drinkability Stroh's while you gloat over your hated rival, Omaha.
2008 NLDS MVP: Atlanta v. Pittsburgh
The 2008 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to.....
3B JULIAN SPRINGER, ATL. Round of Applause!
Springer is far from the typical series MVP winner, he posted a 2-27, 0.74 AVG, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR, and 11 K's, so in other words he was terrible. Yet that all went out the window when Springer came to bat in the top of the 9th of Game 7. With the score tied 1-1 and Will Page on 2nd with 1 out, Springer launched a Gary Miller changeup 330 ft. to just barely clear the fence and give Atlanta a 3-1 lead. Atlanta was able to get the last 3 outs and win the emotional, up and down series with Pittsburgh and move on to the NLCS all due to Julian Springer's clutch HR. Although you may be forgotten in the depths of EWB history, you'll always be able to relive this moment at the bottom of a bottle of Stroh's. Bravo Mr. Springer...Bravo.
2008 NLDS MVP: Houston v. Cleveland
The 2008 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to.....
SP CAM "NO NECK" DAVIS, HOU. Round of Applause!
Interestingly enough "No Neck" actually has a long skinny neck, I always imagined a "No Neck" as a squatty, chin to chest guy. In any case, Davis impressed greatly in the series vs. Cleveland in his two starts. Davis was called upon in Game 1 and won the Player of the Game with a masterful performance: 6.2 IP, 5 hits, 6 K's and most importantly the Win as Houston defeated Cleveland 3-0. In the clinching Game 5 Davis went 6.2 IP giving up only 4 hits, 2 R, 1 ER with 3 K's. His end of series totals were 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in 12.1 IP. Houston also benefited from a couple of good performances by Juan "Bootleg" Beltran, Craig Maynard, and Robert Bryant but nobody put their stamp on the series like Cam Davis did with his 2 stellar starts. Enjoy one of our cold, refreshing long necks, No Neck, you earned it.
2008 ALDS MVP: Washington v. Minneapolis
The 2008 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to.....
CF CORY COTTON, WAS. Round of Applause.
The wild and often reckless Cory Cotton pulled his act together this series versus Minneapolis and produced big time. Cotton ended up putting up the following stat line against the Mutiny: 11-31, .355 avg, 6 R's, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs and 2 Player of the Game Awards. Cotton won the POG in Game 2 despite losing 10-5, but it was his Game 4 performance that really engraved his name on the Stroh's Award. In Game 4 Cotton ended up delivering 4 RBIs and hitting a top of the 13th HR to take a 9-8 lead over Minneapolis, unfortunately the lead didn't hold but it did give Cotton another opportunity to come up big. In the 14th inning with the bases loaded Cotton was able to induce a big walk to bring in the go-ahead run, Cotton won the Game 4 Player of the Game as well. Cotton continued his productiveness through games 5, 6, and 7 leading Washington to the ALCS. Cotton's substance abuse issues are public knowledge (court records, casino surveillance films, etc), so in honor of his dilemmas and wild history we are sending our NEW Stroh's Non Alcoholic Brew...crack open this savory, tasty concoction and fantasize about getting drunk Cory, you earned that much.
2008 ALDS MVP: Omaha v. Philadelphia
The 2008 Stroh's ALdS MVP Award goes to.....
LF JOSEPH "G-FUNK" JOHNSON. Round of Applause.
Johnson had competition for the Award as several Wolverines put up a great series, including veteran Tom Travis. However Johnson not only put up gaudy numbers but also came through in clutch situations and was a model of consistency and dependability. Johnson's 6 game stat line was as follows: 12-30, .400 AVG, 7 runs, 10 RBI, and 1 HR. Johnson was named Player of the Game in Game 2 when he 3-6, 1 R, and 3 RBIs. Omaha scored 7 runs in the last two innings to overcome a 9-3 Philly lead and Johnson was huge in that rally. In the eighth inning with bases loaded Johnson hit a 2 run single and he did it again in the ninth with a bases loaded single to knock in the game winner. Johnson has found a way to come up with big hits when Omaha needs them. Crack open this Ice Cold Stroh's and get funkified tonight, Joseph, you deserve it.
2007 World Series MVP: Atlanta v. Omaha
The 2007 Stroh's World Series MVP Award goes to.....
RF BOB MORGAN, ATL. Round of Applause!
You can have the best pitching in the world but at the end of the day, you can't win without scoring. Bob Morgan was able to give the sometimes anemic Atlanta offense a huge spark in the World Series. Morgan was able to hit in all 6 games of the series and had 2 or more hits in 5 of the 6 games. Morgan ended up hitting 12-29 .414, 5 R, 7 RBI, and 2 HR during the series against the Omaha Wolverines. His biggest performance came in the clinching Game 6 when Morgan went 2-5 with 1 R, 1 HR, and 4 RBI with a GRAND SLAM in the 6th off of Ed Ware. That put the dagger in the back of Omaha and earned Morgan the Player of the Game honors. Morgan joins teammate Dan Weeden as another member of the World Series MVP fraternity. Rest easy this offseason with unlimited Stroh's kegs, Bob Morgan!
2007 ALCS MVP: Omaha v. Washington
The 2007 Stroh's ALCS MVP Award goes to.....
SP DANIEL BALLEW, OMA. Round of Applause.
Ballew becomes one of the more interesting Postseason MVPs in a while, mostly because of his horrible 1st outing in the ALCS. In Game 3 the Admirals beat Ballew up for 5 ER in 2.2 IP and went on to win 15-6 and go up 3-0 in the Series. However, the Omaha players and fans started chanting a mantra that won't soon be forgotten in Wolverine Nation -- "WE BELIEVE." Omaha would go on to win the next 3 games, mostly on the strength of their Starting Pitchers. Game 7 brought Ballew back to the limelight as he would once again face James Beauregard in the pressure packed Game 7 at Seattle. Ballew defied all doubts and pitched 8.0 IP, 1 ER, and 2 Hits, despite tying AL Postseason record with 8 BBs. Several other Wolverine players made a great case for MVP (Vinson, Bane, E. Gilmore) yet none stepped up in as big of moment as Ballew did and came through like Ballew did. It's been a long road for Daniel Ballew who was once mocked repeatedly for his...well, shittiness to be frank, but he has rebounded and become an Omaha Hero. Here's a quart of Stroh's for you, Ballew.
2007 NLCS MVP: Atlanta v. San Francisco
The 2007 Stroh's NLCS MVP Award goes to.....
SP JOSE "ALIBI" DE LA GARZA, ATL. Round of Applause!
Really this Award should have been awarded to the rotation as a whole, they each went out and pitched great. In Games 1,2, and 3 the Atlanta SP was the Player of the Game. De La Garza won because, not only was his performance the best, but it also set the tone for the series v. SF. De La Garza came out in Game 1 matched up with Karl Beatty and proceed to throw 8 IP, 1 ER, and 7 K's to get Atlanta the win. De La Garza, along with Johnson and Caldwell, have been spot on this postseason. So, although Alibi gets the Award, Stroh's is sending an ice cold keg to the Atlanta clubhouse for De La Garza, Johnson, and Caldwell. Do a keg stand boys and get primed up to watch the Omaha/Washington series.
2007 NLDS MVP: Atlanta v. Pittsburgh
The 2007 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to.....
1B DAN WEEDEN, ATL. Round of Applause!
Like every other Divisional Series in 2007, Atlanta went through Pittsburgh with little trouble. The MVP decision is a little tougher as three players make a great case. DH Scott Hunter won the Player of the Game in Game 4 and Game 5 but was hitless in the first 3 games. George "Shameless" Johnson had 2 big Wins and both outings were solid but far from dominant. 1B Dan Weeden was steadily consistent through all 5 games but never had a WOW! moment. However, Atlanta was able to depend on Weeden for their offensive production, who's making a name for himself as a Postseason player after winning the World Series MVP in 2005. Weeden did win Player of the Game in Game 2 and got a Hit and RBI/Run in every game of the series. His totals were 8-19, 5 R, 8 RBI, and 2 HRs including a big go ahead HR in the 3rd inning of Game 2. Enjoy an ice cold Stroh's beer while sitting and staring at your two Postseason trophies, Dan.