2017 NLDS MVP: Cincinnati v. El Paso
The 2017 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....
LF IVAN GONZALEZ, CIN. Round of Applause!!!
Ivan Gonzalez is one of most exciting young players in the league today. The former 1st rounder has put up some serious numbers in the last couple of years and at age 25 had 18 games of postseason experience before these 2017 playoffs. The El Paso/Cincy series was a relative mismatch as El Paso snagged a hard fought wildcard but was clearly an inferior offensive team, scoring less than scored upon them in 2017. Cincy was a 98 win powerhouse who had been to the playoffs 4 of the last 5 years. Gonzalez had no problem setting the pace at the top of the lineup. In Game 1 he was 1-2 with 2 BB. In Game 2 he was 2-4 with a R. Game 3 he was 3-4 with 2 R. But it was Game 4 where Gonzalez really shined. Cincy was up 2-1 in the series but was tied 2-2 in Game 4's 8th inning when Gonzalez led off the 8th with a solo HR to go up 3-2. Then in top of the 9th Gonzalez singled to bring in 2 more runs for insurance. Cincy would win the game 5-2 and eventually the series in Game 5. Here's a toast of ice coooooollllllllddddddd Stroh's to a long prosperous career, Mr. Ivan!
2017 ALDS MVP: Washinton DC v. Omaha
The 2017 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
SP JOSE "ALIBI" DE LA GARZA, DC. Round of Applause!
Washington DC was below .500 for much of the season before they finally rose up to an 81-81 record to end their regular season. Clearly no one was willing to give them a shot against the 94 win, Plains Division winner, and modern day powerhouse Omaha Wolverines. DC struck first blood though in Game 1 with a phenomenal pitching performance by Stanton Jenkins. The prevailing sentiment was that, though Game 1 was interesting, it was clearly a fluke and Omaha would rally back strongly. Omaha reaffirmed that sentiment by clearly winning Games 2 and 3 and taking a 2-1 series lead. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, doubts that if if Omaha won Game 4 and took a 3-1 lead that DC would be done for. So who does DC send to the mound for Game 4 but De La Garza, Mr. Postseason himself and longtime Wolverine. In the offseason the Diplomats gave De La Garza a 2 year contract which paid him 27 M and 34 M, however, De La Garza underperformed his contract value in 2017 by posting an 8-15 record with a 4.80 ERA. It was understood by most though that the 27 million was for moments like this. De La Garza marched to the mound and pitched like it was 2007 again. A complete game 3 hit shutout performance against a team with a blistering offense and a history of strong being a strong playoff team. The Game 4 performance turned the tide of the Series, allowing DC to win the final two games and steal the series. Mount this trophy right up next to your 2007 and 2012 Awards, Alibi, and swig some Stroh's while you reflect on your magnificence!
2017 ALDS MVP: Los Angeles v. Chicago
The 2017 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
SP JEFF "PIGEON" CHAMBERS, LA. Round of Applause!!!!
Despite winning 93 games and having the 3rd amount of runs scored in the AL, the Chicago Samurai knew they would be severe underdogs to LA and especially when Chambers took the mound. Chambers' 2017 was one for the history books as he took down the Pitcher's Triple Crown and was to sure be the unanimous Bob Gibson Award winner. Chambers took the mound for Game 1 and pitched 8.0 inning of 1 run ball with 4 hits, and 9 K's for good measure. Serrano took over in the 9th to ensure Chambers a W and himself a save. With that 4-1 victory LA sent a message to all of EWB for things to come. In his 2nd start of the series Chambers again went 8 innings, but this time gave up 2 runs and had 8 K's. Unfortunately his almost always reliable Closer, Antonio Serrano was unable to close it out and Chicago was able to tie it and go to extra innings. LA eventually vanquished Chicago 4-3 in that game and 4-2 in the series. Needless to say, Chambers' two starts were a large part of the Gargoyles success. You've long outgrown your Squab stage, Jeff, time to indulge the Pigeon with an ice cold Stroh's!
2016 World Series MVP: Omaha v. Miami
The 2016 Stroh's World Series MVP Award goes to....
3B FERNANDO RODRIGUEZ, OMA. Round of Applause.
The 2016 World Series was a classic battle between two proud organizations and it's highlight/historical moment may be the infamous passed ball on a K in Game 4. However, it's impossible to forget the momentous moments that Rodriguez provided for Omaha and the impact that he had in them being able to win the crucial games. In Game 3, with Miami up 2-0 in the series, Rodriguez hit the solo HR in the 7th giving Omaha a crucial 1-0 lead and eventual win which stopped Miami from going on to an almost insurmountable 3-0 series lead. Rodriguez was named the Game 7 Player of the Game for his 6th inning Grand Slam which turned a 5-2 game into a 9-2 game which Miami would not make up. Rodriguez came through in crucial moments and had an overall pretty good postseason. His 2016 World Series MVP is a starting block in what could be an illustrious career.
2016 NLCS MVP: Miami v. Houston
The 2016 Stroh's NLCS MVP Award goes to....
SS PHIL "BOO" CARLISLE, MIA. Round of Applause!
This was the series that the Miami offense erupted as an unstoppable force led by Boo Carlisle and others. Miami took Houston off their feet with a quick uppercut in the first game winning 8-3. Carlisle went 3-5, 2 RBI, 2 Run, and a HR. In Game 2 Miami scored 11 runs and was again led by a 3-5 Boo Carlisle. Yet the real blow would come in Game 3 which Miami won 12-1 behind Carlisle's triple, HR, and 6 RBI which brought his postseason RBI total to 21! Houston would steal a game from Miami before the Banditos could bring it to a close in Game 5. Carlisle's offensive output in both series is really extraordinary and will be remembered kindly by both Banditos fans and Stroh's fans. Cheers!
2016 ALCS MVP: Omaha v. New York
The 2016 Stroh's ALCS MVP Award goes to....
SP DAVE SMITH, OMA. Round of Applause!
After another tough, brutal, physcial series with rival Washington, Omaha had serious pitching depth/rotation issues. They were to be forced to lean on Dave Smith who was 9-7 with a 5.20 ERA in the regular season and was not quite in Manager Frank Patterson's postseason plans. Smith was trotted out to pitch Game 2 after Omaha took Game 1 in a narrow victory. Smith was able to go a complete game with 8.0 IP, 2 ER, and 6 K in 103 pitches. An excellent outing by any standard, but unfortunately it was not good enough to get the win as Omaha would fall 3-2. Despite being the only pitcher to lose a game in this series, this performance was enough proof for Patterson to return to Smith in Game 5 with Omaha up 3-1 in series. Smith once again came out firing bullets and was able to go 7.0 IP and only allow 5 hits and 0 ER. The Win not only clinched the AL for Omaha but it was also good enough for Smith to garner Player of the Game.
2016 NLDS MVP: Miami v. Cincinnati
The 2016 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....
SS PHIL "BOO" CARLISLE, MIA. Round of Applause!!!
Many considered this loaded Cincinnati Rebels team the favorite to come of the NL and go to the World Series. Led by Manny Carmona, Kenny Dukes, and Juan Valle, they had it both in pitching and hitting. So it didn't surpise many when they took a quick 2-0 series lead on Miami. Miami was struggling to drive in runs and Phil Carlisle was a paltry 1 for 9 with several missed opportunities. That would all change the next 3 games for Carlisle and the Banditos. In Game 3 Carlisle ignited the offense with a first inning HR and finished the game with 5 RBI, going 2-5 with 2 runs. Miami would win that game and go on to win the next 3 to take the series 4-2. Carlisle won Player of the Game in the next game, going 2-4 with 4 RBI and a run. Carlisle would finish the series with a whopping 12 RBI! Boo, get yourself a cold one kid and douse away the contract negotiations.
2016 NLDS MVP: Houston v. Indianapolis
The 2016 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....
DH JESSE PARKS, HOU. Round of Applause!
Possibly the most difficult Stroh's decision in history simply because no player stood out for either remarkable stats or clutch moments. However, Jesse Parks was a difference maker to be sure and likely changed the momentum in Houston's favour. Park's final series line of .269/1/6 looks meager in totality but his Game 4 performance is what sealed the award. Entering Game 4, Houston was down 2-1 to Indianapolis and was not looking like a team that had the best NL record. The Black Gold offense was anemic and the pitching not able to hold the bats of the Blackjacks at all. In fact, Indianpolis was hitting HR after HR off the Houston staff. Game 4 looked bleak as Indianapolis took a 1-0 lead and held it until the top of the 5th when Houston broke open a lead. Parks' run scoring double contributed to the 4-1 lead that Houston took. Parks followed that up with a 3 run HR in the top of the 7th which gave Houston a insurmountable lead and changed the series to 2-2 rather 1-3. A huge shift and much of it provided by the veteran and future HOFer, Jesse Parks.
2016 ALDS MVP: Omaha v. Washington
The 2016 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
SS MATT SIMMONS, OMA. Round of Applause!
This intense rivalry was ironically decided in favor of the Omaha Wolverines by a player who began his career as a Washington Admiral, the Matt Simmons. Simmons finished the series with a spectacular .433 avg and drove in 6 runs as well. Though his timing really stuck out as clutch. In Game 2 Simmons was crucial to helping Omaha come back and tie it in the 7th but also in helping them win it in the 8th. He had 2 big singles which drove in runs. In Game 7 Simmons earned the Player of the Game by going 3 for 4 with an RBI and a Run in the 7-5 Omaha clinching victory. Revel in revenge Matt Simmons and wash it down with an ice cold Stroh's champ.
2016 ALDS MVP: New York v. Los Angeles
The 2016 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
3B ED "THE COBB" MORAN, NY. Round of Applause!
Little surprise to most fans that the league's best player on the league's best team would be the winner of the 2016 ALDS Stroh's. Yet Moran did have competition from players on his team including Raul Rodriguez, Juan Camacho, and Joaquin Manegdeg. NY faced a hot LA team in an epic big market battle that NY would eventually go on to win 4-2. Moran would put up a consistent offensive drilling on the Gargoyles game after game, ending the series with a .440/2/9 line while batting 3rd in each game. Moran's totals and consistency was unmatched in this series and he again proved why he's one of the best EWB players to ever play the game. Kick back with this Stroh's award and a 6 pack of our finest brew, The Cobb. A couple of more awards and maybe you'll name will be permanently engraved on the award. Cheers.