Chicago Winners World Champs

It was a wild ride for them in Season 74, making a comeback at the end of the season just to force a tiebreaker to win their division, which they won. They finished the season 43-18. Not an overly impressive record, and with the Peoria Destroyers, Springfield Eagles, Charlotte PRNacionals, and many other great teams lurking in the Theta Premier playoffs, not many would have predicted the WINNERS to even win the league.

They proved everyone wrong.

The WINNERS' high-powered offense pushed aside the PRNacionals, 8-2, the Destroyers, 14-11, and the Granddaddy Purple, 6-1, to win their second straight league title, and to become the only team to Theta Premier history to win the league title two seasons in a row. They scored 28 runs in the 3 league playoff games, all against very good teams with great pitching.

In the first round of the world playoffs, they faced off against the inactive Indianapolis Warriors, and the Winners BATTERED them, 22-4. WOW. What offense! The WINNERS were really starting to look like a WS contending team. Could they get back to the World Series for the 2nd straight season? Their offense looked great. Their pitching was solid. What could go wrong?

Enter the Spokane Warriors.

Easily the most dominant team in modern-day FB, the Warriors boast 3 world titles in the last 16 seasons. NOBODY wants to play them in the playoffs. The WINNERS would need an incredible performance to beat them and make it through to the World Semifinals.

Things started badly with the Warriors up 6-2 after just 4 innings, but the WINNERS would not give up. They lived up to their nickname of  the "Comeback Kids", scoring in the 5th thanks to a Jaheim Tripp solo homer, and in the 6th thanks to a Ty Giron 2-run homer, Porfiro Arias solo homer, and a Jaheim Tripp RBI double. Wow. Just like that, it was 7-6, and the WINNERS had the lead. But, could they hold onto it? Reliever Tre Gee had done a great job so far, getting the team out of the mess Brycen Mcmahan put them in, but they had to hold the Warriors for 4 more innings. Could he do it? The Warriors had an electric offense as well; they had scored 36 runs in their 4 playoff games so far, averaging 9 runs per game.

Regardless, Gee completely shut down the Warriors in incredible fashion. The Warriors scored NOTHING in the last 5 innings of the game, and the WINNERS added two in the top of the 9th to seal the deal. Gee earned the win, with 6 innings pitched, and only 2 hits and 2 runs given up. What a performance.

Elsewhere, the world playoffs were just as thrilling. The Las Vegas Golden Knights beat the Cincinnati Reds, 18-12, in a game between two of the best offense in FB. The Reds undoubtedly should have pulled their starter much earlier, and had they been online, this game might have gone differently. Full credit to the Golden Knights' offense, though; they have been insane all season and continue to show it during the playoffs.

In the other World Quarterfinal, in a clash of the titans, the Mesa FooFighters beat the Hartford HTFD_Yankees, 8-7, in a game that nobody will forget soon. It was a textbook back-and-forth, thriller of a game, with the FooFighters taking the early lead, 2-0, going down 2-5, coming back to make it 6-5, then the Yankees made it 6-7, then the FooFighters tied it up in the 6th and won it in the 8th, 8-7. What a game! The Yankees practically emptied their bullpen, using 5 different pitchers, while the FooFighters relied on one, young 90/96/89 superstar Chandler Hayes. The near-triple 90, 22 year old pitcher had the game of his life, and the Foos were moving on to the World Series, thanks to the bye they earned due to their 44-16 record. They would await the winner of the world semifinal matchup between the Chicago WINNERS and the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

The WINNERS came out of the gate firing, and by the end of the 6th inning, it was 8-1, WINNERS! It looked over! But, the Golden Knights would not go down without a fight. They put up 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th (perhaps the 7th-inning stretch galvanized them?) and it was 8-6! Wow! We have a ball game! However, the WINNERS brought in reliever Frederick Dominguez, and he shut the Golden Knights down the rest of the way. The WINNERS' bullpen and offense have both been amazing for them, and they are in the World Series! For the second year in a row, the Chicago WINNERS are in the big show. What an accomplishment! But...can they win this time?

It won't be easy. The Mesa FooFighters are known for always having one of the very best teams in Franchise Ball, and their depth is simply unbelievable. Of course, the same can be said about the WINNERS. Both teams have been amazing throughout the playoffs and have taken down some of FB's very best teams, but now, in the World Series, who will win?

Game 1 was everything you could ever want in a baseball game. Lots of excitement, lots of scoring, and just very high-quality baseball, with the whole world watching. What could be better? The Foos and WINNERS went stride for stride the first 3 innings, putting up the same number of runs each frame, and it was 2-2. The Foos made it 3-2 in the 4th. In the 5th, they stretched their lead to 8-5, and  in the top of the 6th, they made it 11-5! It looked over!

But never count out the Comeback Kids. The WINNERS scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 6th, and it was 11-10! Wow! What a game! The WINNERS are right back in it!

It was quiet for a while, as both pitchers seemed to take a deep breath and get it together. But, in the 8th inning, the WINNERS exploded yet again! They scored 4 runs, and it was 14-11! WOW! Now the FooFighters would have one inning to get 3 runs. Do or die.

They only managed one, and it was over. The WINNERS' offense and bullpen, once again, earns them a high-scoring, thrilling win. RP Derick Medrano pitched 3 innings and gave up only 1 run and 1 hit to earn the win. Wow. WINNERS lead the series, 1-0!

Game 2 was very different. The FooFighters scored 4 runs in the first inning...no response from the WINNERS. The Foos scored 3 in the third...and the WINNERS responded with only 1 run in the fourth. It was 7-1 already. Then, the FooFighters scored 2 more in the bottom of the fourth, and then in the bottom of the fifth, they added yet another 2 runs! It was 11-1! What a blowout! Could another incredible WINNERS comeback be in the cards? If so, it will go down as quite possibly the biggest, best comeback in FB history.

It ALMOST was. In the 8th inning, the WINNERS scored 5 runs, and in the 9th, they added 2 more, but it was not enough. They fell just short, losing 11-8. Once again, the FooFighters showed faith in their starter to go the full 9 innings, and this time it paid off. The WINNERS, on the other hand, had to pull their starter after just 2 innings, and their reliever wasn't much better. They combined to give up 17 hits and 11 runs over 9 innings. Of course, that isn't too terrible when you're facing an offense like the FooFighters, but it won't win you the World Series.

So, this is it. All tied up, one game apiece, and game 3 will decide it all. Can the FooFighters FINALLY get that second world title, or will the WINNERS get their first and rid themselves of the demons on Season 73, when they lost the WS in game 3 so heartbreakingly?

Game 3 had a fast start, just like the first two games. The WINNERS scored 2 runs in the top of the 3rd, but the Foos answered with 4 in the bottom of the frame, and added 2 more in the 4th. It was 6-2, and once again, the WINNERS had a tough comeback to make. Could they do it one more time, or would their luck run out?

The WINNERS scored a run in the 5th, but the FooFighters scored 3 more, and it was 9-3, and it really did look over now. The FooFighters' offense was just too good. Barring a miracle, the Mesa FooFighters would FINALLY get their second world title!

However....one problem for the Foos. Never count out a miracle when you're playing against the WINNERS.

Pitchers Jimmy Edward and Kelly Banda had combined for 4 innings pitched, 9 runs allowed, and 12 hits allowed up to this point. The WINNERS found themselves forced to bring in 36 year old triple 90 P Brycen Mcmahan. Hopefully he could shut the Foos down, or else it really would be game over.

As it turns out...what a great move. The WINNERS' offense finally hit its stride in the 7th, scoring 4 runs. But, as they entered the 9th, despite shutting out the Foos since bringing Mcmahan in, they were still 2 runs down. They needed 2 more runs.

They got them.

Porfiro Arias and Garrett Padgett both hit consecutive RBI singles, and the game was tied up! 9-9! And as things stand, we will be going to extra innings!!

But, the FooFighters have the bottom of the 9th. One homer, and it's over. Could heartbreak be in the cards for the WINNERS?

Nope. Mcmahan moved through the FooFighters once again! INCREDIBLE! The 36 year old has still got it! He has completely shut down one of the best offenses FB has ever seen! Wow!

In the 10th inning, the WINNERS offense continued its lethal form, stringing some hits together. They loaded the bases, and then Ty Giron hit an RBI single to give them the lead! 10-9! But they weren't done! With the bases loaded, Porfiro Arias hit a GRAND SLAM HOMER! Wow! But they STILL weren't done! Garrett Padgett hit a triple immediately after the home run, and Jaheim Tripp drove him in with an RBI single!! It was 15-9! Could the FooFighters score 6 runs in one inning against Mcmahan, who is pitching the best game of his career?

The answer was a resounding NO. The WINNERS had done it!! 15-9! They had won the World Series! What an amazing night for a franchise that truly deserves it. All the work their manager has put in, building their elite offense and rotation, you can't say they don't deserve a world title. The FooFighters deserved their second world title as well, and especially this season, it's a shame only one can win, but the WINNERS proved to be the better team. Their insane offense and bullpen carried them throughout the playoffs, and especially in the World Series.

Way to go, WINNERS!! Amazing job! Now...could a third consecutive WS appearance be in the cards??

Authored by Los Angeles Lions