"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened" -Vin Scully
IOWA CITY- In the heartland of the country, the Scottsdale Camels etched their names, forever, into the annals of the history of the Satchel Paige League. They were old. They were injured. They were given no chance against Norfolk... Four games later, the Jacks were fishing... Well, they certainly don't have any shot against the #1 Houston Buushwackerz. Houston is full of young stars, they are healthy and well rested, and Maicer Almanza won't be available until late. Almanza was available late in the series. In the ALDS, series-deciding Game 5, the youth of the Buushwackerz came around to haunt them as the team committed 3 errors. Then, in the top of the 9th, Almanza cracked a go-ahead RBI single. Then Andres Bautista, yet another old guy, came in to pitch a scoreless 9th and the ageless Camels found themselves in the ALCS.
The critics continued. 'Anything can happen in a five game
series,' they said. They certainly won't be able to defeat the
#2 St. Louis Redbirds in a seven game series. This is the Redbirds we're talking about after all. The team that came
into the season with a chip on their shoulder, after coming so
close to a Pennant in Season 23; the franchise that sets the benchmark for consistency and excellence in the AL. Surely this team that's dresses in little league orange, that plays in a little league ballpark, that has a little kid's name (The Dave?)and has roster chalked full of has-beens won't stand a chance against a loaded Redbirds team. The Camels would win Games 1 and 2 in the ALCS by a combined score of 24-5. They didn't look back and won the series in a comfortable 5 games. Now there was something special brewing in the desert. ESPN began running specials comparing the Season 24 Camels to the Season 10 Memphis Mad Hatters and, to a lesser extent, the Season 15 Chicago Gray Stockings. They would put up flashy graphics and stats on SportsCenter comparing the teams, and how similar their path was. But the experts ultimately came to the same conclusion. Both the Mad Hatters and the Gray Stockings had their Cinderella run end in humiliation and embrassment. Both were swept. Both teams became a footnote, an asterisk, a fluke, the answer to a trivia question... until, of course, the Camels won the AL Pennant and the talking heads needed something to compare this upstart squad to. Their run will end in the World Series, they said. They'll be lucky if they don't get swept. Hell, the only reason they are even in the playoffs is because the AL West was so weak this season. No team with only 83 regular season wins can win a title. Plus, Matos is on a mission. He's been untouchable during this playoffs. This World Series will be over quick...Only it wasn't
The Camels took a commanding 3-1 series lead, including Gary Scott defeating Hipolito Matos in Game 1. It was Mato's 1st loss of the postseason. Game 5 was at the Dave. The Stadium was over-sold. Fans were outside the stadium gathered, watching on big screens, cheering on the beloved orange-clad Camels. It was electric. It was Round 2 of Matos v. Scott. Nobody really expected Matos to lose twice in the World Series though. He didn't. He delivered big-time to the tune of 8 scoreless innings. The Fall Classic was going back to Iowa City for Games 6 and 7. If the Badgers could win two more home games, they would complete the comeback, and capture the franchise's 1st World Series win. Though the Badgers committed 3 errors, leading to 4 unearned runs, the offense came up big and scored 9, to force a dramatic Game 7. SportCenter nearly exploded trying to keep up with all of the story lines. Regardless of who came out victorious, there would be history one way or the other. Would Matos finally get his WS ring? Would the Badgers complete an epic comeback after falling behind 3-1? Would the Camels complete their Cinderella season? Or would they just become another trivia answer like the Mad Hatters and Gray Stockings before them?
The scheduled pitching matchup was Juan Seneca for Iowa, versus Theodore McInerney for Scottsdale. McInerney had been very inconsistent during the regular season, though he had settled down nicely during the postseason with a playoff ERA of 3.38. Seneca was a 17-game winner during the regular season. He was also undefeated these playoffs, with a 2.16 ERA. The Badgers were pulling out all of the stops. It was Game 7 after all. They announced the morning of the game that the 1st man out of the bullpen would be Hipolito Matos. He would be going on only 2 days rest since his big Game 5 win. This announcement surely gave the Badgers the edge in the mental game as well. With the game in Iowa, and their two best pitchers ready to go the distance, surely this would finally be the end of the road for the upstart... Only it wasn't.
The Camels had one last ace up their sleeve to get back the edge in the mental games these teams had been playing with one another. On the morning of Game 7, the 37-year old Gary Scott, had a talk with pitching coach, Willie Cerveza. After a short discussion; Scott, Cerveza and retired Camels catcher, Shane Daniels (now the bullpen catcher) discreetly went to the visitors bullpen, and Scott began to pitch. After a very short session in the pen. Scott and Cerveza had a private meeting with the manager. Scott wanted the ball, he wanted to pitch. He wanted to pitch Game 7 of the World Series on 2 days rest. He admitted he wasn't quite at 100%, but he knew he could give the Camels what they needed to counteract Seneca and then Matos. The manager left it up to Cerveza. He knew his pitchers best. Cerveza, reportedly, took a deep breath and nodded at Scott before going to find Theodore McInerney and tell him he wasn't pitching today, at least not as a starter. McInerney took the news without saying a word.
As fans began filing into Principal Park on that cool Octover evening. The mood was optimistic. Seneca backed up by Matos in the bullpen. You couldn't ask for a better pitching combo to start your Game 7. McInerney was but a journeyman they said. A solid vet, but they felt he would fold under the Game 7 pressure of trying to match his counterpart. Then the lineups were announced.
"... and batting ninth, and pitching, for the visiting Scottsdale Camels, Gary Scott..."
The was a tangible shift in the energy of the stadium. Scott was their nemesis in this World Series. He was the #1 man on the Camels, and the only guy these playoffs who has a win versus Matos. What a roll of the dice for the Camels. The confidence from the Arizona team was clear with Scott on the mound. If he could give them five good innings, the move would be a masterstroke, if only for the momentum he gave his squad and the energy he stole from the home crowd. It was Game 7 of the World Series, history in of itself. This game wouldn't just be historic, it would be the stuff of legends.
Both Seneca and Scott started strong, retiring the side in order in the first. Seneca did the same in the 2nd, and looked to be in total control. Scott got into a bit of trouble in the 2nd, maybe falling victim to early fatigue. He hit two batters and gave up a double. With the help of a double play though, he was able to put up another 0. The Camels struck first. Catcher Omar Villanueva hit a solo shot to lead off the 3rd, his 1st HR of the playoffs. The stunned crowd became silent, and a sense of doubt was palpable throughout the stadium. It didn't last long though. Scott, for the second straight inning, was in trouble. A throwing error, followed by back-to-back singles left the bases loaded with only one out. The crowd wasn't silent anymore. Willie Cerveza, no doubt wondering if he'd made a mistake by allowing Scott to take the hill, was quickly on the phone. Chairs began to move in the pen. McInerney began to get loose. Then a 5-2 ground out by slugger Luke Randall saved a run. First bullet dodged. Two outs. Rookie 3B, Tomas James, who has been a total non-factor so far in these playoffs was able to draw a critical bases loaded walk. Game now tied at 1. McInerney continues to get loose. Villanueva called time and began to jog to the mound to have a quick chat with Scott. Scott gave him the 'look-of-death' and Villanueva stopped cold in his tracks and returned to the plate. The pitcher knew what was at stake and no talk was needed. The next batter was Badgers CF Jesse Wilkins. He took a rip at the first pitch. It was a deep fly ball to right center field. The stadium shot to its feet and was ready to erupt. Walker Wolf caught the deep fly ball with his heels on the warning track. Wilkins was just a few feet short of a World Series Game 7 Grand Slam, and immortality. Bullet dodged. Inning over. The score is 1-1.
With both pitching staffs now past their early game jitters, the game settled into a pitcher's duel. For the next eight innings, neither team would score. After a rocky start, Gary Scott did exactly what he said he would. He nearly went inning for inning with Seneca and Matos. He pitched 7 innings, only giving up the single run. After his 7th inning of work, and his night clearly over, the fans in the stadium knew they had just seen something special. They had just seen history. Win or lose, Scott's performance on 2 days rest would go down as one of the gutsiest, most clutch pitching performances ever. Period. The Badgers fans gave a standing ovation to Scott as he went into the dugout after the top of the 7th. The 37 year old veteran had left everything he had on that mound, and given a performance for the ages. He would neither win, nor lose this game. It was still 1-1. His team mates, to a man, gave him hugs and high fives. He would spend nearly the rest of the game on the bench, with his head hung low and a towel draped over his head. He was spent physically and emotionally. He was disappointed he couldn't do more. He was a warrior with nothing left to give today. He could only watch, and hold faith in his team mates.
On the Badgers side of the field, everything went according to plan... almost. Seneca and Matos did their job. They pitched nine innings between them. Seneca went 5, allowing only the solo HR while Matos went 4 scoreless innings. Only the offense couldn't give them the one more run they needed. For all of the buildup about the pitching matchups, Seneca/Matos versus Scott, they would cancel each other out. This game would be decided in the bullpen. Initially, both bullpens answered the call. After Scott was pulled, Scottsdale's pen would pitch 5 innings, allow 5 base runners and would not give up a single run. The Badgers pen would prove up to matching their counterparts. Eleven tense, pressure filled innings were now over. And SP's most epic Game 7 was still tied at 1-1.
Taking the hill for the Badgers in the top of the 12th was sinkerballer Mike Bonham. Bonham was in his 4th year in the league, and was regarded as a solid (though not spectacular) middle reliever. He had only made two other appearances in these playoffs. During his warm-ups, he looked sharp. But the atmosphere was tense and the air heavy. It was late, and getting cold on this October night in Iowa. Somebody was eventually going to cave under the intense pressure. Unfortunately for Bonham, it would be him. He would hit the first batter, on the first pitch. He recovered from that HBP to have a nice battle against veteran Maximo Patrick. After fouling off 2 full count offerings, Bonham walked Patrick on a sinker that was just low. Two men were on, and nobody was out. Stepping to the plate was former 3-time MVP, the man who finished 2nd in the AL in hitting and future HoFer Bruce Donovan. The man who had a reputation as coming up big in the playoffs. His postseason AVG was .302 with a postseason OPS of .924 and 28 career postseason HRs. He was solid during these playoffs as well, ranking 2nd on the Camels in hits and extra base hits. This was the last guy the Badgers wanted to see with the game on the line. Iowa pitching coach Brad Matheson came to the mound to talk to Bonham. His message was, use your sinker. Keep that ball down. Donovan is a double play waiting to happen. You've got this. I have faith.... Donovan would not be the hero today. Bonham did use his sinker. He did keep the ball down. Donovan struck out on a ball down and out of the zone... One out... the crowd is on its feet. Bonham would do the same to the next batter, Virgil Peralta. He would go down swinging on a sinker that was low and away... Two outs... the crowd erupts, confident that Bonham will now be able to escape unharmed. Up stepped Omar Villanueva to the plate. He already had 2 hits on the day, and accounted for the Camels only run so far with his solo shot in the 3rd. Bonham wasn't about to give in. He would ultimately walk Villanueva, on six pitches, with a change up that was just low. The fans groaned. The bases were now loaded. There were two outs. Up stepped the short stop Nick Kramer. One of the 'young' guys on the Camels' roster, Nick was a 32-year old veteran of 9 years in the bigs. He had a reputation as a very good fielder, who could play anywhere on the infield. He had been a part time starter for the Camels this season at mostly SS but a bit at 3rd. As a hitter, he was rightly thought of as a free swinger, who would strike out a lot. But he does have some power, with 10 home runs during the regular season and over 100 on his career. He is a career .221 hitter who hadn't done too much during the playoffs. Bonham was confident he could get Kramer, just as he had Donovan and Peralta, but the manager had seen enough. With the bases loaded, Bonham was pulled. Out of the pen came Gerald Darr. Darr had a very rocky regular season, with a 5.02 ERA in 37 innings. He had only been in one other game during the playoffs. Without many other options, the Badgers were now bringing him into Game 7 of the World Series, in the 12th innings, and the bases loaded with 2 outs. Darr warmed up, while Camels hitting coach, Mel Douglass, quickly went over the scouting report with Kramer. Needless to say the Camels hadn't spent much time looking at film of Darr. He was never expected to get into this game. Darr stepped onto the mound. Kramer dug into the box.
Then it happened. Maybe Darr didn't know the book on Kramer; the free swinging, strikeout threat with some pop. Maybe Darr just missed. Whatever the reason, he tried to sneak in a 1st pitch fastball in at the knees for strike one. It never reached the catcher. Kramer jumped all over it, and drove it over the left center field wall. Just like every kid has done in their backyard, Kramer had done it for real. A Grand Slam, in the 12th inning, with two outs in Game 7 of the World Series. The crowd was silent... stunned. The Badgers players stared blankly ahead. Darr stood on the mound, bent at the waist, hands on his knees. He didn't even look at the ball as it left the yard, he knew. The Camels dugout was euphoric. The players were jumping around and celebrating. Everyone except Scott, who still had a towel over his head, and was sitting on the dugout bench. His face wasn't visible to the cameras, though he appeared to be crying. All of the sweat, all of the emotion, everything he had left on that field that night coming out in that moment. Darr would give up back-to-back singles after that home run before finally getting the 3rd out. Nobody was getting loose in the pen though. It was over, and everyone knew it. The crowd stayed standing, silent and in shock. The lefty Benito Guzman would stay in for his 2nd inning of work in the bottom of the 12th. He would only need 9 pitches to retire the Badgers in order. Their heart just wasn't in it anymore. It had been ripped out when that ball that cleared the fence in left center field. The Camels were World Champions. The team that surely couldn't go all the way, had just proven everyone wrong. There is already talk of a movie based on this season.
There are so many stories and heroes for the Camels. Veteran journeymen Maximo Patrick and Adrian Rothschild were 1st and 2nd on the team in postseason RBIs. They combined to hit .290 with 8 extra base hits, 4 home runs and 33 RBI. Bruce Donovan has won his 4th World Series ring, his 1st away from Baltimore. Maicer Almanza, at 34 years old, after the season in which he hit HR #500, after so many playoff disappointments in Norfolk, get his 1st World Series ring. Its the last piece needed to complete his HoF resume. Youngster Ralph Thompson, the baby of the team, gets a ring in his rookie campaign. Overlooked during this magical run was veteran Mitch Shaw. The longtime Milwaukee Titan moved into the bullpen last season when he came to Scottsdale. He struggled there at first, but this season he was very good. In these playoffs, he was untouchable. In 18 innings, he allowed only 1 run, a 0.49 ERA. This is his 3rd World Series ring. The veteran Donaldo Bautista, had spent his entire 14 year career with the Camels. He spent many lean years while pitching many frustrating games in the hitters haven known as 'The Dave.' His loyalty has finally been rewarded. The journeyman infielder Nick Kramer will be immortalized. The replay of his HR will be replayed ad nauseam, at The Dave and anytime SportsCenter does a piece on the World Series, or on unlikely heroes... And then there is Gary Scott. They man who gave everything to this team. This is his 2nd World Series ring. Its also the 2nd time he has lead a franchise to its 1st ever championship. He led Richmond to the promised land in Season 19.
Most of the Camels key players will be returning for Season 25. They will be one year older. Surely with that old roster they won't be able to repeat. Surely they don't have another year of magic...
