Recap
Game 1: Ducks win 11-10
Game 2: Ducks win 11-10.
Game 3: Ducks win 10-9
Game 4: Ducks win 13-11
When you hear the ducks swept the defending champs, you think it’s a wrap, they duck are way better, but then you look into details and you realize 4 games decided 5 runs.. Yes you read that right. These are the two best teams in the American league and their matchups sure proved it. The savages could have taken all 4 games in the same fashion had they had maybe one timely hit or had the ducks had an extra error in any of the 4 games. On one side, you got the defending champs, rowdy bunch, big household names such as: Pavy, Hashim, Charley, on the other side you got an undefeated team and well known vets in Bobby bones, Nadeem, Saad, Haaris, Faizan. Both teams look very good on paper but lets see the matchups
CATCHER:
Dex Ortiz (Savages) vs Naeem Bawla (Ducks)
Dex Ortiz an almost shoe in Rookie of the Year winner, maybe even an MVP candidate. With numbers such as: a top of the lineup batter, 771 batting average, a solid 35 runs, might have only had 21 RBI but he only played 14 games. His defense may not be the best and that’s the reason he pays where he plays, none the less though, a first year
Naeem is having a pretty decent year. A lot like the years he’s had in the past with numbers like: just below .500 avg, 18 RBI, 30 hits, one of the lower batted guys in the order but a very solid defensive catcher, with high IQ
Offense brings the crowd but defense wins championships,
Advantage: Ducks
PITCHER:
Aasheesh Shravah (Savages) vs Sid Farooqi (Ducks)
Aasheesh not as well known in the league but has done a pretty good job at this role. He doesn’t bring a fancy game but does all the right things. Barely walks anyone, cracks a ton of jokes and keeps his team motivated like a true leader. His bat isn’t up there with the league average but we believe with a team that he has behind him, he will play great.
Sid on the other hand is having the season of his life. With new responsibilities comes new blessing and its shown in Sid. On the mound he’s been pitching great! Barely walking anyone, 22 Ks. On offense batting over .500 and now seen as a threat to opposing teams. We believe he is the driving factor to the undefeated season and are very happy to see a long time veteran in this position.
Advantage: Ducks.
FIRST BASEMEN:
Jeremiah Morales (Savages) vs Faizan Niazi (Ducks)
Jeremiah reminds us of the typical MLB 1B with power such as the Giambis, Ortiz, Mo Vaughns, Frank Thomas as he’s someone who hits for power. He led this stacked team with 10 home runs and 42 RBI, though his average is a bit lower than expected but that comes with having a big swing. He is considered one of the top first basemen in the league and is up there in terms of a gold glove and IQ.
Long term veteran Faizan is on the other side of this matchup. Someone known for his range, his HR’s, very high IQ, and a sweet swing. Kept his batting average up there with an above .600 average, similar to how he was throughout his career. The rest of his numbers weren’t up there as he only played 13 games but none the less can trust him at anytime for any game.
Advantage: Savages.
SECOND BASEMEN:
Pavy Badwal (Savages) vs. Zeeshan Sheikh (Ducks)
Pavy, maybe one of the most feared/best hitters in the league’s history. A rating of a 9 just because his defense isn’t as sharp as it used to be but his hitting is an 11 on a scale of 1-10. The ultimate cleanup hitter, the highest average on the team with almost a .800 avg, killed it with 28 RBIS in only 14 games, with half his hits being extra bases. His IQ is up there with anyone and we expect him to have a hell of a series.
Zeeshan is known more for his mouth than his skills, and we know this kid can ball. He is one of the top 5 most winning players in SASL history. He brings very good defense (use to be elite but father time kicked in) and a solid bat, always. His playoff and championship experience is second to none and will be the x factor for his team, as he showed in his playoffs games last week in both the AL/NL.
Advantage: Savages. We expect Pavy to kill this weekend while Zeeshan will struggle
SHORTSTOP:
Hashim Naveed (Savages) vs. Matt Zickerman (Ducks)
Hashim Naveed needs no introduction really, not even sure what to write about him other than, he has been an MVP candidate every year since 2010, started the season slow, yet is an MVP candidate. Batting .600 avg, with 34 runs, 6 home runs and a 1.9 OPS. That is how good this player is. Of the 16 SASL Managers, all 16 would pick Hashim at #1 or #2 pick. Probably the most feared player both defensively and offensively in SASL and the driving force of the savages. Expect him to kill this series.
Matt is probably a top 3 SS in the AL. He bring s a solid bat, batting almost .700 and a traditional high in the lineup singles hitter. His range is second to only Hashim, and his smoothness on defense makes you think he’s played professional ball. Not much of the personality like his counterpart but has saved the Ducks in many situations. We expect him to have a solid series but almost impossible to matchup with Hashim.
Advantage: Savages.
THIRD BASE:
Anwar Sadat (Savages) vs. Nadeem Khan (Ducks)
Anwar’s season consisted of a .570 avg with 24 RBI, and a lot of stretched singles. Very consisted and in par with what he’s done throughout his career. He is a high IQ player with a very solid glove. He’s the voice and brains of this team and has been seen taking notes on opponents. He still shines even on a stacked team like the savages and we expect him to have a solid series
When you think of a winner you think Nadeem Khan. The most winningest player in SASL history, and a definite MVP candidate. He killed it in the semis against 516 and he had an ok season according to Nadeem Khan Standards with about a .600 avg with 26 RBI. He’s been a big part of the Ducks success with his timely hitting and solid plays on defense and we expe the same in the finals.
Advantage: Ducks.
LEFT FIELD:
Irfan Musliwala (Savages) vs Saad Yousof (Ducks)
Irfan, after a solid year seems to be in a slump of some sort. Batting a little above .450 and not too much other production has people wondering whats going on and why he’s a starter? But when you look deep in you see Irfan is one of the premier outfielders in the league. Ball read and arm is up there with all the greats, including very high IQ as well. Any extra base hits will be a bonus for the savages from Ifran.
Similar to Irfan, Saad also is not having his best year, a lifetime .600ish hitter is at the mid .400s this season, with a few extra base hits. Known for more than just his rhetorical statements, Saad has been doing a fine job as always in the outfield and locking up the left line and more.
On paper this matchup looks very even, but a true expert knows Saad has the advantage in experience and power.
Advantage: Ducks.
LEFT CENTERFIELD:
Charley Robinson (Savages) vs. Shane Melia (Ducks)
Former MVP and league’s #1 nice guy, Charley started his season slow but came back on a tear after the All Star Break. Not on par with his past years but still very solid for anyone. He finished his season with an above .650 average a solid 35 RBI, and more than half his hits being for extra bases. His homeruns count wasn’t like it was in the past but yet one of the best #3 hitters in the league. When talking defense, everyone knows Charley is a definite 5 tool guy, even though he’s lost some speed, he’s still making tough plays look easy, and his canon is up there with any of the leagues top guys.
On the other side we have Shane who had a solid .600 hitting year with 21 RBIs, he’s been a very solid pickup for the Ducks and have helped them solidify the outfield and make the bottom of the lineup feared. He doesn’t have the name like Charley does but we all know he ball. If there is any underdog that has a shot at beating the odds, its Shane, and we look forward to his play this weekend.
Advantage: Savages
RIGHT CENTERFIELD:
Saeed Anwar (Savages) vs. Haaris Din (Ducks)
Someone who’s stayed very under the rader is the little brother of the leagues commissioner, Saeed. Looking at him straight up by the way he moves and walks, you know this kid is a real baseball player. On the field, he is very fundamental and his ability the judge the ball is one of the best in the league. His hitting still needs some work as he had around a .400 average, but that takes time for younger guys and it seems he still has a baseball swing. We think he will come up big for the savages this weekend.
Haaris might be a skinny guy but everyone knows the pop he has. Probably one of the fastest and sweetest swings in the league, along with being deemed one of the top outfielders. No matter what team he plays on, he always seems to stay under the radar yet be impactful. Similar to his BFF, Haaris career average is usually around .600 and this he couldn’t be up there and stayed a little under .500 with 20 RBI. Even with the dip, he is one of the most important players they have and will be impactful this weekend.
Advantage: Ducks.
RIGHT FIELD:
VJ Samaroo (Savages) vs. Sajeel Haque (Ducks)
After a huge rookie year, VJ has not only improved this year but is also on the radar for many other teams. Known for his swag, his arm, speed, and cricket swing, he has been one of the more important players for the savages. One of the only players in the league to have a good batting average at the bottom of the lineup, and shows he has pop once in a while. His speed will be vital in the big field and we expect him to have some big games this weekend.
Sajeel is Sajeel, what else can you say about him? Known for his speed, his solid hitting, and excellent range in the outfield. However, he is having an okay year for his standards, even though he killed it in the national league. On defense he’s feared by many, on offense this year, teams are playing him moderately. We feel he wont be very effective in this series, but given his skills and experience, we know he will have something up his sleeve.
Advantage: Savages.
BENCH:
SAVAGES: Zulfikar Musliwala, Manju Shanmugam and Ali Musliwala
DUCKS: Atif Khan, Bilal Khan Moiz Siddiqui,
Advantage: Savages.
KEYS:
1. Errors: there wont be many but whichever team has less will win.
2. Extra bases: The team who has more extra base hits will win
3. SAC runs: The team with SAC will win
PREDICTION:
The community predicts this to be a grueling 3 game series and no Patriots ending:
Game 1: Ducks 9 Savages 7
Game 2 Savages 10 Ducks 6
Game 3 Ducks 7 Savages 4
