Ultimate Cubs Lineup: Championship is set
Our Ultimate Cubs Lineup championship is set.
Mark DeRosa’s team will take on my squad in a matchup to determine who chose the best lineup. We’ll air the results and crown a champion Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. on Cubs 360 Daily.
Wednesday marked the semifinals with DeRosa going up against Doug Glanville and Team Andracki facing off with George Will’s lineup.
All matchup simulations were run by Strat-O-Matic, the market leader in sports simulations.
DeRosa vs. Glanville
FINAL: DeRosa 5, Glanville 0
Glanville’s squad couldn’t muster up much offense against DeRosa’s starter, Greg Maddux.
“Mad Dog” threw 8 shutout innings, striking out 9 batters and allowing only 5 hits. Ryne Sandberg was the only player for Glanville’s lineup to notch an extra-base hit — a double in the bottom of the 1st inning.
For Team DeRosa, Sammy Sosa led off the top of the 2nd with a solo homer. In the top of the 3rd, Billy Williams drove home a run with a single, advanced to third on an error and scored on Sosa’s ground out.
In the 5th, Ernie Banks hit a 2-run shot, driving in Alfonso Soriano.
The first 3 batters in DeRosa’s lineup — Soriano, Williams, Banks — each had 2 hits and scored a run and the cleanup hitter, Sosa, drove in 2 runs.
DeRosa’s Maddux now has a 1.50 ERA in three games in the tournament while Williams is hitting .462 with 4 RBI through the three games to this point.
DeRosa is one win away from being crowned the Ultimate Cubs Lineup Tournament champion and his fate will be decided Thursday evening.
Andracki vs. Will
FINAL: Andracki 6, Will 5
Team Tone Zone got out to a hot start thanks to a 3-run homer by Sammy Sosa in the 1st inning. Ryne Sandberg added a pair of solo blasts later in the game to help pad the lead.
Will’s squad didn’t score until the 6th inning, but they put up 5 runs over the next 3 frames and out-hit their opponent 8-7 overall. Will’s version of Sandberg also homered, as did Billy Williams and Gabby Hartnett.
The leadoff hitters for both teams — Kenny Lofton, Williams — each collected 2 hits and scored a run and Williams also knocked in a pair for Team Will.
On the pitching side, Jake Arrieta improved to 1-0 in the tournament with a 2.53 ERA, battling through 6.1 innings and surrendering 4 runs. Lee Smith got the save for Team Tone Zone with 2.2 innings in relief.
Fergie Jenkins allowed 6 runs over 7 innings for Team Will, suffering the loss and watching his tournament ERA rise to 4.50. Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown threw 2 shutout innings in relief, but the damage had already been done.
Team Andracki will meet DeRosa’s squad in the championship Thursday evening.