ONE MORE TIME!

Guys,

There is a lot to unpack and my head hurts from all the great Scotch... and beer...

Firstly... The Strato semifinals were played on Draft Xmas day.... Darby hosting Bell.

While I won't get into too much of their details I will say that in Strato.... no lead is safe.... Bell scored 8 runs in the first inning of Game 1 to take it easily but he couldn't score at all for the next few games as Darby jumped to a 3-1 series lead... but as I said no lead is safe and Bell stormed back to take it in 7 games.

That set up a Strato World Series final between the Mets and the Jays for Saturday (today). So for the first time ever, draft notes between series. Lazy editing...

Mongo finally has a good draft... after dumping his catcher Perez he immediately found him with his 1st pick and then proceeded to grab Langaliers and a few other catchers. His starting staff is great as is his relief... his callout was Corbin Carrol who slides in nicely with Tucker (last year's callout he redrafted), and Harrison Bader. Turang is a nice 1 second baseman too. If you wonder why he didn't take DeGrom? He didn't need him due to his revamped staff, adding Kolek and Rasmussen. Missing a good OF bat.

Jays snag Crochet and old man Chapman to go along with my callout Anthony of the Red Sox.

PaulyP used his callout for Kurtz, that great rookie first-baseman from Oakland.

Scott took DeGrom which he didn't need but thought he would mess with everyone. Xavier Edwards was his best pick.

Bell - Dylan Cease and that good rookie catcher Teel - not that he needs a catcher- leading to Marte making another appearance as Bell's Callout.

Darby took Yamamoto as his callout to round out a good staff. He also got Matt Chapman at 3rd and George Springer!!

Now back to the World Series

Starting in Toronto, Fedde faced the Jays while Gilbert took the mound for Toronto.  This was a nail biter with plenty of stranded runners that had Bell leading 2-0 in the 6th but I snuck through solo runs in the 6th and 7th to tie it up... In the bottom of the 9th I somehow strand bases-loaded leading Bell to snag this in the 10th with a HOMERUN 1-2 !!!!!!!!!!!! for first blood.

Game 2 Skenes vs Sale.... I score a quick 2 spot in the 1st but Bell's team of 1s knock me down before I can crush Skenes. Bell ties it at two in the 5th but I snack a 3-run shot and then more insurance runs later and Toronto takes this 7-2

Game 3 back in New York... Flaherty vs Wheeler. I don't get it with Wheeler. More lopsided than anyone who has pitched in a world series but I can't do squat against him while Bell picks away at my staff eventually winning 7-2 to take a 2-1 series lead, to the delight of the Mets fan.

Game 4 Gilbert is back on short rest against Lugo.  Zeros for 3 innings and then Bell and I start a back and forth that has me leading 3-2 in the 8th when Bell's frigg'n ties it against Clase (did he have a bet on?) We now head to extras and extras and extras until in the 13th I squeeze a run in and Bell can't answer, series tied... TSN turning point?

Game 5 Bibee vs Fedde. My plan was to make this a bullpen game but extra innings has a way of changing that. Bell takes an early 2-0 lead and I can't hit squat.... we are now in the 9th with Bell leading 3-1 and for some reason Bell wakes up the baseball gods by stating "You haven't rolled anything all game" and so with one on and two out I ask for and get a 2-8 clear-cut by Devers to tie it!!!! Into extras again and I score one in the 10th and put in my very last pitcher.... in his last inning.... and hang on for a 4-3 win Toronto is now one win away from repeating.

Game 6 is back in Toronto. Skenes vs Sale. Bell will no longer makes comments about how unlucky I am but it's too late as he injures Iglesias on his first swing - the replacement comes around to score and this 1-0 lead is holding up for Skenes. Solo shot in the 6th gives Bell an insurance run but I storm back with a two run shot 1-3 from Freddie and tie ithe game. This AGAIN goes to extras as I can't score in the 9th and the bases loaded with one out...FFS! Top of the 10th and Bell takes the lead 3-2 but my team won't go away and against Walker. I single him to death leading to a DO or SF by Soto to win the game 4-3 (had already tied it on one of many hits). .. details* (ed.'s note)

The JAYS REPEAT AS CHAMPS!!!!

The MVP has to be Yanier Diaz who kept getting hits when needed.

Homeruns:
Mets - 10 total... Raleigh 3, Ramos 2, Bregman, Ohtani, Witt Jr, Olson, Titties
Toronto - 11 total... Judge 2, Chisholm 2, Soto, Devers, Hill, Diaz, Duran. Correa and Freeman

Whew.. I need a nap. Gord.