In no way am I trying to disparage the hallowed possibility of the National League Cy Young being conferred on either Dickey or the September-rising Kershaw – no doubt that either pitcher taking home the prize would shine a light in the dark – but there’s a “sigh” here for the overall end dismal end to both the Dodgers’ and Mets’ 2012 MLB seasons.  And the “sigh” was heard much more at Citi Field than at Dodger Stadium as the Mets began their dive after the All-Star break by winning only 28 of their 78 second half games on consistently mediocre hitting with a MLB 26th-ranked batting average of .238. Team Wanzel’s September Batting Title-winning Murphy had the warmest bat on the Mets lineup through the slide by hitting .286, but he alone was certainly not enough as New York’s slugger David Wright fell to a .256 average after hitting .351 in the first half to make the NL All-Star Team. For the Dodgers, on the other hand, it was less of “sigh” of a second half and more of a falling just short.  Los Angeles actually had the 4th best overall ERA in Major League Baseball since the All-Star break at 3.38 and finished the season by winning 7 of their last 8 games, but they just couldn’t catch the Giants after splitting their two closing series with San Francisco who hit for the 3rd best overall batting average in the MLB at .278 nor catch the Cardinals who hit for the 6th best overall batting average at .268.  So, beyond the “sigh,” is the Cy and the NL Cy Young award has shaped up as a battle between two ‘Dem Bums pitchers in R.A. Dickey and Clayton Kershaw.  Kershaw finished with the best ERA in Major League Baseball at 2.53 with 229 strikeouts and allowed only two runs over sixteen innings during his last two starts.  Dickey, on the other hand, outside of being the MLB sentimental feel-good story of the year, threw for 230 strikeouts (one more than Kershaw), had five complete games and three shutouts – including at a streak of pitching 44.2 innings without allowing an earned run – and finished the season with a 2.73 ERA that was second among all NL starting pitchers.  However, the lean toward Dickey here comes in the case of wins as he finished with the Cy Young-sacred 20 wins and lost only 6 games, while Kershaw went 14-9.  Sure the Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez had an even better record at 21-8, but when you consider that Dickey was pitching for  a Mets team that won only 74 games, his winning percentage is .769 compared to Gio’s .724.  So maybe the true colors of both the Dodgers and the Mets arrived darkly and differently, but there just might be Cy at the end this tunnel.

MOVING HEAVEN & DEARTH

Not to distract from the bottle-chucking excitement of the MLB Postseason, but the big off-season questions for the Mets will be whether or not they can ink David Wright and R.A. Dickey contract extensions that will keep them in New York for years to come.  There’s also some serious question marks at catcher with Thole flailing through the season, a few considerations of free agents Michael Bourn and B.J. Upton to help strengthen the outfield, and some serious thought and heat needed in the bullpen that might result in Mets’ prospects Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia starting 2013 in the outfield cage.  Outside of that, manager Terry Collins and General Manager Sandy Alderson haven’t shown any designs on making any stout moves.  The Dodgers, on the other hand, already made their stout moves during the season for which they absorbed around $400 million in salaries by picking up Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez and Carl Crawford.  While Crawford will make his first start for the Dodgers in 2013, the hottest bat out of Los Angeles’ new acquisitions was Gonzalez who hit for a .297 average in 36 games for L.A.; but it was a new name not in the lights for the boys in blue who might actually drive the brighter future for the Dodgers as Luis Cruz posted a .297 batting average, second only to Matt Kemp, and 4th best in the NL at shortstop and had a .981 and a .984 fielding percentage at short and third respectively.  And speaking of those lights, apparently Dodger Stadium itself is in for an off-season makeover, but it’s only infrastructural issues that will be updated for what Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten calls “this generation of customers.”  I know that tinker bell would be a more appropriate beautification agent for the Disney-owned Angel Stadium, but close enough and let’s just hope that there’s not too much “Gangnam” style added to what is the last of the great 1960s baseball stadiums over there in Chavez Ravine.

THE ‘DEM BUMS CROWN

I will not dare to continue forward without first acknowledge both our September ‘Dem Bums Pitching and Batting Title winners.  In our last scattered month of action, Team Wanzel decided to book end the season by winning the September Batting title on the plate skills of Daniel Murphy who hit for a .337 average on 89 ABs and led all starting MLB second basement over the course of the month.  Congratulations to Team Wanzel who hadn’t tasted victory since his April ‘Dem Bums Pitching Title award won on the arm of Kershaw.  And, finally… well, something awkward.  Over the course of three phone calls to Team Parry on this very night – probably totaling more phone calls then I make on the average month – I was haphazardly convinced that  Team Parry took home the ‘Dem Bums Pitching Title for the month of September in a perfect storm of shock, surprise and controversy, on the arm of Chris Young who threw for a 2.73 ERA on 5 starts.  What was shocking here is not just that Chris (seemed to) take home the award, but that the “hot” Cy Young contender of Team Carlson’s Clayton Kershaw didn’t qualify, falling one game short of the needed five*.  And so my write up ensued with Team Parry not only taking home the September Pitching Title, but officially becoming the first ‘Dem Bums Crown winner with a total of 3 titles won over the course of the season.  This would have pushed that extra $60 Team Parry’s way, and more importantly, the Team Parry franchise name would be inscribed in the sacred annals and archives of the ‘Dem Bums custom fantasy experience.  But upon closer inspection of the stats – and please fact check away – I had to make a fourth call.  Team Reid’s Beckett actually out-pitched Chris with a 2.65 ERA on 6 starts to bring the ‘Dem Bum‘s Crown home to yours truly.  I accept and apologize in the same breath.  But I won’t say goodbye… as ‘Dem Bums wants to invite you all to one last 2012 fantasy baseball blast: the ‘Dem Bums “Pick Your Horse” playoff challenge!

Ah, yes.  You didn’t think I was just going to say goodbye.  And, if you’ve had enough, then certainly “Pick Your Horse!” is optional.  But if you want that added swerve to your MLB postseason watching experience, then what’s another $10 for the possibility to reel home some extra World Series excitement.  Here’s how it’s gonna work.  All ‘Dem Bums franchises will draft one postseason team in an email chain draft according to order of the September Batting Title results*… and, once you pick your team, well, that’s your horse for the postseason.  The ‘Dem Bums franchise who picks the team that ultimately wins the World Series will win a $50 prize and the franchise who picks the World Series loser will take home a $20 consolation prize (based upon all 7 ‘Dem Bums franchises’ $10 buy-in and participation).  There is one catch, however, as we are only about only 18 hours away from the first playoff game of the season (we are not counting the Wild Card teams that played tonight).  There will be an email draft, but you need to pick your team quick.  If we are coming down to the wire and you still have not picked, the next team alphabetically will be “assigned” to you so that the next franchise can pick.  So let’s get it done and look (and respond to) my email!  Hope you’re all in – but if you’re out – then let me know asap.

SEPTEMBER PITCHING TITLE RESULTS

1) Team Reid – Josh Beckett (2.65 ERA)
2) Team Parry – Chris Young (2.73 ERA)
3) Team Roberts – R.A. Dickey (2.97 ERA)
4) Team Rybakova – Chris Capuano (4.39 ERA)
5) Team Wanzel – Matt Harvey (DNQ)
5) Team Carlson – Clayton Kershaw (DNQ)
5) Team Talley – Jonathon Niese (DNQ)

SEPTEMBER BATTING TITLE RESULTS

1) Team Wanzel – Daniel Murphy (.337 AVG)
2) Team Reid – Luis Cruz (.313 AVG)
3) Team Parry – Hanley Ramirez  (.265 AVG)
4) Team Carlson – David Wright (.250 AVG)
5) Team Roberts – Mark Ellis (.258 AVG)
6) Team Talley – Ike Davis (.228 AVG)
7) Team Rybakova – A.J. Ellis (.216 AVG)

‘DEM BUM CROWN RESULTS

1) Team Reid – 3 Titles (2 Pitching / 1 Batting)
2) Team Carlson – 2 Titles (1 Pitching / 1 Batting)
2) Team Parry – 2 Titles (0 Pitching / 2 Batting)
2) Team Wanzel – 2 Titles (1 Pitching / 1 Batting)
2) Team Roberts – 2 Titles (1 Pitching / 1 Batting)
3) Team Talley – 1 Title (1 Pitching / 0 Batting)
4) Team Rybakova – 0 Titles (0 Pitching / 0 Batting)

* As you all know, ‘Dem Bums is in its first full “beta” season and this has brought up a number of quirks that demand a fine-tuning of the game for next year.  One obvious issue is to implement a time-restricted email draft system, while two other considerations are the development of a point system to determine the ‘Dem Bums Crown winner (as well as expand the competitive components of the game) and the minimum requirements for the Pitching Title to be a matter of an average of innings pitched versus games started.  These evolutions will resolve a lot of the discrepancies that arise with All-Star Breaks and September lineup shuffling that happens in the MLB.  For this season we kept to the rules as initially stated at the start of the season so as to not unfairly shuffle mid-season.