THUNDER BAY -- The Carefree Coyotes won the 2008 Thunder Bay World Series by defeating the Osama Camel Camp 4 games to none.  Carefree was led by MVP Roy Halladay who was a perfect 2-0 in the series.

It was a tough barrage of pitching and hitting that the Camels felt early and often. This started in the early innings of the series, and it never stopped. The team chemistry of the Coyotes was in "high performance mode" and the team from the camp called Osama-ville could not catch a break. Here is the game by game summary:

Game 1 Halladay vs. Verlander

For the Camels, Hudson singled to lead over and was doubled home by Miguel Cabrera. Doubles by Ibanez, Luke Scott and Mike Jacobs put 2 runs on the board in the second inning and amazingly enough from this point on in the series Carefree was never behind in the score. Another double by Ibanez and a double by Chad Tracy led to a run in the 4th. In the fifth, Guzman tripled, scored on a Hill FC when he slide home under the tag and then Church ripped a homerun. Luke Scott tripled and Tracy singled him in to increase the Coyote lead to 7-1 after 5 innings of play.
 After the Sodomy Camp scored a run in the sixth Carefree added 2 in the eighth to take a 9-2 lead. The Camp added a couple in the 8th but ended up on the short end of a 9-4 score. Halladay got the win striking out 8 in 6  innings. Verlander took the loss pitching 4 and a third allowing 6 earned runs.

Game 2 Penny vs. Hamels

After 4 innings, it was a scorless pitchers duel as both starters had their best stuff. In the fifth, Mike Napoli drilled a fastball deep to left field to give the Coyotes a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 6th ,Carefree increased the lead with a John McDonald double and a single by Aaron Hill. The Sodomy Camp fellows had 'game" in the bottom of the 6th by tying the score. After Orlando Hudson walked. Markakis grounded into a DP. But they showed spunk by  tying the game on a 2 out single by Rios after a double by Cabrera and Ryan Zimmerman drilling a double in the clutch. Both teams were scorless in the 7th and 8th as Soria and Heath Bell held the fort for the Coyotes with Hamels returing to form and mowing down Carefree. Hill singled to start the 9th and then Marcus Thames connected to left field with a 2 run homer. With Joe Nathan coming in to pitch and the crowd SCREAMING at the home team to tie and win this game, Zimmerman grounded out. Then Kemp and Casey lined singles to make it first and third. Ellsbury grounded out to score Kemp. With Casey on second and 2 outs, Schierholtz pinch hit for Hamels. The crowd was in a frenzy, but a popout to 2B ended the threat and the Coyotes left the Sodomy Camp with a 2-0 lead and headed to the friendlier confines of Coyoteville. Hamels struck out 12 in a complete game and a yeoman effort on Cole's behalf, but he took the heartbreaking loss. Heath Bell got the win and Nathan the save.

Game 3  McGowan vs. Garland

Again both pitchers brought their "A" game early and pitched well. Carefree scratched out a run with a couple of singles, an error and a FC to lead 1-0 afrter 3 innings. Then in the 4th, all hell broke loose as the Coyotes scored 4 runs with dinks and dunks...listen in to the play by play:

                    Cust walked BFFBB)
 0-1  0 1-- 32  Ibanez popped out to the catcher (SBBBSX)
 0-1  1 1-- 01  Scott grounded a single between first and second, Cust to
                  second (CX)
 0-1  1 12- 11  Jacobs lined a single down the right field line, Cust
                  scored, Scott to third (SBX)
 0-2  1 1-3 10  Hill grounded a single between third and short, Scott
                  scored, Jacobs to second (BX)
 0-3  1 12- 11  McGowan threw a wild pitch, Jacobs to third, Hill to
                  second (BFB)
 0-3  1 -23 21  Ruiz lined a single to shallow left, Jacobs scored, Hill
                  to third (BFB.X)
 0-4  1 1-3 31  Guzman walked, Ruiz to second (BBCBB)
 0-4  1 123 22  Tracy grounded to short, forcing Guzman at second, Hill
                  scored, Ruiz to third, Tracy to first (FBFBX)
 0-5  2 1-3 12  Church grounded out to second (SSBX)

It was 5-0 until Ellsbury homered in the fifth, but then the Carefree onslaught continued, again listen to Carefree Homer annoucer Carey Harey:

 Cust walked (SBBBB)
 1-5  0 1-- 10  Ibanez lined a double to right center, Cust to third (BX)
 1-5  0 -23 32  Scott struck out (BBCBFS)
 1-5  1 -23 12  Jacobs popped out to third (FBCX)
 1-5  2 -23 00  Hill lined a single to left center, Cust scored, Ibanez
                  scored (X)
 1-7  2 1-- 02  Ruiz doubled deep to left center, Hill scored (CFX)
                Miller now pitching
 
Now it was 8-1 and the next inning Carefree increased the lead to 10-1 with a McDonald double and a Church walk and a two run double by Luke Scott.

Sodomy Camp added a couple of runs late to makee the final score 10-3 ...with Carefree taking a commanding 3-0 lead with Roy Halladay on the mound in game 4. Yikes!

Game 4  Verlander and Halladay

After Halladay held the Campers in the top of the first,.Carefree started fast with a leadoff single by DeRosa and a 2 out HR by Ibanez to take a 2-0 lead after 1 inning. In the 5th, Carefree struck again with Reynolds reaching by an error and Jacobs launching a 2 run HR. Meanwhile Halladay was at the absolute top of his game as Carefree won 4-0. Halladay pitched the complete game shutout and he refused to come out of the game as Carefree vaunted bullpen sat idle. Halladay allowed only 2 hits and stuck out 9 without a walk!

Carefree fans go nuts in celebration and the team votes Roy Halladay as their season and World Series MVP! 

I give kudos to Scott who built a fine team in a short period of time and who will continued to be reckoned with. Matt Wieters is on his way! He could not catch a break as this buzz saw called the Carefree Coyotes played in the post season like a team possessed.

I thought I  had a chance to be a playoff team this year despite very tough compettition and I feel fortunate to have Lady Luck behind me to acheive this outcome in a Class League (Thanks Rob!) with a gang of highly talented managers and shrewd evaluators of talent.

Thanks to everyone for a fine TBBL season. It has been immense fun. On a personal note, many of you many know that I had open heart surgery in May and have been in a recuperation mode until now, so I have had plenty of time on my hands to think of this stuff . LOL.