The Smackdown defeated the Panthers 4 games to 3 in a series that made the NLCS look like an offensive clinic.  Neither team could hit a lick, or conversely, both teams pitched ridiculously well.  Maybe playing the Series in the cold of late October and early November stifled the bats, but there was no snow and three games were played under the roof of Safeco Field in comfortable 70 degree weather.  Must have been the pitching.  The Smackdown hit 1 homer all series (in the first game) while scoring 16 runs over 7 games and hitting a collective .245 with a .640 OPS.  The Panthers scored more runs (18) over the series due to the one blowout (7-0 in Game 3) but hit .192 with a .564 OPS.  It's tough to pick a MVP so I give it to the Smackdown bullpen of Carlos Marmol, Sergio Romo, Justin Masterson, Manny Delcarmen, and Ryan Speier with cameos from the two Joshes - Geer and Johnson), which pitched 19.2 innings and only gave up 6 hits and 1 unearned run over the Series

Game 1:  Smackdown win 4-1, Smackdown leads series 1-0

Dice-K went 7 strong innings for the Smackdown, giving up 1 run while only allowing 5 hits and an amazing 1 walk.  The Smackdown were getting mowed down by Rich Harden of the Panthers until the 4th inning when they erupted for all 4 runs.  Aramis Ramirez hit the Smackdown's only homer of the Series to put them up 2-0 and Gabe Gross and Miguel Tejeda added run-scoring hits to chase Harden.  Delcarmen pitched two hitless innings for the save and the Panthers' bullpen only gave up 1 hit for the last 4 1/3 innings.

Game 2:  Smackdown win 2-1, Smackdown leads series 2-0

Another pitchers duel with Randy Johnson of the Smackdown versus Jeremy Guthrie of the Panthers.  The Smackdown drew first blood after two batters but the Panthers answered in the 2nd on a Dave Murphy 2-out single.  Then there were a bunch of zeros until the 8th inning.  With a runner on first and two outs, the Panthers brought in lefty Craig Breslow so the Smackdown sent up pinch hitter Jeff Keppinger.  Keppinger ripped a gapper to plate Michael Bourn from first for the tie-breaking run.  The Smackdown bullpen pitched 4 hitless innings with Marmol getting the win and Romo the save.

Game 3:  Panthers win 7-0, Smackdown leads series 2-1

The lone blowout of the Series saw Jair Jurrjens of the Panthers pitch 7 scoreless innings. Wandy Rodriguez, the Game 7 hero, was knocked out in the 4th and give up 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings.  The Panthers scored 3 in the 1st on consecutive 2-out singles by Jhonny Peralta, Dave Murphy, and David Ross.  They added 3 more in the 4th with the big blow coming from Mark Teixeira - a bases loaded double that knocked in two

Game 4:  Panthers win 3-0, series tied 2-2

The Panthers continued their shut-out ways with Armando Galaragga on the hill.  He went 7 1/3 innings of 4 hit, 1 walk ball and 4 relievers combined for the last 5 outs to preserve the win.  The Panthers got all the scoring they would need in the first on a 2-run homer from Teixeira.  The third came in on a bases-loaded walk by Galarraga himself.  Masterson started the game for the Smackdown but could not continue his strong pitching from the bullpen, walking 7 in 5 2/3 innings

Game 5:  Smackdown win 4-1, Smackdown leads series 3-2

The Smackdown finally scored a run in a National League park.  In a rematch of the game 1 starters, Dice-K only lasted 4 innings before the Smackdown bullpen took over.  The bullpen pitched 5 innings of 1 hit scoreless ball.  For the Panthers, Rich Harden gave up 3 runs in 6 innings.  The Panthers scored first on an error by second basemen Blake DeWitt in the 4th.  Derrek Lee hit a sac fly to plate the Smackdown's 1st run in the 5th and Johnny Damon added a RBI single.  The Smackdown's juggernaut offense scored another run on a sac fly by Tejeda

Game 6:  Panthers win 5-1, series tied 3-3

Guthrie pitched a beauty for the Panthers in this, going the distance while scattering 7 hits and 2 walks.  Teixiera started the scoring in the first with a clutch 2-out single to score Marco Scutaro and then added a solo shot in the 8th.  The big blow was a 3 run bomb by Ryan Shealy in the 4th.  Randy Johnson also pitched a complete game for the Smackdown, but that was more to preserve the bullpen for a Game 7 than based on his effectiveness

Game 7:  Smackdown win 5-0 to win series 4-3

In the 3rd consecutive game 7 for both teams, both were hoping to awake from their offensive slumbers.  Wandy made sure that didn't happen for the Panthers, pitching a 3 hitter over 7 innings.  Marmol finished up with 2 hitless innings.  The Smackdown scored two in the 1st on a Ramirez double and Lee single.  They plated their other 3 runs in the 4th on a 2-run triple by Johnny Damon and a sac fly

Congrats to Craig on a great battle and a great season.  I don't want to see that pitching staff again