Standings After Week #1

"Hahn-do" - Amazin's take 2 of 3 from Redbirds

Mets take 2 of 3 from Cards.

Cards rout the Mets 14-4 in the first game as Jon Matlack is routed. Mets return the favor in Game 2 as they rout the Cards 12-0 behind a 3 hit shutout by Jerry Koosman.

Mets take the rubber match 7-5. Leading 5-0 and with a perfect game through 5 innings, Tom Seaver suddenly loses it as the Cards score 4 in the 6^th and tie it in the 7^th on a Del Rice HR. In the 8^th, Don Hahn pinch hits a double off Stu Miller to drive in 2 and win it for the Mets.

Tribe takes 2 of 3 from Motown

The Indians eked out a series win, 2-1. After Cleveland's "Sudden" Sam McDowell and a good offense maul Detroit in game one, the Tigers' Dizzy Trout answers with a masterpiece in game two. But Detroit's Bob Cain can't last more than a couple of innings in the finale and is victim to two clutch ribbies from Chuck Hinton for the Cleveland win.

Joe P.

Reds take 2 of 3 from Dodgers. Game 3 goes 10 and is an instant classic.

Riverfront Stadium
GAME 1
Koufax vs Nolan
Reds 2, Dodgers 1

Koufax was no hitting the Reds until Lee May hit a 2 run shot with one out in the 7th to give the hometown Reds a 2-1 lead, which Gary Nolan protected for victory.  LA's lone run came in the top of the 1st on a 2 out double by Tommie Davis that scored Johnny Roseboro.

GAME 2
Drysdale vs Gullett
Dodgers 4, Reds 0

"Big D" turned the Big Red Machine into the little engine that couldn't by scattering 4 hits and fanning 7 for a complete game shutout.  Drysdale helped his own cause with 2 hits including an RBI double.  Maury Wills, Frank Howard and Dick Tracewski each chipped in with 2 hit games.

GAME 3
Moeller vs McGlothin
Reds 6, Dodgers 5 (10 inn)

The rubber match of the series need extra innings to be decided.  With Cincy looking in good shape with a 4-1 lead heading into the 9th closer Wayne Granger was given the ball to start the 9th.  Granger couldn't shut the door and after getting just 2 outs the game was now tied up at 4 all after Willie Davis' bases clearing double with 2 out.  When the Reds didn't score in the home half of the 9th the game with to extra innings.  With 2 out in the bottom of the 10th the Dodgers had no choice but to let reliever Ron Perranoski hit with the bench being cleared of worthy pinch bats.  Perranoski singled off of Milt Wilcox to give LA a 5-4 lead.  With closer Perranoski on the bump the Dodgers looked like a sure bet to steal this win, but that was not to be as Cincy rallied to score 2 runs with the game winner being a Ty Cline RBI single.  Cline would not have even gotten the chance to bat if the normally sure-handed Junior Gilliam didn't boot a Bradford grounder to second, which should have ended the game.  Wilcox got the win and Perranoski got the loss.

KOD29...The first losing season after sustained success

Yes, it eventually happens to all franchises...even the mighty Yankees.  After prolonged success the fall from grace sometimes happens slowly and steadily over the course of a few years (1989 Yankees).  Other times its a complete shock and happens out of nowhere (2012 Phillies).  In some cases it happens because an irreplaceable star player (Sandy Koufax) is either injured (1964 Dodgers) or retires (1967 Dodgers).  In any case fans of these franchises respond with both shock or dismay.  Sometimes management doesn't believe its a trend an spends money on key free agents only to see that blow up in their faces like the '91 Mets or the '87 Angels, who brought in a guy like the recently deceased Bill Buckner who was literally on his last legs.

This KOD will feature these types of teams against each other.  Each are flawed in their own special way.  Some more so than others.  It will be quite interesting to see how each of us manages these teams and overcomes these flaws.

Let the games begin...