Summer Seasons in Review

The season that seemingly would never end finally did on October 3rd. After initially scheduled to begin on June 25, the season took an unimaginable 100 days to complete. In the end, the Damn Drunks stood above everyone else. They won a four way tie for the regular season division title with a 5-2 record and defeated second seeded Tequila Slammers (5-2 in the regular season) for the title. For a complete championship recap, click here.

The Damn Drunks have qualified for the CSA Team of the Year award to be presented in December

Just like in the spring season, the Monday night league had balanced competition. A four way tie for first place at 5-2 between Damn Drunks, Tequila Slammers, Turbo Swiners (3rd), and Return of IRF (4th) set up an interesting playoff. With four evenly matched teams at the top, it was a sleeper that caused the most excitement. The sixth seeded High Flyers knocked off the Turbo Swiners in the first round and gave the Tequila Slammers a tough game in the semis. The Damn Drunks needed an eight run sixth inning in the semis to eliminate Return of IRF and they rode that momentum to an easy championship game win.

With one of the most competitive leagues in CSA history, a sleeper surprised everyone by winning a championship as a long shot. In a league that featured the only team in CSA this year to go unbeaten, and another team that was on an eight game winning streak, it was a team that stumbled at the end of the regular season that won it all. For a complete championship recap, click here.

Simplyhealth finished 5-3-1 and tied for fourth place in the division. They got the fifth seed based on a tiebreaker and annihilated the fourth seed, Serenity Now! (5-3-1) in the first round. Then the cardiac crew caught what seemed to be a break. Seemingly unbeatable Team McHuet, the regular season champs, allowed 13 first inning runs to 8th seeded Cleats & Cleavage (1-8) and were unable to erase the deficit. In the semis, Cleats and Simply staged an amazing contest that took eight innings to decide. In the finals, Simply avoided the second seeded Widgets (8-1) and winners of nine straight, when they were eliminated by the third seed, Batting for Beers (5-3) in the semis.

In the finals, Simplyhealth built a big lead and were able to hold on for a championship game victory, 15-13.

Simplyhealth has qualified for the CSA Team of the Year award to be presented in December

Similar to the Tuesday night league, the Wednesday league had several strong teams at the top and some sleepers in the middle of the pack. Helmets with Handlebars won the regular season title and looked like a strong favorite to make it to the title game. In second was Vandelay Industries, who were also 8-1 but had lost to Helmets, were just one game off the pace, and had the leagues number one offense. In third place stood the team to beat though. Pete Rose Bets on Us had a 7-2 record, the leagues number one defense, a core of players that had just won a championship with SimplyHealth, and a mission to complete.

The playoffs also gave us a surprise. MedCenterDirect had finished fifth, with a 4-4 record and were not really expected to make much of an impact. In the first round, they eliminated the fourth seed, Niles Bolton (5-4) and in the semis they pulled off a big upset by eliminating Helmets with Handlebars. Helmets had won nine straight entering the game, but MedCenter used an 11 run inning to take control of the game and eventually win. The win put MedCenter in the finals to face the winner of Vandelay and Pete Rose. In the regular season, Vandelay pulled off a one run win over Pete Rose, and PR was looking to avenge that loss. The game was over quickly, with PRB winning by mercy 21-8 in five. For a complete championship recap, click here.

The Wednesday night league was one of the favorites for both Roger and myself because of how much fun we had with all the teams. This included the always enthusiastic Kenny's (who failed to win a game), the champs, the ready to sue at the first close call Helmets team, the always requesting time changes and stat review Vandelay squad, the corporate teams from MedCenterDirect, Niles Bolton, ESE/HGOR and Cypress Communications and all the players who made it a pleasure to be involved.

Pete Rose Bets On Us has qualified for the CSA Team of the Year award to be presented in December

This may truly have been the season that wouldn't end. With two weeks between each round of playoff games, the third seeded CNN/SI.com may have just won the war of attrition. In the finals, they used solid pitching and defense to shut down the fifth seeded Dr. Evil's Henchmen and win the title 6-4. For a complete championship recap, click here.

The Thursday league was strong. The top three teams finished within one half game of each other and the fifth and seventh seed won playoff games. From a rankings standpoint, the bracket cleared out for CNN, who defeated the sixth seed The Buds (2-5-1), the seventh seed Nitro (2-6), and the fifth seeded Dr. Evil's Henchmen (4-4) on the way to the title.

The path was cleared because the Curse of the Two Seed bit High Maintenance (5-2) in the first round when they were eliminated by Nitro, and the regular season champs, Spotted Dicks, were dominated by Dr. Evil's in the semis. CNN took advantage and secured a well deserved title.

CNN/SI.com has qualified for the CSA Team of the Year award to be presented in December.

The best offense in the league broke the two seed curse and became the first second seeded team to win a championship in 18 tries, when Roger's We're Not Hungover team won one run games in the semis, over the third seeded Shaggers (6-3), and in the finals, over top seeded It's All About the Beer, the curse had been (temporarily) lifted. For a complete championship recap, click here.

It's All About the Beer continued their best Atlanta Braves impersonation by winning the regular season title but failing when it mattered the most. They allowed the curse to be broken, and even though they were able to overcome Leland's makeshift squad, Evil Genius (4-5) in the semi-finals, they didn't have enough gas left to knock off Roger's team for the title.

The Sunday league featured teams captained by both Leland and Roger. Using a collective 4,000 different players, Roger was able to assemble a juggernaut that ended with the best record of any team in CSA summer league play, 11-1, while Leland couldn't find any combination that worked and finished at a less than stellar 5-6.

We're Not Hungover, We're Still Drunk has qualified for the CSA Team of the Year award to be presented in December.