Tag Archives: California League

The regular season wraps up this holiday weekend, with everybody playing four-game sets from Friday through Monday. The playoff picture in the North is pretty straight-forward, but the South division is wide-open. At the risk of causing head-explosions, here’s a look at the playoff picture.

NORTH DIVISION

The two half-winners have been determined: Bakersfield (1st half) and Stockton (2nd half) are in. What’s still up for grabs is the wildcard spot, and that’s a two-team race between Visalia and San Jose. The Rawhide hold a 3-game lead on the Giants heading into the weekend.

SOUTH DIVISION

What’s clear at this point is that Lancaster is in as the first-half champion and Lake Elsinore is in as they have clinched the best overall record aside from the Jethawks. Therefore, Lake Elsinore is assured of a playoff spot and the fact that Lancaster has actually clinched the best overall record in the division doesn’t matter because they’re already in as a half-champion.

All that having been said, the second half title is still out there and nobody has been eliminated. Lancaster is currently in first place (34-32) with Inland Empire and Lake Elsinore (both 33-33) a game back. Rancho Cucamonga is three games back and High Desert is four games back with four to play.

Soooooo…..here’s the tricky part. From the Cal League Playoff Procedures webpage:

Mini-Series
(1-2 format)

• Game 1: Wed, Sept. 3: *Second Half Champion (or #2 Seed) at #3 Seed
• Game 2: Thurs, Sept. 4: #3 Seed at *Second Half Champion (or #2 Seed)
• Game 3: Fri, Sept. 5: #3 Seed at *Second Half Champion (or #2 Seed)

* #2 Seed if Second-Half Champion is also the First-Half winner

The first-half champ skips the Mini-Series. If there is a repeat winner of both halves (possible in the South with Lancaster), then the team with the next-best overall record gets in. In that scenario, High Desert would join Lancaster and Lake Elsinore.

Also, Lake Elsinore could win the second-half title, which would have the same result of bringing in the next-best record as a wildcard, currently High Desert.

But Lake Elsinore is safe, even if they don’t win the second-half title.

Just like that. And…ummm…there are tie-breakers too.

It will be much easier to explain Monday night after all the slots are filled. But here are the season-ending four-game matchups:

INLAND EMPIRE @ LANCASTER
RANCHO CUCAMONGA @ LAKE ELSINORE
SAN JOSE @ HIGH DESERT
STOCKTON @ MODESTO
VISALIA @ BAKERSFIELD

Final scores and some notable performances from Friday night’s Cal League action:

LAKE ELSINORE – 2
LANCASTER – 6

Tyler White (LAN) – 3-for4, HR (2), 2B

MODESTO – 0
VISALIA – 2

Brandon Sinnery (VIS) – W (10-6), 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Alving Mejias (MOD) – 3 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Kevin Medrano (VIS) – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI

STOCKTON – 3
SAN JOSE – 5

Nick Vander  Tuig (SJ) – W (1-0), 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Beau Taylor (STK) – 3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI
Mitch Delfino (SJ) – 2-for-4, 2 R

BAKERSFIELD – 5
 RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 8

Kyle McMyne (BAK) – 2 IP, 2 H, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Sean Buckley (BAK) 3-for-5, 2B, RBI
Jeremy Rathjen (RC) – 3-for-5, HR (11), 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 Runs scored
Dillon Moyer (RC) – 2-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, Run scored

HIGH DESERT – 12
INLAND EMPIRE – 9

Grady Wood (HD) – W (3-4), 3 2/3 IP, 3 H, o ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Guillermo Pimentel (HD) – 1-for-2, HR (1), 4 RBI
Jabari Henry (HD) – 1-for-4, HR (23), 2 Runs scored
Travis Witherspoon (HD) – 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, Run scored
Cal Towey (IE) – 3-for-4, RBI, 2 Runs scored
Brandon Bayardi (IE) – 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 Runs scored