2016 WORLD SERIES SIMULATION
It’s the matchup that fans have been waiting to see for generations. After dominant trips through the AL and NL, Cleveland and Chicago are set to match up in a series of unprecedented historical significance. No two teams with droughts longer than 50 years have ever matched up in a World Series before this year.
Cleveland fans have been waiting to be back here since 1997 and are looking to celebrate their first title since 1948. It would complement their basketball title from this year quite nicely and would go a long way in establishing Cleveland’s sports resurrection after years of disappointment.
Chicago is a different story. This team, plagued by bad luck and extraneous circumstances, has rebirthed from the ashes on their way to their first pennant in 71 years. The cursebreaker, Theo Epstein, took Boston to glory after a long drought and now looks to be the hero of the North Side after generations of waiting. 108 years later, this team is younger, more exuberant and ready to end years of waiting.
Naturally, we had to see what happened. Using Strat-O-Matic Baseball Daily, we played out this year’s World Series just like we did last year. You can see how we did in last year’s simulation and all the things we were able to predict here. Baseball Daily is able to reflect hot and cold streaks in each team’s players throughout the postseason so Andrew Miller’s dominance and Javier Baez’s recent scorching hitting streak are just some of the factors accounted for in the simulation.
So without further ado…
CLEVELAND vs. CHICAGO (NL)
Game 1
Chicago 0 4 1
Cleveland 4 9 0
Cleveland opened the series in winning fashion, right across the street from where their basketball team was raising its championship banner. Corey Kluber, the AL Pitcher of the Month for August 2016, pitched seven innings of two-hit ball. Jon Lester gave up four runs on seven hits and was victimized by some aggressive baserunning by Cleveland, yielding five stolen bases. Jose Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the early innings as neither team scored after the third.
Game 2
Chicago 11 12 0
Chicago 0 4 1
Cleveland 4 9 0
Cleveland opened the series in winning fashion, right across the street from where their basketball team was raising its championship banner. Corey Kluber, the AL Pitcher of the Month for August 2016, pitched seven innings of two-hit ball. Jon Lester gave up four runs on seven hits and was victimized by some aggressive baserunning by Cleveland, yielding five stolen bases. Jose Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the early innings as neither team scored after the third.
Game 2
Chicago 11 12 0
Cleveland 2 8 0
Chicago stormed back to even the series at Progressive Field. Kyle Schwarber emphatically made his presence felt in the second game of his return, registering four hits and five RBI, due to some home run hitting power. He hit two during the game as Chicago steamrolled Cleveland’s bullpen. Perhaps still nursing his pinky injury, Trevor Bauer surrended four runs in 3 and 2/3 innings. Even the struggling Jason Heyward got in on the fun with a home run of his own.
Game 3
Cleveland 1 6 1
Chicago stormed back to even the series at Progressive Field. Kyle Schwarber emphatically made his presence felt in the second game of his return, registering four hits and five RBI, due to some home run hitting power. He hit two during the game as Chicago steamrolled Cleveland’s bullpen. Perhaps still nursing his pinky injury, Trevor Bauer surrended four runs in 3 and 2/3 innings. Even the struggling Jason Heyward got in on the fun with a home run of his own.
Game 3
Cleveland 1 6 1
Chicago 0 4 0
After a blowout in the previous game, Cleveland turned to what it does best. Strong pitching and flawless relief led them to a Game 3 win, as ALCS MVP Andrew Miller kept Chicago off the bases entirely during his two innings pitched. The lone run of the game came in the eighth inning off of Aroldis Chapman of Chicago. Brought in to keep a tie game tied, he instead issued two wild pitches, allowing Jason Kipnis to score. Kipnis doubled off Hector Rondon earlier in the inning to set up the game-winning run.
Game 4 (F/10)
Cleveland 4 8 1
After a blowout in the previous game, Cleveland turned to what it does best. Strong pitching and flawless relief led them to a Game 3 win, as ALCS MVP Andrew Miller kept Chicago off the bases entirely during his two innings pitched. The lone run of the game came in the eighth inning off of Aroldis Chapman of Chicago. Brought in to keep a tie game tied, he instead issued two wild pitches, allowing Jason Kipnis to score. Kipnis doubled off Hector Rondon earlier in the inning to set up the game-winning run.
Game 4 (F/10)
Cleveland 4 8 1
Chicago 3 9 2
It took extra innings to decide this game, but Cleveland pushed Chicago to the brink after a passed ball scored Kipnis late again. Cleveland took a 3-2 lead late in the game when Lonnie Chisenhall belted a home run off of Rondon, but they had to mentally recover from a pinch hit home run in the bottom of the ninth by Kyle Schwarber to win in extras. Wilson Contreras hit two home runs in this game, much to the delight of the home fans, while Carlos Santana added one of his own for Cleveland. Jose Ramirez went 4-for-5 in the win.
Game 5
Cleveland 0 3 0
It took extra innings to decide this game, but Cleveland pushed Chicago to the brink after a passed ball scored Kipnis late again. Cleveland took a 3-2 lead late in the game when Lonnie Chisenhall belted a home run off of Rondon, but they had to mentally recover from a pinch hit home run in the bottom of the ninth by Kyle Schwarber to win in extras. Wilson Contreras hit two home runs in this game, much to the delight of the home fans, while Carlos Santana added one of his own for Cleveland. Jose Ramirez went 4-for-5 in the win.
Game 5
Cleveland 0 3 0
Chicago 2 6 0
Chicago kept the dream alive thanks to a gem from Jon Lester. He limited Cleveland to three hits, exacting revenge on Corey Kluber for the result in Game 1. In the bottom of the second, Ben Zobrist scored the only run Chicago would need with a booming solo shot to lead off the inning. Chicago got some insurance in the bottom of the fourth as Addison Russell brought home Javier Baez with a triple. Just goes to show, the only way you can beat Andrew Miller is to not let him enter the game.
Game 6
Chicago 2 10 1
Chicago kept the dream alive thanks to a gem from Jon Lester. He limited Cleveland to three hits, exacting revenge on Corey Kluber for the result in Game 1. In the bottom of the second, Ben Zobrist scored the only run Chicago would need with a booming solo shot to lead off the inning. Chicago got some insurance in the bottom of the fourth as Addison Russell brought home Javier Baez with a triple. Just goes to show, the only way you can beat Andrew Miller is to not let him enter the game.
Game 6
Chicago 2 10 1
Cleveland 7 7 0
Cleveland wrote their names into the history books with a World Series win in front of the home fans. The action in this game happened early and often, and Danny Salazar, returning to the team for the World Series got the clinching win in relief. He gave up one hit and no walks in 1 and 1/3 innings. Arrieta was not sharp, allowing six walks in 2 and 2/3 innings and Cleveland scored all the runs they needed in the first four innings. While Schwarber picked up his seventh RBI, Jose Ramirez got his fourth and fifth en route to the victory. Dexter Fowler flew out to Coco Crisp to end the game, and the party in Cleveland began again!
CLEVELAND WINS WORLD SERIES 4-2.
Looks like it’s Cleveland’s year!
…the Browns? Who?
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