Booze Hounds-Bums Position-By-Position Breakdown

The Second Ever TBA Championship will feature the regular season juggernaut Washington Booze Hounds and the underdog Vero Beach Bums. Both teams have reached their first ever Championship.
 
Washington will look to break out the booze one more time but as the LHLCS showed it is getting ever so difficult for them. After breezing through the regular season with a record 125 wins and blowing past London in the Division Series, the Giants gave them a huge scare by getting ahead 3-2 in the series. Washington turned to probable LHL Cy Young Winner Javier Vazquez to even the series before the bats came through in Game 7 to move Washington on.
 
Winning from behind has not been an issue for Vero Beach this year. With four games to go against Napa, the Bums needed to win two to force a play-in game with Bartonville or three to outright win the second wild card. After dropping game one of the series, Vero Beach fought back to win all the final games to move into the playoffs. Upon getting there, they found themselves down 2-1 against the rival Alamos. Nevertheless, the Bums took care of business taking the final two games to move on. As luck would have it, they found themselves down 2-1 again against Napa in the EMLCS. And just like the regular season they took three straight games to advance to the Championship.
 
Anyway, on the breakdown!
 
Catcher: Joe Mauer vs. Brian McCann
 
These two are the top two catchers in the game. Yet, with all due respect to McCann, this one is not even close. Mauer .348 during the regular season with 26 homers and 111 RBI. All this while providing an excellent receiver for his pitchers and throwing out 31% of potential base stealers.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
First Base: Mark Teixeira vs. Lyle Overbay/Ramon Hernandez
 
Teixeira clubbed 43 regular season home runs and 120 RBI, and neither were team leads. The playoffs have been even better to the switch-hitting first baseman. After hitting .533 in the post-season a year ago, he has four HR, 9 RBI, and a .317 batting average in the 2010 extra season. Vero Beach's combo do a solid job at first but are nothing spectacular. Overbay did help lead the Bums over Napa with six hits and a home run in the final three games in the EMLDS.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
Second Base: Robinson Cano vs. Brandon Phillips
 
Phillips struggled all year but did provide 21 stolen bases while only being caught twice. His defense is still stellar and he does have some pop but with all of Washington's RHP he may struggle in the power department. Cano had an outbreak season for the Booze Hounds. A .327 batting average and 23 home runs gives Washington yet another star hitter in the lineup, something Vero Beach better get used to.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
Third Base: Ryan Zimmerman vs. Michael Young
 
Young carried the Bums on his back all season long. The unquestioned MVP of the team, Young smashed 45 doubles and 23 homers to the tune of a league leading .342 batting average. Ryan Zimmerman is no push-over though. He hit .322 during the regular season and 32 home runs. His 106 RBI are more than 20 than what Young had, yet Washington provides more opportunities than Vero's lineup. Despite Zimmerman's superb defense, Young gets the nod here for being the heart and soul of this Vero Beach team.
 
EDGE: Vero Beach
 
Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki vs. Yunel Escobar
 
Vero Beach got a big jumpstart when they acquired Escobar mid-season. In his 51 games, he hit an even .300 and drove in 40 runs while playing excellent defense. Troy Tulowitzki however had a MONSTER season in Washington. The shortstop hit 46 homers and drove in 140 and is the favorite to win the MVP. Not only does the man hit, but he can run and play defense as well. 'Tulo' has struggled so far this post-season but don't expect that to last long.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
Left Field: Ben Zobrist vs. Manny Ramirez/Raul Ibanez
 
Vero Beach rotates it's outfielders but these two should get the majority of the time in left. Manny had a great season, although only played in about half of it. He is still a power threat with 19 HR and 34 doubles to go along with his .304 batting average. The other half of this platoon hit 20 long balls and 32 doubles so together this is a pretty formidable threat. Zobrist came over from Napa midseason and gave the Booze Hounds another offensive threat in the lineup. He hit .309 upon arriving and hit 21 homers in 84 games. While Zobrist's numbers are good, the Vero Beach duo takes the award here with their experience and because Man-Ram has been in a grove all post-season.
 
EDGE: Vero Beach
 
Center Field: Shane Victorino vs. Torii Hunter
 
Hunter is a perennial all-star but struggled this season. While destroying lefties, righty pitching gave him problems which could be a problem for Vero Beach in this series. Despite offensive struggles he has destroyed opposing pitchers in the playoffs. And he still is the best defensive outfielder in the game. Victorino finished the season hitting .308 with decent power due to high double and triple numbers. Hunter may be the best defensive outfielder now but Victorino isn't too far behind.
 
EDGE: Vero Beach
 
Right Field: Carlos Gonzalez vs. Nelson Cruz
 
Washington has played a number of players in right field but Gonzalez should get the bulk of at-bats in the Championship Series. In limited time he was a stud. He drove in 53 runs and led the team with 12 triples. While Nelson Cruz's power numbers are there his batting average fell all the way down to .217. He does play good defense but it's not enough to overcome the excitement Gonzalez brings to a ballgame.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
Designated Hitter: Josh Willingham vs. Seth Smith/Lastings Milledge/Raul Ibanez
 
Seth Smith and the other various outfielders should all split DH duties. Willingham seems the most logical player to DH for Washington. They haven't needed a DH all year but Willingham had great offensive numbers when he played the outfield. I'm calling this one a wash only because it has yet to be seen how Washington plays using the DH.
 
EDGE: EVEN
 
Starting Pitching: Javier Vazquez and Co. vs. Justin Verlander and Co.
 
Vazquez had the best season of any pitcher in the TBA's short history. He might be the most valuable player on Washington! After Javy, Washington can throw out Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright rounding out arguably the best trio in baseball. Verlander led the major leagues with 316 strikeouts but did not have the best numbers outside of that. Jered Weaver and Carlos Zambrano are numbers two and three and although formidable can't touch Washington's group.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
Relief Pitching: David Aardsma and Co. vs. Francisco Rodriguez and Co.
 
K-Rod saved 31 games for Vero Beach with a 2.21 ERA. Darren Oliver may have been the best middle reliever for the team, winning 6 games and holding a 2.35 ERA. Aardsma leads a deep Washington group of relievers. Four relievers had ERAs under 3, perfectly complementing a great starting staff. Vero Beach will have a hard time as this bullpen can match up with just about anyone.
 
EDGE: Washington
 
Overall: Washington has an advantage on paper heading into the series but as we all know anything is possible in October, uhhh November. Vero Beach has been the underdog this entire post-season and has thrived on it. If any team would be the one to upset Washington, Vero Beach would be it. I know I'm looking forward to the games and I hope some of you will be there watching it too.