In what was an exciting back and forth week with a confusing, tie-breaker ending, the 2023 World Series closed out tonight with the Fajita Eaters besting Pro Bowlers to win their first ever CPL World Series.
“So, like, I won…?” a battle-weary Rem was heard asking as the Sunday games closed out. And yes, he did. But his confusion (and shock) was understandable given the uncertainty and drama of the day. Coming into Sunday, the Fajita Eaters held a 10-5-1 lead over Pro Bowlers. And in fact had held the lead since taking it over after a big day on Wednesday, where they were able to overcome a very fast start to the week by the Bowlers. But on Sunday, desperate to reclaim their lead and take the title, Pro Bowlers felt the desperation and came out swinging. They were able to claim some categories and brought the score to a tie. Fajita Eaters, not ready to quit, got a miracle save from Kyle Finnegan at the very end of Sunday’s game to steal that category from Bowlers and take the league 7-6-3.
But wait, even though Rem had the lead 7-6-3 at the end of Sunday night’s games, there was the matter of the suspended Mets/Marlins game from Thursday to deal with. If MLB decided to continue the game, Pro Bowlers had still the option to take stolen bases. But if MLB decided to end the game as is, then Bowlers takes the wins category. At 7pm on Sunday night, MLB made it official and declared on their website that the Mets/Marlins game would not be resumed. Therefore, Bowlers stole wins (thanks to Nardi being the pitcher of record) and leveled the World Series score to 7-7-2. So, for only the second time in CPL history (the other time being 2016), the World Series would be decided by a tiebreaker.
Pro Bowlers had some big bats as their tiebreakers- young phenom Evan Carter and slugger Nathaniel Lowe. While Fajita Eaters had only one active tiebreaker for the game, Alec Bohm. Carter and Lowe did combine to hit .500 (3-6) for the Bowlers, but unfortunately for them, it was an empty .500. On the other side, despite being the lone slugger, Bohm managed to put up a terrific line: 2-4 with a HR, two RBIs, and a run.
Bohm’s big day taught us something very important: Fajita Eaters needed a Wichita State Shocker to win the World Series. And this fact was not lost on Rem who, after climbing out of his enormous state of shock, declared “I am forever grateful to Alec Bohm and Wichita State…so much so that I promise my next tattoo will be of iconic mascot Wu Shock” before screaming out a Rick Flare “Woooo!!!!!”
In the other dugout, Pat came out of Sunday’s games devastated. For the second year in a row, Pro Bowlers wins the National League Pennant only to come up short in the World Series. After the games Pat said “my guys put up a hell of a fight and it was incredible to see us climb to a tie on Sunday. But I knew it was over when I saw Alec Bohm was his tiebreaker. I mean, how could I compete with a Shocker? Even with two guys?”
But as incredible as Bohm was, he wasn’t the player most responsible for Fajita Eaters victory. That honor goes to another shocking hero: Jon Berti. Amazingly, Berti wasn’t even on the roster until Thursday. But he absolutely made the most of his at bats, and finished the week second on the team in hits (9) and runs (4), while leading the team in average (.474), walks (6), and OPS (1.405). He even contributed a stolen base. Berti, who had broken out last year with Pro Bowlers, had a bone to pick with his former organization and let the Bowlers know that they made a mistake letting him go.
When asked about the week, Pat humbly acknowledged “Yeah, it sucks. I made a couple mistakes that probably cost me. But that’s the way it goes I guess.”
And here is where the 2023 CPL year ends. After 17 long years, all the hard work pays off for Rem. So many years of heartbreak wiped out after the most important week in franchise history ends in victory. Congratulations, Rem! It’s nice to see determination and effort rewarded and I look forward to handing the trophy over to you at the Winter Meetings.
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