The Good Guys embarked on what would be their final regular season road trip of the year, dropping two of three in New York, before losing two of three in Atlanta. They finished the regular season on the road, in Houston, winning two out of three there, including the regular season finale. They returned home, on Sunday, and had two days to prepare for their favorite time of year, October.
In an unusual bit of scheduling, two of the teams whom the Good Guys had played in the final weeks of the season, were in the playoffs, so, potentially, the Paradise Islanders would be very familiar with them, going into the playoffs.
The National League Division Series began on a Tuesday in Paradise, against the wild card Atlanta Braves. Kate Hudson opposed Atlanta's John Smoltz, as she had twice in the final two weeks of the regular season. Both were great, firing blanks over six innings in Game One. In the seventh, Paradise nicked Smoltz for a run. The run held up until the ninth, when Hilary Duff relieved Kate, and put the Braves down, for a 1-0 Good Guy win, to draw first blood. Gil Bellows pitched Game Two, against Atlanta's Tim Hudson. Hudson got hit, allowing three runs in six innings, while Bellows permitted just one in his seven innings of work. In the eighth, the bullpen got into trouble, but once again, Duff saved the day, and nailed down Paradise's 3-1 triumph, to take a commanding two game to none lead.
After an off day Thursday, the teams met at Turner Field in Atlanta for Game Three in Friday night. Charlize Theron would oppose young Braves lefty Chuck James. Charlize was not at her best, allowing four runs. James, on the other hand, with Atlanta facing elimination, was great, permitting only two runs, and keeping the Braves in the series, with a 4-2 victory. Hudson and Smoltz would go at it again in Game Four. John Smoltz, the prototypical October pitcher, allowed but two runs in eight innings. However, Kate was simply brilliant, shutting out the powerful Braves through eight innings, and once again combining with Hilary Duff, who got her third save of the series, silencing the Braves big crowd, with a 2-0 Good Guy win, to send them to the National League Championship Series against the Mets, on Tuesday night.
Unlike other years, where the Good Guys would have home field in the NLCS, this year was different. The Mets had a better record than did Paradise that year, so, the Paradise Islanders had to fly back to Paradise, work out, pack clothes, and then go to New York. They did so on Monday, flying to New York, to open the series at Shea Stadium on Tuesday night.
On Tuesday, in front of over 55,000 Metmaniacs, the NLCS opened at Shea. Gil Bellows was the starter for the Good Guys. He pitched well, allowing three runs in six innings. Met starter Tom Glavine was better, though, permitting just two runs, and combining with the awesome Mets bullpen, to silence the Good Guys, 3-2, to take the first game. Kate Hudson, on three days rest, got the call in Game Two. Once again, Kate was great, allowing but one run in seven innings, as the Good Guys walloped starter John Maine for four in the first, and silenced the sellout Shea gathering, with a 6-1 decision, to tie up the series.
After an off day Thursday, the teams met at Good Guy Stadium on Friday night. Charlize Theron had the ball. She was magnificent, firing six shutout innings, as Mets starter El Duque, Orlando Hernandez, was hit for three runs, and the Mets could not recover, dropping the game, 3-0. So far in the series, Paradise had followed the blueprint, dominate with pitching, and shut down the absolutely volcanic Met lineup. It remained to be seen if it would continue. Bellows and Glavine would hook up again in Game Four. Bellows allowed only one run to the hard hitting Mets. This time, however, one was enough, as Glavine shut down the Good Guys, for eight innings, and then combined with Mets closer Billy Wagner, on a 1-0 shutout, to tie up the series. Hudson and Maine would again hook up in Game Five, a must win game for Paradise. Maine allowed but two runs in his eight innings of work, but, one more time, the Mets could not hit, and got shut down, as Kate allowed them no runs in eight innings, and Duff blew them away in the ninth, for a 2-0 Good Guy win. They were one win from the Series, but would have to get that win in New York.
The teams flew back to New York for Game Six on Tuesday night. Charlize Theron again opposed El Duque. Duque allowed single runs over the first three innings of the game, but that was all. Charlize, however, was incredible, allowing but one run in her seven innings, and combining with the bullpen, to get the needed fourth win, a 3-1 decision, to send the Good Guys to the World Series on Saturday night,
In a curious bit of fate, and, not surprisingly, the Good Guys opponent that year would be the Yankees, and, the series, would open in New York. Yet, with four days before the series, Good Guy manager Lee Sniderman announced that his ballclub would fly back to Paradise, rest, and work out, and fly back to New York on Friday night, to open the series at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night. When reporters asked the Good Guy manager why he was doing this, he stated that he wanted his "Kids", as he always called his players, to clear their heads in their homes. He didnt think that spending a week in New York, with all the media coverage, would be beneficial, so, he decided that it would be best to have them at home.
So, the Good Guys did just that, flying home, resting, working out, and returning to New York on Friday, to open the World Series.
On Saturday night, 60,000 Yankee faithful, filled the House That Ruth built, for Game One. The Good Guys were well rested, and the starters were Kate Hudson vs Chin Min Wang. Wang was good, allowing two runs in seven innings. Kate, however, was better, giving up only one run, and then watching as the bullpen shut down the powerful Yankee offense, in what would be a 2-1 opening game Good Guy win. Paradise had stolen Game One, and, while being reserved in the interviews after, felt good about that. Gil Bellows pitched Game Two. The Yankees jumped all over him early, for five runs, and won going away, with a 5-2 victory, to tie up the series.
Going home, the Good Guys felt good, knowing that if they could win at least two at home, they would be in good shape. Charlize Theron had the ball for Paradise in Game Three. The Good Guys came out firing, against Yankee starter Mike Mussina, socring four times in the opening inning, and never looking back, for a 6-1 win, to take the series lead. Hudson and Wang would hook up again in Game Four. Wang allowed single runs in the first three innings, and then nothing else, but Kate was dominant, shutting down the powerful Yankees for eight innings, and then combining with Duff, to give Paradise a 3-0 win, that put them one win from a party. Gil Bellows would try to get that win on Thursday night, as the Good Guys had the Yankees down two games, on their home field. The Good Guys took a 3-0 lead, but the Yankees stormed back, tying the game in the eighth, and then taking the lead in the ninth, on a three run homer, off Hilary Duff. Mr Mariano Rivera put Paradise away in the bottom half, and the Good Guys would have to board a plane to New York, with the series lead, but mindful, they had a chance to close it out, and could not nail down the final win on their home field.
On Saturday night, the Yankee throng jammed the Bronx. Charlize Theron would try to bring the Good Guys a title, on enemy territory. Paradise knew they had blown Game Five, and did not want the series to go to a Game Seven. The Good Guys scored two runs early, as Theron was dominant, allowing but two hits, and striking out eight, into the eighth. In the ninth, Charlize went to the mound, one inning from a championship. The first batter she faced got on. Sniderman, wanting a fresh arm on the road, came to the mound, patted Charlize on the back, and called for Hilary Duff. Duff allowed a sharp single, and then, after getting the next two men out, and being only one out from a title, Arod came up. Duff pitched extremely carefully, but left a ball just on the outside corner. Arod went down and got it, and hit it to right. Mitch tracked it, it went back, and back. Mitch reached up with his glove, but could not come up with it. It was a three run homer, the Yankees had won, and set up a winner take all Game Seven on Sunday night. The Good Guy clubhouse was deathly quiet. They had blown two chances to win the World Series, and now, would have to face a Game Seven.
For Game Seven, Kate Hudson opposed Chin Min Wang. All pitchers were available for Paradise, with the exception of Game Six starter Charlize. For the Good Guys, it was almost a wanting to win in desperation, as, they would be left as awful goats, if they blew a three game to one lead in the series, something they had never done before. Wang allowed two early Good Guy runs, and that was all. Kate, meanwhile, allowed but nothing, scattering four hits, and being unscathed in the runs column. The game went to the ninth, where Hilary Duff relieved Kate. Three outs, and the Good Guys would have a title, but yet, something didnt feel right, because, they had been in this postion the last two nights, and didnt come through. Duff allowed a base hit, and then a walk. After an out, she allowed a ringing double to the wall, bringing home a run, and putting runners on second and third. Then, only one strike away from victory, she gave up a wild pitch, to allow the Yankees to tie the score, and put the winning run on third. Now, the Good Guys needed to get an out, and go to extras, if they were to survive. The next batter. Jeter, hit a bloop ball, that went just over the infield, and fell into Center Field, in front of Ed Burns. With that ball, the winning run scored, and the Good Guys dreams of a championship, died in the shallow outfield of the House That Ruth Built. The Good Guys stood on the field, stunned, before quietly going to their clubhouse, as the Yankee fans celebrated. This was, without a doubt, their worst World Series loss ever. In others, they had played like champions. If the two game to none lead, they had blown, several years earlier, in the World Series was difficult enough, this was ten times as bad. They had attained a three game to one lead, and, at times, had been one out, and one strike, from a championship, and they had just simply blown it. There was no explanation. Whether it was bad Good Guy play, poor relief pitching by Paradise, or clutch efforts by the Yankees, the Good Guys had essentially gift wrapped a title to the Yankees, by just imploding over the last three games.
After the Good Guys clubhouse door was closed for fifteen minutes, the media was finally permitted enterance. Sniderman had little to say. "What can I say. Congratulations to them. I thought we had it. It's hard to criticize one's team when they come this far, but, the bottom line is, we had them down three games to one, had leads in three games, and could not close the deal, on our home field, or here. It is going to be a very long, very bitter winter. This will take a while to swallow, but, swallow it we will, as we always have, and we will be back next year, hopefully to claim a title" Sniderman said.
When the team got home to Paradise, everyone stayed glued to their apartments for two days, saying little. Mitch and Naomi wandered around their apartment, almost in silence. Finally, after three days, the team scheduled the last tickle party, before they would scatter for the winter. The players still felt numb, like they had been punched in the stomaches. Yet, they were strong, they had lost before, although never like that, and would have to rise above to fight the next year.
In the meantime, the team held it's last tickle party. The featured lees would be the Good Guys female members of the bullpen, who had been largely responsible for the series being blown. Hilary Duff was tied hands and feet to the bed, in the middle of the fetish club. Second baseman Russell began the tickle on Duff's neck with fingers, as she moved her head, and the giggles began:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEEHHEHEEHEHEHE! Working down, Center Fielder Burns was next, tickling Hilary on her underarms, sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as she squealed:HHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEEHEHE! Moving down, left fielder Dawson was the next ler, attacking Hilary's hips, inner thighs, and behind her knees:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEH! Finally, Mitch positoned himself at Duff's feet, and attacked them with fingers, feathers, and ice. Duff went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and screaming with laughter:HEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHHE! OMG PLEASE NO MORE! I GIVE UP! NOOOO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEH! Finally, the tickle ended, and Duff was untied.
The season of the Good Guys had concluded with a bitter, bitter end. It would take time to swallow, and digest. The only silver lining, is that, in spite of the heartbreak, there was always next year. Yes, next year would always be for the Tickle Team From Paradise Island.
The End
In an unusual bit of scheduling, two of the teams whom the Good Guys had played in the final weeks of the season, were in the playoffs, so, potentially, the Paradise Islanders would be very familiar with them, going into the playoffs.
The National League Division Series began on a Tuesday in Paradise, against the wild card Atlanta Braves. Kate Hudson opposed Atlanta's John Smoltz, as she had twice in the final two weeks of the regular season. Both were great, firing blanks over six innings in Game One. In the seventh, Paradise nicked Smoltz for a run. The run held up until the ninth, when Hilary Duff relieved Kate, and put the Braves down, for a 1-0 Good Guy win, to draw first blood. Gil Bellows pitched Game Two, against Atlanta's Tim Hudson. Hudson got hit, allowing three runs in six innings, while Bellows permitted just one in his seven innings of work. In the eighth, the bullpen got into trouble, but once again, Duff saved the day, and nailed down Paradise's 3-1 triumph, to take a commanding two game to none lead.
After an off day Thursday, the teams met at Turner Field in Atlanta for Game Three in Friday night. Charlize Theron would oppose young Braves lefty Chuck James. Charlize was not at her best, allowing four runs. James, on the other hand, with Atlanta facing elimination, was great, permitting only two runs, and keeping the Braves in the series, with a 4-2 victory. Hudson and Smoltz would go at it again in Game Four. John Smoltz, the prototypical October pitcher, allowed but two runs in eight innings. However, Kate was simply brilliant, shutting out the powerful Braves through eight innings, and once again combining with Hilary Duff, who got her third save of the series, silencing the Braves big crowd, with a 2-0 Good Guy win, to send them to the National League Championship Series against the Mets, on Tuesday night.
Unlike other years, where the Good Guys would have home field in the NLCS, this year was different. The Mets had a better record than did Paradise that year, so, the Paradise Islanders had to fly back to Paradise, work out, pack clothes, and then go to New York. They did so on Monday, flying to New York, to open the series at Shea Stadium on Tuesday night.
On Tuesday, in front of over 55,000 Metmaniacs, the NLCS opened at Shea. Gil Bellows was the starter for the Good Guys. He pitched well, allowing three runs in six innings. Met starter Tom Glavine was better, though, permitting just two runs, and combining with the awesome Mets bullpen, to silence the Good Guys, 3-2, to take the first game. Kate Hudson, on three days rest, got the call in Game Two. Once again, Kate was great, allowing but one run in seven innings, as the Good Guys walloped starter John Maine for four in the first, and silenced the sellout Shea gathering, with a 6-1 decision, to tie up the series.
After an off day Thursday, the teams met at Good Guy Stadium on Friday night. Charlize Theron had the ball. She was magnificent, firing six shutout innings, as Mets starter El Duque, Orlando Hernandez, was hit for three runs, and the Mets could not recover, dropping the game, 3-0. So far in the series, Paradise had followed the blueprint, dominate with pitching, and shut down the absolutely volcanic Met lineup. It remained to be seen if it would continue. Bellows and Glavine would hook up again in Game Four. Bellows allowed only one run to the hard hitting Mets. This time, however, one was enough, as Glavine shut down the Good Guys, for eight innings, and then combined with Mets closer Billy Wagner, on a 1-0 shutout, to tie up the series. Hudson and Maine would again hook up in Game Five, a must win game for Paradise. Maine allowed but two runs in his eight innings of work, but, one more time, the Mets could not hit, and got shut down, as Kate allowed them no runs in eight innings, and Duff blew them away in the ninth, for a 2-0 Good Guy win. They were one win from the Series, but would have to get that win in New York.
The teams flew back to New York for Game Six on Tuesday night. Charlize Theron again opposed El Duque. Duque allowed single runs over the first three innings of the game, but that was all. Charlize, however, was incredible, allowing but one run in her seven innings, and combining with the bullpen, to get the needed fourth win, a 3-1 decision, to send the Good Guys to the World Series on Saturday night,
In a curious bit of fate, and, not surprisingly, the Good Guys opponent that year would be the Yankees, and, the series, would open in New York. Yet, with four days before the series, Good Guy manager Lee Sniderman announced that his ballclub would fly back to Paradise, rest, and work out, and fly back to New York on Friday night, to open the series at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night. When reporters asked the Good Guy manager why he was doing this, he stated that he wanted his "Kids", as he always called his players, to clear their heads in their homes. He didnt think that spending a week in New York, with all the media coverage, would be beneficial, so, he decided that it would be best to have them at home.
So, the Good Guys did just that, flying home, resting, working out, and returning to New York on Friday, to open the World Series.
On Saturday night, 60,000 Yankee faithful, filled the House That Ruth built, for Game One. The Good Guys were well rested, and the starters were Kate Hudson vs Chin Min Wang. Wang was good, allowing two runs in seven innings. Kate, however, was better, giving up only one run, and then watching as the bullpen shut down the powerful Yankee offense, in what would be a 2-1 opening game Good Guy win. Paradise had stolen Game One, and, while being reserved in the interviews after, felt good about that. Gil Bellows pitched Game Two. The Yankees jumped all over him early, for five runs, and won going away, with a 5-2 victory, to tie up the series.
Going home, the Good Guys felt good, knowing that if they could win at least two at home, they would be in good shape. Charlize Theron had the ball for Paradise in Game Three. The Good Guys came out firing, against Yankee starter Mike Mussina, socring four times in the opening inning, and never looking back, for a 6-1 win, to take the series lead. Hudson and Wang would hook up again in Game Four. Wang allowed single runs in the first three innings, and then nothing else, but Kate was dominant, shutting down the powerful Yankees for eight innings, and then combining with Duff, to give Paradise a 3-0 win, that put them one win from a party. Gil Bellows would try to get that win on Thursday night, as the Good Guys had the Yankees down two games, on their home field. The Good Guys took a 3-0 lead, but the Yankees stormed back, tying the game in the eighth, and then taking the lead in the ninth, on a three run homer, off Hilary Duff. Mr Mariano Rivera put Paradise away in the bottom half, and the Good Guys would have to board a plane to New York, with the series lead, but mindful, they had a chance to close it out, and could not nail down the final win on their home field.
On Saturday night, the Yankee throng jammed the Bronx. Charlize Theron would try to bring the Good Guys a title, on enemy territory. Paradise knew they had blown Game Five, and did not want the series to go to a Game Seven. The Good Guys scored two runs early, as Theron was dominant, allowing but two hits, and striking out eight, into the eighth. In the ninth, Charlize went to the mound, one inning from a championship. The first batter she faced got on. Sniderman, wanting a fresh arm on the road, came to the mound, patted Charlize on the back, and called for Hilary Duff. Duff allowed a sharp single, and then, after getting the next two men out, and being only one out from a title, Arod came up. Duff pitched extremely carefully, but left a ball just on the outside corner. Arod went down and got it, and hit it to right. Mitch tracked it, it went back, and back. Mitch reached up with his glove, but could not come up with it. It was a three run homer, the Yankees had won, and set up a winner take all Game Seven on Sunday night. The Good Guy clubhouse was deathly quiet. They had blown two chances to win the World Series, and now, would have to face a Game Seven.
For Game Seven, Kate Hudson opposed Chin Min Wang. All pitchers were available for Paradise, with the exception of Game Six starter Charlize. For the Good Guys, it was almost a wanting to win in desperation, as, they would be left as awful goats, if they blew a three game to one lead in the series, something they had never done before. Wang allowed two early Good Guy runs, and that was all. Kate, meanwhile, allowed but nothing, scattering four hits, and being unscathed in the runs column. The game went to the ninth, where Hilary Duff relieved Kate. Three outs, and the Good Guys would have a title, but yet, something didnt feel right, because, they had been in this postion the last two nights, and didnt come through. Duff allowed a base hit, and then a walk. After an out, she allowed a ringing double to the wall, bringing home a run, and putting runners on second and third. Then, only one strike away from victory, she gave up a wild pitch, to allow the Yankees to tie the score, and put the winning run on third. Now, the Good Guys needed to get an out, and go to extras, if they were to survive. The next batter. Jeter, hit a bloop ball, that went just over the infield, and fell into Center Field, in front of Ed Burns. With that ball, the winning run scored, and the Good Guys dreams of a championship, died in the shallow outfield of the House That Ruth Built. The Good Guys stood on the field, stunned, before quietly going to their clubhouse, as the Yankee fans celebrated. This was, without a doubt, their worst World Series loss ever. In others, they had played like champions. If the two game to none lead, they had blown, several years earlier, in the World Series was difficult enough, this was ten times as bad. They had attained a three game to one lead, and, at times, had been one out, and one strike, from a championship, and they had just simply blown it. There was no explanation. Whether it was bad Good Guy play, poor relief pitching by Paradise, or clutch efforts by the Yankees, the Good Guys had essentially gift wrapped a title to the Yankees, by just imploding over the last three games.
After the Good Guys clubhouse door was closed for fifteen minutes, the media was finally permitted enterance. Sniderman had little to say. "What can I say. Congratulations to them. I thought we had it. It's hard to criticize one's team when they come this far, but, the bottom line is, we had them down three games to one, had leads in three games, and could not close the deal, on our home field, or here. It is going to be a very long, very bitter winter. This will take a while to swallow, but, swallow it we will, as we always have, and we will be back next year, hopefully to claim a title" Sniderman said.
When the team got home to Paradise, everyone stayed glued to their apartments for two days, saying little. Mitch and Naomi wandered around their apartment, almost in silence. Finally, after three days, the team scheduled the last tickle party, before they would scatter for the winter. The players still felt numb, like they had been punched in the stomaches. Yet, they were strong, they had lost before, although never like that, and would have to rise above to fight the next year.
In the meantime, the team held it's last tickle party. The featured lees would be the Good Guys female members of the bullpen, who had been largely responsible for the series being blown. Hilary Duff was tied hands and feet to the bed, in the middle of the fetish club. Second baseman Russell began the tickle on Duff's neck with fingers, as she moved her head, and the giggles began:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEEHHEHEEHEHEHE! Working down, Center Fielder Burns was next, tickling Hilary on her underarms, sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as she squealed:HHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEEHEHE! Moving down, left fielder Dawson was the next ler, attacking Hilary's hips, inner thighs, and behind her knees:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEH! Finally, Mitch positoned himself at Duff's feet, and attacked them with fingers, feathers, and ice. Duff went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and screaming with laughter:HEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHHE! OMG PLEASE NO MORE! I GIVE UP! NOOOO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEH! Finally, the tickle ended, and Duff was untied.
The season of the Good Guys had concluded with a bitter, bitter end. It would take time to swallow, and digest. The only silver lining, is that, in spite of the heartbreak, there was always next year. Yes, next year would always be for the Tickle Team From Paradise Island.
The End
