I agree Roy.  Even though it was a small league, it was sure fun to go up against some really good players, who stayed involved all season.  THANKS GUYS!

And what a finish!!!  This was fantasy mimicking reality to the full extent possible.  Here's the final score of the championship match:

R HR RBI SB AVG W SV K ERA WHIP FINAL

Extreme Aardvark 56 23 59 7 .294 4 13 70 3.70 1.13   5

Eskimo Joe 62 21 63 8 .306 4  5 66 3.73 1.17   4

As you can see, a very close contest, one in which I said could go either way on Friday morning.  At that point the Aardvark was ahead 9-0.  After Friday, the 'Vark was ahead 6-3.  Going into Sunday, Eskimo Joe had pulled ahead 5-4!

I was at work Wednesday night, so could only occasionally check the scores.  Early on, Eskimo went ahead 5-3.  It wasn't looking good as David Price got bombed for the 'Vark to the tune of a 11.25 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP.  AND THEN, to the Aardvarks shock, Cole Hamels entered the game for Eskimo in the 3rd inning.  Thought that would clinch ERA and WHIP for Eskimo Joe, BUT, Hamels gave up 2 runs in 3 innings to keep it close.  In fact, WHIP was now tied with no starters going anymore.  That category was up to the closers.

When I left work, the score had somehow turned to 5-4, with Eskimo in the lead.  He was pretty much a lock with runs and RBI and batting average.  He had gone ahead in stolen bases by one and in HR's by one.  But wait!  Evan Longoria hit a HR in the 8th for the Rays (and for the Aardvark) to tie that category as I headed out the door.

I mentioned Longoria….you can see where this is going.

Got home, talked to the wife, and later looked to see…..I had won!  Not only that, I won because of the best finish to the end of a regular season in baseball history.  I had Matt Kemp hit a HR to take the lead there.  So I didn't need Longoria's 2nd HR…for the HR category.  BUT Eskimo Joe had Jon Papelbon pitching, and his blown save combined with Andrew Bailey throwing a shut-out inning in Seattle secured the ERA and WHIP categories for the Aardvark.  At the last possible moments.  Wow.  

And then I flashed back to early in the season, when I made a trade.  I gave away Albert Pujols for Evan Longoria.  That deal, season long, was a bust for me.  But it paid off on the last night of the season.

Goes to show you never know.  What a fun season.