The Bree Cheese: A Season to Remember

By Azzog the Thug

BREE - The Bree locker room is subdued, but there is no trace of defeat in the air after the heartbreaking 9th-inning, 7th-game loss to the Bucklebury Fairies in the Shire Conference Two Towers Championship Series. Instead, there is an powerful feeling of pride and accomplishment: The Cheese, last year's lovable losers, have developed into a Balrog.

To explain this seeming paradox, one must turn back the clock a year: The Bree Cheese finished an injury-riddled season dead last in their division, 36 games out of first place with a second-to-worst league record of 68-94. At that time, no one could have predicted that one year later this same team would finish the season with the league's best record of 101-61 and fall just short of the Return of the King Series by one disastrous half-inning.

What caused this seemingly miraculous turn-around?

During the off-season, they signed free agent closer Dejath Belarà. Not only did Belara fill the Cheese's need at closer, but he performed so well that he was selected to the All-Star team and is the leading candidate for this year's Gwaihir Reliever Award. Cheese fans can only wonder what the outcome of Game 7 would have been if Belara, who had been injured in an earlier game, had been pitching in that dream-shattering 9th inning. After all, had he been healthy, that's where he would have been.

They also signed starter Dejahth Anylith, who was coming off a horrible 3-15, 7.20 season with Old Forest. Bree scouts, however, saw something in this lightly-regarded pitcher and their confidence paid off as he quickly became the Cheese's #2 starter with a 10-7, 4.08 record. Anylith also provided Cheese fans with another what-if: His injury during the last week of the regular season kept him out of the playoffs.

Three surprise players obtained in the off-season were free agent Vrsorbag Swordeater, who batted .262 with 11 HR, outfielder free agent Gandeohil Gaman, who batted .295 with 8 HR, and Gus Hurlburt, a light-hitting thirdbaseman obtained from Numenor, who ended the season with a .304 batting average and 4 HR. These players provided solid performances throughout the year.

Another key figure in this year's turnaround season was obtained via a trade with Rohan early during the season: Rookie starting pitcher Zuthor Toviel. Although he started slowly with the Cheese, as his confidence grew so did his performance. He ended the season as the Cheese's #3 starter with an 11-10, 4.28 record. Other trades netted veteran relievers Boraiborn Belülith (Misty Mountain) and Vruugak Throatshaker (Rohan).

Even the Bree minor league system provided quality rookie help: Outfielder Denaigol Denaihir contributed a .283, 7 HR, 30 RBI season, while infielder Eugene Maker went .333 with 3 HR. Firstbaseman Sesin Silvermasher and Reliever Dejatok Belebrildur made brief, but quality appearances on the big league team.

And then there were the veteran Cheese:

Gogak Drowslammer, All-Star, #1 Starting Pitcher: 3.46, 19-5.

Ralin Rockbinder, All-Star Centerfielder: .285, 43 HR, 124 RBI, and a conference-leading 60 SB.

Arwildoc Belebrindil, Shortstop: .273, 34 HR, 119 RBI, 56 SB.

Throatwarbler Mangrove, outfielder: .300, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 41 SB.

Vatok Thräthien, Firstbaseman: .294, 12 HR, 66 RBI, 23 SB.

Boli Armormaker, Catcher: .257, 30 HR, 95 RBI, 5 SB.

Moignar Orebreaker, #4 Starter: 4.52, 15-8.

Isseen Elarar(*), Secondbaseman: .276, 10 HR, 37 RBI, 41 SB. (*)Elarar was 41-1 in stolen bases in only HALF a season! Another key Cheese injury that could've made a big difference.

All-in-all, this edition of the Bree Cheese was a very strong, very talented ball club who have the right to be proud of their accomplishments. After all, their goal for the 2004 season was simply "a winning season". Not only did they meet that goal, but far exceeded it ...

They finished the season with the Best Record in the league, 101-61.

They won the Dwarf Division Pennant by beating the powerful Bucklebury team on the final day of the season.

They won their Fellowship Series against the tough Rivendell team in seven games.

They fought Bucklebury to the last inning of the last game of the Shire Conference Two Towers Series.

... and they did this while battling a string of injuries to key players. The "what if's" are tantalizing:

What if 2B Elarar (the league's leading base stealer and the Cheese's lead-off hitter) had played the entire season?
What if SP Anylith (the Cheese's #2 starter) had been able to pitch in the payoffs?
What if CL Belara (the league's best reliever) had been able to take his rightful place on the mound in the 9th inning of Game 7?

"If only..." will be heard around Bree pubs for years to come.

This season is over, but next year will be here soon. Beware the Cheese- They will be back; and this time their goal is the crown!

Posted at December 25, 2003 09:41 AM | more from Bree