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This Is Unfair While Mitch Caren photo-bombs, Charlie McDonnell manages his wild card North Hampton Shamrock team against the Connecticut Crows who broke the ABA record for wins in 2016. Jerry Valenti fills in for an absent Mark Snyder and manages the powerhouse Crows to a 4-1 series win, including a 3 HR game by Cespedes. |
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Where's Bill? Brian Hoyt manages his One Eleven A's against Bill Guerra's Tampa Rambo War. Bill used TeamViewer software to manage his team remotely from his home in Florida. Brian looks on as TB comes from behind in Game 7 to win the series 4-3. |
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Getting Reacquainted Eddie Liebfried (center) attends his first Convention in many years, having rejoined the league for the 2016 season. Swapping stories with Eddie are Charlie McDonnell, Mitch Caren, Phil Grabar and Brian Hoyt. |
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My Players Play Like They're This Big Mitch Caren makes a point during the Friday night discussion |
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My Pinch-Hitter will be...ooo, a Trade Offer Mike Perry and Phil Grabar face off in a first round playoff series. The series goes the full 7 games with Phil's Grays prevailing to move on to the NLCS. |
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How Playoffs will be played in the 21st Century In an all-time Convention first, a playoff series (the ALCS) is played live at the Convention with both managers not there. Bill Guerra and Mark Snyder connected to this laptop via TeamViewer and played the series from their respective homes. Convention attendees were able to watch as each game was played. |
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Why is that pitcher still in the game? Brian Hoyt and Jerry Valenti take advantage of the opportunity to watch the ALCS being played and critique the moves being made by each manager. In a huge upset, Bill's Rambo War eliminates Mark's record-breaking Crows in 5 games. |
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Any Texas Players in this Draft? Tim Weidman reviews the list of available players, preparing for his next pick in the Free Agent Draft. |
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There are a lot of players in this draft that I want Eddie Liebfried and Charlie McDonnell participate in the Free Agent Draft |
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Who's Left? More Free Agent Draft action with Mike Perry, Mitch Caren and Brian Hoyt |
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Another Remote Series Phil Grabar takes on John Barna's Wranglers (who eliminated the Trailblazers in 7 games the week before the Convention) in the NLCS. Phil's Grays won the first 3 games but the Wranglers stormed back to win the next 3 before HG finally prevailed in the 7th game to move on to the World Series. |
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I Know What You Did Last Summer Mike, Mitch, Phil and Jerry show off their Baltimore Orioles t-shirts purchased at an Orioles game at Camden Yards last summer |
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Four Chen Tellers Since these shirts bore the name of former Oriole Wei-Yin Chen, they were on the clearance rack at Camden Yards for $9.99 (thus the sudden run on Chen shirts) |
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Deja Vu All Over Again Shortly after completing a hard fought remote series against WW, Phil is at it again, taking on Bill Guerra's Rambo War in the World Series in yet another remote series. TB had their homerun bats out as they powered their way to a series sweep and their first-ever ABA Championship. |
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He Probably Looks a Little Older Now Congratulations to 2016 ABA Champion Bill Guerra. The photo is from Convention #1 (held in 1987). |
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Last Man Standing With the clock showing midnight, all other Convention attendees (except Mitch and Jerry) are in their beds but Phil Grabar is on hand to accept the 2016 ABA Runner-Up trophy. He says this one will fit in his bag easier for the flight home. |
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I Get Them All With all trophies and plaques (other than the runner-up trophy) needing to go to managers who did not attend the Convention, Mitch Caren graciously offers to package them up and send them to the respective managers |
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Blue Fountain Diner Having completed the traditional Sunday morning breakfast at the Blue Fountain Diner, the managers still on hand (Charlie, Phil, Mitch, Brian, Eddie, Jerry) prepare to say their good-byes for this year and head for home. See you next year! |