And so we meet again, Playoff Preview, History & Photo Extras

Once more the Biscuits find themselves face to face with a familiar foe, the Jackson Generals. Having a long history between them, including past postseason contests, the two teams also enjoyed a lively rivalry during the course of the regular season this summer. At least once the benches cleared, words exchanged. Now the opportunity arrives to see how it shakes out when it really counts.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Predictions are never easy, especially when working with watered down numbers - sort of like charting your position by the stars while in a fogbank. Yet we know a few important facts about both clubs that should give clues to what we could see.

 The Generals lead the league in home runs, they hit the ball hard and often over the wall. The Generals are capable of putting up multiple runs in multiple innings. Biscuit pitchers will look to keep the ball in the yard and limit the longball to solo shots as much as possible.

The Biscuits finished the year with 210 stolen bases, an amazing total. Look for Montgomery to continue its running ways, especially with the addition of speedster Johnny Davis.

Look for the Biscuit hitters to have good at bats and put the ball into play, Montgomery had the fewest strikeouts in the league this year. While they can be overpowered by a dominant pitcher, the Biscuits usually bring a good approach to the plate.

Biscuit hitters look for the extra base, leading the league in OPS in spite of being fourth in the circuit in home runs. Doubles and triples are a product of the team speed and have been an important key to Montgomery's success this season.

The two teams pitching totals match up closely, the Generals a little more prone to give up a walk and the Biscuits a little more liable to offer a gopher ball. Look for a tight series with little room for error by either teams pitchers.

Fly Ball? No problem. We got a man for that.

JASON GARCIA

I finally worked up the courage to ask Biscuits pitcher Jason Garcia about his encounter with Jose Bautista. You may recall the story, working in his rookie season he threw a pitch that went behind Joey Bats. On the next offering Bautista hit a homer and provided a bat flip to boot. We have all wondered if Garcia threw at Jose, and if he was told to do so.

I asked if it was something that people inquire about often, the Bautista at bat. "All the time" Jason said, flashing a smile and getting a laugh out of my careful attempt to find out if it was a sore subject. "And do you talk about it?" I inquired tactfully.

He laughed again, paused and told the story. No, he didn't throw AT Bautista, but he was instructed to "back him way off the plate". As Garcia tells it "I threw pretty hard back then, the funny thing is that I had been told to throw behind guys at other times, but not this time. It was just to back him off, really move him back in the box, and it got away, slipped."

Garcia's honest candor about the event makes it apparent that if he had been throwing at Bautista, he would have no problem saying so. And its a very cool story, even if Bautista got the bat flip at the end.

The sun sets on the 2019 regular season...

BISCUITS SOMBER SECOND HALF CLINCH
The Biscuits handled the Pensacola Wahoos in spite of heavy hearts and a strange schedule. Rain outs, moved games, unexpected tragedy, none of those things could slow the Biscuits from their date with baseball destiny. Topping the Montgomery record with 88 regular season wins, these guys have behaved like professionals since the first day of the season.

Yet when the team took the second half title, the win was more emotional than simple jubilation. There was no dogpile on the field, no shouting and jumping, no champagne celebration.None of the usual things, the circumstances were different, much deeper.

 Someone tossed a Biscuits cap on the mound, marked with BIV #32.


The Biscuits then gathered, stood together arm in arm in a circle around the pitchers mound. Players and coaches bowed their heads together and reflected on what they have been through.

A full minute passed in silence at the ballpark as everyone in the place turned their thoughts to those were weren't there. Only the whirring of the dugout fans broke the heavy air under the bright lights.

Then another silent minute passed, motionless.

Finally, the circle broke, players hugged each other and cried. Fans cheered respectfully and cried a little themselves as the team exited the field quietly and took to the clubhouse as a unit.

The emotions were high, for all who were there. I found several of the images of the postgame too strong to use, as a photographer I am simply not willing to expose someones personal experience in such a situation. Suffice to say, it got everyone in the park right in the feels.

PHOTO EXTRAS
A few random images from the recent series.

Vidal Brujan on the move

Josh Lowe making hard contact - and nearly killing the photographer!

Jim Haley hits a drive vs Wahoos

#BULLPENLIFE

THIS WEEK IN MONTGOMERY BASEBALL HISTORY

SEPTEMBER 3 1945
Royce Lint throws a no hitter for the Maxwell Bombers at home in Cramton Bowl vs. Craig Field. It is Lint's second no hitter of the season. The Maxwell Flyers were one of the greatest teams in Montgomery's history, due in part to their fine pitching staff that included four major leaguers.


SEPTEMBER 4, 1948 
Southeastern League, Frank Childs of the Montgomery Rebels pitched a 7-0 playoff no-hitter against the Anniston Rams. 

SEPTEMBER 6 1908 
Montgomery wins in 14 innings vs New orleans 4-1

SEPTEMBER 8 1908 
Montgomery gets ten hits and scores 11 to beat Little Rock

SEPTEMBER 9 1905 

1908 Montgomery Climbers

Montgomery Pitcher Lee throws a 2-hit shutout vs Little Rock

SEPTEMBER 9 1908 
Montgomery OF Elmer Bliss is 5-5 vs Mobile, as Montgomery racks up 15 hits.

SEPTEMBER 10 1906 
Montgomery pitcher Breitenstein allows just one run on three hits vs Little Rock but loses as Little Rock SP Keith shuts out Montgomery on just two hits.