Squirrels Celebrate Their First eMLB Title!

The Springfield Flying Squirrels of Republic are the eMLB Champions for 2013! In a season that saw a new franchise record for wins, the club's second consecutive Western Division title, and an absolute revolving door of players come and go, the Squirrels hoisted their first eMLB Championship trophy, defeating the perennial powerhouse Dallas Redbirds in the final, 9-3.

The Squirrels dominated the categories throughout the playoffs, ousting three very strong teams in convincing fashion. The overall balance built throughout the year by GM Adam Anson came to fruition and proved its strength. The team was able to take different categories against differently constructed teams, while leaning on its foundation of power hitting and balanced pitching.

The first round found the Squirrels against a strong darkhorse in the Gaylord Dingers. The Squirrels got off to an early lead and never looked back, dominating the Dingers in the pitching categories and scraping out four offensive categories to take the matchup 9-2. Offensively Josh Donaldson and Freddie Freeman led the way, while it was the Squirrels' bullpen that really excelled in the pitching categories.

The second round pitted the Squirrels against the eMLB's winningest all-time franchise in the South Texas Heat. While the matchup was close for most of the week, the Squirrels pulled away during the weekend and ended up winning a matchup that saw the Heat perform well below their season averages, 9-3. Freddie Freeman once again lead the way offensively, and it was once again the bullpen that made the difference in the pitching categories, while most of the Squirrels SPers had strong outings.

In the eMLB Championship, the Squirrels faced off against an injury depleted Dallas Redbirds team that was without Jacoby Ellsbury, Wilin Rosario, and also dealt with a massive deficiency in SP starts. The Squirrels took advantage of their opportunity, and while the team underperformed in the power categories, the pitching was excellent and the offense was solid and efficient batting .332 during the series and posting solid numbers. Adam Wainwright was an absolute horse. In what may have been his final start for the Squirrels, he posted 2W, 10K, a 2.19ERA, and a 0.81WHIP, contributing heavily in several categories that decided a 9-3 decision that was much closer than the final score indicated.

The 2013 season ends in a championship that will be difficult to defend. To build this team, Anson had to deal away a lot, and the cupboard, while not bare, will be much emptier in the 2014 season than in the loaded up 2013. There is, however, a strong core of players coming back for 2014, and the Squirrels will likely be in the playoff hunt again. With a championship under his belt, it seems GM Adam Anson has now proven himself to be a force in the eMLB universe. Four seasons, two division titles and a championship speak for themselves. Here's to the 2013 Springfield Flying Squirrels of Republic! Here's to the eMLB!