This was quite possibly the most lopsided series in FEBC history. In three games the Memphis Mafia notched 41 runs, 41 base hits, drew 25 walks, hit 8 homers, batted .339 and racked up 23 K&Mac226;s with a 1.33 ERA. In contrast, the Carolina Blue Suede produced only 4 runs, 28 hits, 4 walks, 3 homers, a .276 average (how I don&Mac226;t know) and 37 K&Mac226;s with a 13.33 series ERA. You have to take a look at Jim Thome&Mac226;s series stat line:

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Game 1, Day 14:
Rain out, yet again!

Game 1, Day 15
Memphis starts out early, drawing walks for the first two guys, and then Jim Thome wacks one over the fence. After three it&Mac226;s a quick 9-0 Mafia, the Suede never has a chance. Bere stays in for seven, to avoid burning out the pen, and it only gets uglier; Thome ends up going 3-6, with a double, a tater and 5 RBI, Kent is 5-5 with 4 runs, 3 RBI, a double and two dingers, and Wells pitches the complete game, notching 9 K&Mac226;s in the process. At least the Suede avoid the shutout with a Kevin Millar solo shot in the 9th.

MEM 333 204 020 17 14 0
CAR 000 000 001 1 9 3

Mafia Data:
Pitching Wells (W) 9.0
Catching: Varitek 9
Home Runs: Thome (off Bere, 1st, two on), Kent (off Bere, 4th, nobody on),
Kent (off Nelson, 8th, one on)
Stolen Bases: none
Injuries: none
Ejections: none
Limits used: none

Blue Suede Data
Pitching: Bere (L, 0-3) 7.0, Nelson 2.0
Catching: Wilson 9
Home Runs: Millar (1)(off Wells, 9th, nobody on)
Stolen Bases: none
Injuries: none
Ejections: none
Limits used: none

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Game 2, Day 16 (evening):
If the Mafia took any time off last night&Mac226;s batting practice you wouldn&Mac226;t know it&Mac247;game two starts out the same, only it&Mac226;s 8-0 after two. Once again Thome rocks the Suede, this time batting 3-6 with another double and dinger, 3 runs and 6 RBI, while Oswalt goes the distance. Slowly improving, the Suede manage to hold the Mafia juggernaut to 16 runs and improve their offensive showing to 3. A frustrated Garret Stephenson makes his bid for FEBC history by plunking 4 Mafia batters in the game, before his arm falls off from his 150-pitch performance.

MEM 440 120 212 16 15 0
CAR 100 010 010 3 12 2

Mafia Data:
Pitching: Oswalt (W) 9.0
Catching: Varitek 5, Huckaby 4
Home Runs: Berkman (off Stephenson, 4th, nobody on), Thome (off Stephenson, 7th, one on), Huckab (off Stephenson, 8th, nobody on)
Stolen Bases: none
Injuries: none
Ejections: none
Limits used: Huckaby ?

Blue Suede Data:
Pitching: Stephenson (L, 0-2) 9.0
Catching: Wilson 9
Home Runs: Drew (2)(off Oswalt, 5th, noboy on), Pujols (3)(off Oswalt, 8th,
nobody on)
Stolen Bases: none
Injuries: none
Ejections: none
Limits used: none

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Game 3, Day 16 (night)
The rain-out make-up yields yet another long game for the Suede, although improvement is noted&Mac247;the shelling they receive is akin to 90mm cannon rather than the 155mm of the previous two games. Once again Jim Thome makes the Carolina pitchers look like AA ball, going 2-3 and smacking two solo shot runs. The Suede come close to putting one on the board a few times, but Mulder and his Jam rating get out of them despite 3 Mafia errors, and he notches the shutout.

MEM 141 000 002 8 12 3
CAR 000 000 000 0 7 0

Mafia Data:
Pitching: Mulder (W) 9.0
Catching: Varitek 8, Huckaby 1
Home Runs: Thome (off Wells, 1st, nobody on), Thome (off Wells, 3d, nobody
on)
Stolen Bases: none
Injuries: none
Ejections: none
Limits used: Huckaby?

Blue Suede Data:
Pitching: Wells (L, 1-2) 3.0, Brower 4.0, Nelson 2.0
Catching: Wilson 9
Home Runs: none
Stolen Bases: none
Injuries: none
Ejections: none
Limits used: none