Southern League playoff preview
After being forced to declare co-champions for the second time in 14 years a season ago because of a hurricane, the Southern League is definitely hoping for favorable weather this postseason.Chattanooga and Pensacola shared the title in 2017, when Hurricane Irma caused a cancellation of the championship series after the
After being forced to declare co-champions for the second time in 14 years a season ago because of a hurricane, the Southern League is definitely hoping for favorable weather this postseason.
Chattanooga and Pensacola shared the title in 2017, when Hurricane Irma caused a cancellation of the championship series after the Lookouts and Blue Wahoos won in the semifinals.
In 2004, Hurricane Ivan canceled the Finals and the Tennessee Smokies and Mobile BayBears were declared co-champions.
The only other time the Southern League had a shared title wasn't because of the weather. The Jacksonville Suns and former Huntsville Stars were declared co-champions in 2001 after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
This year's best-of-5 semifinals, beginning Wednesday, match the Jackson Generals against the Montgomery Biscuits in the North Division and the Biloxi Shuckers against Pensacola in the South.
Jackson Generals (75-64, North Division first-half champion) vs.
Montgomery Biscuits (79-61, North Division second-half champion)
Montgomery won the season series, 15-11
Game 1 at Jackson, Sept. 5 at 7:05 p.m. ET
Game 2 at Jackson, Sept. 6 at 7:05 p.m. ET
Game 3 at Montgomery, Sept. 7 at 7:35 p.m. ET
Game 4 at Montgomery (if necessary), Sept. 8 at 7:05 p.m. ET
Game 5 at Montgomery (if necessary), Sept. 9 at 6:05 p.m. ET
Widener went to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Solak to the Tampa Bay Rays in the three-way deal. That meant they would be Double-A opponents instead of teammates, which will continue in the playoffs.
Both should have prominent roles, too.
Widener, ranked as Arizona's No. 3 prospect, led the Southern League in strikeouts (176) and WHIP (1.03) for Jackson while finishing second in ERA (2.75). Solak, the Rays' No. 11 prospect, led the loop in on-base percentage (.384), hits (135) and runs scored (91) while finishing second with 76 RBIs, tying for fourth with a .282 average and winding up third with an .834 on-base plus slugging percentage. He belted 19 homers and 17 doubles.
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Solak, who was the Southern League's end-of-season All-Star second baseman, and Montgomery got the best of Widener in the regular season, handing him three losses in a year that ended with a 5-8 record for the right-hander.
That didn't change Solak's scouting report on his former Class A Advanced Tampa teammate, though.
"The Yankees had a lot of great arms in their system, and he was certainly one of those pitchers," said Solak, a second-round pick by New York. "He's got great stuff and is really tough to hit."
Montgomery won the second half and finished with the best record in the division, despite the promotion of
Righty
Montgomery and Jackson were the only teams in the league to finish in the top three for both runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
Biloxi Shuckers (81-59, South Division first- and second-half champion) vs.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos (69-68, South Division Wild Card)
Biloxi won the season series, 11-9
Game 1 at Biloxi, Sept. 5 at 7:35 p.m. ET
Game 2 at Biloxi, Sept. 6 at 7:35 p.m. ET
Game 3 at Pensacola, Sept. 7 at 7:35 p.m. ET
Game 4 at Biloxi (if necessary), Sept. 8 at TBD
Game 5 at Biloxi (if necessary), Sept. 9 at TBD
Despite missing a month in the second half because of a sprained ankle, Biloxi righty
Brown allowed four hits and a run over six innings in his final regular-season outing as the Shuckers improved to 19-2 in games started by the fifth-round pick out of the University of Kentucky in 2016.
He went 9-1, and his 2.44 ERA led qualified starters. His 1.04 WHIP and .207 average against were both second in the league.
His best outing of the year assured Biloxi's spot in the postseason.
Pitching against Mississippi on June 15, Brown allowed one hit and while striking out eight without walking anybody in a complete-game victory that clinched the first-half title in the South Division. In that gem, he had a perfect game until an error to start the eighth inning and carried the no-hitter until there were two outs in the ninth.
Brown faced Pensacola three times in the regular season, going 1-0 and allowing three earned runs in 17 innings.
With him at the front of the rotation and
Griep converted 34 of 37 save opportunities -- going 8-for-8 against Pensacola -- and his save total was the second best in Southern League history, which dates to 1964. Matt Peterson had 37 saves for Jacksonville in 2009.
A former starter at Kansas State University, Griep was dominant in Biloxi's home games, going 20-for-20 in saves and posting a 1.69 ERA. Brown was just as good at home, going 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA.
In brief
Late-season slump: Biloxi center fielder
Batting average champ: Jackson's
Home run milestone: Right fielder
Guy Curtright is a contributor to MiLB.com.