Cinderella Story! Lower Seeds Wreak Havoc in Playoff Bloodbath!

And then there were four! The first round of the FBBL playoffs is over, and it was pure, unadulterated chaos. High seeds fell, long-standing narratives were shattered, and two Cinderella stories have emerged from the carnage. For the managers who survived, the path to the championship is now clear. For those who were eliminated, the season is over, but the quest for a top draft pick next year has just begun. Let's break down the madness!

Playoff MASH Report

While head-to-head is all that matters now, it's no surprise that the teams who played the best, won. The MASH Monster crown for the first week of the playoffs goes to Bro Bichette (Zach), who posted a stellar MASH of 45-17-8 on his way to a massive upset. Right behind him was the other giant-killer, Staff Infection (Turg), who locked in the second-best MASH of 38-25-7. Their wins were no fluke; they were simply the better teams this week.

Playoff Homer Cup 🏆

It was a crowded field for the playoff edition of the Homer Cup, with three teams tying for the lead with 12 dingers. After going to the official tiebreaker, the winner (with the fewest At-Bats) is The Beetle Bunch (Benny)! A big week of power helps propel him into the semi-finals.

Upset City: The #2 and #3 Seeds Go Down!

The biggest story of the week was the utter demolition of the top of the bracket. Both the #2 and #3 seeds were unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs. It may not have been a total shock to some, as both G and Luke had admitted their teams were feeling cold heading into the postseason, and their fears were realized in brutal fashion.

(6) Bro Bichette d. (3) chicksDigtheLongball, 8-2 We called this the upset special, and it played out exactly as feared for the Commish. Luke's horrifying cold streak continued as his team put up a pathetic performance, while Zach—his season-long kryptonite—came to play. It was a dominant performance from Killer, who has now beaten Luke all three times they've played this year. The #3 seed's collapse is complete, while the #6 seed looks like a championship favorite.

(7) Staff Infection d. (2) Raleigh Caps, 6-3-1 While G's team entered the playoffs on a high note, they ran into the buzzsaw that is Turg. Proving his Week 11 victory was no fluke, Turg's red-hot squad took care of business, sending the #2 seed home in stunning fashion. Turg was a dangerous team that got hot at the perfect time, and now he finds himself just one win away from a shocking appearance in the finals. He might be telling the league he's Just Happy To Cheer, but it's clear his team is playing for much more.

The Favorites Advance

While chaos reigned elsewhere, the other two matchups went according to plan.

(1) Ricky Vaughn d. (8) Bronx Bombers, 6-4: The Cinderella story is over. DT's magical run came to an end against the league's top team. Interestingly, Forgy's team had a statistically poor week (5th-worst MASH), but like a true champion, he found a way to win even without his best stuff.

(4) The Beetle Bunch d. (5) TNTNT, 5-5: This one ended in a tie, but as the higher seed, Benny advances to the semi-finals! For TNTNT, it's a fittingly bizarre end to a season that saw them alternating between contender and pretender all year long.

Consolation Corner: A Word for the Fallen

To our eliminated managers—Luke, G, DT, and The Thompson Boys—thank you for a great season. And to those who were already eliminated—Joel, Ads, Jojo, and Neate—your watch has ended.

While your championship dreams are dashed, the focus now shifts to next year. To keep everyone involved, let's start the hot stove talk early: Poll for the Eliminated: Who are you rooting for to win the title now? And who is your early pick for your #1 keeper for next season? What kind of chips and dip should Neate plan to bring to the draft? Let the debate begin in the group chat!

FBBL Semi-Finals Preview!

Two spots in the championship are on the line. Here’s the tale of the tape for the semi-final round.

(1) Ricky Vaughn vs. (4) The Beetle Bunch

The Juggernaut vs. The Powerhouse. Forgy survived a scare in round one and now faces the league's most statistically dominant offense. While Forgy looked a bit vulnerable last week, he has absolutely owned Benny this season, beating him handily in Week 9 (7-1) and Week 20 (7-3). Benny's path to victory is clear: his league-leading bats need to show up and overwhelm the #1 seed. Can Forgy's all-around dominance hold up with whatever magic he appears to be sprinkling over his roster, or will Beetle's big bats finally get their revenge?

(6) Bro Bichette vs. (7) Staff Infection

The Cinderella Showdown! This is the matchup nobody saw coming. Two giant-killers who just knocked off the #2 and #3 seeds now face each other for a spot in the finals. Both teams are scorching hot: Zach was the MASH Monster this week thanks to a huge week from Jo Adell, and Turg was right behind him anchored by solid performances from some of his studs. They split their season series, with Zach winning 8-2 back in Week 2 and Turg returning the favor with a 6-3 victory in Week 13. This is a true toss-up between two teams peaking at the absolute perfect time. Who will keep the miracle run alive?