Introducing the FINAL FOUR:  Sectional III winner

The 1947 Senators went 64-90, good for next to last place in the American League, 27 games out, and an ELO rank as the 2,058th best team in baseball history.  Their main move in the preseason was re-acquiring longtime Senator outfielder George Case, who led the AL in stolen bases six times including in 1946, but the years of hard sliding had led to shoulder and back problems, and his hitting stroke was gone.  Hitting just .150, he retired in midseason, and the real-life Senators limped to another disappointing season.  However, manager Ossie Bluege has been outdone by a variety of managerial wizards in this tournament, because the Cinderella Senators have been the star of the ball.  Buoyed by Hall of Famers Early Wynn and Rick Ferrell, they have reeled off nine straight victories, including wins against two World Champions (the 1972 A’s and the 1952 Yankees) and an NL pennant winner in the 2017 Dodgers.  Of course, a certain amount of luck has also been involved, as the Yankees had lost Mickey Mantle, and their Final Four game against the Braves comes against a hole in the latter’s formidable rotation with John Smoltz getting injured on the final out of his previous start.  The Nats have had injuries of their own, with RF Buddy Lewis on the DL not once but twice in the project–but even this turns out to be fortuitous, as who better to replace Lewis than RF-3 Gil Coan and his freakish .500-hitting card.  Teams defeated to reach the Final Four: 1996 Pirates (1850) 7-4; 1911 Browns (2360) 2-1 (12); 1972 A's (254) 12-4; 2009 Royals (1878) 4-0; 1990 Brewers (1408) 1-0; 1995 Mets (1256) 9-3; 2017 Dodgers (86) 4-3; 1958 Yankees (121) 7-6; 2013 Dodgers (407) 5-0.  Key performers:  Stan Spence 2 HR 9 RBI, Mickey Vernon 2 HR 8 RBI, Eddie Yost 1 HR 7 RBI.  Injuries:  Buddy Lewis 8 games remaining (out for tournament).