This week delivered
another in a string of perfect winter baseball days out at West Sunset. The team agreed to try to start at noon,
figuring we could finish in time for players to watch the
football-game-whose-name-we-can't-mention-because-it's-a-registered-trademark. When we arrived, though, the outfield was
littered with kids' soccer teams, so we took an extended warmup, and finally
kicked the soccer players off at about 12:45.
We ended up with 15 players who had their priorities straight.
Johnny took the hill
for the home team, and the visitors jumped on him, combining a leadoff double
from Bob, a little dicey fielding, and a long home run from Loren (Johnny let
go of the pitch and said, "We're gonna need a new ball") for a
five-spot. DJ Greg started for the
visitors, and the home team came back in the bottom of the frame, sparked by
doubles by Duane and Mike Gaspar (one of his two, with nifty slides finishing
both of them). Johnny settled down, and
DJ held on too, and by the middle innings the score was 6-3. The visitors added two in the sixth, and the
home team came back with one more. By that time Greg took over on the hill for
the visitors, and Loren finished it out for the home team. The homers tacked on one more late insurance
run. We went to the bottom of the ninth
at 9-4, and so it ended.
By that time we
were past kickoff, but nobody seemed to mind much.
Highlights
* Once in a while, MBC
produces beautiful plays. Duane's double
in the first qualifies. He hit a solid
shot to left, and the outfield made a strong relay into second base, right on
target -- low and just to the first base side to the bag. I was playing second, took the throw, and
made what I thought was a nice tag. It
was on Duane's ankle, though, because his foot had just reached the bag. A bang-bang play, but clearly safe.
* Liam and Aidan are
starting to groove their swings. It's
never to early to groom the next generation.
* Loren's home run hit
high in that tree above the right field wall.
* Not long after that,
Gaspar beat out a double too, with the aforementioned nifty slide.
* Bob caught the entire
game, which probably makes up for the fact that he wasn't hit.
* We had a scary moment
on a pop to shallow center. I went out,
and DJ, who moved out there after he was done pitching, came in. DJ ducked to the ground, and I ended up
trying to vault over him. Trouble was, I
caught him in the ribs with my knee.
Just to show he was all right, the next inning he tried to beat out a
slow roller by making a belly slide into first base.
* With runners on first
and third and the first-base runner stealing, Bob managed to deke Tony into
trying to score from third. But Bob's throw was a feint, and Tony was out in
the rundown.
* Then there was that
looping line drive. I ended up on my
back, but I was able to hold up the ball, a catch. Bob described the effort as
"Dennis-like." Thanks.
* Despite the heavy
population in the DMZ, none of the infielders nailed anybody there.
* We're starting to see
more wood bats.
* The light attendance saw
some guys in unusual positions -- Mitch played the whole game at third, and
looked at home there. He made an
especially nice play on a short-hop grounder to end an inning.
JT.
Here is a short recap from Jon McGrath:
I would call it a "classic" MB game. A low key, fun vibe. Some good plays, a fair amount of errors and some good hits. We had about 15 guys, so lots of ABs. Johnny & Greg pitched for the homers and Japanese Greg and Loren pitched for the visitors.
Plays of interest from this author's perspective: Duane hit a screaming double to RC, Daniel made a great play at second, in the 3.5 gap, to throw somebody out at first, Loren hit a tree pruner to R, that knocked off a few leaves well above the R field wall, Bob hit a bomb to left. Liam and Aidan each stroked a couple of good ones too.
Most everyone hit with wood and the final score was in the range of 8-6 or 9- 5, or something like that.
Sounds like a great one- S. Paige
1 comment:
My priorities were straight, but my back wasn't. DL for sunday retroactive to mid week. Should be good for next sunday.
ed
Post a Comment