Well, I sent out the email saying I was playing, just like I always do after a long hiatus, and we barely had a game. But now I have the basis of a empirical research study, so that next time I can send out an email saying that I am not playing and see how that affects the numbers.
It was a very muggy day, there was a huge fog bank sitting on SF, and the sun came through for about 5 minutes over the course of the game. Mostly it was just humid. We had 8 people there at 3pm, which increased to 10, then we convinced our new left fielder Andrew to play, as he was was wandering around the park with a glove. Our kind of player. Then a few more people showed up and we had 13, which apparently is the new MBC standard.
The game had started with only 10, so I was all-time pitcher and Mitch was all-time catcher, with 2 teams of 4. I threw 3 innings or 9 outs worth of pitches before the official game started, and then threw the rest of the regular game-- but we only played 7 innings.
The real story is Mike Lattig, who pitched for the other team and managed to throw no-hit ball for 99% of the game. He gave up a hit to Abe (which was argued as an automatic out while we were playing 2 outfielder/dead field rule) and then retired the next 17 batters in a row. He had only 2 new counts. Pretty amazing! Cap tip to the wily right-hander. Mitch should get credit too, as I think he called a great game.
I matched the zeroes for the first few, but as all things must eventually pass, the homers scored a run, then another and then they had some hits, and then we had a couple of errors that didn't get us out of the innings and the floodgates opened. Dave in particular, really took me to the woodshed and had about 6 RBIs for the day. But everyone was hitting.
In the middle innings, we massaged the score to a 7-0 white lie, but that didn't help, and they just scored more runs. We couldn't do anything, the reliever for Lattig was good enough to keep us from a big rally, and I am honestly not sure if we scored a run or not, but I think we did not.
Final 12-0?
Highlights:
* For a tragic beginning, the game really turned into a fun affair
* I think there were at least 3-4 double plays, which was awesome.
* Dave killed it twice
* A new guy Scott, had a bunch of family out to watch, too bad they didn't get the real experience
* The grass on the infield was so slow, a laser line drive turned into a lazy groundball
* Lattig changed the rule on opposite side dead fields right before he hit one to left...something malodorous about that.
* Mitch beat out at least 2 routine ground balls and hit one that sizzled
* Redemption play: Dave hit a low liner to Abe at 2nd, tailor-made double play, except Abe muffed it. He hung his head in shame at the lost opportunity, but the very next batter, same location, same play, he turned it flawlessly and we were out of the inning!
* I am encouraged that my hip issue does not seem to be hindering my pitching. My lack of a challenge fastball on the other hand.
* A portent of doom: JT and I are routinely late to the game, and when we realized that we were both there already, our hope for any other late arrivals was dashed
* Abe made a fantastic cross-body play at SS
* You don't get to sit much with 6-7
* Abe, our defensive wunderkind for the game, also made a great running over the shoulder catch in short left field that rivaled anything that Powell has done.
* John McGrath won the awkward bloops and ground balls award, while playing 2nd
* While playing defense for the other team at 3rd, I caught a smoked line drive and tripped over the bag, thus doubling off our runner and killing the rally. I have rarely experienced two such opposite emotions.
* Lattig also complained that we shouldn't have stealing with so few players, and then threw the next pitch to the backstop.
* Thanks to the stalwarts that came out, let's try and get back to stasis with the attendance. And yes, I recognize that I am part of the problem but I want to be a part of the solution as well.
Huzzahs for:
Abe
Mitch
Lattig
Dave
Nick S.
Don
John M.
Scott
Andrew
JT
Chris L.
New guy on Bike
Satch
