Well, if you weren't there, you can't know how truly nice of a day it was. The sun was shining, the breeze just enough to tickle the fancy of a late autumn, and crap, we have 10 players again....even the band was one guy, waiting on a miracle.
Victory often comes to the bold however, and rather than curse our darkness, we decided on a strong recruitment campaign. There were two guys in the outfield hitting balls into a practice net who inquired if we were playing a game, and they were all in when approached. Two other guys were leftover from a game that had happened earlier that day and they were in. A trickle of latecomers from the MBC, and all of a sudden we had 18 players! Think what we could do if some of the people that we actually rely on made it out!
Just as our fortunes improved, so did the band's numbers, and they were a full tilt delight for the attendees out on that beautiful day. We remarked that for the random tourist passing through the park, we must have been a real crowd pleaser. Actual baseball, played on the field, tin pan alley jazz music from the stands, tying it all together in the background.
The game was decent, Sean was on point, and I was well rested, so we had ourselves a good duel. Since Sean and Powell were on the same team, we took both the new guys from the hitting net, which proved a good balance. They could mash, and they could run. Both things that the MBC has diminished in of late.
The score stayed close, though the visitors threated a few more times than we did. My curve ball was not working too well, so I stuck with the fastball and the changeup, which were effective enough.
Defensively we looked pretty good too, it is always nice to have the game not be a shit show.
Sean last most of the game, then came out for Mike N and Powell. I elected to stay in, as I am wont to do, apologies to my team for my selfish ways. We threatened in the 9th, but ultimately came up short, and the visitors took it, 6-3.
Highlights
* Marcy came out with the lil'un, she looked tired, but happy, great to see the family!
* Jonathan, who is fast departing from new guy status made a great running catch in left to end a threatening inning and a much needed play at 2nd base.
* I hit into a double play to squash a rally.
* A fantastic play at home to get a runner that I didn't think we had a chance at.
* What it came down to in the end was that the visitors were better at scoring chances than we were.
* A well-positioned bunt from one of the new guy leaguers was a great bit of situational hitting.
* The new guys were all great, hope they come back!
* I did have 3 hits, and a RBI. And I managed to leg out a single that should have been an easy hit but Powell is gonna Powell.
* I had trouble with location with my challenge fast ball. I hit Bob, and almost hit Powell. Sorry fellas!
* The weather was so hot, Sean's shirt turned into a Rorschach blot.
* The only time my challenge fastball worked was on JT, who probably didn't deserve it.
* John Mcg was a steady presence, and had some great blocks behind the dish.
* Greg is hurt, but still catching. That's the spirit of the MBC right there.
New time, 1pm, see you all out there!
Somewhere in the game we added an inning, it was the 5th inning for 2 innings, so we got to play extra baseball, always a good time.
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