A Windy Day, a Bumpy Field, and Uneven Game

When we play at Balboa, usually we get the Cop field, so named because the police station is directly behind, and we are greeted to the sound of the officers racking their 12 gauges as the shift changes at 5 pm. Not exactly soothing, but better than hassling us.

This Sunday we played the other field, nicknamed Camp Swampy, due to it's lack of drainage after a rain, and the general poor infield character. We had 21 players which was nice, and the game ended up being pretty close, 16-14, I believe, but somehow, the teams seemed skewed. Certainly, each team was resplendent with some talent, but the home squad seemed as though they were a little more grounded, let say.

As SQ looms ahead on Weds, and my week off made me more sore somehow, Satch threw 5 innings and called it a game. Noah took over and proved his shrewdness, and made more of a confident hurler than yours truly. A bitter taste was in my mouth for most of the game, not something I particularly enjoy, and its hard to place my finger on why exactly. Somedays, you are jealous of the other team, because they are playing like a team, or they seem to be having more fun than you, or maybe its just because they have Mitch in the outfield. Greg commanded the bump for the home squad, and did what he does best. Although I must say, I kind of owned him. Lattig came in to finish off, something we don't see as often as we would like.

The uneven start of the game might have had something to do with it, we had a half dozen fly ball outs that didn't get caught, the whole team got the case of the dropsies, dribblers that got by people, and through the first four innings our team had about three baserunners. Meanwhile, the score was entering the 9-1 region. We traded for another outfielder, Stoner, which helped, and our bats started to perk up, before being beaten down once again.

The Mitch factor was defintely the biggest difference, Greg could start walking off the field the second the ball was hit to center field.

Maybe Camp Swampy is on top of a Indian burial ground, in any case its just bad news. It has been scene to broken noses, twisted ankles, a spiking, and stolen equipment. Next week, we have a later start than usual, 4 pm, so maybe that will change things.

Sorry if this post is not the usual fanfare, but as the man said, Sometimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar, well, he eats you.

Highlights:

* The end of Lattig's 1.000 OBP, stopped at 15-15. Pretty amazing. And I must say that I threw the best 3 pitch combination I have ever thrown at him to snap it.

* Mitch. Sometimes it's just not fair.

* Warren? Noah's new guy, who singlehandedly gave our team hope, by clubbing not 1 but 2 homeruns, 7 rbis, and caught the last few innings with aplomb.

* The return of Richie. Take care of that frame, stay off the skateboard for awhile.

* I got one over Mitch's head. Camp Swampy is good for wind carry. And I started my own OBP streak with a 5-5.

* Nobody took a bad hop to the face, although I took a groin shot on a 2nd base throwdown

* Our team getting the outs when we really needed them

* The home team, for agreeing to 16, when it could have been 23

* Sean, for his midgame pants switcheroo, apprently the Shotwell pants are bad juju, and combined with Swampy, perhaps dangerous.

See you in the Q, for those lively few that can get off early on a Wedsnesday to entertain some felons. Otherwise, Sunday, you know where and when.

S. Paige

PS

I got a update from Bob, John Carey had his first official homerun, a rake to right, and missed hitting the cycle by not getting a single. So, from now on, we might have to start bribing John to play with us. Either than or work out a free agency contract so that the MB club is not thrown into civil turmoil as we fight to land him in our lineup.