A Muggy Foggy Game

Frankly, I thought we were going to have to recruit the old Chinese guy that raids the trash for recycling treasures this week, but ol' Satch was pleasantly surprised by the 17 we had out in the Sunset this week. And a hell of a game was played, a real see-saw battle, with strong pitching, solid and not so solid defense, and all on a day when it looked like we were going to get rainy batting practice.

Satch went the distance for the home squad, Sean started for the visitors. Sean pitched a hell of a game, and had about five or six great plays off the mound. He kept it lively all around the dish, and managed a bunch of strong K's.

For throwing the full 9, I felt like Satch did alright, in fact it seems like I struck out 8 or 9 batsmen myself, with the odd come backer, some soft, some screaming. My life flashed before my eyes after I threw a 3-2 challenge fastball to Lattig, and he ripped it back into my chest. I had enough reaction left in me to get my glove in between me and the ball (thanks for not taking my head off, Mike)

The visitors jumped all over us in the first, and our offense couldn't hit out of wet paper bag for the first three or four innings. Sean kept us off balance, and when we got hits, we could never back them up, we stranded a lot.

Somewhere along the way, Satch got on base, stole second, stole third, and Adam drove in our first run of the game with a towering shot to left. We got one more, and suddenly we were in the game. A few innings later we took the lead on some timely hitting from Vinay, Joe and Gaspar, and for the first time in the game, fortune seemed to be shining on us. Some lucky breaks here and there, and it was the top of the 9th, with us up 5-3.

Then the roof caved in.

A bloop single started a error rally, and before we knew it, we couldn't catch a ball or get an out to save our lives. By the time it was all over, it was 8-5. We limped off the field, and went down meekly in the 9th, with Lattig nailing the coffin shut.

A note on losing. Baseball is one of the best sports to learn how to lose properly. If you think about it, a successful hitter in the big leagues is someone who still fails 7 out of ten times. So you have to get used to failing, it is a important part of the game. As Earl Weaver said, (paraphrasing a bit), "You gotta give the other guy his chance, there's no clock to run out, no plays to run to stall for time, that's why [baseball] is the greatest sport ever." We had our opportunities, Lord knows we did....but the team that prevailed today was the team that maximized some of their opportunities. And I salute them for it.

I would like to say that this attitude helps to soothe the burn of being close to a CG win, and not being able to pull it out. And it does.....mostly....

Luckily, I ain't in this for the glory or the statistics.

Thanks to everyone to made it out, and hopefully Greg and Tony will be back next week. I will have to get the byline from someone else, if anyone is feeling up to the literary challenge.

Highlights:

* Sean, a hell of a game on the mound and in the box, great battle in the later inning

* Lattig, for proving me the dumbest decision maker for the day, in sending him to the visitors team

* Mike and John for catching the whole game

* Chad and Dan, our resident new guys, for making some great catches, and even a hit here and there.

* Lori Bhatia for showing up one day past her due date to support the team ( too bad the kid didn't start his appearance on the baseball diamond, now that would be a MBC story to tell)

* Our other fans, Mrs. Paige included, who braved the foggy day to cheer us on

* The random beerfest in the parking lot before the game, don't know who those guys were, but they looked like they were ready to party

* Bob and John Carey, who didn't make it out, due to Little League team making the playoffs

* The return of Scott and our once a month man, Stoner

* Nick Kinsey, for taking a risk on a pass ball, to steal home, we almost had him, and I think that run pretty much ruined our team's wavering hopes

* The West Sunset field was in immaculate condition


Well, in the end, a great game was played, and another Sunday was in the books. In to June we charge, ready to brave another summer in the fog.

Don't look back, something may be gaining on ya,

S. Paige