The philosophy of the MBC game

If there is one certain in life, it is that nothing is certain. I was planning to write an entire entry of circular logic, but I don;t think I have it in me. I will try my best though. The game this week, at West Sunset was a perfect example of how we can be so sure of a game's outcome, that we forget that anything can and always will happen.

We had 18, perfect. We had one of the most beautiful days on record, we had a fan (Stella), and we had a dry but immaculate field. It seemed that a lot of people were hobbled with injuries, knees and hips, and backs and ankles all were twinged with early high vacation living. The way the two teams fell out, it looked like a massacre in the making. If I was a betting man, I might have laid the family fortune on Satch's team. Good thing I only wager on losing poker hands. As a starting lineup, with a one legged Greg on the mound, we had Mitch, Lattig, Satch, Bob, Rick, Adam, Gaspar, Vinay, and the new guy Chad. That is a lot of power, speed and experience to contend with.

This is not to say that Greg's team was not riddled with some talent, but there is no good reason that Lattig, Mitch, and Rick should ever be allowed on the same team. We racked up 4 runs out of the gate, and then we started to slow up for fear of ruining the vibe in the first inning. Big mistake. Satch had missed a week, and started for the visitors, and the arm was feeling good, but Greg's team came right back at me, with a shit load of comebackers (most of which I got a glove on, and ended up screwing up the play) and bloops, and drives, and it was tied up after 1. And I kept making the pitches I wanted to, and to their immense credit, those warriors fought them off and put them in the holes. We had some through the legs and double play potentials that were booted away, which never helps. And a special thanks to Mitch, without whom, I might still be out there pitching, if he hadn't reeled in some long bombs the home squad sent his way.

Back and forth it went through the innings, and when one team had a quick inning, the other did too. 6-4, 8-4, 8-7, flopped 10-8. Then we had that damn 6 out/ 4 error inning that steals all Satch's reserves, and next thing you know it was 14-10. I limped from the field, humbled again, and let Lattig finish the job. Tony had come in for the home squad and shut us down, our once mighty and formidable team shaking their heads in disbelief. And all on a beautiful day.

Shows to go you can't never tell what's gonna happen in between the lines.

Highlights:

* Nick Kinsey, who had at least a couple of extra base hits on the day

* Greg, who managed to pitch through the pain, and lead his team to victory

* Cagle for his pop, and solid defensive infielding

* Tony for timely hitting, pitching and defense

* Vivek, who I got to hit ground balls all day (except for the big fly) and yet continued to get on base somehow

* John, for catching and calling a great game, throwing a man out at 2nd, and with some great hitting

* JT, for a good stretch at first, and some hitting of his own

* Paul, for showing up after being gone for a year or so, hitting and tracking down balls in the sun

* Nick Smith, for the shutter-buggedness, grunts and playing center all day, when we knew he hated it, and still tracked down two of Satch's flies to deep center....

* Mitch.

* Gaspar getting a man of his own at 2nd.

* Bob HBP count, +1, I missed it, but it sounded good. Keep up the good work, Bob!

* We should have paid more attention to how we do our lineup insertions.


A special event of interest, as mentioned, most of us were playing with some sort of malady, which is not uncommon. However, Tony's knee was hurting (although he somehow was ok to pitch two innings later on....) so we allowed a pinch runner. Nick Smith was subbing at 1st base, and so, while commiserating on the bag, the glove was passed, and Tony took the sack, and Nick became the runner. Haven't seen that one before. Score it how you will.


I shouldn't be this sore, but it was a long weekend

S. Paige.


PS:

We can officially start the MBC recruiting drive for Cason Abell Bhatia, he's almost three weeks old now, so I figure less than 8 years until he can be offered a starting position.