Thank you to everyone that showed up on Sunday, we were without a MBC founding member for the first time in a while, that I can remember. Greg, Tony, Adam all out of pocket for various reasons. For the game purposes—in their absence— seniority fell to Nick Smith, who was out there playing like it was 2001.
I got to be on the same team as Sean, which rarely happens, and we faced our old rival, Sonny Big League. Sonny's pitching has improved a lot over the years and now that is he is a professional, he is a tough arm to face. His fastball has more zip, and he breaks off the off speed stuff with aplomb.
I started the game, hoping to get some innings, and much like Ralph in the Alka Seltzer commercial, I can't believe I ate the whole thing! Big cap tip to my team, this game was won on defense. I got to the field planning for the 3:30 start time, and of course the game before ended at 2:30. So anyway, I didn't warm up beforehand, and took the bump without having thrown. Needless to say, the first inning was problematic, the homers scored 2 and then I went out for the 2nd feeling better.
About halfway through that inning I remember feeling my arm loosen up and have more pep. A good feeling to have. Curveball was finally working regularly, so I used that in the beginning of the game, and then as my elbow got tweaky towards the middle of the game, I moved to a change of speed style.
We answered back the two runs and then one more to take the lead which we didn't surrender the rest of the game. We had a couple of nice efficient innings in the middle, in the sixth, I checked in with Sean about pitching. He encouraged me to keep throwing and so I did. Probably because Greg was not there to shame me to into giving up the bump and stop glory hunting and thinking only of myself. All true, but when no one is saying it out loud, its easier to ignore. Again, thank you to my team for letting me eschew the code for the game.
Gabe came in after Sonny, who is a scary pitcher to face. He's got a real cannon, and seems like he has settled down a lot since starting, but the odd pitch comes in high and tight and makes one's starfish pucker. I think we tend to forget what facing a real fastball is like. Gabe is here to remind us. Anyway, my team did admirably against him, but I was shit. I struck out and flied out. Chris Powell followed Gabe and did great too.
About the 7th inning, the homers got to me, and the score was 8-4 with threats of more. My defense once again made the plays and we escaped with no further harm. I downshifted into slow, meatball corner pitches and that was pretty much the game. Bottom of the 9th the homers threatened again with a a lot of baserunners, but we got the job done, with a diving catch in center field by Cleveland's own Mike Gaspar to end the game.
Final, 8-4, visitors.
Highlights
* Some amazing plays were made
* Jacob new guy did well, hit a rocket but unfortunately got Mitched (who was on our team!!!! and filling in for Nate who disappeared) on a sure fire triple
* Alejandro with the shoestring laser catch
* Mitch was great everywhere he played, but got fucked by the wind in right in the first inning.
* THE WIND IN RIGHT! Dang, it was a wall. Gabe tattooed one off of me early in the game to right center, and it literally stopped in mid flight and dropped for a catch. The whole game the wind was an issue
* Gaspar hit a Gaspar special that should be a first-ballot Gaspar HOF. It arced around third base and landed about a foot from the foul line. It was perfection.
* Two awesome pop outs behind the dish, Gabe and Kenball making the plays!
* Everyone who played first base made an awesome play
* I think there were 2 or 3 double plays.
* Big hits and RBIs- Gabe, Powell, McG, Sean, Lynch, Anna, Nick W., Gaspar, Mitch, Kenball
* The band was out and entertained us the whole game, complete with a national anthem and 7th inning stretch.
* Kenball again with the foul out catch, at first base
* Gabe had at least 4-5Ks
* Best curveball of my whole game was employed to strike out Nick Smith, sorry!
* The changeup made for about 5 weird, end-of-the-bat squibbers
* Sonny put it best, "When you throw the whole game, you feel like you got to do your job."
For the kids that don't know what the fuck I am talking about.
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