Since I am now on a tight deadline (Gene told me I had to be more timely with pumping out the posts), I prepared this week's JFT newsletter partially in Advance (get it?). I had two headlines ready: the one above and "Advanced Deconstruction", in case we lost. So now you know, we won in a rout 13-1 over Advanced Construction to take over first place as we now own the tiebreaker over them. More on that, later.
My father is the world's worst pessimist. My mother was an incurable optimist. Which, for those who know me, partially explains some of my confused behavior, which some call a touch of schizophrenia. The point is, I woke up today not knowing whether we should be optimistic or realistic in approaching the game. Advance had handled Pinky's. They were the undefeated team at this point in the season, and had eliminated us last year.
Or you could say, when we play our best game, no one in this league can compete with us. And we would just take it to them. You could be forever unwilling to admit defeat until it happens, like Reggie. By the way Reggie, I loved when you asked anyone if they had nails in the dugout, so we could put them in the Advance's coffin about when we were up 10-1.
As it was, we were on a mission tonight, and everyone was in it together, even late Gene. We busted out with one of our patented bat-arounds for eight in the first. A walk and then six straight hits. Then a two out knock by Randy and 8-0 might as well as been total destruction tonight. When you jump out like that, you just love that you are the visitors.
And then after Advance loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half, the first of a handful of great plays by Lefty. The leadoff hitter dared to challenge his arm, and was toast on a perfect one hopper to Chopper at the plate. From no outs, bases loaded to two outs and no one even on third anymore as the other runners were frozen.
This started the pattern of the game. Two more great plays by Lefty. The next was an even better play. It was a fly ball kind of deep in the gap, and Craig was still moving back when he made a nice catch on it. The same guy, the leadoff hitter that no one likes anyway, tagged up from second on this one; he thought he was fast enough to make it all the way home from second. A perfect throw to Greg as the cutoff, and a turn and a spin and a throw from him and we had the guy hung out to dry.
Memo to Advanced Destruction:
1. Don't run on Craig.
2. Don't try to steal home on JFT down at least 8-0.
It wasn't the last bonehead attempt to take home; neither was it Lefty's last nice play. He made another catch in the gap, and another one coming in hard on a ball. But the topper was the Advanced coach, coming home with what would have been their second run in Derek's inning pitching. It was the closest thing they had to a rally all night, and you guessed it, he stepped on home plate. Talk about your rally killer.
Our bats quieted down quite a bit after the outburst in the first. But thanks to a few hot hitters we tacked on a few to ensure that Advanced never really could get back in the game. Ol' G had a great game, 3-3, and started two of our run scoring rallies, once with a double in the gap up the middle, his comfort zone. Randy had two run producing hits, as did Chopper, and although there is no evidence in the book, I swear he had a double, not a single to plate our last two runs. Hazel must have had the book; he thinks he and everyone else should make every play perfectly out there in the outfield. Speaking of which, he had the other great grab in the RC gap in the third. But it's no fair, his legs are too long and he is too tall, way too much advantage over us short guys. It's no coincidence that I bring him up next, but Chuck was on twice, including a leadoff walk, and Greg and Heffe also chipped in two hits.
By virtue of Pinky's losing to Coronas and our win tonight, we leap-frogged both into first place (by tiebreaker over Advance). But it doesn't change a thing, except our confidence (which is huge). We still have to win one at a time starting with next week against BBQ's. We still owe them and will forever, according to Gerry, for having the temerity to actually beat us a couple years ago and ending our 37 game winning streak or whatever it was. And not sharing their barbeque on top of it. There's your bulletin board material.
And in conclusion our game MVP's words from tonight, when he came into the dugout after two putouts and an assist in the bottom of the first. "I think I shot my wad now."
p.s. according to team historian Judge Gerry, since Chopper gets credit for the putout on the stepped on home plate out, that gives him three for the game and is probably a record for a catcher on a JFT team. Hmmm...wonder if Joe ever struck out three in a game?
My father is the world's worst pessimist. My mother was an incurable optimist. Which, for those who know me, partially explains some of my confused behavior, which some call a touch of schizophrenia. The point is, I woke up today not knowing whether we should be optimistic or realistic in approaching the game. Advance had handled Pinky's. They were the undefeated team at this point in the season, and had eliminated us last year.
Or you could say, when we play our best game, no one in this league can compete with us. And we would just take it to them. You could be forever unwilling to admit defeat until it happens, like Reggie. By the way Reggie, I loved when you asked anyone if they had nails in the dugout, so we could put them in the Advance's coffin about when we were up 10-1.
As it was, we were on a mission tonight, and everyone was in it together, even late Gene. We busted out with one of our patented bat-arounds for eight in the first. A walk and then six straight hits. Then a two out knock by Randy and 8-0 might as well as been total destruction tonight. When you jump out like that, you just love that you are the visitors.
And then after Advance loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half, the first of a handful of great plays by Lefty. The leadoff hitter dared to challenge his arm, and was toast on a perfect one hopper to Chopper at the plate. From no outs, bases loaded to two outs and no one even on third anymore as the other runners were frozen.
This started the pattern of the game. Two more great plays by Lefty. The next was an even better play. It was a fly ball kind of deep in the gap, and Craig was still moving back when he made a nice catch on it. The same guy, the leadoff hitter that no one likes anyway, tagged up from second on this one; he thought he was fast enough to make it all the way home from second. A perfect throw to Greg as the cutoff, and a turn and a spin and a throw from him and we had the guy hung out to dry.
Memo to Advanced Destruction:
1. Don't run on Craig.
2. Don't try to steal home on JFT down at least 8-0.
It wasn't the last bonehead attempt to take home; neither was it Lefty's last nice play. He made another catch in the gap, and another one coming in hard on a ball. But the topper was the Advanced coach, coming home with what would have been their second run in Derek's inning pitching. It was the closest thing they had to a rally all night, and you guessed it, he stepped on home plate. Talk about your rally killer.
Our bats quieted down quite a bit after the outburst in the first. But thanks to a few hot hitters we tacked on a few to ensure that Advanced never really could get back in the game. Ol' G had a great game, 3-3, and started two of our run scoring rallies, once with a double in the gap up the middle, his comfort zone. Randy had two run producing hits, as did Chopper, and although there is no evidence in the book, I swear he had a double, not a single to plate our last two runs. Hazel must have had the book; he thinks he and everyone else should make every play perfectly out there in the outfield. Speaking of which, he had the other great grab in the RC gap in the third. But it's no fair, his legs are too long and he is too tall, way too much advantage over us short guys. It's no coincidence that I bring him up next, but Chuck was on twice, including a leadoff walk, and Greg and Heffe also chipped in two hits.
By virtue of Pinky's losing to Coronas and our win tonight, we leap-frogged both into first place (by tiebreaker over Advance). But it doesn't change a thing, except our confidence (which is huge). We still have to win one at a time starting with next week against BBQ's. We still owe them and will forever, according to Gerry, for having the temerity to actually beat us a couple years ago and ending our 37 game winning streak or whatever it was. And not sharing their barbeque on top of it. There's your bulletin board material.
And in conclusion our game MVP's words from tonight, when he came into the dugout after two putouts and an assist in the bottom of the first. "I think I shot my wad now."
p.s. according to team historian Judge Gerry, since Chopper gets credit for the putout on the stepped on home plate out, that gives him three for the game and is probably a record for a catcher on a JFT team. Hmmm...wonder if Joe ever struck out three in a game?
Late the other night I was in a "relaxed mood" and thought about that second double play. Did you realize that the ball never hit the ground after it left Joe's hand?: Joe pitched the ball, Marty hit the ball about 300 feet, to my glove, to Greg's glove, to Chopper's glove at the plate. And for the second time in 3 innings, that little shortstop dude (his name is Alan A. - forgot his last name but we shall call him "A.A.")...was out at the plate. Inning over, bitches.
ReplyDelete