The facts are:
Transdyn did not lose a game in the Spring 2015 season, going 12-0 and 2-0 in the playoffs to capture the regular season and playoff championships, a rarity in team history. In fact we have done it only once since joining the Pleasanton League in 2000. That was Spring 2009, and our record was a relatively pedestrian 8-4. Since 2000 we have now won the playoffs only four times, and the regular season title eight times. Two years ago we were also 12-0, but this is the first time we have put it all together.
Although there is the asterisk of moving down a league, it is a testament to the character and chemistry of this year's edition. To continue the Warriors' theme of these posts, we really never put together a complete game, but we played well enough to withstand every obstacle in our way. Including in the semifinal game, when our usual outstanding defense deserted us.
The other excellent characteristic that we shared with the Warriors was our unselfishness. Adding Brian to our lineup on offense and defense was huge. We added him when it looked like Jason was going to be out for a long time, maybe forever because of his father's health issues. When he came back 'early', we had already added Brian to play SS. It was a lot to ask both to give up the limelight that is shortstop on any team. They ended up sharing it and second base, switching mid-game just about every game, and each made fantastic plays in both positions. Last night's 1-4-3 double play comes immediately to mind - the ball deflecting off of Tom's glove, Jason reacting and changing direction to get it, and make it to second and wheel to throw out the batter running to first.
Mario also had to give up his long standing as the second baseman to allow this to happen, and contributed instead in the outfield. And even was pressed into duty in left field when Bill went down and Tom had to move to the mound. Speaking of which, I am not kidding when I said Tom was the MVP. We have one of the outstanding pitchers in all of Pleasanton in Sir Guy, and Tom stepped into his big shoes, and we never missed a beat. And the guy hit .659 on top of it. And can even cover first on a grounder to first!
And what team strikes out twice in any softball game, not to mention it was the championship game, and wins??? Twice in the first, although we managed to score four runs around them to take a lead we never relinquished. You look at the box score and if you witnessed the games, you saw that we were playing under our abilities just enough to make both games interesting, especially the first.
The Dirtbags are one of those teams whose playoff lineup has no semblance to their regular season lineup. According to their pitcher/coach (who is crankier than Bill after getting a bad call), this is because they never had more than nine of their guys show up for a game in the regular season. No doubt they are the second most talented team yet finished fourth in the standings - but that is an old story, or an excuse. Or maybe this explains our chemistry - we had nine guys miss two or fewer games, and Monty, Paul and Rene only missed more because of work schedules.
At any rate it wasn't our finest hour and we spotted the Bags a 6-1 lead through two. Old nightmares started to creep up my neck - how many times did we not finish in the playoffs? But then it started simply enough, with Jas leading off the fourth with a walk. After an out and a hit, D stepped up and sent one flying to deep right - the right fielder should have caught it but it just kept soaring until it was over his head and two runs were in, and we were on our way. It rattled the Dirtbags, and before you knew it we were up one, and in the next inning D drove in two more with a single, and we made ten runs stand up. We had to withstand a rally in the top of the seventh - ultimately they had the bass loaded down one 10-9 - and Tom induced a pop fly to send the Dirtbags back into the night..
D had an interesting night - he was really a little off and those were his only hits, but clutch is clutch - he led the team in RBIs on the night with those four, and he or his proxy led the team with four runs scored. Jas and Cage were hot all night - Jas didn't make and out going 5-5 with two walks; Cage's only out was a line drive right at the third baseman and he owned one of only three extra base hits.
Load made the catch of the night - diving for a sinking line drive that the home ump correctly called an out. But Marva the other ump got her ego right out there and overruled him, EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T ASK FOR HELP. Ultimately, it didn't hurt us at all, as we got the next guy out. But I am pretty sure I would have gone the protest route, because this is clearly not in the rule book.
The second game was pretty routine - the most entertaining part was the Kung Fu Panda pitcher going all Kung Fu in his pitching motion and throwing it flat or flat and short, and the apologizing for it. We basically scored four in the first despite the two Ks, and then scored in every inning but the fourth. We did let up after grabbing a 9-4 lead, and let them creep back to 9-6 before we showed them who's boss by scoring five late runs to finish 14-8, and the celebration was on. Pauly and Heffe led the way with three RBIs each, and Cage went 4-4 with our only extra base hit, a double in the first that was a statement hit - we are going to club the Pandas out of sight.
It will be interesting to discover one thing in the fall, assuming they do bump us up. Was last Fall an aberration when we went 2-8 in the upper league? Or are we really just destined to be the in between team - too good for the lower league, and too old for the upper league. I guess we will probably find out this fall.
But in the mean time relish the season, it was rare, like the Dubs bringing a parade to Oaktown. We will always have that - and two pretty decent shirts - to prove it!
Milestones:
Game 1:
Monty 350 g (#3)
Chopper 50 g (#26)
Game 2:
Cage 450 r (#2)
Transdyn did not lose a game in the Spring 2015 season, going 12-0 and 2-0 in the playoffs to capture the regular season and playoff championships, a rarity in team history. In fact we have done it only once since joining the Pleasanton League in 2000. That was Spring 2009, and our record was a relatively pedestrian 8-4. Since 2000 we have now won the playoffs only four times, and the regular season title eight times. Two years ago we were also 12-0, but this is the first time we have put it all together.
Although there is the asterisk of moving down a league, it is a testament to the character and chemistry of this year's edition. To continue the Warriors' theme of these posts, we really never put together a complete game, but we played well enough to withstand every obstacle in our way. Including in the semifinal game, when our usual outstanding defense deserted us.
The other excellent characteristic that we shared with the Warriors was our unselfishness. Adding Brian to our lineup on offense and defense was huge. We added him when it looked like Jason was going to be out for a long time, maybe forever because of his father's health issues. When he came back 'early', we had already added Brian to play SS. It was a lot to ask both to give up the limelight that is shortstop on any team. They ended up sharing it and second base, switching mid-game just about every game, and each made fantastic plays in both positions. Last night's 1-4-3 double play comes immediately to mind - the ball deflecting off of Tom's glove, Jason reacting and changing direction to get it, and make it to second and wheel to throw out the batter running to first.
Mario also had to give up his long standing as the second baseman to allow this to happen, and contributed instead in the outfield. And even was pressed into duty in left field when Bill went down and Tom had to move to the mound. Speaking of which, I am not kidding when I said Tom was the MVP. We have one of the outstanding pitchers in all of Pleasanton in Sir Guy, and Tom stepped into his big shoes, and we never missed a beat. And the guy hit .659 on top of it. And can even cover first on a grounder to first!
And what team strikes out twice in any softball game, not to mention it was the championship game, and wins??? Twice in the first, although we managed to score four runs around them to take a lead we never relinquished. You look at the box score and if you witnessed the games, you saw that we were playing under our abilities just enough to make both games interesting, especially the first.
The Dirtbags are one of those teams whose playoff lineup has no semblance to their regular season lineup. According to their pitcher/coach (who is crankier than Bill after getting a bad call), this is because they never had more than nine of their guys show up for a game in the regular season. No doubt they are the second most talented team yet finished fourth in the standings - but that is an old story, or an excuse. Or maybe this explains our chemistry - we had nine guys miss two or fewer games, and Monty, Paul and Rene only missed more because of work schedules.
At any rate it wasn't our finest hour and we spotted the Bags a 6-1 lead through two. Old nightmares started to creep up my neck - how many times did we not finish in the playoffs? But then it started simply enough, with Jas leading off the fourth with a walk. After an out and a hit, D stepped up and sent one flying to deep right - the right fielder should have caught it but it just kept soaring until it was over his head and two runs were in, and we were on our way. It rattled the Dirtbags, and before you knew it we were up one, and in the next inning D drove in two more with a single, and we made ten runs stand up. We had to withstand a rally in the top of the seventh - ultimately they had the bass loaded down one 10-9 - and Tom induced a pop fly to send the Dirtbags back into the night..
D had an interesting night - he was really a little off and those were his only hits, but clutch is clutch - he led the team in RBIs on the night with those four, and he or his proxy led the team with four runs scored. Jas and Cage were hot all night - Jas didn't make and out going 5-5 with two walks; Cage's only out was a line drive right at the third baseman and he owned one of only three extra base hits.
Load made the catch of the night - diving for a sinking line drive that the home ump correctly called an out. But Marva the other ump got her ego right out there and overruled him, EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T ASK FOR HELP. Ultimately, it didn't hurt us at all, as we got the next guy out. But I am pretty sure I would have gone the protest route, because this is clearly not in the rule book.
The second game was pretty routine - the most entertaining part was the Kung Fu Panda pitcher going all Kung Fu in his pitching motion and throwing it flat or flat and short, and the apologizing for it. We basically scored four in the first despite the two Ks, and then scored in every inning but the fourth. We did let up after grabbing a 9-4 lead, and let them creep back to 9-6 before we showed them who's boss by scoring five late runs to finish 14-8, and the celebration was on. Pauly and Heffe led the way with three RBIs each, and Cage went 4-4 with our only extra base hit, a double in the first that was a statement hit - we are going to club the Pandas out of sight.
It will be interesting to discover one thing in the fall, assuming they do bump us up. Was last Fall an aberration when we went 2-8 in the upper league? Or are we really just destined to be the in between team - too good for the lower league, and too old for the upper league. I guess we will probably find out this fall.
But in the mean time relish the season, it was rare, like the Dubs bringing a parade to Oaktown. We will always have that - and two pretty decent shirts - to prove it!
Milestones:
Game 1:
Monty 350 g (#3)
Chopper 50 g (#26)
Game 2:
Cage 450 r (#2)
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