Burnt Red

I'm going to petition the leadership committee - only the fourth and fifth innings will count in our game today at HF1 against Burnt Orange. Then - we win, 5-0!

I'm going to go with a hunch that it probably won't pass though, and the 25-12 loss will stand, so I am going to look for silver linings in the Red Cloud.

The bottom of the order hit really well. Bill Marthinsen and Chuck Breese went 3-3 each and Bill hit a gapper double to set up our only five run inning, and Jerry Ginochio was 2-3 and scored three runs. They made a liar out of me - my favorite expression is, if the bottom of the order hits, we win! But the rest of us couldn't keep up with them, unfortunately.

James Del Rio did his usual dance around the bases with a triple and homer producing three knocks, and Kevin Kane was a perfect 4-4 leading off with a double and also three RBIs. Kravin drove in two with three hits.

That's about it. The rest is negative so I am going to skip it. But we will keep coming back until we get it right.

Streaked

As I sit down to watch the Warriors relentless march to the NBA championship, I have a warning for them: Watch out for trying to go through the playoffs without a loss. Cause sometime you will lose no matter how good you are, and how well you are playing.

I know this because the Coneheads came out last night and laid an utter egg. As in fried, scrambled, however you like 'em.

We couldn't buy a hit. We grounded to the rover playing where he shouldn't, in shallow left center, three times. The good news - only one o-fer. The bad news - only two guys had more than one hit. Kudos to Pope, 3-3, and D for getting two hits. Even our second run came in on a double play. And, of course there was the rookie stepping on home plate but we don't talk about that. That's how it was and we lost 4-2.

So now though, we are good to go. We got the Stinker out of the way (disappointing Stink Eye aside), and we are humbled, and we don't have to worry about running the table. Bring on the playoffs...in two months.

Enjoy the rest of May and half of June. As the schedule turns, we don't play again for three weeks.

Milestone:
Chuck        600 ab (#1)

Meaningless Drivel

I think I have written about this before but the value of old age is that you can do something over again, and if no one catches you, it's like a whole new experience again. Go with me on this one.

The Game Winning RBI was a stat in the 80s and 90s that MLB created to designate the person who put their team ahead for good in a winning effort, thus the 'winning' RBI. It was intended to reward players for clutch performance.

Of course that meant that if you drive in the first run of the game in a 17-0 blowout, you are rewarded as much as if you got a bases loaded two out hit in the bottom of the ninth with the score tied. Thus, the stat piles up for the number two three and four batters in the lineup and is rendered basically meaningless. So they got rid of it.

But I was too lazy to take it out of my stats program, so there is stays.

All this is, is to say, since this is all about me, is that Tuesday I had a rare day. In my morning game, I hit the actual GWRBI hit - runner on second, tie game, bottom of the ninth, and I hit it over the right fielder's head to score the runner from second easily. And then in the evening Transdyn/Kapsch game, I got the meaningless one - we trailed 4-0 after the top of the first, but answered with seven in the bottom. I happened to drive in the fifth and sixth runs, and we never trailed again - so voila.

The real reason I bring this up is not to crow (well...) but that one of the beauties of this game is the weird things that happen - the GWRBI is a rarity for everyone, and I have gone a whole year with fewer, and I got two in a day. How often will that happen?

Of course the real story is that we actually played one of our most complete games of the year against a Ballers team that had knocked off the first place team last week, and beaten us in the first week of the season 6-5, when everyone was still rusty (especially Rusty, who was recovering from surgery). The final score was 14-10,

The key to the win was that every time the Ballers, who almost all seem to hit the ball hard, rallied or put pressure on us, we responded with a great defensive play, and then a few runs in the bottom half of the inning. One inning it was Jason ranging deep into the outfield to catch a blooper over his shoulder for a third out. One inning is was a slick double play. In the seventh, there was a rocket aimed straight at Pauly's head, which he caught possibly out of self-protection but still still was a tough catch.

In the first we set the tone as mentioned above. Down 4-0, after Jas drew a leadoff walk, seven of the next eight batters got a hit, The scoring was closed by Monty, who seems to have a new lease on hitting the ball hard, where they ain't.

The real decider was the sixth. The Ballers opened with runners on first and second with no outs, down 11-9. That was when Brian and Jason turned the DP, and Tom retired the next hitter to keep them from adding to their score. In the bottom half, after an adventure in base running by Mario after his lead off hit on Jason's double, getting into a rundown for the first out, we still managed to get a run when B singled and Cage hit a sac fly. Up strode Gregg who planted the next strike over the left field fence. It seemed like and proved to be the dagger when we held them to a single run in the seventh. Gregg had been building toward that bomb - warning track outs his first two ABs, and then a gapper triple before the big fly.

But maybe the best moment of the game came after Gregg's blase. Bert and D singled, and time was running out - we were within two minutes when Rusty came to the plate. He had been exhorting every to play the clock - take a pitch, even two. And with less than two minutes to go, he proceeds to swing at the first pitch (although he at least hit it foul). Then he ground into a fielder's choice with about 30 seconds left. So it goes for strategy.

The middle of the order big guys were perfect. Bert went 4-4 on one leg in his return from the DL. D, also 4-4, smashed a couple of lasers, one for a double. And you should have seen him taking extra bases! Cage led the team with three RBIs. Everyone had a least one hit.

And of course, we know who got the GWRBI.

Milestones:
None, Zero, Nada

Red Tide

Ok. I don't know how I am going to say this. Humility may or may not be my strong suit.

Well, let's get it over with. I hit a walk-off double (at least) over Al Munoz' head in right field to score James Del Rio from second base with the winning run in a thriller over Gray, 19-18.

And that's the humble part.

Al was playing me shallow, as all my smart opponents do. I clubbed it. No I blasted it. No, I CRUSHED it. I am the HERO. That's the not so humble part.

But perhaps the most important at bat was Chuck Breese's in the eighth. After all, if I didn't get my hit in the ninth we would have still had two more chances to get the winning run home.

He came up with two outs and two on in the eighth when we were trying to come back to tie it going into the ninth. It was still 18-14. He took a walk, and it loaded the bases and turned the lineup over. Kevin Kane followed with another walk for a run, Rich Brown drove in two with a single and then Randy Crase also selflessly walked to re-load the bases. It was automatic then, James hit a line drive single to tie it.

And Bob Muegge, after allowing five in his first inning at the mound, the seventh, shut down Gray completely in the eighth and ninth. In the last inning the outs were all pretty routine, as he had them reaching all over the place.

In the ninth the key hit was really Lamont Thompson leading off by hitting it in the gap and hustling to get to second with no outs, where James could run for him, and I could drive him in.

Other highlights - we strung together a great inning in the bottom of the fifth. At that point we were down 13-3, and could feel it spiraling away from us. Let's face it - there was some grousing and grumbling in the dugout. This will happen when you are down ten and have opened the season 0-5. Even the optimists among us had an edge in their voices.

But that rally closed it to 13-9 and we knew were in the game if we just started playing some defense. As Coach Larry said, "who knew you could win the inning after allowing a five run top!" We had singles by Rich, James, LT, the Hero, Coach Larry, and Roger Vaverka sandwiched around a lineout by Randy (that was one of the hardest hit balls all day) and a fielder's choice, and punctuated by Tony Gorgone's double in the gap for our final two runs.

The real hit(ter)s of the day were (by) James and LT. James led off the second with a blast that reached the trees in right center - he could have rounded two or three times by the time the outfielders' retrieved it. And LT hit one just about to Concord over left center way, deep enough that even with his hobbled gait he could trot all the way around the bases for a two run shot. Both of them were 4-4 to lead the way.

The fielding highlights (if there is such a thing on our team) were two great catches in right center - one by Al Kidwell that no one thought he would get, and one by Kevin running down a wind-aided knuckler late in the game.

But the main takeaway is, that RED will not be denied...give us enough chances and we might even win a couple more!

If You Win Every Inning...

In the high-five line after last night's Transdyn (yes I refuse to call us Kapsch, yet) win against one of our arch-rivals, the Blue Dots, their pitcher complained to me, with respect, we never get you out. They actually do - although last night the only time they did was when he kick-saved a grounder up the middle that I swear was headed to center field (this is an out in Pleasanton, because it may have done tremendous harm to his body).

But the point is that I think I am in his head - he tries to bring his fielders almost to the infield to try to get me out with my weak-ass bleeders. And in the larger picture I think our team is in their collective heads a little. We have now played them 23 times, more than anyone in the post-business league days, and after last night's 15-6 victory we now have won 15 of 23 games between us. Not ownage, but a pretty good margin in a good rivalry.

You had them overrunning my liner to left center, and Hama scoring all the way from first, and you had Monty flying around the bases on Jason's triple in the fourth. If Monty and I are doing damage, you know you are in trouble.

Because the top of the lineup was a complete wrecking crew last night. Jason went 4-4 with the triple, and Brian was also 4-4 with two hustle doubles, and they both scored three times. Cage and D collected six hits between them and it included three doubles good for six RBIs. Hama was a perfect 3-3, although bummed he was left on deck in our last inning. Paul's pair of hits included a triple.

So all in all nine of our 25 hits were for extra bases, and we didn't even have Bert there to go yard.

By contrast, Tom gave up a couple of early bombs, one a solo shot, and after that he pretty shut them down. The Dots only scored single runs in three of the last six innings after a three-run first. In a rarity we won every inning (except the seventh as we didn't have to bat), and even though we never scored more than four we scored each frame. Formula for success!

Nice play to get a force out at second by D on a shot down the first base, and Brian and Jas and D turned a couple of DPs to keep us out of big innings.

This was an important win, as the way things probably will stack up there will be a three way race for the final two playoff spots, and we just passed the Dots, and gained the tie-breaker over them. Despite last week's humbling at the hands of the Brews Bros, we have a decent shot if we can get in and we are at full strength come playoff time.

Milestones:
5/2
Heffe        1450 ab (#2)
Cage         100 bb (#3)

5/9
Heffe        450 g (#1)
Pauly        700 ab (#8)
Jas            400 h (#8)
Hama       100 g (#15)
B              20 2b (#19)

Red Scare

In another dominant performance, the Warriors smothered the Utah Jazz 121-95, and swept them away in their semifinal playoff series 4-0.

Wait...wrong game...that was last night...

In the Red-Forest game this morning, we had our chances and made a strong comeback to tie it in the eighth, only to lose a heart breaker in a one run ninth 14-13. Unfortunately, the wrong team scored the one run.

We will win a game this season, I just know it.

It started out well enough. After some tight defense in the top of the first, we put up four in our half. Three came on a deep blast to right field by newcomer James Del Rio, our latest addition, thank you placement committee. He touched them all and followed Al Kidwell and Rich Brown around the bases.

But somehow after that, we were shut out five of the next six innings. I'd like to blame it on our hitters for grounding into four double play grounders, but I have to give credit to the Forest defense - they made the plays to complete them, and Sandy Zimmerman made the pitches he needed to.

The only scoring before the eighth occurred when Randy Crase brought home Rich Brown (who had doubled) and Kevin Kane. Kevin led us with a perfect 4-4 day, including a double. Rich and a lefty further down in the lineup had the only other extra base hits, also doubles. LT Thompson also was perfect with three hits in three ABs.

On defense, our pitching made most of the outs routine, but there were a couple of exceptions. In the second there was a classic Creaker play, a soft floating line drive to the 5-6 hole. LT was playing short and moved over to try to snag it before it could find the ground. I thought we had switched reality to slow motion, I wanted to press the play button, the whole thing seemed like quarter speed. But LT made the play!

In the fifth, James charged to field a looper to left with a runner on first, and flung it wildly toward second. It was on target but it short hopped the rover covering. Luckily the guy had played some first base in his life, and was able to dig it out.

In the eighth, down 13-6, after a rare fly out by Rich leading off, we had nine hits sandwiched around one sacrifice fly. Crase, Del Rio, Kravin, Howard Davis, LT, Bill Marthinsen, Roger Vaverka, Tony Gorgone, and Larry Fogli all drove in a run and/or scored in the rally, and Bob Muegge put the capper on with a flare to left to tie the score at 13. It gave us hope, always dangerous.

When we held Forest to just the one run in the top of the ninth, we were feeling pretty good about our chances to break through with a win, or at least a tie, but it just wasn't meant to be. We ended up with the tying run at second, and the winning run at first but a fly out ended the game.

What did Yogi say? Just wait til next half season?

You've Been Chopped!!!

Joe was in a quandary...Randy, Lefty, our leadoff hitters this year were missing from Sunday's lineup. What to do?

In a moment of what was dubbed managerial savantism, Rain Man Joe came up with the idea of our own Chopper as lead off extraordinaire. Because look at him, he just looks like someone that will kill on the base paths. In fact, we have a whole name for his adventures on the bases - the Chopper School of Base Running.

And, to make it complete he starts him at third base, a position Randy normally holds down. 

So, what does our Chopman do? He goes four for four, scoring all four times, drives in a run, and is even taking extra bases on hits behind him, And he makes the defensive play of the game, on a hot shot with a fast runner at the plate. He nailed him with a quick release and a perfect throw by a couple of feet.

Notg, You've Been Chopped!*

Joe pretty much had Notg off balance the whole game. He gave up nothing after the first inning, and the final score was 16-1, which we closed by slaughter rule when Joe himself hit a grounder base hit into the 5-6 hole with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fifth, with the 16th run on third.

Other defensive charms were a tough high bouncer to short that Chuck made look routine. And Knight ranged far to his left for a hard grounder up the middle. He couldn't safely make the play on the force at second, but had the instincts to fling the ball to first to get an out. That rally died shortly afterwards. He also turned a 11U-3 double play with a strong throw. Glad to have the Knight back!

In fact Knight was one of two others with Ol' G that also had four knocks. His were no-doubt liners over shortstop mostly, and produced three RBIs. G had one of only two extra base hits - a double with no outs and Chopper on first in the first. When Knight and Chuck followed up with RBI base hits, the victory was sealed at 2-1, even though we did not know it at the time. Chuck also had three hits to produce a game high four RBIs. Heffe rounded out the three hit brigade, although his included the ultimate Conehead hit - a double play grounder bobbled and then tossed and dropped several times at first base. Speed kills.

Happy Mothers' Day, you mothers.

Milestones:

Knight      200 rbi (#2)

Heffe        300 h (#2)

Chuck      10 gw (#5)

Stink Eye 400 ab (#7)

Ol' G        20 2b (#9)

*For those who don't watch Foodie shows on the Food Channel, Chopped is a reality contest show where four chefs compete by creating an appetizer, main course and dessert from weird ingredients in three rounds to crown a "Chopped Champion". After each round, the weakest entry is "chopped", on the proverbial chopping block, symbolizing its chef being chopped from the competition.

Sex Toys

If we ever get tired of the name Coneheads/JFT, a new name was unwrapped Sunday - the Sex Toys!

It was said by Lefty as he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the first after we spotted the Big Feet seven runs in the top half - they were knocking Joe's pitches all over the place.

But Randy took the tag over as he played nearly every position over the course of the game - I counted 3B, SS, 2B, and at least two outfield positions. That is quite a variety of positions! Makin' us proud!

The rookie Thad made an impressive debut - he co-led the team with four RBIs on a single, double and fielder's choice RBI - and he took part in two nifty double plays up the middle. Ol' G started one (4-11-3), and he snagged one grounder himself for an 11U-3 DP.

D also had four RBIs, including a bomb to right that he turned into a two run triple. Big Feet walked him twice, the only way they could limit the damage he wrought. Joe stepped on the Feet after the first, including a backward K by the other pitcher. They only managed three more runs, and D came in at mop-up time and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth to seal it 20-10.

Knight made his 2017 debut off the DL and it was like he never left, with three line shot singles. Lefty led off and led us also with three hits together with a sac fly. Haze (2-2+BB) hit a slicing drive to right that got under outfielder's glove and managed to score our slowfooted co-manager all the way from first.

Next week - Blow up dolls!

Milestones:
D                 100 r (#13)
Pope            10 2b (#18)

Called out

I was called out by one of our team for not keeping up with the blog for Transdyn, er Kapsch.

So - better late than never? I'll let you decide.

It was another rivalry game with us and those Sons of Pitches. It is developing into quite a story. Ultimately we came up a little short, losing 19-17 after a frenzied rally in the last inning. Our series now has us up on them 7-6 over the last 3+ years playing each other in the regular season, but they have topped us in the last two playoffs.

Now we have added Gregg, and the barbs between the teams have increased once again.

We were feeling pretty good about ourselves when D hit a two run laser over the fence in the top of the first to put us up 5-0. But SoP came right back in the bottom half and went up 8-5 and it was on. In the middle innings, we kept chipping away and Tom kept their offense in check for the most part until it was 11-10 going into the bottom of the fifth. Then they exploded for eight once again, and even though we rallied for seven in the sixth, we came up short just as we ran out of time. Next time.

D led the team at 4-4 and the bomb and five RBIs. Gregg hit a monster solo shot in the second. He and Jason and Tom all had three hits.

Funny how all their hitters show up when they play us.

Milestone:
Hama        40 2b (#12)

Red Roasted

After our latest shellacking, this time to the Black by a count of 24-12, I was told that I should do a roast of the Red team in the blog.

I am not sure I need to, Black already took care of that, in the first hot day this Creaker year.

But let me just say, that even though I am not the PORC (President of the Red Creakers), I was not at the Correspondents' Dinner, I preferred to go to the Red Rally (MARGA - Make American Red Great Again) - so no such Red roasting will occur. At least this week.

As is our want, we spotted the opponent a 13-3 lead after 3+ innings, via generally poor fielding, lack of clutch hitting, and bad base running and coaching. Give it up to Black, they played the fundamentals and got some timely hits. In the middle innings we made a little move and were one big inning from making it a closer game, but Black's five spot in the 7th basically put it away.

Along the way there were a few fine plays. LT at rover scooped up a grounder to his left and made a throw to nip the runner at first in the second. Tony scooped a low throw at first in the top of the fourth. Al made a great running catch to a sinking liner in the fifth. And Howard snared a hot shot on him at the mound in the sixth. His heart is still beating fast.

On offense not much to say when you only score 12. LT hit a monster shot to deep right for a triple for our first run in the first. Randy jump started our one big(gish) rally in the fourth (four runs!) with another triple. Muegge made the most of his two hits, leading the team with three RBIs.

We can still dream - has any Creaker team gone a whole year without a win? Someday our turn will come.