It appears that Team Black's offense is fine. We slipped a little in batting average this week, but we scored 25 runs on two doubles, three triples, and two home runs. That should be enough to win a ball game, even a nine inning senior softball game.
Hence the problem is our defense. We play too tight, too afraid of failing, of losing balls in the sum, trying to make double plays instead of getting the sure out first, etc. It has been suggested that we drink our way to playing loose next week, which everyone may or may not be on board with.
Well, I have the solution.
Bear in mind, I am but the assistant manager here; the call is Dave Rose's. But here goes:
We atart out playing the position with the number of our spot in the batting order. So Tim starts out pitching (1), Brian at catcher (2), Art at first base (3), etc. on through the outfield. And then every inning you move one position up or down one in the numbered field. So Sandy moves to pitcher, Tim to catcher. Brian to first base, and so on. Eventually, everyone sits the same number of innings and gets to improve their game by being exposed to different positions. That is what winter ball is all about, right?
Or you could reverse the rotation - Tim sits out, Brian goes to the mound, Art to catcher, Tony to first base, etc. In this scenario, by about the fourth inning, using the lineup from two games ago, the outfield will be Frank, me, Helen and Sandy. We can't lose! And I promise - I will loosely chase every ball as it sails over my head or by me on either side. It's a win-win. We will be drinking by the fifth inning even if we don't start before the game.
You see, we have to think outside the box. That is, because we lost our fourth in a row in the ninth inning. The scores going into the ninth have been 15-18 (tied it and then lost 19-18 on a walk off), 24-21 (led and then lost 25-24 on a walk off), 21-21 (lost 30-27 after allowing nine open inning runs), and again 21-21 (lost 28-25 allowing seven this time). It's quite remarkable.
Even though we gave away way too many runs, we had some good plays too, Tony turned a rover step on second, fire to first double play in the fourth. Sandy made a great stop on a blast to her right at 2B but couldn't get an out in the fifth as no one covered second. The same inning, Dan and Heffe combined on a nice 5-3 play as Dan charged a ball and threw off balance to first and Heffe picked it up. And in the seventh with the game on the line Darren caught a ball in left field that held Green to a single run, and kept it close.
Everyone had at least one hit on offense. Tony led with 4-5 including a two run home run in the first and five RBIs total. Johnny was right behind, also 4-5 with a beautiful double down the right field line that scored two of his four RBIs. Art and Brian were both 3-5, with a homer and a double respectively. Darren and Dave R also were 3-5.
But only one player did not make an out. Yours truly went 3-3 with two bloopers and a hit off someone's glove and a walk. Perfection!
This week we have a bye to think about what could have gone better, and then it's back at it one more time before Thanksgiving.
Dave - we'll talk.
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