![[Home]](../images/bhome1.gif){kind=small}
![[Products & Services]](../images/bprdsrv1.gif){kind=small}
![[Contents]](../images/btoc1.gif){kind=small}
![[What's New]](../images/bnews1.gif){kind=small}
From Toad:
Here it is, what you've all been waiting for: the perfect opportunity to once again make totals asses of ourselves! The 1998 Fall Men's Slightly Anemic Softball League Schedule!
The Richardson League only went down to an "E" league, but with a bit of persuasion, I talked them into adding an "L" league. Basically, we will be pitted against teams of guys that resemble Stephen Hawking, and they have to play a man down!
And because our reputation of consistent quality play precedes us, we're the only team in this 9 team league that doesn't get a bye. Our first game is against the Slackers on field #3. Actually all of our games will be on field #3. Where the @#%&*! is field #3? Maybe here?
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here's a list of the game dates in a format that's easy to cut and paste:
Sep 21 - Loss 13-1
P - Toad; C - Bruce; 1 - Jay (Rosy's ringer); 2 - Mighty; S - Mike; 3 - Jay; R - Rosy; RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Brian
Well, our season started with complete chaos.
First, Gary broke a finger yesterday, but apparently didn't tell Toad until today. Despite all the emails, Scoo zoned out and scheduled something else for tonight. Despite all the reminders, Toad never talked to Sammy until today, so he had too short notice to make it. Greg was iffy, but he ended up making it. Rosy got a ringer. So we had ten.
Man, we sucked. We only had about five good hits all night. Everything else was right to someone. More than half were wimpy little popups to the infield.
Mo got robbed on one. Nice shot between short and second base that the shortstop managed to shoestring. Mike had a nice shot to right-center that the left-center one-handed waist-high on a dead run. Our one run was Bruce. They overthrew him at first, he went to second and took a turn and basically got caught. He's fast enough that he pushed it toward third. As he was sliding the ball grazed his head, so it got past the third baseman. Otherwise they would have had him. So he jogged into home.
The one-and-one count threw me. I took a strike the first pitch. Since I was now at 1-2, on the next pitch I decided really early that I was going to swing, and the pitch was way short. Wimpy pop-up. My second was a weak grounder to short. They got Greg at second and I barely beat out the throw to first.
Our fielding was equally bad. Our outfielders dropped a couple. One, a very easy one that Rosy let squirt out of his glove. I don't remember any other specific errors. The other team was hitting away from us a lot. Greg had a lot of catches. Jay caught a nice foul halfway to home. Mike chased one down way behind 3rd, and one behind me. Overall, though, we gave them an awful lot of runs when they had two outs.
Early in the game Mike got a quick grounder to him with a good chance at a double-play. I got a good handle on the ball and made the turn and threw it six feet over Jay's head. I think we would have gotten him. Later, I had a grounder nearly right at me. I should have charged it, or at least moved in front of it. But there was nobody on first, so I settled down to wait for it. It was a little to my left, so my glove was sideways on the ground. It took a funny hop and got over my glove. I am glad that I didn't let it under, but I should have had it.
The field ump got on my nerves. He set up between the pitcher and second, a little to my side of second. He didn't actually interfere with me this game, but there are enough shots up the middle that that's a really bad place for him to be.
Sept 28 - Loss 20-9
P - Toad; C - Rosy; 1 - Mighty; 2 - Scoo; S - Chris (Rosy's ringer); 3 - Jay; R - Michael (Rosy's ringer); RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Mike
We played better, at least we hit better. And we did hold them to a coupla runs a coupla innings. So we didn't quite so feel helpless. But once again, even though we're in E league we're still playing teams that are out of our league. This team had, I think, 9 of 10 that hit 200+ feet consistently. Fortunately, most were popups, so our outfield had a chance. Still, it wouldn't take much for them to completely stomp us, if they got just a little conservative.
Two of their players had sliding pants and red socks, so I think they were ringers that they picked up just before the game. The shortstop in particular was not an E league player. He booted one the entire game, and we hit several to him. Some of their other players had incredible catches. The third baseman caught a really hard shot from Mike. The left fielder made a shoestring catch at a dead run over in foul territory. And Mo had another real nice line shot stolen from him, I think by the shortstop.
We hit much better. We're settling in to the 1-and-1 count. Mo had one that the first baseman bobbled and dropped. Mo got a slow start from the plate, but he hustled and would have made it otherwise. I went 2 for 3, I think. The first, they were slow getting it in from the outfield, so I made it to second. My last time up I hit a perfect shot right up the middle. I think I made it around both times.
We had a few gaffes in our fielding. Greg charged a grounder and let it under his glove. He hasn't done that in a long time. Chris is not normally a shortstop, so he had some trouble. I don't remember any throws to first. I did catch one infield popup. Watching the tape Bruce made, it took a lot less time than I remember while it happened :-) I also chased a foul. If I had gotten a better jump I might have made it, though it landed only five feet from the fence.
From what Toad said, we won't be playing anybody twice in this league. Maybe we'll meet some real E league teams by the end of the season.
Oct 12 - Run-ruled
Finally remembered to set up the poster board with the game's tag line.
Tagline: Go ahead and take two - we can't stop you
P - Toad; C - Rosy; 1 - Jeff? (Rosy' ringer); 2 - Scoo; S - ? (Rosy's ringer); 3 - Jay; R - Mighty; RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Brain
Well, finally a team that didn't look like they should have trashed us. They only had two that could really hit it. The rest were old and overweight.
OTOH, they had incredible placement. One inning they hit almost everything in the gaps. I'm pretty sure it was just incredible luck. They weren't fast, and I think they went for extra bags only once or twice. If we had managed to hit tonite, we probably could have hung with them. We hit several right at their shortstop, but he was pretty slow getting the throw to second.
We had a few gaffes in the infield. Scoo dropped two. One, our 1st baseman tried to tag the runner, but missed. From Scoo's point of view, he thought the tag had been made, so he relaxed. Suddenly the ball was in his face. It takes a few incidents like that to teach you to stay in the game. Another time, Scoo got a grounder and Toad was standing right next to first and Scoo threw to him. I think I would have made the same mistake if I had gotten that grounder. Toad shouldn't have been there. Our shortstop obviously doesn't play there often. He booted a couple. Mo let one under his glove. He and Greg both tried to call each other off of one deep ball between them. It was closer to Mo, but he had to back up to get it, which is why Greg thought he should go for it. They were about four feet apart when Mo caught it (good concentration.) It really was a toss-up for whose it really was.
Rosy had a stomach virus, which is why I was in right. I had three fly balls hit at me. I misjudged the two from the right-handers. I didn't realize how much it would curve off the bat. I should have had them, and with more practice I would have. I did catch one line drive from a lefty. Early in the game I let one under my glove. Got two or three other grounders. I'm really not used to all that running around.
Most of our hitting was right at someone. Rosy's ringer had the right-center stretch-Armstrong one. Mo hit a sharp one right at the pitcher, who knocked it down and the short got it. I grounded into a fielder's choice my first time up, and walked my second.
Toad's pitching was pretty good. He walked maybe two, including one run in. But he did get two strike-outs in a row!
Oct 19 - Forfeit
Tagline: Our plate is your plate
P - Toad; C - Bruce; 1 - Jeff; 2 - Mighty; S - Rosy; 3 - Jay; R - Jay; RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Brain
An "interesting" game. We were winning in the third inning when Mo got careless. The ump made a questionable call on a pitch and Mo stood there and stared at him. The pitcher quick-pitched and landed a strike and Mo was out. Mo was probably bitching in the dugout (I was coaching third) and he ended up yelling, "I'm going to drill the next one up the pitcher's ass!" The ump ejected Mo, which left us with nine. Apparently, when that happens we have to forfeit.
The first inning we had some great hitting. Jeff punched one down the right-field line and turned it into a home run. Mo had a sweet line drive. I had one to center that hung a little too long, but they didn't get to it. They tried to relay to third which gave me time to get to second. Jay snuck one past the outfielders and got a triple. Several other people hit well. We batted around the first inning. We ended up with five runs and two left on.
Our fielding was adequate, too. They put one over our outfielders heads and got two runs from that. Rosy stopped a few at short. His first throw to me was right out of the lights and I barely caught it. Toad stopped his first at pitcher. Since I'm closer to 2nd I got there first. I didn't think about holding off until after the play. Toad was a little off on the throw, otherwise we mighty have had a chance at a double play. Rosy doubts his ability to make the DP attempt, but I think he would have had a good chance if the throw had been on target.
This field ump is even worse than the others about standing next to second. He was talking to me while I was a runner on second. He stood just a foot from the bag. Really bothered me.
It's really sad. This may be the only time this year we lead a game.
Oct 26 - Loss 27-11 Run-ruled
Tagline: It's not just a game, it's a beating
P - Toad; C - Bruce; 1 - Scoo; 2 - Mighty; S - Rosy; 3 - Jay; R - Rosy's ringer; RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Jay
The game was more interesting than the score implies. We had a coupla really bad innings, but also a couple of decent ones. The other team could hit, and they had a lot of speed. They did make some fielding errors. I'd rate them as an upper-level D league team, IOW the worst team we've faced in three seasons.
I think almost everyone had at least one mistake in fielding. Mo had a line drive sail on him. Jay let two under his glove that he should have had. Scoo dropped one that would have been for an out, but caught a couple that were within a foot of being there in time. Rosy let himself get in a hurry making a relay to home. He wouldn't have been in time, but a hurried throw will almost never get an out. Toad made an awkward try for one to his right, though later he snagged one and made the play at 2nd. Greg threw one to nobody once. Jay in left missed a couple, including tipping one that Greg was charging and calling for. On one blooper in the infield towards first. Toad had the best angle on it, but for some reason Bruce was there, too. When both missed it there was nobody at home, so the runner scored easily.
I had an incredibly busy game at 2nd. In the first inning I had a hot grounder towards me. I charged it a step or two and then settled down to wait for it. I expected to scoop it off the ground, but it took a funny hop and caromed off my fingers and slammed into my collar bone. Didn't hurt much, but it looked impressive. I stuck with it and got the runner at 2nd. Another between me and first I stopped with my shin. Rosy and I teamed up on a couple tonite. Once again, the I stole the throw from Toad. My momentum just carried me to the bag. Finally, I caught a few line drives. The last one in particular was a real knuckle ball. Caught one grounder towards first, and let my momentum spin me towards the outfield before lining up for the throw. Another I thought I was going to get to easily, but it had more on it than I thought. If I had dove, I might have snagged it. Made two throws right on target to Scoo that he caught, but were about a foot too late. Overall, though, I felt pretty good out there tonite.
Bruce seemed irritated several times that we weren't making throws to home. I don't think we ever had a chance. I think we only gave them one base from not keeping our head in the game. Bruce also had the ump jump down his throat for no reason. The other team was dropping the bat right on home plate when they hit. Bruce was tossing the bat out of the way. The 2nd base ump told him that he was throwing it too hard, and Scoo said there was something about the kids playing nearby. Dunno what that was about, since there's plenty of fence. Anyway, Bruce said that he was just getting it off the base path and he wouldn't throw it so hard in the future. The ump came right back with, "Don't argue with me." Bruce wasn't arguing. He was trying to be accomodating.
Our hitting was off and on. The first or second inning we batted around. Mo had a sharp grounder that the pitcher deflected, so none of the infielders could get to it. They stole his glory this time on the next batter when the short stop bobbled the ball and made the play at 2nd, anyway. Greg had a couple of good triples, including one solid line drive over the right-center's head. And then in a different inning we were three up, three down.
Their short stop booted several that he managed to recover from. But he also threw a few over the first baseman's head. The recoveries made him look a lot better than I think he really was.
Our running was pretty good, too. At one point I was coaching third. I sent Toad home, thinking he had time. It turned out the throw was right on target and the momentum from the ball carried the catchers glove right into Toad. Rosy was yelling for him to slide, and that would have done it. But the catcher was in the base path and Toad tried to go around him. A little later, I sent Rosy home and almost the same thing happened. The catcher was standing on the plate, and then backed up a half-step to catch the ball. Rosy slid, and tried to miss the guy. But he ended up hooking his leg. I think the catcher felt that Rosy had roughed him. Their outfielder was a pretty accurate throw, so the three or four I sent home really had to hustle. On a couple of those, the tail-end runners did a good job of keeping up with the game. Greg made it to third. And Scoo got overthrown at first and got an extra bag out of it.
My hitting was uncharacteristically bad. My first up I popped a short foul that didn't get caught. Then I popped to the infield. And I really thought I had that pitch. It was a little low, but I was digging for it smoothly. Dunno how I got under it. Next time up, a grounder to short for a fielder's choice. Finally a line drive that carried way too far and was any easy catch.
Apparently I look more impressive than I am. I'm sure the knee pad helps. Anyway, the first couple of at-bats the pitcher was motioning his outfielders deep. I wish I had my normal night hitting, because they would have had no chance at them.
Nov 9 - Forfeit
No tagline. Couldn't get my printer to work in the coupla minutes I had to mess with it. Turned out to be a loose cable.
P - Toad; C - Monty (from other team); 1 - Scoo; 2 - Mighty; S - Rosy; 3 - Jay; R - Bruce; RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Brian
An ignominious end to our season. Though Clay and my grandmother were at the game, and they enjoyed it.
Well, Toad didn't want to be manager, and he proved it this season. I heard about this 6:30 game at 5:15. Two weeks earlier I had heard the makeups were next week. We didn't have any ringers for this game. Greg didn't bring his gear to work, so he had to go to the Colony and back and he left too late. He didn't make it to the game in time, so we only had eight. The umps wouldn't give us a grace period, (like every other league out there) not that it would have mattered in this case.
That's another thing that tonite brought into sharp relief. This league is very poorly run. Apparently we missed a makeup game a few weeks ago because the only notice the league gave was to post a note on the board by the standings. They never called any of the managers to tell them about the it. We never check the standings, because we're always dead last. Tonight, none of the officials nor the scorekeepers had any idea who was on which field when we got there. It took someone running off to look at their schedule three or four times to finally figure it out.
Odd weather. Here it is in November, and the temp was in the upper 70's or lower 80's. It was misty and wet, and we probably shouldn't have played. But I'm glad we did, because I was expecting our makeups to be really cold.
The other team hung around and scrimmaged with us. I think someone said their name was "The Suckers." As irony would have it, we would have stomped them. We were hitting to the gaps the entire game. Apparently their regular pitchers were on vacation, and the fill-ins weren't very good. We waved off about five walks, just because we wanted to hit the ball.
One of their players, Monty, came over to our team at the beginning, so we would have nine per side. Our team chanted "Monty! Monty!" when he came up to bat. When Greg showed up, Monty he chose to stay with our team.
I can't remember all the good hits. Maybe if they had four outfielders it would have made a difference. But we were hitting just really well. Lotsa line shots. Good heads-up base running.
I was the exception. I went one for four. It has been raining the last coupla Saturdays and my lack of practice shows. I was swinging at trash. The first two were a grounder to short and a weak popup. Then, I caught one on the sweet spot on the bat, and it went forever. Line drive, just left of center, almost to the fence on the fly. It was a bad pitch, and I shouldn't have gone for it, but I felt it when it left the bat. I only turned a triple, because I slipped on the slippery base rounding first. My last at-bat hung up too long, and was almost right at an outfielder.
My fielding wasn't any better. Bobbled one grounder right next to 2nd and ended up flipping it to Rosy at the last second with my glove hand. Really clumsy. I did manage to stretch for one that Rosy threw off-target. One grounder, I was dead-on target to Scoo. But I missed most throws in from the outfield. For some reason I kept on going forward just enough so that the ball hit the ground just under my glove. I got one throw from right field and turned the wrong way to attempt the throw home. Might have been close if I had done it right.
One play, the runner went past second when he had no business doing that. I got the ball to Jay. The runner came back, Jay threw a good throw right to me, and I tipped it off my glove.
No idea what the final score would have been, but we probably would have run-ruled them.
Nov 9 Run-ruled
P - Toad; C - Bruce; 1 - Scoo; 2 - Mighty; S - Rosy; 3 - Jay; R - Rob (Rosy's ringer); RC - Mo; LC - Greg; L - Brian
Apparently B, C and D league were all full. There is no way this team should have been in E league. On one particular swing, the guy pulled up and just barely tapped the ball, and it still carried as far as most of our best hits. The ump said something about the wind making the ball tricky to catch. That had nothing to do with it. They hit three or so within 30 feet of the fence. When we started playing back there, the tapped it short. And almost all of them were pretty fast.
One thing they did do was hit predictably. Once we saw them the first time we knew where they would go. We didn't quite get ourselves positioned to take advantage of that, though. On one batter, in particular always blooped it right in front of Rob. I played on the grass, but wasn't back far enough. I should have brought Mo up as rover, Rob back a coupla steps and Greg cheating way over past center. Next time.
I let one grounder right between my legs. It was an easy out and I let it get under my glove. I think that's the second time I've done that this year. Really disappointing. I did do a little better on adjusting to the throws from the outfield, but still not good enough.
Late in the game they started playing a rover in center. I tried to pull it away from him. I fouled twice, then I think I flew out. Other than that, our hitting was maybe slightly better than average. We got several runs. Though the other team was joking about a shutout in the second inning.
Scoo checked the standings. This team was undefeated. Gaspeth!
So, no more Toad as manager. No more Richardson. I guess we need to look around to find a better league to play in.
| Summer '00 | 3-4 | Scott Warren came so close |
| Spring '00 | 5-2 | I'm the greatest manager this team has ever seen! * |
| Winter/Spring '00 | 1-6 | Scoo's "run-producing clusters" were no match for the sandbaggers |
| Fall '99 | 3-4 | Rosy couldn't match Mo's record |
| Summer/Fall '99 | 4-3 | Our first winning season! |
| Spring/Summer '99 | 3-4 | The Golden Boy debacle |
| Spring '99 | 2-5 | The season of taglines |
| Fall '98 | 0-7 | Toad probably won't manage again |
| Summer '98 | 1-6 | Couldn't put the Sharks away |
* Okay, maybe not
| Best viewed with: | Hosted by: | Composed with: | In association with: | Fight Spam |
   |
 |
 |
 |
  |
| Opera or Mozilla or Explorer or Netscape | Site 5 | FrontPage | Amazon.com | Spamcop.net & Popfile & Greylisting |