Pitchers to Honey Nut Ichiros: Sayonara

The Empty Pitchers ran their record to 6-0 on Sunday, defeating the Honey Nut Ichiros in a doubleheader by scores of 8-4 and 9-6.

Adam followed the Pitcher tradition of making a major offensive contribution in his debut, going 3-for-3 with an astounding four RBIs and a pair of runs. Damian and Raul (the first game’s winning pitcher) also picked up three hits each, while Jon continued his torrid pace at the plate, going 2-for-2, and connecting with Julie on an outfield relay to record a key out at the plate.

In the second game, tough guys Greg and Pat showed some restraint, keeping the ball in the park for a change and picking up three hits each. David rolled out of bed in time to pick up his third W of the early season, while Damian had the play of the game in right centerfield, making a shoestring catch with runners on to end an inning and an Ichiros rally.

Not that the lady Pitchers failed to contribute to the team effort in their own special ways. Val picked up her first-ever RBI before being forced out of the first game with a pulled groin; Nicole took a page from her 2006 season to effectively Chantharaj the Ichiros pitcher into walking her an unheard of six times between the two games; and Kate, also making her Pitcher debut, came through on two fronts: 1) Constructing lovely daisy chains for the entire team, and later, 2) Charming Jeremy’s barkeep Timmy into free shots for the whole team. Well done to all.

Empty Pitchers vs. Honey Nut Ichiros

Game 6 Box Score
9/23/2007

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
HNI    0  3  1  0  0  1  1   6
EP     3  0  4  1  0  1  X   9

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
81 Greg       3  1  3   1   0   .667
  77 Raul     1  0  0   0   0   .667
5  Alicia     4  1  1   0   0   .429
3  Jon        4  2  2   1   0   .667
13 Julie      3  2  1   2   1   .357
1  David      3  0  1   0   1   .500
19 Nicole     0  1  0   0   4   .222
21 Pat        4  1  3   2   0   .636
4  Kate       3  1  0   1   1   .000
10 Adam       3  0  2   1   0   .833
15 Damian     3  0  1   1   0   .533

2B - Greg (1,2); Jon (3)
Over-the-Fence Out - Jon (1); David (1); Adam (1)

Game 5 Box Score
9/23/2007

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP     0  4  0  4  0  0  0   8
HNI    1  0  0  1  1  1  0   4

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
15 Damian     4  0  3   1   0   .583
  81 Greg     2  1  1   1   0   .500
5  Alicia     4  0  2   0   0   .500
77 Raul       4  0  3   1   0   .750
13 Julie      4  0  0   0   0   .364
21 Pat        3  1  1   0   0   .571
  1  David    2  0  0   0   0   .556
4  Kate       3  0  0   0   0   .000
3  Jon        2  2  2   0   0   .800
19 Nicole     2  2  1   0   2   .222
10 Adam       3  2  3   4   0  1.000
17 Val        2  0  1   1   0   .333

2B - Jon (2); Adam (1)
Over-the-Fence Out - Greg (2); Pat (1,2)

Pitchers Cool Down Hot Cousins

In another well-played game, the Empty Pitchers came out on top of the [Not-So-] Hot Cousins last night, with an 8-to-3 win.

Ringers Jay and Art provided much of the evening's offensive firepower. Jay had a perfect day at the plate, scoring two runs and contributing four timely RBIs on the night (humble fellow that he is, he noted that meant he was directly responsible for 75 percent of the team's scored runs). Playing under the alias "Bollywood Bobby," a bearded Art went 2-for-3, with a trio of RBIs. And making his Empty Pitchers debut, Jon also had a strong game, going 2-for-3 and scoring three times.

Though Julie responded well to being moved up to the 2-hole in the batting order, and David remained strong in the face of adversity known as Umpire Marvin's strike zone, the game ball had to go the Sisters Chantharaj. With runners on late in the game, Nicole effectively Chantharaj-ed* the obnoxious Cousin in the Yellow Hat to record a key inning-ending out, while Val later collected her first official hit on the Coleman Oval.

* Chantharaj (v.) - An act or procedure intended to achieve an end by deceptive means, most often by giving or leading the opposing team's batters to feel a false sense of safety in hitting to the right side.

Empty Pitchers vs. Hot Cousins

Game 4 Box Score (5 innings)
9/19/2007

TEAM    1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP      0  3  3  0  2  X  X   8
HC      1  0  0  2  0  X  X   3

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
15 Damian     4  1  1   0   0   .500
13 Julie      3  0  2   0   0   .571
1  David      3  0  1   1   0   .714
5  Alicia     2  2  2   0   1   .500
3  Jon        3  3  2   0   0   .666
7  Chrissy    3  0  0   0   0   .285
SB Jay        3  2  3   4   0  1.000
19 Nicole     3  0  1   0   0   .142
SB Art        3  0  2   3   0   .666
17 Val        3  0  1   0   0   .333

2B - Jon (1); Jay (1)

Tack on another pair of wins for the Pitchers

It might not have been the way the Empty Pitchers prefer to take their wins, but nonetheless, they took the double-forfeit on Saturday, running their season record to 3-0. The team still made the most of a beautiful fall day, squaring off in some intersquad 5-on-6 action, and playing to a 2-2 tie.

And, lest anyone complain about making the trek to the Coleman Oval for nothing, the team was also able to witness the entire life cycle of a Bum Fight from the relative safety of the field level -- starting from half-hearted wrestling on the sidewalk, progressing to the throwing of some drunken punches and culminating in the final super-human heaving of a trash can.

2007 Empty Pitchers Schedule

Weekend games, with the exception of the preposterously early-scheduled playoffs, are doubleheaders. Each game lasts about an hour, give or take:

Friday, Sept. 7 @ 6 p.m. (W, 7-5, over OMD)
Recap Stats

Saturday, Sept. 15 @ 2:30 p.m. (W, W, via forfeit, over Team MIA)
Recap

Wednesday, Sept. 19 @ 6 p.m. (W, 8-3, over Hot Cousins)
Recap Stats

Sunday, Sept. 23 @ noon (W, 8-4, W, 9-6, over Honeynut Ichiros)
Recap Stats

Sunday, Sept. 30 @ 2:30 p.m. (W, 3-1, L, 3-15, against Hot Cousins)
Recap Stats

Sunday, Oct. 7 @ 9:30 a.m. (L, 3-15, L, 4-8, against Ruben's Angels)
Recap Stats

Saturday, Oct. 13 @ 11 a.m. - Game 1 of single-elimination playoffs
(L, 4-1, against Hot Cousins)
Recap Stats

OFF weekend of Oct. 20, 21

Saturday, Oct. 27 @ noon (Rained Out)

OFF weekend of Nov. 3, 4

Sunday, Nov. 11 @ 2:30 p.m. (L, 3-8, L, 1-?, against the Phantoms)
Recap Stats

View Directions to the Field 2007 Player Stats

To the Coleman Oval You Should Go

Have a hankering to see the Empty Pitchers live? And, chances are, partake of a post-game empty pitcher of your own?

Getting to the Coleman Oval (our own under-the-Manhattan-Bridge Field of Dreams), is as easy as getting to any other totally pain-in-the-ass location that NYC has to offer.

You can either:

• Take the F train to East Broadway, then walk towards the bridge, heading west on Madison (passing P.S. Something- or-Other on your right during the first block), before banging a left onto Market;
  
• Walk 15 minutes from any of the Canal Street subways, going southeast on Canal Street and eventually veering right onto Market; or,
• Ride in the comfort of the Official Team Bus, the M15, which stops on Market, just two blocks north of the field (you'll know you're close when all the signs are in Chinese).

View Larger Map

Empty Pitchers Open Season with a Win

It was an impressive inaugural game for the Empty Pitchers, who gutted out a 7-to-5 win over ad agency OMD on Friday. David pitched a complete game, along with a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate. And at the top and bottom of the order, respectively, Damian and Kristine helped a number of ducks on the pond find their way home, each plating two runners throughout the course of the game.

But the game ball went to Julie "Murph" Murphy, who, in addition to a solid day with her bat, also contributed her trademark stalwart defense behind the plate. With OMD threatening to tie the game in the late innings, Julie executed a soaring leap -- in one motion, snaring Damian's throw from center field and still having time to spare in applying a firm tag on a lumbering male OMD runner. All this, mind you, without so much as a flinch.

Looking down at her fallen prey, she could be seen kicking sand, and admonishing the runner, "Not on Murph's field, b*tch." The play was clearly the one that broke OMD's spirit.

Empty Pitchers vs. OMD

Game 1 Box Score
9/7/2007

TEAM    1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP      0  3  0  2  0  0  2   7
OMD     0  2  1  0  1  0  1   5

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
15 Damian     4  0  3   2   0   .750
19 Nicole     4  0  0   0   0   .000
81 Greg       4  0  2   0   0   .500
5  Alicia     4  1  1   0   0   .250
21 Pat        4  1  3   0   0   .750
7  Chrissy    4  1  2   0   0   .500
1  David      4  1  4   2   0  1.000
13 Julie      4  2  2   1   0   .500
77 Raul       4  1  3   0   0   .750
11 Kristine   3  0  1   2   0   .333

2B - David (1)
Over-the-Fence Out - Greg (1)