It's On, Like Donkey Kong

Following last week's playoff elimination, some Pitchers poured themselves a pitcher, while others threw themselves into other pursuits. So, congratulations to Damian!

The blood, sweat, tears and quarters that he poured into Jeremy's Donkey Kong machine over the course of the season finally paid off - his initials are stored in the machine at No. 5, beside his team-leading score of 57,700.

My His mother will be so proud.

To Be the Man, You Have to Beat the Man

And on Saturday, the Empty Pitchers lost to him.

The Pitchers were bounced in the third round of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year, losing a 7-4 match to Ruben's Angels. If nothing else, the Pitchers present on that fateful day should find solace in knowing they at least played a well-contested game on a beautiful, unseasonably warm day.

The visiting Angels - who won the fall-season pennant race from 2007-09, back-to-back league championships in '07 and '08, and fell just short in the finals a year ago - jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first, quickly posting 2 runs on a number of hard-hit balls. With no outs, the Pitchers looked karma straight in the face, and capitalized on Angels' base-running blunders, picking off two runners trying for extra bases in a single play and thankfully managing to get out of the inning a batter later, before the game got away.

The Pitchers would load the bases in the bottom of the first, and Sam would nearly kill himself attempting to score from second in the bottom of the second, but the team was unable to break through and score their first run until the third inning, at which point they found themselves jn a 6-1 hole. After blanking the Angels in the fifth and sixth, the Pitchers were down just two runs entering the seventh, but unable to muster a rally.

They've carried the team all season, and Greg and Alex didn't disappoint with the pressure on. Greg held his ground on the mound, and helped his cause with a team-leading 4-for-4 day at the plate. Alex also stayed in stellar batting form, contributing three hits.

The Pitchers certainly had their offensive chances (besides leaving the bases loaded in the first, they also left them loaded in the fourth and fifth), and stranded an unseemly 15 ducks on base over the course of the game. Don't get too down though, we'll get 'em next season.



Next game: The games don't count, but the stats do. We'll play the NY Dirt Dogs again on Saturday, at 2 p.m.

Playoffs: Round 3

Round 3 Box Score - Ruben's Angels11/13/2010

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

PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI BB  AVG* 'On the Day'
John SS    4  1  1   1  0  .700  (1-3, sac)
Tara C     4  0  0   1  0  .000  (0-3, sac)
Greg P     4  1  4   0  0  .800  (4-4) 
Alicia 2B  4  0  2   1  1  .625  (2-2, walk, sac)
Alex 3B    4  0  3   1  0  .700  (3-4)
Stacey 1B  4  0  1   0  0  .300  (1-4)
Felix CF   4  0  1   0  0  .333  (1-4)
Nicole RF  2  0  1   0  0  .143  (1-2)
  Lisa     2  0  0   0  0  .167  (0-2)
Sam LF     4  1  2   0  0  .500  (2-4)
Damian RCF 3  1  2   0  0  .667  (2-3)

2B - John (2); OTF - Felix (1)

* Playoff stats separate from regular season

Pitchers Mostly Business in Early Rounds

The Pitchers are through the opening rounds of the playoffs and looking ahead to a third-round matchup against Ruben's Angels, and, a potential championship matchup against the winner of Sub & Heroes versus the Dragons.

A well-balanced offensive attack from the Pitchers in Round 1 resulted in an easy 7-2 win over the Remainders. Much to the consternation of their opponent's tight-jeans bedecked, hipster pitcher, the Pitchers showed incredible discipline at the plate, refusing to chase any garbage he tossed their way.

From top-to-bottom of the lineup, every Pitcher reached base and the run scoring was scattered throughout the order. After banking two runs in the first, the Pitchers broke the game open with a four-run second, featuring hits from Sam, Lisa, Matt, John, Alicia and Greg. In fact, two-out hits were the source of all the Pitchers' run production over the course of Game 1.

Greg pitched outstanding in his second career start, walking none, going above and beyond in taking the ball through the early innings of Round 2, proving himself as clutch a big-game Pitcher as ever.

Round 2 saw the Pitchers take a 4-1 win from Fontana's Bar. Late-arrival/malcontent David took the mound in the third inning of the game -- promptly messing with management's head by walking the first batter he faced (a girl! who would go on to score Fontana's only run!) -- but soon put aside any discord over last weekend's post-game spread to focus on extending his personal-best unbeaten pitching streak. Luckily, David Being David resulted in another W for the Pitchers.

In spite of all the pre-game scouting on the part of Fontana's, the bar team didn't have any answer to perfect offensive AND defensive games from the left side of the infield: John (4-4, run scored) and Alex (3-for-3, RBI). The Pitchers scored all of their runs in the third -- on hits from John, Alicia, Greg, Alex and Stacey -- and held on tight defensively to secure the win.



Next game: Be at the field for 11:15 a.m. this Saturday. If we win, we've got a break and then play again in the 2:30 p.m. championship. Either way, plan on Jeremy's afterward...

Playoffs: Rounds 1 & 2

Round 2 Box Score - Fontana's Bar
11/6/2010

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

PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI  BB  AVG* 'On the Day'
John SS    4  1  4   0   0  .857  (6-7)
Alicia 2B  4  1  2   0   0  .500  (3-6, walk) 
Greg P     3  1  2   1   0  .667  (4-6) 
  David    2  0  0   0   0  .000  (0-2)
Nicole RF  2  0  0   0   1  .000  (0-5, walk) 
  Lisa     1  0  0   0   0  .250  (1-4)
Alex 3B    3  1  3   1   0  .667  (4-6)
Stacey 1B  3  0  1   1   0  .333  (2-6)
Felix CF   2  0  0   0   0  .400  (2-5)
  Sam      1  0  0   0   0  .500  (2-4)
Rachel C   3  0  1   1   0  .600  (3-5, walk)
Matt RCF   2  0  0   0   0  .250  (1-4)
Brian LF   3  0  0   0   0  .200  (1-5)

2B - Greg (2,3)

Round 1 Box Score - Remainders
11/6/2010

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
RE     0  0  2  0  0  0  0   2
EP     2  4  1  0  0  0  X   7
PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI  BB 
John SS    3  1  2   1   0
Alicia EH  3  1  1   1   1    
Greg P     3  0  2   1   0   
Nicole 2B  3  0  0   0   0   
Alex 3B    3  0  1   1   0
Stacey 1B  3  1  1   1   0 
Felix CF   3  1  2   0   1 
Rachel RF  3  0  2   1   0
Sam LF     3  1  2   0   0
Lisa C     3  0  1   0   1
Matt RCF   2  1  1   1   0
Brian EH   2  1  1   0   0   

2B - Felix (1), Greg (1), John (1), Sam (1)
* Playoff stats separate from regular season

Pitchers Primed for Playoff Run

The Empty Pitchers at last found the cure to their traditional hungover, Halloween-time losses -- a Sunday morning match up against the league's cellar-dwelling Remainders.

In a preview of their first-round playoff match up, the Pitchers took two from the Remainders, rolling by mercy rule in Game 1, 11-0, and by a final of 8-5 in Game 2. Both games ran only 4 innings, due in equal parts to the ump's and the Remainders' laissez-faire attitude in keeping track of the inning.

Back-to-back triples from David and Nicole to start the early game were a harbinger of doom for the Remainders, as the extra base hits helped the Pitchers jump out to a 3-0 lead. A slew of six straight singles from the middle of the order pushed another handful of runs across in the third, and the Remainders knew they were not long for this world.

With the colder weather here and much of the team breaking out the pants, the blowout did give the Pitchers a much-needed opportunity to practice their sliding. Horrendously ugly slides were in abundance at every base at the Oval on Sunday; thankfully, only minor injuries (the kind that can be walked off on the way to Jeremy's), were sustained.

In Game 2, as is the team's custom, the Pitchers' lineup suddenly had hot and cold pockets. Luckily, even in shorts, lead-off man John remained on fire at the plate and in the field. He went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Sam, Felix and Damian also had perfect games at the plate, while Alex shook off his Cabbage Night fun to contribute 4 RBIs.

The 2010 Team Photo

Week 7: Pitchers vs. Remainders

Game 14 Box Score
11/2/2010

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

PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI  BB  AVG 'On the Day'
John SS    3  3  3   0   0  .633 (4-5)
Alicia 2B  3  1  0   1   1  .455 (0-1, walk, sac)
Alex 3B    3  1  1   1   0  .667 (2-3, 2 sac)
Tara RF    3  0  1   1   0  .429 (2-4)
Matt P     3  0  0   0   1  .250 (1-4, walk)
Stacey 1B  3  0  2   0   0  .387 (3-5)
Sam SS     3  2  3   1   0  .500 (4-6)
Lisa EH    3  0  1   0   0  .273 (2-5, walk)
Felix LF   3  0  3   2   0  .630 (5-6)
Nicole C   2  0  0   0   0  .304 (2-5)
  Julie    1  0  0   0   0  .426 (1-3)
David RCF  3  0  0   0   0  .500 (2-6)
Damian CF  2  2  2   0   0  .552 (4-5)

2B - Alex (5), Felix (5), John (3,4), Sam (5)

Game 13 Box Score
11/2/2010

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
RE     0  0  0  0  0  X  X    0
EP     3  3  5  0  X  X  X   11
PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI  BB 
David P    3  1  2   1   0   
Nicole EH  3  1  2   1   0   
Felix 3B   3  2  2   1   0   
Stacey 1B  2  1  1   1   0
  Tara     1  0  1   0   0
Sam LF     3  1  1   1   0 
Lisa RF    3  1  1   0   1 
Damian CF  3  2  2   1   0
Rachel C   2  0  2   1   0
Matt RCF   2  1  1   1   1
Julie 2B   2  0  1   1   1
John SS    2  1  1   1   0
Alex DH    2  0  1   1   0   
2B - David (3), Felix (4); 3B - David (1), Nicole (1)

Week 6: Pick-up Pitchers vs. Louis's Team

Pinch-Manager Alex gathered together a melting pot of Empty Pitchers (5) and non-Pitchers (3 + a pair of recognizance-gathering scrubs from Fontana's) and came away with a key pair of wins in late October, keeping the Pitchers in the hunt for the regular-season crown.

Game 1 was a decisive 14-2 blowout, before the ump cried, "Mercy," at the close of the fourth inning. John, Alex and Stacey all had perfect games at the plate, while Greg batted in a redonkulous 5 runners.

Apparently tired of padding their stats in the coach's absence, the Pitchers took their foot off the gas in Game 2, eking out a 4-2 win. John completed his amazing 8-for-8 day in the lead-off spot, and the bottom of the Pitchers' order put down their beverages in the fourth to thankfully string together a handful of hits and score three more runs.

Much thanks to Katie, Luis and Cisco for coming out!

Game 12 Box Score
10/24/2010

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

PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI  BB  AVG 'On the Day'
John SS    4  1  4   1   0  .600 (8-8)
Stacey 1B  4  0  1   0   0  .304 (4-7)
Greg LF    4  0  3   1   0  .676 (6-8)
Alex 3B    4  0  1   0   0  .645 (4-7)
Luis P     3  0  2   0   0  .400 (2-5, sac)
Cisco RF   3  0  0   0   0  .167 (1-6)
Katie 2B   3  1  1   0   0  .428 (3-7)
Steve CF   3  1  1   0   0  .400 (2-5, walk)
TJ RCF     2  1  1   2   1   500 (2-4, 2 walks)
Lisa C     3  0  1   0   0  .250 (3-6)

2B - John (2), Steve (1), TJ (1)

Game 11 Box Score
10/24/2010

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
LT     0  1  0  1  X  X  X    2
EP     2  7  5  0  X  X  X   14
PLAYER    AB  R  H  RBI  BB 
John SS    4  3  4   2   0   
Katie 2B   4  2  2   1   0
Greg LF    4  3  3   5   0
Alex 3B    3  1  3   3   0 
Luis P     3  0  0   1   0 
Cisco RF   3  1  1   0   0
Stacey 1B  3  1  3   1   0
Steve CF   2  1  1   0   1
TJ RCF     2  1  1   0   1
Lisa C     3  1  2   1   0
2B - Alex (3,4), Greg (7,8), John (1), Stacey (1)