29ERS Over Beers After Close Late Innings

Yeah, I'll take that. I'll take that almost every time. Enough of an early lead to relax the dugout, followed by some nail-biting-ish quasi-excitement towards the end. It got juuust close enough that I felt the ol' jock tighten a smidge, but it's like I always say, "If your jock's not tight, you're playing too loose." But it probably just means you need to do a wash. DJ . . . do a wash.

DJ riding toward the laundromat, bats tucked snugly behind him

I gotta give some credit to the grit the Beers showed, too. Most of you know how easy it is to get down after giving up an early lead, especially a lead that's been manufactured by errors (I don't think there was an RBI until the sixth run came in), but they rallied back at us. Zack pitched well, often navigating The News' Alan's bizarre strike zone (ball zone?) while limiting the hard contact and getting, *cough*, occasional help from his infield (more on that later). That is, until they started tagging the ball, and they did. On Saturday we'll be on their turf, and that really is where they like to swing it. 

The hole there. That's it. That's the strike zone. Just the hole, nothing else. Hole.

Miles came in, and, bless him, Miles went out. This, no, this I can't say was the umpire's fault. Some days you just don't clock into the office right. 'Sappens. It was a disappointment in some small way that the game got as close as it did because I think many of us were ready for DJ to make his pitching debut. I'm down to see it in a close game, too, because why not. I love the predictability of winning as much as the next 29er but you know you'd get a little giddy (McCauly might even get a lil boner) if things were shaken up a bit.

Bobby came in and quieted things down with a nine-out (?) save for his seventh in five games. It's possible, folks, just trust me on this one. He also started a clean 5-4-3 on a hard-hit ball down the line off a backhand. I don't have the book so I can't say exactly who did what and to whom or when but I can crack off a couple of highlights, starting with . . .

SURPRISING NOBODY the Spitz® brand Sunflower Seeds Big Bag™ Cracked Pepper Flavored PLAY OF THE GAME: You ... you knew it was going to come down to this. In the first inning, James Sinclair hit the exact same up the middle low screamer and I dove for it, knocking it down and then "throwing" it like how I would imagine a tipped cow might throw a baseball "toward" first base. 

That ... did not turn out how it looks in my mind before I go to sleep and pray to the lil baseball angels to turn me into Brandon Phillips. Or Javi Baez. Shit, I'll even take Brandon Hicks I'm really not picky but just anyone who can make that play. I got a chance to redeem myself, and by extension, all of us, really, a few innings later when Chad was on first and James again hits the quick low two-hopper just right of the second base bag. I reached out and in an instant couldn't believe it was in my glove but the feeling fleeted WHEN THE BALL MAJESTICALLY FLOATED FROM MY GLOVE TO RICKEY'S. Rickey throws onto first, James throws his helmet. 

Sometimes it's fun to rob guys you like, but let me tell you, NOBODY likes hitting into double plays. Even if they're (the double plays) as goddam sexy as that one was. We even got a "FUCK YOU, Rickey . . . fuck you, too, Ray" from the Beers dugout. Usually that means the 29ers have done good things.

***

The Toyota Corolla "Let's Go Places" DRIVE OF THE GAME: You saw it, and you friggin loved it. Miles absolutely crushed a ball for a stand-up triple into the right-centerfield gap. That ball was nutted, annihilated, rocked, popped, as Miles might say, EEUUGGHHhhgHG'd, roped. I've seen plenty of you guys hit balls hard, but this one got small very, very quickly. At Willard that's a home run. I need to mention that he pulled the ball, too. Miles' pulled ball season counter is now at: 1. Keep it up, skip.

***

No player of the game this time. Team effort, all that. But I want to tell you guys, if you like this #content, keep a good book. Put a star or a little circle on especially noteworthy at-bats. If you're in the dugout and someone makes an incredible play in the field, make a note of the inning and who hit it. Not only am I usually in the field and don't carry a notebook in my back pocket but I'm usually a sixer deep by the time the 7th rolls around. Help me help you. 

 Beers again next week. Let's get it. I'm starting the official lobby for a DJ start right now, with a little Gantz sprinkled in. Let that gather some momentum til Saturday. And have a good practice tonight. I'm mired in papers and finals for the time being. But for now it's time to switch on that Giants game.

NEXT GAME

Saturday 20 May

@

The Oakland Beers

12 Noon /// Lowell Park

/Extremely monster truck voice AND IT'S GONNA BE A SCORCHER

One last thing, because the Beers ALSO have both red jerseys and grey jerseys and have not committed to any kind of systemic way of when they wear which, bring both your GREY AND YOUR RED jerseys on Saturday and we'll wear whichever color they're not wearing. It's happened before where everyone's in the same red jersey and it sucks. You don't know who's a baserunner and who is Cam playing right field for the other team. (Jk.)

I . . . I am . . . alive

Oh sure you all thought you you'd gotten rid of me, of course. Well you will soon enough, anyway. For now I need to torture you all just a few more times before you really make sure I can't "blog" again. You could go the easy route and break my wrists but then I'd just use the Mark DeRosa-approved Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software cuz it's like I always say every friggin game and practice, "Mark DeRosa is such a naughty naughty boy."

I want to say now that I hope Saturday's date with the Beers is a potential mine of tasty gems to write about because I'm not coming up with much about the Brians win. I mean, I could write too much about the three double plays and Bobby's great outing but at it certain point it becomes gross fanfic so if you don't mind too much, please give me a great game in two days. I beg you. This is . . . all I have left. I have nothing without it.

Hey also, don't come waltzing in expecting to all play the hero. The Beers just beat the News (handily) and were spraying balls (uh, yeah sorry) all over the frickin field. AND last time they beat the News then played us afterward we got our asses beat. So show some respect.

Last thing: I want everyone to make BC feel incredibly ashamed for breaking a bat he didn't buy and refusing to replace it. Boo him, throw rotten fruit or like, discarded and/or wet sunflower seed shells at him (the kind that stick annoyingly and for too long to just off your lip), hiss in his direction, shit I don't care but come on. I know none of you would do that, right?? Good boys.

NEXT GAME

SATURDAY 13 MAY

VS

OAKLAND BEERS

Crocker 12 Noon

Updated Stats & ASG Info

In case you haven't been able to tell I've pretty much given up on the recaps.  Sorry dudes.  Could pick up again just . . . I dunno, just not doin it.

Looks like the second half is gonna be tight.  No freebies, especially not for us.  Let's keep doin what we've been doin.

Here are your updated stats.  Hope to see some of you at the game tomorrow.  Jackson noonish - 1p start time.  We'll be wearing the alternate look, red tops and grey hats and pants.  If I don't see you then, have a fun and safe Fourth and I'll see you at practice on Tuesday.

29ers Play Clean Baseball in Big Win Over Clea --- aw shit

LAST GAME RESULTS

29TH ST 29ERS

14

RICHMOND WIENERS

2

RECAP: Another rounded team win with contributions coming from up and down the order.  I think Miles would tell you himself he didn't have his best stuff -- he looked like he was battling himself a bit, trying to be just a little too perfect up there -- but he managed to hold the Cleaners to one hit and one run through six strong innings, picking up the win along the way.  

Danny wasn't quite his usual self, at least not the guy who threw a 9-inning, one-run game against us last time.  That said, we're playing with such a loose and fun vibe right now I don't really care who's pitching against us.  Everything feels light, everyone's got each other's back (for the most part, I mean, screaming at your starting pitcher from the field aside).  The 9-1 record doesn't hurt as far as keeping spirits up but still.

Quick hits:

• Rickey had a big day at the plate, collecting four hits and scoring four runs, taking over the lead in a good handful of offensive categories.
• Dave in his limited role as our sometime-third baseman played super solidly -- zero errors and a good 4 or 5 balls hit to him, including a textbook bunt defense.
• Speaking of defense . . . I mean, duh, sorry coz I'm involved in these plays but those double plays were just special.  Four cleanly-turned DPs.  Rickey and I had to wait until Game 3 of the Championship last year for even our first one, so you can imagine my excitement.  Now we probably won't see another all season, but it is a great feeling collectively when you get those big outs consistently.  Maybe it's the practice?
• Drill changed the tone of the game with one swing, no denying it.  It was 3-1 and Danny had just pitched two back-to-back dominant innings, and we're going into the sixth.  Consecutive errors by the Cleaner second baseman led to men at third and second and who knocks em in but Drill Buss.  5-1 and all the momentum in the world.  Atta boy, Buss.
• Craig, 4 RBI.

SCHTÄTZ

NEXT GAME

Saturday 21 June

v

Berkeley 

Balboa, 1p

Probable Starter: De Wiz

This is the biggest game we're gonna play for a while, boys.  They're 8-2; we're 9-1.  If we can find a way to beat The News again, we're 10-1 and they're 8-3, and we're two games up, as opposed to just the one we have been.  We lose it, we're both sitting at 9-2 and fighting for that first place finish.  Be ready to bring that A-game.

Get Your Stats Here . . .

Here are your updated stats.  You'll notice I've highlighted the leaders in each category for both batting and pitching so you can go all Tonya Harding on the Nancy Kerrigan narrowly edging you out. (Ed. Plz don't go all Tonya Harding on anyone, boys).

NEXT GAME

Saturday 14 June

Balboa 1p v

Bitchmond Cleaners

jk :P

Dave will be here, too.  So that's a nice. :)

29ers Reach by Hits, Errors, Walks, Blow Past Brians 28 - 2

LAST GAME RESULTS

29TH ST 29ERS

28

DC BRIANS

2

RECAP: You remember these games from last season.  Go back and read the blowout recaps from the other ones if you're disturbed in that way.  I can't write about them.  Brandon went 5-6, hitting a double in the process.  Lots of people scored lots of runs due to being on base due to lots of errors.

There were 13 errors they made in that game.  Now include 11 walks and a hit batsmen.  Now add our 20 hits.  That's 45 baserunners.  When you look at it that way, it could have been a lot worse than 28 runs.  Jeez, that's 17 men left on base.  Boy, you guys are really slacking, holy shit.  Pick it up, 29ers.

Bobby was magical, throwing a complete game, 4-hit, 0 ER gem, striking out 12 while only issuing three free passes. 

I was gonna write about how we turned a 6-4-3 double play, but then I remembered it was against EJ, and I guess that's kind of a microcosm of this game.  We did something good, but it was at the expense of someone/-thing who/that couldn't help themselves much.  Don't get me wrong, EJ can knock one out of the park, but I think even he'd agree that speed isn't exactly his specialty tool.  Sometimes EJ will hit a home run, just as the Brians will sometimes win a game; sometimes EJ will hit into a double play, and the Brians will look like people who've never seen a groundball hit at them in their lives before.  Just the way it goes, I guess.

Anyway, I don't know about you guys, but I kind of hate games like that one.  The people clamoring at me to pick up Dan Mountain or get some other big hitter/ringer type guy -- c'mon.  This isn't exactly why I didn't, because we can never make the other team field the ball decently or opposing pitchers throw strikes, but I passed on picking anyone up because those walk-off games are nerve-wracking and exhilarating affairs.  I'm tuned in completely for 9+ innings: every pitch, every batted ball.  On Saturday I could have walked down to the Popeyes on Geneva when I was getting hungry in the sixth (or whenever), sat down and had a "Tackle Box" (or whatever), walked back and hardly have missed anything.

Maybe you're like me, maybe not.

I don't mean to gloss over anyone's accomplishments at the plate.  You all did really nicely and I hope that all continues into the more competitive games.  Also worth noting is I think the only Brians player who seemed legitimately and savagely disappointed was their manager Brian Woods.  They knew/know why the score was the way it was.  And look, as sick as it makes me, I guess this was good for our run differential.

STATS

NEXT GAME

Sunday 18 May

vs

Da Beers

at

Field of Dreams?  San Pablo?  Some new one called Lowell Park at 12th and Chestnut in W Oakland?

29ers' Singles Going Steady: Hit Way Past News 11 - 7

LAST GAME RESULTS

29TH ST 29ERS

11

BERKELEY NÜS

7

Here we go again, 29ers.  This is when I become the beast of blogden you all so desperately want me to be.  I'm  . . . I'm okay with that.  Hopefully it's a lot like last season, where I made you guys laugh and made the rest of the league despise me/all of us by extension.  Looking forward to that!

Apologies for no recaps for the first four games, and just the lump of stats that you'll see at the end instead of the week-by-week ones you (sort of?) deserve.  I'll break down a couple things real quickly here:

• Craig's been on a monstrous early season tear, and although statisticians disagree on how to measure "clutchness," if they finally got their shit together and found a way to gauge it, his output so far would be a perfect example.  Late-inning big hits, including a season-opening walk-off double to score Zack from first, game-tying bottom of the ninth 2-out, 2-strike single in the second game, a booming run-scoring double on Sunday, others I'm sure I'm forgetting.  You have to admit he's been producing like the freak he is in the fifth spot.  
• Miles Atkinson, who just recently told me he can't see Brandon's signs due to nearsightedness, has somehow managed to transform his eyes into a FoxTrax or PitchfX box or whatever those annoying calibrated laser strike zone things are.  The man seems like he's talking a walk more than half of his PAs and even if the stats don't agree I'll make them agree so I look better.  Zack's BB title from last year has some major competition it looks like.
• Zack is being Zack, sort of enough said.  What a quiet, humble dude who is just always so relaxed and able to offer advice while never being obnoxious about it, knowing when guys need space after a strike out or frustrating at bat or when they might need some gentle words of encouragement after same.  So consistent both on the mound and in the box, we really are lucky to have him and although we all know we love 'em, I'd say he's one of the most undervalued players in the league.  Great start to his season so far.

RECAP:  You already all know how big every game against the News is.  If it's not perfectly clear, here's why: you can never expect them to lose.  And we can't rely on any other team to beat them consistently.  Because they're really good.  So every time we play them, a win is worth one for us, plus a loss for them.  I . . . think that means something?  Like playing within your division?  It's doubly important to win those games?  

Anyway, we busted out of the gate, scoring three in the first in a hit parade that featured a Lennen double followed by back-to-back RBI singles by Bobby and Craig, a walk by Zack (go figure), the first of four hits from Miles, and an RBI single from Lunch.  All with two outs, and almost all shot through the formidable left side of the News' defense.  I wanna say our left side defense is best in the league, but I'm obviously biased.  If it's not ours, it's the combination of Will Cornyn and Brian Huey -- they don't let a lot get by.  Of course there wasn't much they could do as the hits were all rockets right through that 5.5 hole, but you just don't see stuff get through them.  It was great to watch, especially after scoring one run last week.  

Then I took the mound, and . . . well, it started out with a hell of a lot of promise.  I can't lie, I was nervous, but after striking out the first two News of the game, giving up a single to Raf (no one should ever feel bad about that), then inducing a weak groundball on three straight breaking balls to his brother, I thought I had it.  I . . . did not have it.  After a stressful second inning where we managed to escape with only one run scoring, I unraveled.  Not locating, hitting various Newsboys, it was bad, but I managed to remove myself before I thought it was really gonna get nasty.  Zack, bless him, came in with zero warning, inheriting a bases loaded, no out situation, and he wasn't even supposed to be there that day.  After a Gordon "Male Model" Papaduik 2-run single, Zack said uh-uh and shut the door, leaving it 6-3.  

A string of uncharacteristically awful News defense in the fourth led us to within two of tying, and we had the top of the order up in the fifth.  Rickey led off with a single, followed by my vain attempt to get a sacrifice bunt down (did I mention I'm doing bunting practice tonight?) -- Pat hit a line-drive single that put men on first and second.  Craig came up and hit a booming, sky-high double to deep left-center that brought both runners in, and we had a tie game.  That must have made the News nervous, because they pulled Raf for their fireballing but insanely wild new pitcher, whom Huey had never before seen throw.  Which is a good thing because had Brian known just how bad he was at throwing strikes we may have never seen him. 4 walks and a hit batsman later gave us a two-run lead, the rally ending abruptly on a seemingly cunning but extremely ill-advised sneak suicide squeeze attempt.

"Mike" was out after that inning, and now thinking back on it, they gave him two mound visits in that inning.  We could have had him pulled then, and I would have been simultaneously lauded for my prowess and ridiculed for my pettiness.  Ah well.  Next time.  I promise I will at least try to pull some crafty manager shenanigans this year, even if just for my own amusement.  The seventh saw us facing Kevin (?), a seriously nice guy whom I remember was the first, loudest, and most sincere New to congratulate me after winning Game 3 last season at Potrero.  Craig led off with a single and then. . .

The blast.  A 2-1 count.  Here's one of the main things about Zack's home run at bat: Wario, our completely well-meaning and good-natured but wildly inconsistent home plate umpire, called a strike from which Zack had to spin away.  You all know how Zack is in the box.  He doesn't spin out of the way of strikes.  BUT!  I would like to personally thank Wario for calling that a strike, because had the count been 3-0 instead of 2-1, I'm not sure Zack would have been ready to tag the mf'ing life out of that baseball.  The pure, unadulterated *thwock* of the bat on ball ringing so loudly; the ball's trajectory so magnificent; the sight of the News' outfielders sprinting back toward the fence, getting smaller and smaller.  Man, I love the baseball.  And I love The Wiz.  Thank you.

That put us up by four, 10-6.  The News would add a fielder's choice RBI on our near double play on Huey, but we got the run back in the ninth after Pat's second double and pair of singles from Zack and Miles.

It was a physically and emotionally exhausting game, with a bit of chirpiness from both sides, although it was all pretty harmless.  To be honest, I'm glad we don't have to play them for another seven weeks or so -- I couldn't take this too often.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Well, duh.  It's both a relief and kind of a backhanded bummer when the PotG is so clear, because it makes my job easier but also doesn't lend itself to any creativity behind picking the player himself.  But of course it's Zack.  I'm starting to feel like I'm gushing here, and I guess this whole post has been sort of an open love letter to The Wiz, but eff it, so be it.  I'm not only personally grateful to him because he came in and cleaned up my mess, going 7 innings while allowing only one run (!) but also 2-3 with the HR, a single, 2 runs scored and 2 walks.  Have a frickin day, and stop making the rest of us look like circa '13 Nobles.

DRIVE OF THE GAME: Because we can't let Zack have all the laurels, and because Craig has earned a few of these for games I lazily didn't recap, I'm gonna skip the glory that was the dinger and go with Craig's 2-run double in the fifth.  It's not only another example of what he's been doing through the first quarter of the season, it drastically changed the face of the ballgame and gave us some real momentum to keep fighting back.  A week after not being able to get that one big hit with guys on base, almost every man in the lineup, and especially Craig in the fifth inning, showed us how it's done.

PLAY OF THE GAME: A couple plays stood out for me on Sunday.  With the bases loaded and the infield pulled in early to prevent the game from getting out of hand, Bobby made an adroit play on a grounder by ranging to his left, spinning, and firing home for out.  Textbook stuff, still impressive when it actually works in this league.

Ryan McCauley's two lasers to second base to catch News trying to stretch doubles warrant mention.  The first one wasn't handled properly by the 29ers incompetent second baseman, but the next throw was an absolute seed right on the bag, so the fielder could catch the ball and barely move his glove to make the tag on the sliding runner . . .(leading to the 

MANAGER-BASED EMBARRASSMENT OF THE GAME): all while softly saying "See ya!" while applying said tag, then running off the field and flipping the ball to the mound, looking incredulously around for nonexistent high-fives and glove slaps, until, horrified, understanding there were only two outs and having to run back to his position, glove over face (which matched his uniform color).  What's up with that dude?

HANDICAPPED YET STILL EXOTIC ANIMAL SIGHTING OF THE GAME: This guy:

LOL (photo credit: Drill Buss)

Here's the whole deal:

"Stern faces, like old-timey baseball players" Oh, okay.

I have to wait on my updated version of the stat program I use to get those all inputted for you guys so you're gonna have to wait just a wee bit longer on those (should be by later this evening or tomorrow).  But here's to the first 25% of the season.  Keep it up, boys, coz you can tell we got our work cut out for us.

NEXT GAME

Saturday 18 May

vs

Brians of DC

 . . . don't know where yet but you'll know when I know