Ooh, do that again, True Foes!
Winning feels good. Winning after a loss, a rainout, and a bye feels even better.
I’ve got to give Issa props for his share in our victory tonight—not only did he get a ton of hopeful South’s baserunners out on first, but he really put us in the right frame of mind by calmly but firmly insisting, “We really need to win this one, guys.” He plays soccer with one of the guys on that team and did not look forward to the incessant razzing that would ensue if we lost.
Well if that’s all it takes, then: hey, I’m close friends with someone on the next team we’re playing. If we lose to them, I’ll lose face. So we really need to win our next game, too. OK? For that matter: I’ve got a friend/teammate/ex-boyfriend on every single team we’re playing for the rest of the season. So we’ve really got to win them all! Don’t let me down! There. That oughta do it.
The weather, though still slightly chillier than many would have liked, was still a vast improvement over our last game, and a great deal drier and brighter to boot. Some high school teams were playing when we first arrived at the field (yup, we were in the Navy Yard again) so we had to play catch and stretch on the sidelines and wait until six o’clock sharp for them to clear the hell out of our dugout so we could get started.
Not that the slight delay mattered in the end. The ump, to put it nicely, was extremely relaxed. After assuring that both teams and team managers were present, he took a nice long walk around the handball courts on the far side of the block, having himself a smoke. Was it tobacco? Some speculated otherwise, citing giggly behavior and an extremely mellow attitude as evidence. At any rate, he was easier to get along with than the last blue, and had more of a tendency to call a spade a spade when faced with all the strikes Jason was throwing, so no real complaints. Though he did seem to have a soft spot for the old guy on the other team (yeah, he should have struck out) and I swear to god I was SAFE on first that one time, but hey.
The men and women on the South’s team were friendly, and they did have some good hitters, but overall they were no match for the True Foes. We took an early lead 3-0 after the first inning, and went on to score 12 more runs until it was called as a “mercy win” 15-2 at the bottom of the fifth. The ump actually asked us when and how the mercy rule should be applied. Um, not to be rude, but isn’t that your job? Though if he had asked us to start calling pitches or outs for him I wouldn’t have minded.
It was a pretty easy game for yours truly—no big plays at home plate, that’s for sure! So I had plenty of time to witness, in glorious detail, all the stunning plays made by the True Foes in the in-and-outfields. David Phillips debuted this season in center field, and boy were we glad he did! He was responsible for monster hits and some essential catches. Jason must have had his Wheaties that morning, cuz he was really pitching the shit. There were straightforward strikes, the low and twisty strikes, and what I like to call the “sonic” strikes—cuz you see a big swing first, and then a split second later hear the ball sink into my glove. Heh, heh.
Shortstop Brian really cleaned up the infield—well, he and Jason both did, actually. Those two, with Issa on first and Michael on second base, worked together like pros, and efficiently plowed through a lot of innings when “The South’s” were at bat. Ryan Hullings (apart from his great hits) and Abbey (who also had great hits!) were solid on third base, of course, but the truth is not many of the other team's players made it that far. Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!
We had Softball Dave in left field (who made excellent contact at bat), Alex Mabilon (and Steve) in right field, while Tyson and Russell took turns as rover. You know, for being some of our “less-experienced” players, those latter three are really improving by leaps and bounds—really cottoning on to the strategy and skills like they were born to play softball. Congrats to Tyson for his first score (on the field, you perverts), and kudos to Mabs, who donned an elbow brace and said “I’m not gonna let an injured elbow stop me, allons-y!” (or something like that). It was awesome when Fumiko and Dash showed up in the fourth inning, right when the South’s scored one of their two runs. Fumiko asked me through the fence, “Who’s winning?” And I said, “We are: eleven to one!” And she was all, “Oh, all right then!” Pas de problème!
Not to sound cocky, but I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and besides the fact that South’s is a new team without a lot of experience, we really did play well and pretty much had this one in the bag from the get-go. As I already mentioned, they were a bunch of nice people though—and the name of their team is truly fitting, as I learned. I was coaching third base, and it was kind of apparent at that point that we were going to win, so I was joking around a little, trading jibes with the other team. Then one of them asked me, “Is this y’all’s first season?” It took me a moment to realize she was asking me a question, because I honestly can’t recall the last time I’ve heard “y’all” used non-ironically in conversation!
When the game was over we still had plenty of daylight (come to think of it, I believe it was the magic hour!) for our walk to the bar, and this time Water Street Bar won out. It was “lobster ‘n’ jazz” night there, but we mainly stuck to beer and hard liquor, and that worked out quite well. There was ample time and space to pat ourselves (and our teammates) on the back and shoot the breeze. Fortunately we won’t have to wait as long for our next game and subsequent celebration; it’s coming up in less than a week!
On May 4th, get ready for some Monday night madness when the True Foes manhandle Mayhem at Barry Park!
GTF
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
True Foes vs. Highliners, 4/7/09
It was certainly a shivery, soggy start to the ’09 softball season! We were the first to arrive at our old stomping grounds at Commodore Barry Park in the Navy Yard, and after surveying both dugouts we realized that they were both more or less underwater so we threw our stuff down by the fence on the side of the field and wasted no time in starting our first and much-needed practice!
A half-hour or so of catch and batting practice did help, but when we finished and waited for the game to start, the thin film of sweat that had managed to develop only served to chill us all the more when that cold wind blew on the backs of our necks. The infield was littered with puddles, and before the game could start the ump directed players to take the flat rubber bases and literally scoop dirt from the dirt mound by third base to try and fill in the swamps at the pitcher’s mound and home plate. The outfield was pitted, bumpy, and shaggy, as usual, with the added complication of a damp and dirty softball that wanted to jump and slip from every glove and grip.
The Highliners were a new team last year, and this was our first time playing them. There’s no knowing what kind of company they work for, but they all traveled together in an official-looking company van, so maybe they do deliveries? Well, they definitely failed to deliver an impressive performance last night—they just got lucky!
The True Foes were up to bat first and started quite well—at the bottom of the first inning we were ahead, and although the Highliners scored more runs later on we did hold our own for the most part, though sadly not enough to finish in the lead when the game was truncated early. Honestly, if we had played the full seven innings I think we would have won the game, but it got so dark after just five innings that both team managers agreed to call the game and we ended up losing by two runs: 9-7.
There were a lot of things working against us last night: wintry weather, a wet ball, and some debatable judgment calls by the ump, but we must admit that we did make an unfortunate amount of errors in some innings. The umpire had a washcloth just to wipe off the water and mud—but he would have served us better if he had paid as much attention to the pitches as he did to the cleanliness of the ball. I’m not saying that every True Foes pitch was perfect, but there were definitely a lot more of them in the strike zone than what he called.
The Highliners, for their part, were loving it. Someone really needed to say to them, “Hey, guys—you know that metal stick you hold in your hands while you stand by home plate? It’s called a bat, and you’re supposed to swing it at the ball once in a while.” They definitely had a penchant for walking to first base, but Jason sucked it up and whenever we took the field he continued lobbing what seemed like hundreds of pitches until we managed to make three outs.
Some shout-outs are definitely in order: to Jason, for not only pitching some long innings in less-than-desirable weather, but also for going to the field in the morning before work to gauge the likelihood of a cancellation, and some really terrific line drives. Willy hauled all the equipment to and from in the Bresemobile and kept score for us—and he also recruited Julie when we needed another player, and thanks to her we had ten on the field and she made a great catch as our rover! Shortstop Brian bravely donned a glove even though he broke his catching hand five weeks ago, and had great at-bats followed by his usual daredevil base-running. Softball Dave hit great and also rocked on third, and even had to tag some dudes out, which is not that easy. Mad props to Ryan Hullings for making one of those catches where everyone is going “oh my god-will he catch it or not?-oh my god” and then he did! Issa was invaluable on first, at bat, and also as a third-base coach for us less-savvy base-runners. Glenn Baken didn’t really have an opportunity to shine in center field (the Highliners were not heavy hitters) but he took his usual big swings and helped up our score. We were happy to have Steve Griffin return for his second season on the Foes, and I’d wager that before long he’ll feel as natural on the field as he does when he’s elbow-deep in computer guts. A very heartfelt thank-you is owed to Kim and Mabilon who came to cheer, which was actually a much colder task than playing, and to Alex’s friend Michael who had a fantastic hit and also proved she’s worth her salt on second.
Beers and way too many fistfuls of those shoestring fries were consumed at Superfine after the game. It was warm and crowded and so wonderful to catch up with old teammates and welcome new ones! Yes, it was ridiculously cold and dark on the field, and yes, we had that gritty softball mud all over our clothes and hands, and yes, we did technically lose our first game of the season. But we had a good turnout, spirits are up, and I think everyone is ready to bring the heat (oh please let there be heat) next Tuesday for a glorious, victorious, full-length game against the Dot Bombers!
GTF
A half-hour or so of catch and batting practice did help, but when we finished and waited for the game to start, the thin film of sweat that had managed to develop only served to chill us all the more when that cold wind blew on the backs of our necks. The infield was littered with puddles, and before the game could start the ump directed players to take the flat rubber bases and literally scoop dirt from the dirt mound by third base to try and fill in the swamps at the pitcher’s mound and home plate. The outfield was pitted, bumpy, and shaggy, as usual, with the added complication of a damp and dirty softball that wanted to jump and slip from every glove and grip.
The Highliners were a new team last year, and this was our first time playing them. There’s no knowing what kind of company they work for, but they all traveled together in an official-looking company van, so maybe they do deliveries? Well, they definitely failed to deliver an impressive performance last night—they just got lucky!
The True Foes were up to bat first and started quite well—at the bottom of the first inning we were ahead, and although the Highliners scored more runs later on we did hold our own for the most part, though sadly not enough to finish in the lead when the game was truncated early. Honestly, if we had played the full seven innings I think we would have won the game, but it got so dark after just five innings that both team managers agreed to call the game and we ended up losing by two runs: 9-7.
There were a lot of things working against us last night: wintry weather, a wet ball, and some debatable judgment calls by the ump, but we must admit that we did make an unfortunate amount of errors in some innings. The umpire had a washcloth just to wipe off the water and mud—but he would have served us better if he had paid as much attention to the pitches as he did to the cleanliness of the ball. I’m not saying that every True Foes pitch was perfect, but there were definitely a lot more of them in the strike zone than what he called.
The Highliners, for their part, were loving it. Someone really needed to say to them, “Hey, guys—you know that metal stick you hold in your hands while you stand by home plate? It’s called a bat, and you’re supposed to swing it at the ball once in a while.” They definitely had a penchant for walking to first base, but Jason sucked it up and whenever we took the field he continued lobbing what seemed like hundreds of pitches until we managed to make three outs.
Some shout-outs are definitely in order: to Jason, for not only pitching some long innings in less-than-desirable weather, but also for going to the field in the morning before work to gauge the likelihood of a cancellation, and some really terrific line drives. Willy hauled all the equipment to and from in the Bresemobile and kept score for us—and he also recruited Julie when we needed another player, and thanks to her we had ten on the field and she made a great catch as our rover! Shortstop Brian bravely donned a glove even though he broke his catching hand five weeks ago, and had great at-bats followed by his usual daredevil base-running. Softball Dave hit great and also rocked on third, and even had to tag some dudes out, which is not that easy. Mad props to Ryan Hullings for making one of those catches where everyone is going “oh my god-will he catch it or not?-oh my god” and then he did! Issa was invaluable on first, at bat, and also as a third-base coach for us less-savvy base-runners. Glenn Baken didn’t really have an opportunity to shine in center field (the Highliners were not heavy hitters) but he took his usual big swings and helped up our score. We were happy to have Steve Griffin return for his second season on the Foes, and I’d wager that before long he’ll feel as natural on the field as he does when he’s elbow-deep in computer guts. A very heartfelt thank-you is owed to Kim and Mabilon who came to cheer, which was actually a much colder task than playing, and to Alex’s friend Michael who had a fantastic hit and also proved she’s worth her salt on second.
Beers and way too many fistfuls of those shoestring fries were consumed at Superfine after the game. It was warm and crowded and so wonderful to catch up with old teammates and welcome new ones! Yes, it was ridiculously cold and dark on the field, and yes, we had that gritty softball mud all over our clothes and hands, and yes, we did technically lose our first game of the season. But we had a good turnout, spirits are up, and I think everyone is ready to bring the heat (oh please let there be heat) next Tuesday for a glorious, victorious, full-length game against the Dot Bombers!
GTF
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