The Dot Bombers must have had somewhere to be after the game last night, because they wasted no time in racking up a big score that resulted in a mercy ruling after just five fast innings.
Though the Foes did lose 20-5 (I heard a rumor that we had six runs, so it could have been 21-6), there were plenty of high points worth mentioning. For starters, we had a great turnout and welcomed Issa and David Phillips (plus families!) back to the field. We were also happy to have Shortstop Brian and Willy back in action, and Alex's friend Michael, who is quickly becoming a True Foes friend as well!
Jason was enjoying some R&R in sunny California, so David Phillips was brave enough to be our starting pitcher last night. Then Willy stepped up and did a fantastic job, especially considering he hasn't pitched all season! Abbey had a terrific game last night, getting an out at second base and catching a scorching line drive that surely would have busted some ribs if she hadn't gotten her glove up in time! Said Lustgarten: "It was painful, but totally worth it."
There was a bright spot in the fourth inning where it looked like we might be able to turn things around: Glenn, David, and Issa all had slamming hits and chalked up some runs. Michael also hit a screaming meanie right through the infield--I swear, it must have gone past at least four Bombers' gloves. A big thank-you is owed Softball Dave who filled in as team manager, doing the lineup and the coin toss in addition to covering left field. Brian made an excellent double-play, and in general all the Foes played a better game than we did last week. Well done, team!
We did shut down the Dot Bombers in a couple of innings, but in the end they lived up to their name and knocked a bunch of bombs deep into the outfield. That plus a healthy dose of errors on our part resulted in a disgusting number of home runs for the other team, and the ump called the game shortly after seven o'clock.
The heat and haze we had earlier in the day dissolved into an absolutely gorgeous evening, and we took advantage of the early finish to get some relaxing and morale-boosting batting practice. Our numbers were small at the bar, but we very much enjoyed trying out a new watering hole: Rebar. The extensive beer list, expansive interior and eclectic soundtrack made for a great evening, which only got more interesting after Matt Lipson joined us for a round.
Unless there's another makeup game scheduled at the last minute, our final regular game will be Wednesday July 29 at 7pm at Murry Bergtraum. I say no pressure, no heroes, just put your game face on and give it the old college try! Let's bring our natural energy to the artificial turf and give the Pay Scrubs a run for their money!
GTF
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
True Foes vs. Antibiotix, 7/15/09
Last night ten True Foes bravely took the field at Barry 01, which seems to be our home field this year. Our opposing team was “Antibiotix,” which sounds like a pharmaceutical company trying to move into kids’ cereal or cat food.
Unfortunately for us, their team name was the only lame thing about them. Those guys could hit! Ryan in left, Glenn in center, and Alex Mabilon in right field all made great catches, but there were plenty that escaped us. The other team got some home runs with ducks on the pond and quickly racked up a substantial lead.
We had some familiar faces in new places last night (um, that doesn’t sound quite right) and learned that Abbey is terrific on first base (and she hit really well too!), Softball Dave can become Shortstop Dave, and Ryan’s friend (the ‘other Dave’) covered third for us.
The “Most Improved” award goes to Tyson, who made great contact at bat and also played well at second. Thank you also to Caroline, of Tyson and Caroline, for ensuring we had a full lineup by playing rover. The “Best Job Soldiering on While Injured” award goes to Jason, who stopped a zinger with his side but bounced back surprisingly fast.
Though we were shut out 12-0, there were some good moments for the True Foes! We made a double and a triple-play during the game, and we shut them down in more than one inning. It was at bat, once again, where we failed to live up to our true potential. We made some good solid hits, but Antibiotix can really catch. Also, their pitcher was really lobbing them in there, and while he tossed plenty of wild throws, there were plenty of speedy strikes as well.
But at the end of the day they were a nice team and the vibe on the field was pretty decent. You could smell the defeat in the True Foes dugout, but we did our best to show some spirit on the bench and stayed alive for seven innings. There didn’t seem to be enough spirit left over for batting practice after the game, so we made a beeline for Water St. and drank a few cold ones. We were missing some regulars (Shortstop Brian, Issa, David Phillips, Michael) last night, and our numbers were the smallest they’ve been this season. Drinks felt a little subdued but were a good tonic for our softball souls nonetheless.
We only have 2 regular games left, and the next one is on Monday, July 20th, back at Barry 01 again. Let’s bring it to the Dot Bombers and end the season on a high note! A big comeback game is just what we need to start the week off right, and you won’t want to miss it!
GTF
Unfortunately for us, their team name was the only lame thing about them. Those guys could hit! Ryan in left, Glenn in center, and Alex Mabilon in right field all made great catches, but there were plenty that escaped us. The other team got some home runs with ducks on the pond and quickly racked up a substantial lead.
We had some familiar faces in new places last night (um, that doesn’t sound quite right) and learned that Abbey is terrific on first base (and she hit really well too!), Softball Dave can become Shortstop Dave, and Ryan’s friend (the ‘other Dave’) covered third for us.
The “Most Improved” award goes to Tyson, who made great contact at bat and also played well at second. Thank you also to Caroline, of Tyson and Caroline, for ensuring we had a full lineup by playing rover. The “Best Job Soldiering on While Injured” award goes to Jason, who stopped a zinger with his side but bounced back surprisingly fast.
Though we were shut out 12-0, there were some good moments for the True Foes! We made a double and a triple-play during the game, and we shut them down in more than one inning. It was at bat, once again, where we failed to live up to our true potential. We made some good solid hits, but Antibiotix can really catch. Also, their pitcher was really lobbing them in there, and while he tossed plenty of wild throws, there were plenty of speedy strikes as well.
But at the end of the day they were a nice team and the vibe on the field was pretty decent. You could smell the defeat in the True Foes dugout, but we did our best to show some spirit on the bench and stayed alive for seven innings. There didn’t seem to be enough spirit left over for batting practice after the game, so we made a beeline for Water St. and drank a few cold ones. We were missing some regulars (Shortstop Brian, Issa, David Phillips, Michael) last night, and our numbers were the smallest they’ve been this season. Drinks felt a little subdued but were a good tonic for our softball souls nonetheless.
We only have 2 regular games left, and the next one is on Monday, July 20th, back at Barry 01 again. Let’s bring it to the Dot Bombers and end the season on a high note! A big comeback game is just what we need to start the week off right, and you won’t want to miss it!
GTF
Friday, July 10, 2009
True Foes vs. Halcyon Asset Management, 7/9/09
So the plan last night was to "bring the love back." We'd been getting pretty tense and stressed out before and during our last few games, and we felt it was important to take a deep breath, drink some beers, and chill the heck out before the next one.
Since we had a 9pm game at the East River Fields, East Village resident Softball Dave was kind enough to host us on his AMAZING back patio (I should have taken a picture!) and we enjoyed beers, pizza, and non-softball-related conversation for a good hour and a half before game time. I remember Jason saying, "I think we should all drink as much as possible," and wondering how that would turn out.
Well, it turned out to be a great idea! There was definitely less tension overall, and though we didn't even warm up for the game really, we were off to a great start! True Foes were the 'visiting' team, so we were up to bat first and Shortstop Brian quickly got us on the board. Then Halcyon was up, and they scored too. Even Steven.
Our fielding was definitely stronger than last time. Not watertight--there were a few errors here and there--but overall we made better plays and shut them down on more than one occasion. David had confidently declared before the game, "Their Halcyon days are over!" Oh, how I wish that were true. Unfortunately they got three runs in one inning and we never quite caught up to them after that.
Now, these guys were not a fun team to play against. They were super intense. The kind of guys who shout things like: "Keep the aggression!!"
It's 9pm on a beautiful summer night down by the river, and half the people present are slightly drunk. Is it really necessary to 'keep the aggression'? Oh, and their first baseman was driving me nuts the way he'd cheer for his own pitcher. After every pitch, he'd bellow something like: "Nice pitch! NICE PITCH!!"
It's not like there was really that much at stake--the only people besides us who were watching were random people walking by with their dogs. The exception to the Halcyon vein-popping attitude was their lone female player, who basically only put down her cell phone long enough to strike out. And she wasn't the only one! There were a lot of strikeouts on both sides last night, which I attribute to starting with a 1-1 count. It kind of throws everything off. But it did keep the game moving, and it was all over by 10pm: we lost 8-4. Not bad!
We were trailing 8-1 at the top of the sixth, and then Jason made an Inspirational Speech about relaxing, taking it easy, and getting some f--king runs already. Laviola added "No heroes!" and then proceeded to eat turf diving for a foul ball. But the speech worked, because right after that we scored more runs! Shortstop Brian, David Phillips, and Softball Dave all had great hits! We definitely had more opportunities to score throughout the game--there were True Foes on bases--but the aforementioned penchant for striking out meant that we couldn't live up to our scoring potential.
Willy was on first base, and there were plenty of great plays there--plus he went deep and made an exciting catch in almost-right-field. Glenn and Laviola were dependable as always in the outfield, and Softball Dave made a great catch too while he covered third, and Shortstop Brian stopped their hits short whenever possible. I don't like tooting my own horn, but I have to say it felt pretty good to finally catch a foul ball, and I hope to make a habit of it! Jason not only encouraged us to drink and relax, he also pitched great (there was a no-swing strikeout, and plenty of the regular kind!) and played through the pain when he got a nasty leg cramp.
Thank-yous and props are also due Michael on second, Mabs and Tyson as our rovers, David Phillips over in right field, Caroline for cheering, and Abbey for keeping score (always harder than it looks!). The game was over by 10pm, and after the requisite "good game" hand slaps with the snarky Halcyons we stayed on the field and practiced until they shut the lights off at 10:30.
Holy cow, did you see the moon last night? It was huge and orange, hovering over Brooklyn. Really amazing. Ironically, during batting practice we were hitting and fielding like champs--which means that we're on the right track with this whole "take it easy" idea! Next game, let's just pretend we're having some batting practice--no pressure--and I think we'll really shine! And if we need to take a little nip from a bottle now and then to facilitate the necessary relaxation, then so be it.
I don't even remember the name of the bar we ended up at, but it was on Avenue C at around tenth street I think. We had plenty of space to push some tables together and create a True Foes section, which was a welcome change from the crowds in the Dumbo bars. I've gotta say, the way we stick together and wring every last drop of pleasure from the night is truly wonderful. I'd rather lose with the True Foes than win with any other team--no contest! What good is winning if you have to hang out with a bunch of douchebags all night?
It was technically Friday morning when yours truly took off, and some of the Foes who stayed in the bar looked like they had the potential to really make a night of it. Any stories, Jason? Alex? Don't hold out on us, man!
Our next game is less than a week away: Wednesday, July 15, at 6pm vs. "ANTIBIOTIX". And yes, we're back in the navy yard again. Please come out to play or cheer, and (win or lose) good times will be had by all!
GTF
Since we had a 9pm game at the East River Fields, East Village resident Softball Dave was kind enough to host us on his AMAZING back patio (I should have taken a picture!) and we enjoyed beers, pizza, and non-softball-related conversation for a good hour and a half before game time. I remember Jason saying, "I think we should all drink as much as possible," and wondering how that would turn out.
Well, it turned out to be a great idea! There was definitely less tension overall, and though we didn't even warm up for the game really, we were off to a great start! True Foes were the 'visiting' team, so we were up to bat first and Shortstop Brian quickly got us on the board. Then Halcyon was up, and they scored too. Even Steven.
Our fielding was definitely stronger than last time. Not watertight--there were a few errors here and there--but overall we made better plays and shut them down on more than one occasion. David had confidently declared before the game, "Their Halcyon days are over!" Oh, how I wish that were true. Unfortunately they got three runs in one inning and we never quite caught up to them after that.
Now, these guys were not a fun team to play against. They were super intense. The kind of guys who shout things like: "Keep the aggression!!"
It's 9pm on a beautiful summer night down by the river, and half the people present are slightly drunk. Is it really necessary to 'keep the aggression'? Oh, and their first baseman was driving me nuts the way he'd cheer for his own pitcher. After every pitch, he'd bellow something like: "Nice pitch! NICE PITCH!!"
It's not like there was really that much at stake--the only people besides us who were watching were random people walking by with their dogs. The exception to the Halcyon vein-popping attitude was their lone female player, who basically only put down her cell phone long enough to strike out. And she wasn't the only one! There were a lot of strikeouts on both sides last night, which I attribute to starting with a 1-1 count. It kind of throws everything off. But it did keep the game moving, and it was all over by 10pm: we lost 8-4. Not bad!
We were trailing 8-1 at the top of the sixth, and then Jason made an Inspirational Speech about relaxing, taking it easy, and getting some f--king runs already. Laviola added "No heroes!" and then proceeded to eat turf diving for a foul ball. But the speech worked, because right after that we scored more runs! Shortstop Brian, David Phillips, and Softball Dave all had great hits! We definitely had more opportunities to score throughout the game--there were True Foes on bases--but the aforementioned penchant for striking out meant that we couldn't live up to our scoring potential.
Willy was on first base, and there were plenty of great plays there--plus he went deep and made an exciting catch in almost-right-field. Glenn and Laviola were dependable as always in the outfield, and Softball Dave made a great catch too while he covered third, and Shortstop Brian stopped their hits short whenever possible. I don't like tooting my own horn, but I have to say it felt pretty good to finally catch a foul ball, and I hope to make a habit of it! Jason not only encouraged us to drink and relax, he also pitched great (there was a no-swing strikeout, and plenty of the regular kind!) and played through the pain when he got a nasty leg cramp.
Thank-yous and props are also due Michael on second, Mabs and Tyson as our rovers, David Phillips over in right field, Caroline for cheering, and Abbey for keeping score (always harder than it looks!). The game was over by 10pm, and after the requisite "good game" hand slaps with the snarky Halcyons we stayed on the field and practiced until they shut the lights off at 10:30.
Holy cow, did you see the moon last night? It was huge and orange, hovering over Brooklyn. Really amazing. Ironically, during batting practice we were hitting and fielding like champs--which means that we're on the right track with this whole "take it easy" idea! Next game, let's just pretend we're having some batting practice--no pressure--and I think we'll really shine! And if we need to take a little nip from a bottle now and then to facilitate the necessary relaxation, then so be it.
I don't even remember the name of the bar we ended up at, but it was on Avenue C at around tenth street I think. We had plenty of space to push some tables together and create a True Foes section, which was a welcome change from the crowds in the Dumbo bars. I've gotta say, the way we stick together and wring every last drop of pleasure from the night is truly wonderful. I'd rather lose with the True Foes than win with any other team--no contest! What good is winning if you have to hang out with a bunch of douchebags all night?
It was technically Friday morning when yours truly took off, and some of the Foes who stayed in the bar looked like they had the potential to really make a night of it. Any stories, Jason? Alex? Don't hold out on us, man!
Our next game is less than a week away: Wednesday, July 15, at 6pm vs. "ANTIBIOTIX". And yes, we're back in the navy yard again. Please come out to play or cheer, and (win or lose) good times will be had by all!
GTF
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