Better than Joe Cocker's version.
I write this bruised, achy, bloodstained and sad, the words seem to swell along with my left wrist, and my right knee. Too deep of an attempt at reflection on this season would be a lost cause at this point, but I know for certain the Ducks are on the rise, the rivalry with the Black Sox has been renewed, and we now know what it takes to really make a deep run in the playoffs; a little more than we had this season.
This was the most fun I've had playing ball in years, (this is supposed to be fun, right?) I won't be completely happy with a season that falls short of a championship, but who is? only assholes who only care about stats. I'd say I'm in the 90th percentile of satisfaction with how the season went, but maybe in the zero to three percent range in regards to our last game.
The Ducks suffered a severe beating at the hands of the Brookline Black Sox, to the tune of an eleven run third inning from which South Oakland could not recover.
Chris Wojton opened the game for South Oakland with a solo homerun, tying Ben Gwin for the all-time lead in Ducks post-season home runs. After the Black Sox scored two in the bottom inning, the Black Sox challenged the mismatched Duck uniforms, the game would continue under protest.
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the second, the Ducks answered. As best as I can remember, Novak singled, Kolaja reached on an error there was a questionable double play, another single by Homa, then Murphy walked to load the bases for Wojton who doubled in two runs, then Gwin singeld in two more to give the Ducks a 5-2 lead. Then the bottom fell out.
The bottom of the third was a swirling mass of bad pitches, bad sportsmanship, and bad defense. The Black Sox scored eleven runs during an endless inning full of doubles, and snide remarks. and that was it.
They did not however, stop stealing bases, they must have an incentive clause regarding the ten-run rule, up nine in the bottom of the sixth, why not steal?
They beat us senseless. You'd think it'd be enough to roll over a hot wild card team in the playoffs, I know things are said in The Heat of the Moment, but , well I guess I'd have handled it differently.
The umpiring was terrible, but it wasn't the difference. We could have got every call and still lost.
I'm not a sore loser, I'm just sore...
The Black Sox deserved to win. The Ducks' staff could not find the strike zone for an inning and the Sox hit it hard and found the gaps.
The Ducks officially support the Warriors.
The Black Sox play the OwlzZ later this week, perhaps their will be a bench clearing brawl and both teams in their entirety will be banned from league play for the rest of the post-season, and the Ducks will take the Monongahela Division by default. I wouldn't count on it, though.
South Oakland will wrap up the season with two exhibition games; on Saturday and Sunday.
I'll keep blogging about the rest of the playoffs (probably throughout the off-season, if you'll keep reading), but my heart won't be in it until the sting of this loss wanes a bit. I figure I should use the rest of the Ultimate Warrior you tube clips I have stashed away.
ON THE UNIFORM SITUATION
Next season, it's bad news for every team in the league other than the Ducks.
Quack.
Rumors of a Blockbuster deal between the Rakers and Ducks are swirling, like cigarette smoke from the Black Sox dugout...
I write this bruised, achy, bloodstained and sad, the words seem to swell along with my left wrist, and my right knee. Too deep of an attempt at reflection on this season would be a lost cause at this point, but I know for certain the Ducks are on the rise, the rivalry with the Black Sox has been renewed, and we now know what it takes to really make a deep run in the playoffs; a little more than we had this season.
This was the most fun I've had playing ball in years, (this is supposed to be fun, right?) I won't be completely happy with a season that falls short of a championship, but who is? only assholes who only care about stats. I'd say I'm in the 90th percentile of satisfaction with how the season went, but maybe in the zero to three percent range in regards to our last game.
****
The Ducks suffered a severe beating at the hands of the Brookline Black Sox, to the tune of an eleven run third inning from which South Oakland could not recover.
Chris Wojton opened the game for South Oakland with a solo homerun, tying Ben Gwin for the all-time lead in Ducks post-season home runs. After the Black Sox scored two in the bottom inning, the Black Sox challenged the mismatched Duck uniforms, the game would continue under protest.
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the second, the Ducks answered. As best as I can remember, Novak singled, Kolaja reached on an error there was a questionable double play, another single by Homa, then Murphy walked to load the bases for Wojton who doubled in two runs, then Gwin singeld in two more to give the Ducks a 5-2 lead. Then the bottom fell out.
The bottom of the third was a swirling mass of bad pitches, bad sportsmanship, and bad defense. The Black Sox scored eleven runs during an endless inning full of doubles, and snide remarks. and that was it.
They did not however, stop stealing bases, they must have an incentive clause regarding the ten-run rule, up nine in the bottom of the sixth, why not steal?
They beat us senseless. You'd think it'd be enough to roll over a hot wild card team in the playoffs, I know things are said in The Heat of the Moment, but , well I guess I'd have handled it differently.
The umpiring was terrible, but it wasn't the difference. We could have got every call and still lost.
I'm not a sore loser, I'm just sore...
The Black Sox deserved to win. The Ducks' staff could not find the strike zone for an inning and the Sox hit it hard and found the gaps.
The Ducks officially support the Warriors.
The Black Sox play the OwlzZ later this week, perhaps their will be a bench clearing brawl and both teams in their entirety will be banned from league play for the rest of the post-season, and the Ducks will take the Monongahela Division by default. I wouldn't count on it, though.
South Oakland will wrap up the season with two exhibition games; on Saturday and Sunday.
I'll keep blogging about the rest of the playoffs (probably throughout the off-season, if you'll keep reading), but my heart won't be in it until the sting of this loss wanes a bit. I figure I should use the rest of the Ultimate Warrior you tube clips I have stashed away.
ON THE UNIFORM SITUATION
- Three or four Ducks quit and never returned their jerseys, and we added a few guys throughout the season. For whatever reason we did not order our uni's from a vendor that is able to make new ones unless we order in bulk, so we have four guys who play in green T-shirts, or yellow "Ducks" shirts. This is not ideal, and we realize this. It's not like that team who wore shorts one year. I realize it's a rule, but we had extenuating circumstances. One player had their Jersey stolen somehow.
- Is it more disrespectful to the game of baseball to steal up nine runs, and yap about nothing or to play in a T-shirt with your team's name and logo on it?
- Not all the Black Sox were doing this stuff.
***
BULLET POINTS- Balls
- This was not a fun game to catch.
- Wojton is a beast.
- I guess the 2007 Rockies lost eventually anyway.
- Without Guthrie's wins over the Black Sox and the Rakers this season, we don't make the playoffs.
Nick Homa for Pitcher of the Year
TC Jones for Manager of the Year.
There will be a grandiose season recap in the near future.
TC Jones for Manager of the Year.
There will be a grandiose season recap in the near future.
Next season, it's bad news for every team in the league other than the Ducks.Quack.
Rumors of a Blockbuster deal between the Rakers and Ducks are swirling, like cigarette smoke from the Black Sox dugout...
