There's a fine line between being in a funk and getting funky. Every South Oakland Duck of the North Side is one breakout at bat away from getting funky at the plate.
A hand full of Duck's are only one swing away from getting down right funky at the dish, with full out ride on that grand funk railroad.
That was hard played game last night on both sides of the Duck pond. All we needed was one ball to splash our way, and we win that game by tight margin.
The ice cream man screwed us
..with a fat snow cone delivery, to a big customer down at the first base. And the big guy ate it right up, that is, once he realized it was on the God damn house.
But it felt good to see the Ducks battle against a worthy opponent, even if those opponents were mostly made up of few ex-cons, some guy that apparently wears a thong, Kenny Powers and of course Pete Chaaafflin.
Black Sox or Black Ski masks ?
Duck's were robbed of victory last night.
But the Duck's were mighty close to putting on their own Duck masks to do the thieving themselves.
There was no lull last night, no question what we were out for, no hesitation to Quack, and no lack of spirit.
Feel the Funk.
The the Captain and the Funk Doctor feelin' Funky.
There's a long history here with the Ducks.
..and there's still a lot of history to be made here with the Ducks.
Independence day is upon us
...and some foot stomping music is going to get us in the groove.
As KT was phrasing it.. "Don't be afraid to be great"
Wednesday 8:30 at the Duck Pond. We will wear green.
The Smiths ( A & S) Fletch Castle Kirk Gibson Gwin
Another reason Pete Rose is a chump: He ended that Oakland catcher's career in the 70 (I think) All Star game. It's an exhibition, no need to take out anyone here.
I was doing some pondering tonight like I sometimes am known to do and I couldn't help but think about Machiavelli and his debate on whether it is better to be feared or better to be loved. The NABA seems to follow the same sort of distinct juxtaposition between teams that are loved and teams that are feared and a case can be made as to whether a team should be feared or loved.
Here in a nut shell is what Machiavelli says:
"Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with..........for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails."
So where do the teams of the NABA fall according to Machiavelli? I would venture to say that most would agree that the Owlz and the Blacksox fall under the feared category, whereas the Ducks and Bulldogs tend to fall under the loved category. The current records go to show that perhaps Machiavelli is correct.
But is being feared really all its cracked up to be? Sure it might give you the best shot of winning, and no doubt it gives you the psychological edge in a head to head matchup, but one point that Machiavelli grossly underestimates is the loyalty between players on teams that are loved and the lack there of on teams that are feared. For example, the custody battle over pitcher Warren between the Owlz and the Blacksox and how about the comments Fago made about his former skipper Mr. Cool.
In conclusion, I must disagree with Machiavelli when it comes to NABA baseball and say it is better to be loved than feared. Being feared might be the quick and easiest way to a title, but the loyalty of the players toward their loved teams trumps fear any day. Success might not come as quickly, but when it does it is nearly impossible to break a loved team apart.
This game is not going to get the time it deserves. Chalfin dominated us. We had guys in scoring position several times and we did not drive in runs, our best hitters did not come through, except Guthrie that is why he is Captain America.
He had our only hit, which if it didn't deflect off the Black Sox SS, glove, (who did not look like he wanted to punch anyone today, although i didn't get a good look at him for most of the night, as I was not on base) may have drove in the potential tying run, but kirk had to hold to make sure it wasn't caught. In the bottom of the seventh Captain hit one to the warning track in right center that would have fallen if Goldie wasn't really a robot.
Fletcher allowed 1 unearned run. I can not over state how important he has been to this team. With Our best pitcher from last season, 2008 league strikeout leader, Nick Homa on the bench (with a hip injury he suffered banging the Hurricane's female accuantences afterg a 2-0 one-hitter against the Fightin' 'Canes in the thrid game of the season) Fletcher has been phenominal. He fits our team well in that he locates and induces groundball which our infield then makes outs. We turned 4 double plays in the game, I think including one on the Black Sox, SS, who is one of the fastest guys in the league.
Thanks for sending Fletcher our way Mr. Cool, more reason for the Black Sox to hate you. Especially when we beat them in the playoffs. quack.
Anyway. Kenny f-ing Powers scored the only run on a single by some dude who is probably in jail right now for robbing one of the liquor stores in the North Side after the game.
the ball beat him there, the throw one hopped our catcher and he couldn't hold on. Tough play. our left fielder is a homo with no arm, he's got to get the throw there in the air.
Some rivalries are born out of hatred, like the Owlz Black Sox, I'd like to think the Ducks Black Sox is one that is now, at least, based more on mutual respect. This game was nothing like last year's playoff debacle that is for sure.
Both teams played hard. Both teams left the field thinking they didn't hit. Chalfin and Fletcher both deserved to win.
I think Fletcher only allowed 5 hits to statistically the 2nd best hitting team in the league. Feel free to fill in the blanks in the comments, guys.
It will take a complete collapse by the Black Sox, and the Ducks winning out for South Oakland to earn a bye. Our magic number is 2 with the Connfederacy to Clinch the 3 spot. Let's finish strong.
Ryan Novak is my favorite baseball player.
We have to start hitting.
If we lose to the Gray Bats on Sunday I am quitting baseball.
"Quack" sign was huge, literally.
BP Wednesday. 6:30 pm at Pitt.
Better to struggle to score runs now than in the playoffs.
The Ducks have lost three straight to fall a game and a half behind the Black Sox for second place in the division.
1909 Cincinnati Reds
The Bad News is we have scored 4 runs in our last 3 games, we've seemed lethargic at times, we haven't had that clucth performance out of anyone since Captain America wiped his ass with Sorosky's guarantee and dominated the Gray Bats during a game that seemed like an eternity ago. The good news is we have a game tonight, the first of two remaining against the team we must overtake to earn a first round bye.
Sports are humbling, and after a franchise best 12-3 start, we were in the driver's seat, and we proceeded to lose 3 straight, two of those games were there for the taking.
Saturday night I had a brief conversation with the only other sober kid there, Pete Chalfin, he talked about the NABA League he played in in NY, then he called us a bunch of pussies and said he have 20 K's tonight.
Just kidding - he never said that, not to my face anyway {quack}.
Anyway, he said basically the leagues were comparable, but what still lingers with me is how he said that the teams even had the same personalities to paraphrase he said, There's the ass holes, the team full of college kids, and the guys to take it too seriously, and the teams that suck and can't get enough guys together."
It got me thinking about the character of our team, collectively. Not questioning it, or anyone's effort or anything, but it's been an odd year. We have played great baseball at times, and at times we look like a joke. It's confusing.
In the narrative arc of things, this is clearly a turning point. We will go along way to defining our team and our season tonight. We're playing .667 baseball, that's good, only the Owlz and Black Sox have a higher winning percentage. But I still get the feeling, a lot of teams think we're overrated, basically because I do most of the "rating" as the guy who runs the most read blog in the league, and that we've lost some shitty games, well 2 or 3 anyway half our losses have come against the Owlz, who will finish the season with the best record in the league. But after 18 games, you are who you are. One terrible game on Saturday doesn't erase the 12 wins. Reports of the Ducks' demise are greatly overrated.
There is a fine line between getting up for a game, and being too tense, and between being lose, and not-focused.
I don't even know what that means, but it seems relevant. Let's just play baseball, baseball is fun. Let's have fun and play hard. Right on the edge of dirty, that's how I like to do things.
Rob Cool recruits guys from Allegheny County Community College. Kenny recruits from Allegheny County Jail - and Penn State. Goldie's a beast.
I do know the Black Sox are a good team, that will not be without their starting center fielder and shortstop tonight, as they were in our first meeting. I don't think we had Dowling, Novak, Fletcher or Mars last time. If we win we guarantee the edge in the head to head tie breaker.
The Black Sox have the Owlz twice which increases the possibility of a few Black Sox players violating parole and getting thrown in jail as a result of the melee that is sure to ensue during the double header in Imperial, they might have to forfeit another game while Randy scrambles to get bail paid. they also play the new look Matadors and the Warriors, on paper they have a tougher schedule. All we can do is play our game.
Randy is a shoe-in for the PGH NABA hall of fame Coaches Wing.
{Re-Cap of Saturday night's party} The Black Sox hate sleeves. - Kenny gets angry when Chalfin tells him of the offer he received from Rob Cool's to pitch for Imperial
Kenny Powers: You lost to the Eagles?! Ducks: We Beat you!
Repeat.
the cops showed up three times. Solid, work Guth and KotH.
***
The Ducks, Black Sox rivalry is as old as Megan J. is hot. The only bench clearing brawl in Ducks history was against that team. They ruined our chane to repeat in '04 after we forfeitted a playoff game, and had to play a game with 7 guys after a rain-out and rescheduling dominated our roster full of kids who worked nights. That was after we won game one of the 3 game semi-final 7-0 Kenny Powers pitched that game. Their starting shortstop looks like he wants to punch me (or someone) in the face every time I see him. (to be fair I don't see him that often).
A good indicator of the history here is that when Bob Faust, who played on the Ducks from '05-'06 showed up for BP the other day, the first thing he asked was, "Are the Black Sox still in the league?" "Yeah," I replied. "Those fuckers," he said.
Bob Faust had his arm broken in a Ducks Black Sox game in 2006.
The Black Sox talk a lot of shit. They generally back it up, but I will quit playing baseball the day I let any 6'4" 260lb. ex-con in a baseball uniform intimidate me.
Kenny Powers knows how important this game is to his squad. There are Pitt. vs. PSU implications in this one with Chalfin throwing tonight. Kenny, myself and Briton, and i think Slavonic are the original PGH NABA'ers playing in this game. It's hard for me to hate any of the guys who helped keep this thing running during the early days. It's good that we have teams that are a bunch of ass holes on the field in our league, it makes things more interesting.
For that Kenny Powers is the man.
But tonight, is our night.
Kirk is going yard
Fletch is on the hill.
***
The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side are 7-1 (I think) at home.
We are the home team tonight.
The Black Sox namesake is a bunch of criminals. We need the Big Boss Mantonight. (check out that link)
Hello Kenny Rayl (powers) and Pete Chalfin. Sorry for saying we are going to beat you and that I was going to take you yahtzee. Good luck on Monday, you guys are cool. Thanks to you and commish and others (Casale) for rocking out with us tonight.
Batting Practice: 11am Pitt We will leave at 12:15
A lot of good baseball teams will lose to the Owlz this season, the Warriors hold the best regular season record in the league over the past five years a split is not what we would have liked, but we have to move on.
All-Star snub, Captain America is batting .397 It's all politics.
A crucial two game stretch against division opponents is in front of us, starting with the Eagles tomorrow. A 12-5 team with aspirations of making a deep run in the playoffs will beat a 4-10 team to stop the bleeding after losing two straight.
How the balls is this already the eighteenth game?
If we lose tomorrow we don't deserve the two seed.
last gameday I went with reader requests for 1980's Keifer Sutherland pics and Roadhouse youtubes.
they were dominated.
With a crappy band like the Eagles who made their living bastardizing rock n' roll for yuppies. There's only one answer.
The Greatest Rock Star this city, maybe the planet, has ever seen.
This video will never get old. When the season ends I will blog only about the second season of East Bound and Down.
I am looking forward to a viewing Saturday Night, while we hopefully celebrate our victory over the Electric Light Orchestra.
We've got the "Eagles" tomorrow - today is the longest day of the week. Batting Practice today at Pitt at 6:30, then we all er...i guess i can't avoid this - "Take it Easy" tonight before the game.
Who is in favor of Practicing with the Bulldogs at John Herb Next week?
What days are good?
Leave a comment and click on an adsense banner.
Huge divisional game tomorrow, 2pm at Gateway Middle School in Monroeville.
{Ducks: Practice Friday at the Pitt Field at 6:30} "One thing I know is that I know nothing."
Starting with the game against the Eagles on Saturday the Ducks (12-5) have seven games remaining, including two against the Black Sox (12-4) who have a game at hand, and are 1/2 game ahead of us for the 2nd seed in the playoffs and the all important first-round bye. We have to win on Saturday to keep pace with Kenny Powers and the Black Sox, we can't count on the Sox losing.
The Gray Bats (3-15) are planning a victory parade after defeating Don Henley and Co. (4-10) 9-1 last night.
The Eagles will not want to fall out of the 5th spot, we will get their best on Saturday and we just quacked by in a 3-2 thriller last game, thanks in part to a stellar pitching performance By The Eagles' Joe Walsh, who threw last night against the Gray Bats.
I guess losing 2 games to fall to 12-5 1s considered a tailspin for a 7 win team that should have won 11 games by now.
WOOOOOOOOODRRADICAL4LIFEOOOOOOOO!!!
Wonder if they won last night against the new look Matadors? Did the new Matadors' regime also [allegedly] offer bribes? Doubtful. I'm glad all those guys get a chance to play.
Party at Guthrie and Keeper of the Helmets' on Saturday all ducks blog readers are welcome. 6pm-3am.
lots of booze and meat. hopefully a quality ratio of women to men. Dr. Jones' sister is a "maybe" at this point. It's a cookout
Vote Jesse Smith for the All Star team at the link below.
It is the month of August, a resort town sits next to the shores of a lake. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit. Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town.
He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 dollar bill on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.
The hotel proprietor takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the butcher.
The Butcher takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the pig raiser.
The pig raiser takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.
The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the town's prostitute that in these hard times, gave her "services" on credit.
The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 dollar bill to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.
The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 dollar bill back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.
At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 dollar bill, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.
No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism .
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the United States Government is doing business today.
2009 South Oakland Ducks of the North Side Monongahela Division All-Stars: A.Smith - P Tony Casale - 2b Mike Fletcher - P Andrew McCray - 1b B. Gwin - OF
Depo will announce this week's practice schedule in the comments section of this post.
If I had the technological know-how, I probably would have spammed the ballot box, but I don't so don't look at me.
Interesting that Dan Morgan got all those votes over Rafalski.
Keep clicking on the adsense banners, we're up to $8.20 Quack.
The Soth Oakland Ducks of the North Side (12-5) face the Eagles (4-9) this Saturday. The Ducks are coming off their worst loss of the season, and are looking to get back on track against the 5th place Eagles.
The Black Sox (12-4) play the Bombers (5-12) at 8am that day, a potentially dicey proposition.
The Ducks will know the outcome of the game before they take the field that afternoon. They will either be tied with or a full game behind the Brookline Bullies.
Regardless of the result of the morning contest, a Ducks victory over the Eagles will set up a showdown for second place when the Black Sox travel to SpringView Field the following Monday. Naturlly the Black Sox are the home team Monday night
The Ducks have defeated the Eagles 3-2 and 9-2 in two previous meetings, and have never swept the Eagles in a season series. Practice today 6pm at John Herb Field.
Vote for McCray, Murphy, Guthrie, J. Smith, Dowling, and Fletcher for All Star reserves at the league homepage.
click on the ad sense banners to help the Ducks raise money so we can get sweet windbreakers and alternate, nightgame, away jerseys like the owlz, those (talented) sons of bitches.
This is crunch time, we have hit bottom and it's time to bounce back.
Stretch-run City.
Recap of last night's horror film a couple posts down.
I talked to Joe after the game, he said that John Herb field will be open around 6. If any duck wants to practice a little I will be there. I probably won't be able to get there until 6:30 though.
Im not gonna talk too much about tonight's game. I'm disappointed that we lost, but to be honest I wasn't all that disappointed in the way we played. It wasn't as if we had a bunch of errors or anything like that, and we did have some real good ABs against an ACC pitcher. Everyone who played tonight played with heart and wanted to win. Even the guys who came and didn't play gave the team their full support. I am a little disappointed that not everyone was able to come tonight to support their team, but we all have busy lives and I understand that.
This recap is going to be dogshit. If you want to know how this feels, go into the bathroom slam yourhead off the toilet and piss yourself while your passed out. Then wake up and repeat.
I could give a gray bats ass about beating some of the teams we play I want to beat the best.
It sure didn't look like we were a second place team playing our 17th game of the year, we were tight to start, we missed plays we usually make.
"It looks like were here for a business meeting" -Dr. Jones.
Mike Fletcher started, after pitching 4 innings yesterday when - in a last minute decision, - coach decided to scrap the knuckle-baller idea. He pitched well the defense was uncharacteristically bad. We were down 4-o before That loud lady in the stands could get her voice warmed up. Kirk almost went yard, wound up with a double. They loaded the bases on walks, KT hit a hard grounder to first. Kirk took out their catcher when the first baseman threw home. they cried foul. Then they threw at Mars, well over his head, almost over the back stop. he walked in our only run. That was a hard baseball play, I would have done the same thing. I have done the same thing, and i've had it done to me as a catcher. I don't think it was dirty or done with intent to injure. If hadn't gone 0 for 3 like a joke, (2k's and a broken bat on a double play) I might have gotten the chance. I give them credit for arguing the to try to get the out. That was about as exciting as it got.
4-1. after two Fletcher battled. Some kid hit a shot up the middle our secondbaseman made a diving stop, but rifled one from three feet instead of flipping it. these things happen. Some pop-up dropped in right center. This is what happens when we play sloppy baseball against the best team in the league. The Ducks got out of the inning down 6-1. We continued to not hit. Then we ran out of pitching and they effectively dominated us in a display reminiscent of the 2006 Ducks. Guthrie and Jesse Smith also had hits.
that Sinclair kid is the real deal, a little wild, and we weren't (I definitely wasn't anyway) as patient as maybe we could have been. But he's got an extra gear when he needs it, and basically owned us.
I've never wanted to play a double header so bad in my life.
What a shit show.
I could have done without the guy in the stands who was loudly asking if they could call the game without us having our last at bat, so we "wouldn't get embarrassed," as if it wasn't embarrassing enough.
I have No idea who that guy is and i wouldn't write it here if I did.
It isn't as if the Owlz didn't put on a hitting display. they hit it hard and often, and to give a team like that extra outs is a recipe for disaster.
but at the end of the day, we are 12-5, 1/2 game out of the coveted 2nd spot. We play the Black Sox twice, and they also play the Owlz twice. We are owlz fans now, until we face them again.
A loss is a loss, a 2-1 loss would have counted the same in the standings.
I'm disappointed in myself, and that we, collectively, didn't play our best, which is what it will take to beat this team.
It's important we keep our sense of humor, it's one loss, it might not even be the last.
Bullet pointz
We still have seven games left and are in a battle for a first round bye.
I think Mars gets his chance if we see these guys again.
If anyoen thinks I, or the Ducks have made any excuses go _uck yourself, we got our ass beat fair and square.
D is the missing letter
I've gotten my ass beat by worse teams, I've K'd against worse pitchers.
(pause for you to make a joke to yourself)
Scoscia, bwp model 243, 32 1/2 in.
Thank you to the fans who showed up to support both teams.
We need Novak back on as permanent a basis as possible.
Mantis' ERA took a bit of a hit.
I really like the way Watson plays second, there was some rust tonight, but if he continues to show up everygame, that shot up the middle will turn into a sick double play when we really need it.
this is only the second worst loss to the owlz in ducks history
at least they didn't run it up, no stealing or bunting or whatever, we just sucked.
If you think we can't make a run at this Ill take your jersey and give it to some guy who can pretend to be you for the rest of the season.
I don't think we were intimidated, just nervous, I take some of that blame.
apparently there's something going on in the post after this one.
What a game of the week, eh?
Dr. Jones 4Life
Take the good with the bad, and hope we get a chance to redeem ourselves in the playoffs.
Seven games left, we still have hope. No one is going to kick us out of the league for this game. We are still going to be in the think of the battle for the bye. We need to put this behind us and focus on our next game. We have to respond by playing well down the stretch. Hope is a good thing.
Bad News for the Eagles on Saturday, at the Confederacy's home field in Monroeville.
Ducks (12-4) vs. Owlz (12-1) 9pm Spring View Field
Finally a home game.
How to approach this gameday post?
Treat it just like another game? as if there is nothing more to it than the fact we are simply playing the first place team and we need a win? That's not the whole truth.
Do we try to go into it with some kind of David vs. Goliath mentality, that the Owlz have sooooo much talent even to make it close will be a moral (Gray Bats) victory, and that they are on a whole different level entirely than the rest of the league, and to steal a win would be the greatest accomplishment in our baseball lives?
That's not it either.
Do I mine the comments of past posts to find some bulletin board material? why bother.
just rant about the letter "z", and post some youtube clips of the Illuminati Owl worshipping ceremony?
Tempting.
How about this.
"The name's Daulton."
Tonight we're playing a baseball game against a team in the Pittsburgh NABA. We are playing a team of our peers. This is the biggest game of the season, as they have lost only once and are ahead of the Ducks in the standings.. But a win still only counts as one win. A loss only counts as one loss. There aren't special modified Owlz Rules.
If you can't get up for this game you have no soul.
If you don't get excited for the opportunity to play against a guy who was drafted by the Red Sox, pitching in front of a full team of small-college players I don't know what to tell you except that we could probably get that chick to plays on the Warriors to take your spot in the lineup tonight.
The Owlz lost to the Hurricanes on Saturday. Beat the Bombers by one yesterday. The didn't expect to lose once this season, they don't want to lose again.
Over the weekend the Ducks eclipsed last year's win total, this is already the winningest team in franchise history, but the Ducks goals have little to do with regular season accolades, we want to win in the post season, and win a Championship. (Any team who doesn't have the ultimate goal of winning it all is a joke.) To do so we will have to go through the Owlz. (you too, Kenny - who are you pulling for, Mr. Powers?).
Every win from here out is important as we work towards a first round bye. We will see where we are tonight. So will the Owlz.
Moral victories are for homos. let's win. ***
League Newz. I wanted to wait till after tonight's recap for this stuff, but the all star reserves are being announced tomorow. All Star reserves will be announced Tuesday. We get six total spots, max, i think and our washed-up left fielder stole one. So we have potentially 4 more spots open for position players and relief pitchers. I think a 12-4 team deserves the max amount of players, and since these things are won in the press, we should get our guys in.
Stuff that [ballot] box.
RP - Mike Fletcher has only been with the team for half a season, but he hasn't allowed a run.
OF - Mark Guthrie - Captain America: batting .387 hits doubles.
3b - Jesse Smith. team leader in hr's, our most talented player ready to break out against the Owlz tonight. 1b - Andrew McCray slick fileding, power hitting, solid numbers.
C - Chris Dowling flawless defensively, hits the ball harder than Kenny wants to hit Rob Cool with his car. - might not have enough plate aperances to qualify.
DH - KT Murphy. He's hitting over .300. His .636 slg percentage is second on the team to Tony Casale.
If i didn't metion you it was on purpose, I'm a dick.
My vote for Allegheny reservist: The Commish. He has turned down all-star invites in the past, to avoid controversy from dickhead managers who would think he put himself in the game at someone else's expense. If the Hurricane's manager is reading, choose Graff.
enjoying an adult beverage with his team. thanks to the bulldogs blog for the pic.
(this post will be somewhat concise for several reasons)
Following a Saturday when the division's top two teams lost, the South Oakland Ducks (12-4) found themselves on the losing end of a 6 to 3 final decision in the second game of a brief two-game weekend series with the Warriors. It is a rare weekend in the 2009 season when each of the Imperial Owlz, Ducks, and Brookline Blacksox each lose. The losses by the Owlz and Blacksox provided the Ducks with an opportunity to make ground on the division leaders, but the Ducks were unable to capitalize on Sunday afternoon.
The main culprit for the loss was the Ducks' inability to hit the baseball. Only one Duck recorded multiple hits (Gwin), and most struggled mightily in a game in which it would have taken at least 7 runs to win. After one, the score was tied at one, but the Ducks' work was quickly cut out for them and found themselves in an early 6-1 hole. The Ducks had legitimate scoring opportunities in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but were only able to plate two more runs. The Ducks that did reach base safely today were mostly stranded. Hats off to the Warriors.
In the first game of the series, the Ducks won 6-0 behind the golden arm of Adam Smith (5-1, 1.60). The Warriors were behind the 8-ball with only eight players, an automatic out in the nine hole, and a female outfielder with a desire to be mentioned on "the blog" (whose play was very commendable). The Ducks had several outstanding offensive performances, those of which can be found in particular on previous blog posts. Several Ducks remained to watch the Warrendale Hurricanes beat the Owlz.
The Ducks have no time to rest, as an important matchup with the league best Owlz is imminent. First pitch is 9pm at the Duck Pond, Monday night. The timing of the Owlz matchup works well, as it should help expedite the memory of today's loss from the players' minds.
Bullets:
-The Ducks are 12-4, surely the best start in Ducks history.
-This weekend was circled on the calendar weeks ago, as the Warriors and Owlz were both to be considered formidable opponents. Three games in three days against these three opponents is rough.
-All Ducks on hand versus the Owlz. Please see skipper Jones' note below directly addressing the topic.
-In the Ducks' win on Saturday: pitching was finding the zone and batters were hitting.
-In the Ducks' loss on Sunday: pitching was inconsistent at times, and hitting was just as sporadic.
-Very good effort by the Warriors. Several factors contributed to the Ducks' loss on this day including, but not limited to, the Warriors' play, the Ducks' play, and the Ducks' (possibly) looking forward to the matchup with the Owlz.
-It is rumored that the Ducks will face Zak Sinclair on Monday night, who, reportedly, "has a 93mph fastball and good command of his off-speed pitches." Sweet. Bring it on.
(sorry for the low content and the lack of pictures/videos. maybe the comments or something will be more interesting.)
I take responsibility for this afternoon's loss. I lost my confidence and it effected my pitching and my managing. Tomorrow I will be back on track ready to manage our biggest game of the year to date. We will be playing to win tomorrow, so that means I will be starting what I feel are our best 9 guys. If you are not in the line-up tomorrow or maybe not even get into the game, it isn't because I don't like you or I think you suck. I'm just doing what I think gives us the best chance to win. If you can't handle the fact you might not get into the game tomorrow then don't even bother coming. The team needs every one's 100% support, and as always the team comes before the player even if you don't fully agree with my every managerial decision.
I need everyone at the field by 8:20. We are going to go over signs and strategy for the game.
Both the Owlz (12-1)and Black Sox (11-4) lost today. We have sole possession of second, one game behind the Owlz who have 2 games at hand and dominate us in all tie breakerz.
We have to take care of business tomorrow against the same team we beat today.
nothin' to fuck with
The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (12-3) won their seventh consecutive game - the longest current winning streak in the Pittsburgh NABA.
The Ducks have allowed six runs in the last seven games.
The Ducks have recorded three consecutive shutouts.
Adam Smith (5-1) has pitched 19 consecutive scoreless innings.
Tony Casale hit a solo homerun.
Wojton had 2 triples and 3rbi.
Depo and Murphy hit doubles
Coby leads the team in infield hits
The Warriors have the best looking left fielder in the league by far.
Kenny Powers just wants to be loved
Tomorrow won't be as easy.
full recap to follow - a Gibson/Gunner joint.
BP 12-1:15pm tomorrow at Pitt.
Ducks at Warriors at 3pm at Ohio River Blvd. Field
He still has stats form an '05 Ducks Warriors game It was a barn-burner 18-15 Ducks loss. That kind of stuff would go well on a Warriors website if one existed.
I'd post them if i felt like creating a pdf file or something but i don't. it's only the warriors stats anyway.
Also was the box score of a game i played on the Warriors against the Eagles. an excerpt from the email: Ben,I thought these games were funny to look back on.7/17/05: The Peters brothers rolled into Herb field in the top of the first with Stein at bat. Dan Peters must have just rolled out of bed, he was actually in just a pair of shorts.6/8/06 (You filled in for us vs. the Eagles) then the stats.
If it seems like i gush over how far the league has come that should give you an idea of why. guys don't wear shorts anymore, and we don't normally play on different teams. there are also significantly fewer 18-15 games.
So whatever.
Let's avenge that 18-15 loss.
The Warriors are without Steve Heckman who is at some Gay Rights rally in Washington D.C.
He is a brave one.
This is the start of a crucial stretch for South Oakland of the North Side.
After taking a year-long furlough between games we have 3 tough ones in a row. Let's get off to a strong start against the Rainbow Warriors, and stay hot through Monday.
Last year we lost 7-4 - i think - in a game where we had second baseman issues and gave up like 5 unearned.
The Warriors are always tough, they will have some kid who throws strikes and knows how to pitch, and a bunch of guys who can catch the ball.
and this guy
I haven't seen Wojton in ten years, is he alive? Will Jesse Smith take some kid yard again like he did in our last game against the Warriors? Will Watson be back from his ankle injury? How many Doubles will Captain America hit? Who will pitch for the Ducks? Abe Lincoln knows...
We will find out tommorrow We should have all Ducks on board.
Bad News for the Warriors
Quack.
{This is the Ducks Blog's 300th post} thanks to everyone who has contributed to the blog. and most importantly, thanks for reading.
