the schedule is going to change again - why not another edit? {monday 8/31- 10:03pm

we're going to a straight double elimination format now.
the final schedule will be posted later today.

this couldn't have worked out any worse for us.
here is the schedule.

i have no idea how to even try to get our game friday moved. but that would be great.

As of now, we need a shortstop for the first two games.


none of this is joe's fault he's been working hard with little help to make this a worthwhile endeavor.



who is this saxonburg team?

Friday, September 4th, 2009

6PM @ Pullman Park – Debos vs. Portage

6PM@ Highfield ( Lower Field) – Ducks vs. Saxonburg

6PM@ Highfield ( Upper Field) – Sto Rocks vs. Pittsburgh

Saturday, September 5th, 2009

10AM@ Pullman Park – Butler vs. Freeport

10AM@ Highfield (Lower Field) – Clancy’s vs. winner of Debos vs. Portage

10AM@ Highfield (Upper Field) – Rochester vs. winner of the Pgh. Vs. Hurricanes

10AM@ BCCC – Pirates vs. winner of the Saxonburg vs. Ducks

I recieved an "unoficial" bracket and it is rediculous - i won't post it until it is final - it is set up in a manner that would potentially have teams playing 3 or 4 games in one day and the HR Derby interfering with some games, which doesn't make much since as we have field times spanning 4 days but whatever, this is what we have now.

if we beat saxonburg we play saturday at 10am on Saturday against the Dunnless Pirates, if we lose game 1 we play at 12pm on Saturday and will have to win that game to force a double header and a 3pm game.

if we go win-lose

we play saturday at 3pm and have to win to force a 6pm game. which would be 3 games in one day.

unbelievable.

if we go win-win
we play saturday night at 7pm

let's hope this get tweaked a bit.

Sunday, September 6th
Continuation of Tournament – Times and Location TBD

Monday, September 7th
Continuation of Tournament – Times and Location TBD

Breaking Steel City Classic News

Via Commish's email...

The Steel City Tournament has merged with the Butler Eagle County Tournament...

The new fee is $650 (down from $750), and we are now guaranteed 5 7-inning games (35 innings, up from 27 - details below). Individual teams will be getting more for less than what the SCC could have offered.

Please set aside 30 minutes on 9/3 at 6pm for a quick, but important meeting.

Here are the details of the tournament (lengthy, but important.... please read in its entirety):

Saturday, August 29, 2009 - Manager's Meeting - 2PM - Pullman Park
I will submit the entry fee ($400) on behalf of each team. I would recommend you send a representative from your team as pools will be draw at this time. 3 Pools of 4 teams. Top 2 teams from each Pool make playoffs.

Friday, September 4, 2009 - First Day of Tournament
Games begin at 6PM and will be held at Pullman Park, Highfield, and Butler County Community College.

Saturday, September 5, 2009 - Second Day of Tournament
Games TBA - Played all Day
HR Derby at 3PM at Pullman Park - Teams must send two (2) representatives. Championship round of HR Derby will begin at 4:30PM.

Sunday, September 6, 2009 - Third Day of Tournament
Top-6 teams will make the finals and will enter into a double elimination tournament and the championship game will be on Monday at 1PM.

Prizes: RLC Bats, BWP Bats (Provided by PIttsburgh NABA); Championship T-shirts (Provided by Pittsburgh NABA)







Bad News for Butler.

::EDIT::

Ducks, this is your manager speaking. I will be up north in beautiful meadville this weekend. I need someone to represent the Ducks at this meeting. I also have some cash and checks at my house that need to get to Joe. It would be nice if someone who will be at the scrimmage tomorrow can take them to him. I can leave them in an envolope in my mailbox if that helps.

SomeoneElse can recap this

The ducks split a double header with the Erie league champs, and lost 3-2 to a combo of two teams on Sunday. It was a good tune-up for the Labor Day Tournament, which will now probably only feature 4 teams, all from our league which is unfortunate.

McCray and Fago went yard.
KT and Casale had at least 5 hits apiece.
Coby and TC had key hits to spark rallies and drive in runs.

it was a great weekend of baseball.
the ducks thank the teams in Erie for the free baseball.
this recap doesn't count someone else please recap.

quack.

Game 3 Thursday Night 8:30 Moore Park.

Championship series tied 1-1
Hurricanes win 11-4. Rafalski pitched.
RECAP

Can he go on 0 days rest?
Will Kenny Powers finally pitch to help out the depleted Sox staff?

Bulldogs Blog still barking.

Gray Bats Blog remains un-updated and unlinked.

robots.



Quack

Bulldogs Blog Updated After Week long Bender.

Solid work as always by Dr. Radical & Co. - Calling out Yoda for his indiscretions and giving a grim recap of the Warriors Bulldogs wild card game.

Click on the above link.

If you want the circle jerk of the century check out the Gray Bats Team Awards post on their now fully functional blog.


Sox-Owlz at Moore Park tomorrow night.
winning coach can post a recap if they want, same with the series winning coach.
Canes Warriors play tomorrow as well don't know when or where but its not Moore apparently.

Quack.

Wales Conference Final Update: Black Sox 3, Owlz 1

In the series dubbed "The Battle of the Air Horn vs. The Loud Lady Owlz Fan,"
The Black Sox took game 1, 3-1, over the Owlz.

Since 2004 the team that has won game one of the 3 game series has gone on to win 78.3% of the time, according to Pete Chalfin.

The '04 Ducks lost in the Conference finals to the Sox after taking game 1.

Game 2 will pit pitcher of the year candidate Scott Dunn against potentially J.T. Slavicek or whomever else the Sox have.
The Sox have got to be thin on pitching, mayeb we'll get an appearance from the greatest pitcher in the history of organized baseball.

The Sox's lefty pitched well.

neither of these team names can be made into possessive plurals.

the conclusion to this game was not forgone, apparently.

Words were exchanged after the game between two of the best players in the series.

Feel the hatred.

Winner of tomorrow's game and of the series can email me a recap for posting if they want.
Updates from the western conference are welcome also.

***

I'm still sick to my stomach about Sunday's loss.
Just fucking gut-wrenching.

Ill have a season recap after the finals.

Jones will have some team awards.

My picks for Ducks Awards:
MVP: Castle
Offensive player of the year: Captain America
Co-Pitchers of the year: Fletch/Invisible Hand
Defensive Player of the Year: Jesse Smith

Coby is probably hard at work right now on his recap.

The Ducks are in the process of getting our roster set for our trip to Erie for 3 free baseball games at the former home of the Erie Sailors, who when I saw them as a kid were the minor league affiliate of the Marlins, and seeking sponsors for our labor day tournament team.

Expect a call from the good Dr.


Quack.

Playoff Gameday [2]:Ducks vs. Black Sox IV.

Ducks vs. Black Sox

3pm

Avonworth High School

The winner will play whomever wins the 5:30 game between the Owlz and Confederacy in the conference finals.

We have a chance to eliminate the Black Sox.

We will face Chalfin again.
The Ducks will start Guthrie or Smith.

We have another great opportunity this afternoon.

we will be a bit short-handed, we need to be better than the sum of our parts today.

Bad News for the Black Sox

Playoff Gameday [1]: Ducks vs. Gray Bats.

Wales Conference Wild Card Playoff

3pm, LaRoche College.(Directions)

Ducks (0-0) vs, Gray Bats (0-0)
Projected Starters: Depo vs. Sorosky

"When we got to the ballpark, we knew we were going to win. That's all there was to it. we weren't cocky. I wouldn't call it confidence either. We just knew. Like when you go to sleep you know the sun is going to come up in the morning."


The name of the game is Thunder Dome



two men enter one man leaves

Rumors that LaRoche College has been traded for field prospects for the 2012 season are unsubstantiated.

The regular season may have been "meaningless" but the playoffs aren't.

Abe Lincoln and Ninjas

Depo on the hill


Bad News for the Gray Bats

Quack.

Gray Bats, Weak, Day 1. Grey Album: Encore.

DUCKS:

BP tonight at 6:30
Scrimmage vs. Owlz tomorrow, details to be announced, asap - Cool feel free to chime in in the comments section or email TC when you know what's going on - .
BP Wed. 6:30
BP Thurs. 6:30



Take one for your team

The Gray Bats are not as bad as their .125 winning percentage suggests.
Baseball is a humbling game sometimes, I've seen weird things happen, just ask the hole in the fence at Pie Traynor.
No one wants their season to end on Saturday.
As a competitor I appreciate the Gray Bats confidence, but still, the Ducks have proven over the course of 24 games to be the better team.
We have also proven in the 3 games against the Gray Bats that we are the better team.
We have to prove it when our season is on the line.


We have seen unreal amounts of trash talking between both teams all season.
There's the Gray Bats manager and his fucking views on censorship - that's another sub-plot.
If i ever hit under .200 when i was coaching i would have benched myself...

He took a shot at the Ducks Blog's affiliation with Abe Lincoln.
Probably because Abe Lincoln was a real leader.




During Fall Ball I edited the Gray Bat wikipedia entry, not sure how that is looking now.
Someone should do that again, and get a screen shot of it...

I watched the entire first season of East Bound and Down yesterday.

I think "Ducks Die Together" is a great screen name, clever at worst...

Dangermouse is unreal.



Foes that wanna make sure my caskets closed


If we want a shot at redemption for the beating we took at the hands of Kenny Powers last season, we must win on Saturday.

Quack.

Ducks & Graybats - Playoff Preview?

The 2009 NABA playoffs are quickly approaching, and matchups are being determined with each passing day. However, one contest looks like it may already be set, with potential epic consequences.

Ducks vs. Graybats
It is coming

Much has been said of the previous meetings between the two teams. Guaranteed victories and threats of retirement have both been parts of the division series. Now it comes down to this.

Playoff time.
With the new format this year, all teams make the playoffs (not counting forfeiting teams) regardless of regular season record. This was voted on by all teams during the offseason, and it passed with little opposition. While there are a number of positives about this format, it takes away some of the intensity of the regular season as well. We all know the great playoff run by the Ducks at the end of 2008.

But now teams in the basement of the division standings have a chance to upset better teams in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Graybats are counting on this.

They are praying for it.

Praying for more juice, just like the Bats

But while much has been said of the previous games, much is expected of the one to come. The Graybats have one vision of what will happen

Larry Z wants to be flying high

The Ducks, however, also have a vision of what is to come



The booted ball has been the calling card of the Graybats all season and now that the pressure of playoffs is upon us, will they perform any better?

Graybats Home Run Ball

Not likely.

The Ducks enter the game ready to dive, dip, dodge, duck...
and smash the cover off the ball.


Get ready for the playoffs.

Quack

Bulldogs Week: Day 1 (Dog Days,...blah...)

(Is Playmaker our troll?)

The Bulldogs (11-11) are .5 games out of second place.
The Fightin' Rafalski's (15-8) [interesting that 15-8 is the best record over there, huh?] have clinched the Campell Conference regular season title
the warriors (11-9) and Matadors (11-9-1) have 3 and 2 games at hand respectively.
The Ducks (15-8) are most likely stuck in 3rd unless the Matadors, Warriors, and Eagles all beat Kenny Powers, and the Ducks beat the Bulldogs.

UPDATE - The Eagles Beat the Fightin' Rafalskis last night 21 - 5.
Don Henley is a beast.



The Sox can clinch Saturday.
Gray Bats like men.

Friday Night: Get Your Crayons Out!!!

Ducks Pulled Pork Extravaganza and Drink Fest at Dr. Jones' house.


Bring booze, food, or a Ducks donation of $5-1,000,000 to join in the festivities.
no free loaders!!!
8pm-4am
the Ducks know how to throw a Drink Fest.


***

Enter your team in the Steel City Classic.
It will be a great way to extend the season, play against some teams from other leagues, and potentially lose to the Ducks again.






Quack.

Labor Day Tournament Update.

Ducks.
TC and I need to know ASAP whether or not you plan to play in the Steel City Classic so we can recruit other players as needed.


We will be without Homa and Fletcher, but we've already taken steps to solidify our pitching rotation.

The Tournament will cost between 50 and 60 per player, and will take place from sept. 5th-7th.
We're trying to get sponsors to drive down this cost further.

No more Tourney talk on the blog until after the season.

Kenny Powers' Sox/Ducks recap will be up within the next 24 hours or so.


Quack.

Ducks lose thriller in Moore Park...Fans take it to phase 2

Black Sox 9, Ducks 7



The Ducks trailed 9-2 heading into the sixth, but rallied for four runs in the inning then
South Oakland of the North Side had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the 7th, but after a K, an RBI groundout and another K, the Ducks lost and Kenny Powers effectively clinched the 2 seed, unless the Black Sox lose out, and the Ducks win their last two games.

Full recap by Kenny F_ing Powers sometime Sunday.



We will see them again.

Thanks to all the fans, of both teams, who showed up.
We will need more of that, especially in the playoffs.
I really thought there was going to be a fight.
We may have eclipsed the Sox as the team with the most obnoxious fans.
That is a good thing.

Commish, the field ump was texting during the game.

Keep on Quacking in the free world.

Gameday [22] Ducks vs. Black Sox III.

Ducks (14-7) vs. Black Sox (14-6)
9pm
Moore Park

BP, 6pm at Pitt.



The playoff loss last year was crushing a 9 run loss to the Black Sox.

The way things are shaping up, we will play this team again in the playoffs [barring an upset by the Gray Bats (3-19)]
Tonight's game will all-but dictate which team gets a game off and which team has to throw one of their top two pitchers the day before the potential 2nd round match-up.



The PGH NABA old-timers remember a team from the early days in Ambridge that drank off hangovers in the first inning, smoked in the dugout, cursed, fought, agitated, and won.
That team was the Ducks in when you could still win in this league with a bunch of alcoholic ex-Legion players.



The Ducks filled the "Man I Hate Playing this F-ing Team full of shit talking assholes" niche before the Black Sox existed.
Kenny Powers basically modeled his franchise after the Ducks.

Baseball is ripe with history, even a league like ours something about the game lends itself to narrative and historical significance like a Philip Roth novel.
Pittsburgh NABA Pastoral.



One idea that was tossed around in a Phoenix hotel room scene reminiscent of a Led Zeppelin escapade, was to merge the teams in '06.

I guess we would have been the Black Dux.


Obviously that didn't happen, our catcher at the time said,
"We'd win, but f__k that, man...I'm a Duck,"

Ben Hartraft was a beast, he, like many other Ducks greats, blew out his arm.

When a bunch of guys you never heard of, but were pretty sick ball players, left for parts unknown, and the Red Scare Years enveloped South Oakland.



Even in the worst of times the Black Sox game was the one you got up for.
We've really been chasing the Black Sox since 2004, the first time they eliminated us from the playoffs.

We have the chance to beat one of the best pitchers our league has ever seen.
A kid who has a 19K game to his credit, and has thrown a no-hitter this season.

One run separates The Ducks and Black Sox in two games this season, 1/2 game in the standings.

Now we have a chance to take two of three from this team for the first time in a long time - possibly ever, and move ahead of Kenny Powers in the standings.


Tonight the ghosts of Black Sox games past hover with the smell of spilled beer and cigarette smoke above the concrete grand stand at Moore Park.

Alex Warren beat his former team last weekend.


Tonight we go back...
...to the future


Bad News for the Black Sox.




Quack.

Black Sox Week: Day 2.

The importance of this weekend's game speaks for itself.


Kenny on his jetski


Here are some random Darren Daulton links i found while searching for a sweet highlight montage that inexplicably doesn't exist on youtube.
(someone find us some Daulton footage!, i'll give you a dollar that you can then give to TC to pay the umpires.)

Daulton at his Kansas Hall of Fame induction.

Get Dutch to appear at your corporate function or party: Dutch link 1
performance enhancement: link 2

Darren Daulton can travel through time link 3

The official website link 4

What a man.




Quack.

Game 21 Recap: America. Ducks 4 Rebels 1

It's one thing to dominate a game, and the Ducks did not dominate on Monday, it is another thing completely to go out when you don't have your best stuff, when you're stiff and sore, and undermanned - nursing a bayonet wound from the last battle with the Confederacy, and win anyway. There's something i find more gratifying about it.

Fletcher didn't have his best stuff, but he still held the Rebels to one run.
He battled.


Dr. Jones had to shuffle the lineup with two of our best hitters,


SS, Frank Castle (above, ) and inf. Ryan Novak, mia,


and CF, Mars visiting friends in FLA

Kirk Gibson played a phenomenal game at short, and with Watson up the middle made all the plays. We got clutch hits and despite some odd base running occurrences, and some good defense by a much improved Fightin' Reb's team, The Ducks prevailed.
Our best hitter is mired in a slump, but he found a way to help the team win with his defense, throwing out three Rebels, two at third, one at second, and called a great game behind the plate.
Wojton made a great catch in the gap.

I don't have the book - things will be a bit jumbled, here.
For the most part, this is not a friendly rivalry, and it got more heated today.

It's not likely we will see this team in the playoffs, and its unlikely they will exist next season, but it was fun while it lasted. They have some talent on that team, and their nickname has really been the inspiration for this blog.

Most of those guys hate the shit out of the Ducks, and really wanted that game last night, which makes the win even sweeter.

Thanks to the fans for Quacking for us last night.


***

The early innings went quickly, Chris Feathers, put up a typical, Feathers-esque gutsy performance on the mound, and kept the Ducks scoreless for two innings, while Fletch worked out of trouble in the first two innings.
With one out and a runner on first in the top of the second, a diving attempt at what the Ducks left fielder thought was foul territory hit off his ten year old glove and went out of play, putting runners on second and third.

scored it a double,

Fletch came back to strike out some guy from South Carolina, and with two outs and runners on second and third, Fletch bounced one off the plate, the runners tried to advance or something, and Smith destroyed some kid with a throw to third. out of the inning.
I don't know why but there was quite a fuss put up at this point. something about home plate being part of the playing field.
the batter never fouled it off, and i was in the outfield, but I'll defer to Kenny Powers for the call

It was 0-0 going into the top of the third when with two outs, the Rebels lead off man bunted for a basehit and stole seocond.
Jefferson Davis hit a shot to deep short, Kirk made a diving stop and almost threw out Davis at first, but Davis' blinding speed beat the throw and the runner went all the way home on the play.
good hustle, he ran like his plantation was on the line.

1-0 Rebels.

J. Smith threw out Davis at second, Kirk helped him with his helmet because he is a good sport.
More yelling and blaming the umps from The South.

In the bottom of the third Wojton walked to lead off the inning and Gwin doubled to left center.
Jefferson Davis was on his horse,

A perfect relay throw cut down Wojton at home, Gwin advanced to third.

after Kirk flew out to the fence, the Captain stepped into the box.


double to left.
he's on fire.

1-1.

In the top of the fourth, the Rebels tried to mount a counter attack.

shame on a Rebel

Some guy hit a shot to right center, but Wojton was there


Another guy got thrown out at third, and there was a growing undercurrent of nastiness brewing, it was tangible. The Rebels started to get frustrated.


In the bottom half of the inning, Watson led off with a single, then Homa hit a blistering shot to left that was dropped by the Rebels outfielder, Watson was thrown out at second on a play he appeared to beat the throw, but whatever.

(remember that time you argued with the ump and he changed his mind?- didn't think so)

Homa was on first with one out, Depo hit a monster shot to right, that got through the Rebels right fielder, guest thirdbase coach Garrett Moore sent Homa, the relay was off-line and Homa slid in safely.

Depo tried to take second, not happening.

Coby was hit by a pitch before Feathers recorded a K to end the inning.

2-1 Ducks through 4

but we had 3 consecutive players reach base and only got one run, how would we respond?

Fletcher struck out the Rebels 3-4-5 hitters in order in the top of the fifth

In the bottom of the 5th, Gwin was hbp, Kirk was thrown at and wound up with a walk, then once again



Captain singles to center.
Gwin scores

3-1 Ducks.

The frustration continued to mount in the Rebels dugout, as they continued to not score runs.

robbed on a questionable strike 3 last night.

The Ducks added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th on an rbi ground out by Gwin.
Kirk was thrown at again.


You don't want to know what phase 3 is.


The Rebels had a soldier on first in the top of the seventh, and had two hard hit outs before Fletcher enticed a ground out to end the game.

Now we have the Black Sox and their ace in a show down for the two-seed.

Great Scott...That's Heavy

We have to travel to the lion's den that is Moore Park.
All we can ask for is the opportunity and we've earned it.
1 run separates the Ducks and the Black Sox in our two games this season.
one half game separates us in the standings.

Back to the future with Kenny Powers and Co. this Saturday

Quack.

Gameday [21] Ducks vs. Rebels

Ducks (13-7) vs. Rebels (7-10)
9pm Spring View Field

BP 6pm-7:30 at Pitt

***

The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side were helped by fellow bird team, the Imperial Owlz, who swept teh brookline Bullies in their double header yesterday.

Kenny Powers saw his team fall to 14-6
The Ducks are 13-7 after sweeping their season series with the Fightin' Gray Bats in a 5-2 victory which the Ducks played without their starting middle infielders, their starting centerfielder, and Chris Wojton.

Wojton will be back in the lineup tonight vs. the Rebels.

The Ducks can roll three lines of SS, 2B combinations that are as good as any this team has ever seen.

We are built like a hockey team.



So, tonight's game is key, a win moves South Oakland of the North Side one half game behind the Black Sox, setting up a showdown for 2nd place at Moore Park on Saturday.


TANGENT{

For the lady Warrior


The Bulldogs beat the Warriors 3-2 yesterday to take second in the Campbell Conference and lay claim to a .500 record.
why ?



BACK}



But the task at hand is not one that can be taken lightly.

We've ended a four game slide, and now we return home for the rubber match against the Rebels.

The Rebels have improved greatly since our last meeting, they have added armies from Missouri, northern Virginia, and Kansas.

The will attack at sundown and it will take every once of our mettle and every drop of courage to defeat this proud group of southerners.

Some of us may not return from battle tonight, but we must fight gallantly.
Death will look us square in the eye he will knock on our doorstep and try to take our women children, and livestock. They wish to burn down our houses and destroy our wagons.

We will once again be undermanned, weary from the summer-long war that has lead us once again, to the precipice of a first round bye and a chance to redeem early season defeats at the hands of the enemy.




***

It's not often a blog can agitate a team enough for them to have their mysite news admin revoked.

Let's get it done tonight, and get a winning streak started.

On our side.


Bad News for the Rebels.


Quack.

Game 20 Recap.

Ducks 5 Gray Bats 2
South Oakland sweeps the season series.

QuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuackQuack

Happy Birthday America: [Updated]

FANTASTIC WORK ON THE BULLDOGS BLOG

Ducks
BP 12pm-1:30 at Pitt.



Ducks vs. Gray Bats
3pm Pie Traynor Field.
Undoubtedly some bad "fireworks" puns ahead on the Gray Bats blog.

Everyone take time to enjoy their freedom of speech today.

tipper is concerned for our nations youth, and potential PGH NABA players who would otherwise join our league, but upon reading my blog will change their mind.

Quack.