Fall Ball Over, Opening Day 5.5 Months Away

The PIttsburgh NABA's Inaugural Fall Ball season ended on a cold Saturday Morning when the Pitt Louisville game, dreary weather and whatever else prevented a full-scale all star extravaganza from materializing. Pie Traynor Field was, however, impeccably, manicured before a final round of batting practice was held for the ten or so players who braved the elements to take the field for a final time in 2008.

It should come as no surprise that the 2008 Fall Ball season provided a good jumping off point for future Fall Ball sessions, and served as a forum to introduce a number of new players to the Pittsburgh NABA.

In the grand scheme of things the most important functions of the fall season is to improve and expand the league for the summer, and of course to give us a chance to play baseball for two more months.

I know the Ducks will benefit from key additions via the Ghostbusters, and two or three gauranteed wins against Larry's Gray Bats team, who, for Josh Gibson's sake, should just call themselves the "Grays"

The league continues to grow despite the leadership of Joe Graff, who works year round conceiving ways to rig things in favor of the Bulldogs.

The reality of the state of the league is it is expanding rapidly, and Graff works harder than anyone to keep it running as well as it does.

The Winter Meetings are the next order of business.

I assume a handful of new teams.
Names of teams that could be
The Grays
anything after a seemingly benign animal, ie. the Cows.
Why is there not a team named the Bears, or the Bulls?
The Union
The Blue Sox or the Green Sox
The Athletics, (were it not for just Ducky Tours, we'd be the South Oakland "Athletics" )
But more likely there will be more overly aggressive misspelled team names ripe for satirizing, which will be much more fun.
It'd be great if an expansion team called itself the "Phillies".

I'm fairly certain one of the over 28 league teams will join our league.
The idea of "un-affiliating" our league with the NABA has been kicked around, the only thing that stand in the way of this is the dirt cheap insurance we get through the national office, adn the promotion and recognition we get through our affiliation, concerning the Blues participation in national and regional tournaments.

We've been tossing around the idea of hosting a tournament in Pittsburgh this summer.

The biggest topic will be realignment.
How can the league be promoted as one which gives everyone and anyone the chance to play (which we should never lose sight of), while maintaining a high level of play amongst the top-tier teams like the Ducks.

We don't want to push anyone away; not the guys at the top end of the spectrum who play in college, and not the guys at the low end who just want to play real baseball, but can't catchup to a pitcher like Strom who throws meatballs. (we're at that point right Strom? where we can joke about this? You've struck me out in the past, and made me look bad at the plat on several occasions. )

I ask anyone who attends the meetings in the upcoming months to consider what is best for the league, not simply your team, and most certainly not yourself in particular.

I see the greater danger being the potential exclusion of players who are bad, but love the game and aren't offered the opportunity to improve, and a left with a bad taste in their mouth when they are suddenly erased from the email list, after going 0-5 and making an error in right field, and are forced into slow-pitch softball purgatory.

A split into A and AA divisions seems to make sense, maybe the last place AA team moves down every year or the winner of the A league moves up. An unbalanced schedule in which teams play inter-division teams once, and intra-division teams two or three times would work. The division champions should surely play each other in the post season. So if based on last season's winning percentage, a team is placed in the lower division, they can show they don't belong by winning that division and losing to the Ducks in the finals.

More as it comes. The blog will surely devolve into mush between now and the second winter ball session, hopefully the Blues can get ourselves together for the Citrus Classic and produce another strong showing.

Busted: Gray Bats 7 Ghostbusters 6

I'm not even sure of the final score, but we lost by one run. I wagered the right to write the recap on the losing team's blog with Larry, so he will get me something later which I will read, then vomit, then post on the blog. I did not expect the loss to sting so much, I'm upset the Ghostbusters were deprived of another meaningful game.

Schwartz was out late partying with this guy.

Dr. Venkman had to talk me down off a ledge after the game which I brutally mismanaged, we could have won if I came up with a shallow fly to center which I dove and missed. The sun hid behind the clouds for the whole game, except for one play when it blinded me and a routine fly ball fell within my reach.
We still could have won, but I could have put us in a better position. I'm so upset I'm writing in first person. We lost to a pair of phenomenal pitchers, BJ Rankin and Ben Sorosky. The Bats beat us, and went on to win the Chapionship. They deserve the victory, and the hypothetical trophy.

The Crush had the best offensive lineup 1-9 and Necheff and Guthrie were two of the better pitchers this fall. When the Bats added Sorosky at the deadline to compliment BJ Rankin, who was originally a Ghostbuster, they suddenly had the best one-two punch on the hill. I still think the Ghostbusters were the best all-around team this fall. We deserved better.

Ray Parker Jr. leads the way

I did not plan on participating in the second game of the day, but when I saw Craig Boley umpiring and catching for the Gray Bats, I had a flashback to 2003 when that sort of thing happened almost weekly, and I decided to stick around and get behind the plate for the Bats. It was a pleasure to catch Rankin, who pitched nine masterful innings, after throwing four in the semi-finals, and won the Championship for the Gray Bats.

OC, catcher Joe Graff (left) and BJ Rankin (right) helped the Bats defeat the Ghostbusters in the Wild Card Playoff.

If Larry doesn't give significant credit to Schwartz and Eric Lee, and I guess myself for sticking around and helping secure the Bats the Fall Ball trophy, it will be tragic. Schwartz threw the potential winning run out at the plate from right field, I caught the one hop throw, blocked the plate and applied the tag on the runner who did not slide. I finally got a hit off Necheff, in the top of the ninth to load the bases, and Schwartz scored the winning run on Rankin's fielder's choice. I don't think Necheff allowed an earned run, the Crush defense was shaky.

My fall awards: MVP: BJ Rankin, CY Young: Christian Necheff, Gold Glove Award: Tony Casale.

The Fall season was a success, but came to a bittersweet end, for the Avalon Ghostbusters of the North Hills. I would be honored to manage the team next fall, and I hope to retain the same core group of players.

The Fall Ball season concludes this Saturday at 10:30 am at Pie Traynor Field with the All-Star Extravaganza. All the Ghostbusters have been placed on one of two teams, and we will play a nine inning game for fun, baseball is fun.

A Song For the Tampa Bay ______Rays

Happy Halloween, everyone.



People died at this concert.

Check out the film "Gimmie Shelter"

***

Ghostbusters has to be on TV at some point tonight, or it should have been in the last week, I think I'll watch it tonight.



***

Ghostbusters, be weary this evening. I have filed a grievance with the league office for scheduling our game the day after Halloween, when we will obviously be out late protecting the city from the paranormal.


If the Ghostbusters win in the 9am game, they will face the Orange Crush for the Fall Ball Championship of the Universe
the Crush received a first round bye.

Regular Season Champions

***
They will let anyone into grad school these days.
Starting in January the Ducks blog will be composed by an actual MFA student.
The answer to the lingering question, "does one suddenly transform into a condescending douche-bag when they begin their pursuit of a Master's in Fiction Writing?" is at my fingertips.
Fine Art indeed.


The plan is win two games tomorrow, but the Wild card Game will be managed like there is no tomorrow, or later in the day.



Tomorrow at 9am; Bad News for the Gray Bats.

Schedule Revisions; The Snow is Gone

The Avalon Ghostbusters of the North Hills will play the Gray Bats in the first round of the Fall Ball playoffs at 9am this Saturday at Pie Traynor Field.
The Winner of the 9am game plays the Orange Crush for the Championship at 11:30.

Good for the Phillies and the five friends of mine who make up the anomalous, Tolerable Philadelphia Fans Contingent.
Rob, Guthrie, Hugh, Homa, Jesse, at least you're happy and hungover.

The weather has improved.

I was listening to the post-game and a reporter asked Rays coach Joe Maddon which Rolling Stones song he thought better described how he was feeling, "Shattered" or "Happy"
Maddon said, "Happy".

Well I never kept a dollar past sunset,

It always burned a hole in my pants.

Never made a school mama happy,

Never blew a second chance.

I need a love to keep me happy,

I need a love to keep me happy.

Baby, baby keep me happy.

Baby, baby keep me happy.

Always took candy from strangers,

Didn't wanna get me no trade.

Never want to be like papa,

Working for the boss ev'ry night and day.

I need a love to keep me happy,

chorus

Never got a flash out of cocktails,

When I got some flesh off the bone.

Never got a lift out of Lear jets,

When I can fly way back home.

I'm pretty sure the title is ironic.
anyway, why not dig a bit deeper, Mr. reporter, in your choice of a stones song to describe the feeling of the manager who has just taken a last place team to the cusp of greatness, clearly it is a more complex feeling than either Happy, or "Shattered"--Pride and joy and greed and sex that's what makes our town the best, Pride and dirty dreams are still surviving on these streets..."

Had Maddon picked any other Stones song he would have become my favorite manager ever (he may be anyway), just for reaching out beyond the two choices and showing some knowledge of the band, but I suppose immediately following a World Series loss in a rain-delayed game that spanned four days isn't the best time to be put on the spot about the catalog of a rock band no matter how famous.

At least "You Can't Always Get What You Want" was not mentioned.

In no particular order:

Monkey Man
Torn and Frayed
Shine a Light
Dead Flowers
Lovin' Cup
Bitch
Sway
Stray Cat Blues
Emotional Rescue

Snow

Not much to report, other than the Gray Bats are still going to lose in grand fashion when they take on the Ghostbusters this Saturday at 9am, at Pie Traynor Field. It figures to be a pitchers deul, as the cold weather will will most likely have more of an effect on the batters.

How about that postponed World Series game tonight? The PIttsburgh NABA Fall ball season is on pace to out-last the MLB season.


I write about the Steelers for this subtly-named blog.

SNOW



Santonio Holmes is sick and tired of five-oh runnin' up on the block

Weird Al is Tremendous

I haven't heard the original version of this song in its entirety, apparently it is rather popular.

Bats Head Coach Larry Zalewski has invited Ben Sorosky to pitch against the Avalon Ghostbusters of the North Hills this Saturday. Rumor has it BJ Rankin will start, and Sorosky will pitch in relief.
Rankin will rue the day he was taken from the Ghostbusters roster in an attempt to make the Fall Ball season more competitive.

...I miss you BJ...

I digress.

Zalewski is clearly terrified of the potent Ghostbusters' offense.

Avalon Head Coach Ben Gwin believes in his players, who have been on the Ghostbusters' roster since day one, last week's guest appearance by Rob Swanger not withstanding. (Swanger did file the necessary paperwork with the league for what it's worth)
Starting pitcher Dr.Venkman will get the job done.
Schwartz and Egon Spangler wait in relief if necessary.

For the Bat's bulletin board:
They only have three guys who can hit anyway.
WOOO-HOOO!

***
Coby, I know you've been waiting for this one for a long time



Could've been worse.



The Bats season will end tomorrow.

...

More on the regular season finale

(from left to right, Dan Morgan, Adam Smith, Ben Gwin)

Other write-ups of last weekend's action

GRAY BATS biased RECAP

LEAGUE WEBSITE RECAP:

Ghostbusters earn home field in 1st round of fall playoffs!

FINALLY, NEW MATERIAL ON THE O.C. BLOG

(the 2008 Orange Crush, top row left to right: Brian Strom, Mark (Wino) Wittmer, Christian Necheff, Mark Guthrie; Front row: that kid they have at short who hits doubles, Joe Graff--seriously, Rob Logan, Patrick Piscuini. Not pictured: Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, that kid who plays center and hits doubles, Harry Yeakel)

Mid-season acquisition, Eric "Winston" Lee (far left), is fired up for the playoffs

The Orange Crush have dominated this fall season thanks in large part to the enormous fake breasts of their corner infielders, Joe Graff's scappy catching and astronomical OBP, lights out performances by Ducks/Blues pitchers Christian Necheff and Mark Guthrie, havoc-wreaking plate appearances by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, and the Earl Weaver-esque head coaching of Brian Strom. They have coasted to a first round bye and a spot in the championship game.


The Ghostbusters can not afford to look past the Gray Bats, who have an Ace of their own in BJ Rankin, and may call on the services of trade deadline addition, pitcher, Ben Sorosky for the Wild Card round of the playoffs, should Alex Warren's ankle remain swollen, and if Rankin's arm is not in good shape.

Time to talk about myself in the third person for a bit...
Ghostbusters' manager Ben Gwin's approach for regular season has been to bat 12 players and prioritize playing time over winning. During the playoffs, he will bat nine or ten players and put the best defensive team on the field, every one who shows up will play, but the priority will be on advancing to the finals and eventually defeating the Crush.

O.C. catcher/first baseman Harry Yeakel. (sp.)


Dr. Dan "Venkman" Morgan will start on the hill for the Ghostbusters in the Wild Card playoff.

It's an Ace.

BIG THUNDER: Ghostbusters Win Regular Season Finale.

Ghostbusters 4, Gray Bats 1

Pittsburgh NABA legend, and Pitt Greensburg Ace, Ben Sorosky made his pitching debut for the Gray Bats, but Alex Schwartz rose to the challenge, matching Sorosky for six innings, and earning a hard fought win for the Ghostbusters in a classic pitchers duel.

After Sorosky struck out seven of the first ten ghostbusters he faced, the Ghostbuster took the lead in the top of the fourth, Tony Casale walked, and stole second and third, after a failed squeeze attempt, Ben Gwin, who struck out in is first at bat against Sorosky, hit a towering fly ball to right field which was just deep enough to score Casale to give the Ghostbusters a 1-0 lead.

The Ghostbusters led 1-0 on the strength of only one hit, until the Bats used their heightened sonar-like hearing to plate one run in the bottom of the fifth. The Bats loaded the bases on a single an error and a walk, and got a hit form their first baseman, #13, to tie the game at 1.

Schwartz worked out of the bases loaded no-outs jam with only one unearned run.
Rob Swanger robbed Sorosky of a potential go ahead RBI with a diving catch in center.

In the top of the sixth, Vinny Gala led off with a double, Gwin reached on an error after grounding a first pitch change up right at the third baseman, Gala moved to third and Gwin stole second, on the next pitch. Adam Smith walked to load the bases, and Alex Schwartz recorded his first game winning RBI of the season on a bases loaded walk, 2-1 Ghostbusters.

The bases remained loaded, with Gwin on third base, and Sorosky working from the windup.

Giwn stole home on the first pitch to put the Ghostbusters ahead 3-1

Schwartz retired the Bats in order in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, Joe Graff walked stole second, and scored on Rob Swangers ground out to deep shortstop. To put the Ghostbusters ahead 4-1.

Dr. Dan "Venkman" Morgan shut down the Bats in the bottom of the seventh to record the save.

• The Ghostbusters (4-4) face the Bats (3-5) in a rematch in the first round of the playoffs this Saturday at 9am at Pie Traynor field, the losing team will play the O.C. in an exhibition game at 11:30, the winning team will advance to play the Orange Crush in the Championship November 1st at 9am.
  
• Vinny Gala was 1-2 with a double and scored the winning run.
  
• Rob Swanger was 1-3 with an RBI in his first appearance in a Ghostbusters uniform
• A big Ghostbusters' thank you to Joe Graff for filling in for absent catchers, The Key Master and, Eric P. Graff threw out a runner at 3rd, and scored a key insurance run for the Ghostbusters
  
• Gwin was 0-2, with 1K, 1RBI, 2 SB and 1 run.
  
• Schwartz had the game winning RBI and pitched a gem, 6 IP, 6k, 5h 3BB
• Venkman had his first save of the season and has been the most reliable pitcher, on a tremendous Ghostbusters staff, he also got out of the way when I stole home.
  
• Using the fall season to work on your swing makes it imperative to find other ways to contribute, to hit a flair into right to get a run across and to hustle out a grounder to third and steal home when I was over-matched at the plate is as satisfying as going 3-3.
  
• I was over-matched Sorosky, good game, and that was a sick behind the back play on that grounder up the middle, absolutely sick. See you this weekend?

Baseball is Exciting

I'm trapped, waiting for the UPS guy to arrive with my BWP order between 10:30 and 2pm. I'm sitting in my 3rd floor office neurotically peeking out the window every 45 seconds, terrified I will not hear the buzzer, as I suspect happened yesterday on the first delivery attempt..(gets up and looks out the window) -- nope not the UPS guy. Anyway, How 'bout them Red Sox?

The game last night reminded me of this one from last June

I don't claim to be a Boston supporter, in fact I'd like to see Tampa Bay win the ALCS, but I do have a contingent of Boston fans who are friends, guys who have cheered for Boston since the late 80's-early 90'2 when they were bad, and I am happy for them when the Red Sox win. I'd enjoy a seven game series.

My sister, who was at game five (I asked her to wear Ducks apparel to the game, as she managed to score seats behind home plate and may have been on camera) lives in Marlboro Massachusetts and has happily taken on the Red Sox as her favorite baseball team, while retaining her loyalty to the Penguins and Steelers) which I think is fine since the Pirates have not tried to win since Wade Boggs was still a Sock. The Pirates front office doesn't seem concerned with the team's fans, or filling our city's beautiful stadium with a team that can either win now, or is filled with young talent that is fast, exciting and could perhaps contend in the future their fans so I see no reason why adopting a relevant baseball team to cheer for should be frowned upon, as long as its not the Yankees. Hopefully some of the guys the Buccos received in the Bay/Nady/Marte trades respectively pan out and there is some legitimate reason for hope among the Pirates dwindling fan base. Plus living in the greater Boston area, life is much more pleasent when the local spots affiliates are winning, so when the Boston teams win, my sister's quality of life improves, and that is something I am in favor of.

Oh, and the Phillies won, beating the Dodgers in five games.
I'm a Manny supporter. he was something like 8-9 with runners in scoring position in the NLCS.
He used to sleep in the batting cages overnight, wake up and hit outside sliders for hours. The hard work is evident in his production. He'll be a Yankee.

TV edit.

Go Ghostbusters

Game 5: A Disturbance on the 12th Floor: Ghostbusters, Morgan, dominate Gray Bats, 10-0

I'd better post this before i forget the game entirely...

Highlights of the Ghostbusters first defeat of the Gray Bats

The Ghostbusters avenged an early season 6-5 defeat at the hands of the Gray Bats in grand fashion. Dr. Dan "Venkman" Morgan pitched a complete game shutout, and was the beneficiary of timely hitting and solid defense behind him, as the Avalon Ghostbusters beat the Gray Bats 10-0 in five innings, though the game unofficially ended in a 13-2 victory after seven innings.

Morgan: "You better bring your A-Game this week 'Bats"

Morgan worked out of trouble in the first inning, stranding Bats on second and third, and would later entice his Bulldogs rotation mate, Bats SS, BJ Rankin to ground into an inning ending double play. Morgan stopped a rally before it could start; picking-off an absent minded Gray Bat who had his head down after reaching on an infield hit in the third.


The Ghostbusters started the game with O.C. players Joe Graff, and Patrick in the corner outfield spots. Patrick and Graff added speed to the bottom of the lineup, and Patrick would score th Ghostbusters first run of the game on a stolen base and an error. The 1-0 lead was all Avalon would need on that day, but they would add 9 insurance runs. The offense finally came alive.

Watson and Casale each had two hits. And anchored strong infield play behind Venkman.

Gwin broke his one-for-the fall slump with a single and an RBI.

Vinny Gala ripped a two RBI single to left after refusing to take first base when plate umpire, awarded him first base on an apparent hit-by-pitch.

In the third inning, Garrett Moore finally arrived with Alex Schwartz.

Scwartz promptly drove in 2 runs with an RBI single.

Moore would go 1-2 and reach on an error after long night of busting ghosts, casued him to over- sleep.

• The Ghostbusters are now 2-3 with a chance to get over .500 for the first time this season with the impending sweep of this week's double header.
• Why is that one guy on the Gray Bats so angry all the time? the second baseman/Right fielder, relax. Someone needs to destroy him if they get the chance to break up a double play, then maybe he will have something to scowl and cry about.
  
• BJ's fiance and Joe Graff are both jealous after Rankin made me his woman in the first game, I went 0-5 with 4k's in a guest appearance for the OC, causing me to question my existence.
• 

• This week the Ghostbusters will probably get 4 innings of Rankin (above right, with "friend and teammate" Joe Graff ) and three innings of Alex Warren for the first game of the doubleheader.
  
• Why was Warren left in that game for seven innings? He's a competitor and a good pitcher, but at he must have thrown around 150 pitches, too many for a fall league game, especially the last two innings that didn't even count.
• Watson pitched a scoreless phantom sixth innin, and Casale allowed two runs in the unofficial seventh inning
• the game ended on a sweet play by Adam Smith, who played a solid, aggressive game at 3rd base after being inexplicably pushed into outfield duty for most of the season.
  
• Eric P. had solid game behind the plate, and after moving to the outfield, threw out a runner at second base in the seventh.
  
• We need bats.
• The Ghostbusters won despite playing without Adalino, The Keymaster, who is 5 for 9 on the season.

rumor has it there was a bear in his apartment.

Let's win two this weekend.

Ghostbusters vs. Gray Bats: October 4, 11:30am, Pie Traynor Field

Last Week the Gray Bats beat the Ghostbusters 6-5, thanks to two seven inning runs and a stellar effort by BJ Rankin.

Rankin and life partner Joe Graff fight evil. See video .

The Avlon Ghostbusters of the North Hills look to rebound from last week's heart breaker against the O.C. when they take on the Gray Bats this Saturday. A scheduling glitch has allowed teh Ghostbusters consecutive late games, which is just fine. Ironically and perhaps fitting, the schedule maker plays on the Orange Crush. and will play 9am games back to back weeks.

read about it here

Enjoy the extra hours of sleep.

Read about the Orange Crush's double header last week, written by a former paid journalist.

The Crush team reporter cheats and uses the score book as a reference, he has a thing for journalistic integrity.



I hope the MLB playoffs will be on network TV, so non-cable owning schmucks like myself will be able to take in some of the action.

I'm pulling for a Dodgers vs. Rays World Series.
I would have liked the Twins to win last night, funny how Minnesota is able to put a winning product on the field while the Pirates, who play in a similar market, have subjected their fans to 16 years of irrelevant baseball. This time of year always remind me how painful it is to support a team run by a front office that has no desire to give its fans a taste of October baseball.

More unsubstantiated Ghostbusters 3 rumors, allegedly Bill Murray is on board, and the script will be written by the guys who write The Office.
Could be worse.

Orange Crush edge Ghostbusters 3-2.

Christian Necheff (sp.) pitched a complete game for the Orange Crush, allowing two unearned runs over seven innings, striking out upwards of 8 Ghostbusters to earn the win for the O.C.

(Orange Crush Team Photo)

Ghostbusters starter Alex Schwartz was the tough luck loser, allowing two runs, none earned, in three innings of work.

Tony Casale hit a two out triple in the first inning, but was stranded on third, when Vinny Gala hit a line drive right at someone-- the Ghostbusters M.O. for the first four games of the fall ball season.

In the bottom of the first, the Crush had runners on first and second with one out when a potential inning ending double play ball turned into a two run error.



The Ghostbusters had the bases loaded in the bottom of the second but Necheff got the RingMaster strikeout and worked out of the jam when Ben Gwin Grounded out to O.C. second baseman, Joe Graff to end the inning.

Joe Graff, second baseman for the Blues, Bulldogs, and now the Crush, had an uncharacteristically rough game in the field. His mind was clearly somewhere else. perhaps still thinking about how torturous it was to have to play against life partner BJ Rankin in the first game of the double header.


The Ghostbusters defense kept them in the game, turning four double plays. Adam Smith pitched two scoreless innings for the Ghostbusters. In the bottom of the fifth Joe Graff tried to steal third base, Ghostbusters catcher, Garrett Moore, had other ideas.


Graff was thrown out at third, for the second out of a 1-2-5 double play. Strike 'em out throw 'em out. This was Garret Moore's best inning as a catcher.
Joe was more distraught then when he heard BJ was getting married, to a woman no less.

No photoshop needed. They are a deadly double play combo.


The Crush would add another unearned run in the sixth, off relief pitcher Mark Kuhns.
Trialling 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh the Ghostbusters rallied. With one out; Vinny Gala and Eric P. singled, then Shwartz walked to load the bases. Ron Kuhns drove in a run with an RBI force out, and Mark Kuhns followed with a single.

The stage was set


The Ringmaster, who entered the game with an .800 average, came to bat with tw outs and runners on second and third, trailing 3-2, but Necheff finished the game with a strike out, and the Ghostbusters fell to 1-3 with the loss.

• Dr. Dan "Venkman" Morgan will get the start this Saturday against the Gray Bats.
  
• I've never been on a team that hit so many triples (3; Gala, Lee/Winston, and Casale) turned so many double plays, and still had a 1-3 record.
  
• The Ghostbusters (1-4) have lost two games by one run.
• These things have a way of leveling out, the pendulum will swing the Ghostbusters way again.
  
• I'm 1-for-the fall, this must change. I looked at my spring stats to remind myself I can hit and drive in runs. Here are the Ducks 2008: Stats
• Our middle infield is the best the fall league has seen this year.
  
• South Oakland Duck Adam Smith is pitching as well as I've seen him pitch in a while.
• Vinny is the best all-around first basemen in the Pittsburgh NABA.
  
• The atmosphere has been great so far.
• Watch out for the Ducks this spring...Team of Destiny '09.
  

Ghostbusters vs. Orange Crush, Sat 10/27, 11:30 AM PIe Traynor Field

The Keymaster is ready

Bad News for the Orange Crush

Highest Form of Flattery: Crush guarantee victory over Ghostbusters

First, the game is at 11:30am not 9am, this Saturday at Pie Traynor

Naturally, the South Oakland Ducks Blog has spawned two off-shoots fall ball blogs, here is the second fall ball blog that has appeared in the wake of the Ducksblog: Orange Crush Blog

Since I have linked it here, it may actually get read. The writing is better than this site (actual journalism vs. the ramblings of a young man with a fiction writing degree), but it lacks video clips.

Now we have a photoshop war on our hands.

I am not very good at photoshop

It's kind of better that way
(Sunglasses and eye black, Strom?)

Anyway, the Crush have guaranteed victory this weekend, inviting spectators to "witness perfection"

Only God is perfect
The Ghostbusters learned that lesson in the 80's



Adalino and his league leading .833 Average will dominate the Crush this weekend
He is currently waiting for a sign...

Quack

Ghostbusters Split

I had the third and fourth overall picks in the fall ball draft, with those two selections I chose Dan Morgan and BJ Rankin. In the name of competitive balance Rankin was moved to the Gray bats without playing a game for the Ghostbusters.

On Saturday Rankin demolished his former team, pitching four scoreless innings and hitting a two run triple to lead the Bats to a 5-4 victory over the Avalon Ghostbusters of the North Hills.

Here is the recap from Gray Bats coach, Larry.

Rankin did not earn the win, as Avalon erased a 3-0 Bats lead, on the strength of strong pitching from Adam Smith, and a clutch RBI triple from Eric "Winston" Lee.

Clutch mid season acquisition

Avalon led 4-3 after six, but the Gray Bats blindly screetched their way to an unearned run in the top of the seventh, and added another on a semi-routine "haunted" flyball which eluded the Ghostbusters outfielders.

Alex Warren retired the Ghostbusters in order in the bottom of the seventh on three hard hit ground ball outs.

It was a tough loss; Vinny Gala's day at the plate was symbolic of the Avalon effort, knocking the cover off the ball in three at bats only to wind up 0-for-3 with three line outs to the Bats left fielder.

***

The Ghostbusters won their first game in dramatic fashion, erasing deficits of 3-0 and 4-2 on the way to defeating the Orange Crush 9-5.

Game two of the double header featured Ducks starter Mark "Captain America" Guthrie, on the hill for the Orange Crush, and Dr. Dan "Venkman" Morgan of the Ghostbusters.

Guthrie started the game off the bottom of the first with a strike out of Ducks' infielder Les Gies.

Guthrie had the Ducks number in game two, Ben Gwin was 0 for 3 against Guthrie, and Eric Lee was 1-3.

Crush third baseman, Stay Puft Marshmellow Man, hit a hanging curve ball by Morgan down the left field line for a two run double to put the Crush ahead 3-0.

Avalon continued to hit the ball right at the opposition.

Morgan turned in a courageous performance allowing two earned runs over four innings, despite a hamstring problem that almost forced an early exit.
"I can go one more" he said after pulling up lame in the third, and he proceeded to pitch a scoreless fourth inning, retiring the Crush in order.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Avalon loaded the bases with one out, and tied the game on a busted double play.

Then the Ghostbusters scored on back to back squeeze bunts, the first with Eric Lee on third and Mike Watson at the plate, which scored two runs after a throwing error.

Watson reached third and Guthrie was pulled for Brian Strom. On the second pitch Watson broke for the plate and Tony laid down a perfect bunt, the run scored and Tony beat the throw to first.

The Ghostbusters added another insurance run on Adalino's third hit of the day.

Adalino describes his thoughts after going 5 for 6 with four RBI in the Ghostbusters double header


No joke.

Mark Kuhns (1-0) was the pitcher of record for the Ghostbusters earning the win on the mound after allowing one run in two innings. The run came in the top of the fifth when Stay Puft ined a single to center.

Mark's son Ron recorded the save. Ron Kuhns worked out of a bases loaded no outs jam in the bottom of the seventh. Blues' left fielder Brian Strom lead off the inning with a single to left, followed by three straight walks.

Kuhns struck out the next batter, and enticed a 1-2-3 game ending double play from Crush shortstop, "Wino"

Ghostbusters Double Header Saturday 9am, Pie Traynor Field

The Ghostbusters welcome new recruit, LHP (and probably 1b/of) Alex Schwartz.

Bad News for the Gray Bats and Crush.

Thursday

Happy birthday, skip.

Coach Jones talks with Ducks infielder Ryan Novak

***

The Ghostbusters have a double header this saturday, 9am at Pie Traynor Field in North Park.
The weather should be fantastic.

let's play two

The NABA national office has yet to update information regarding the 2009 Florid Citrus Classic.

Blues infielder Kenny Rayl will have fund raising information this weekend.

Here is an unrelated Rolling Stones video

Quack.

Ghostbusters Double Header Saturday 9am, Pie Traynor Field

Swoosh and I are trying to figure out a way to provide Ducks apparel at a lower cost, and to con local investors into funding a large portion of our league dues next year.
I could not find an online vendor that provides green and yellow shirts at a lower cost. all the products are marked up $3 all that money goes to the Ducks, but there's still a rather large shipping cost which is no good. Our goal is to lower prices by about $5 a shirt and still have enough profit to get a significant portion to the team, while providing awesome gear to our loyal fans.
We may have to outsource.

Last week's slate of fall ball games will be moved to the end of the season, not bumped up one week. The Avalon Ghostbusters of the North Hills have a chance to get to 2-1 after this Saturday's double header, which I initially, and incorrectly assumed was only going to be one game. Fortunately for the Ghostbusters, the team is loaded with pitching. Avalon may add a lefty to the already deep rotation, and another catcher. Eric Lee is a hard man to get a hold of, but has an open offer to play for the Ghostbusters this season, to add some much needed outfield depth.

***
Speaking of bad remakes, there is a Knight Rider series in the works.
So many original series' have fought their way back into the public eye due to a sick obsession with 80's and 90's campy television, film, and music which was bad to begin with. And it is due in part, perhaps, to baby boomers reminiscence about the year they got the tax break which allowed them to buy their second Porsche.

"Remember the night after all the Federal Air Traffic Controllers were laid off, and we did a bunch a blow and killed a homeless person before we went home and watched the Knight Rider episode where Kit made sexual advances towards Herbie the Love Bug?
Those were the days"

It is perplexing how a show or a movie can be made on the basis of, "the original was so bad it's good". This is happening everywhere, and is even more disturbing than the Indiana Jones, Die Hard remakes, which contain no pretense about being anything but formulaic revenue machines.
Like a bad joke told by a man with a sweet mullet; it may be funny, but not because its funny. I think.

There's also a GI Joe movie in the works. If this movie goes beyond pure war propaganda, I will be amazed.


***
I want a Quantum Leap remake, and another Twin Peaks-esque David Lynch project on network television.

I'm enjoying the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicle series, even though it is fairly predictable.

***
Ducks' pitcher, Nick Homa, continues to dominate in fantasy football, I continue to lose.

In baseball news, Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter two days ago, and the 4th place Yankees are trying to get a rule change to allow them to be in the playoffs just because they are the Yankees. Bud Selig is considering the offer.

Former Pirate Dale Sveum is now the coach of the Brewers.

Quack.

Rainout

The Avalon Ghostbusters of the North Hills will not play tomorrow due to inclimate weather, and lack of a grounds crew. The Ghostbusters' next game will be Saturday September 20th at Pie Traynor Field. I don't know what I'm going to write about all week. Be prepared for nonsense. Feel free give me some ideas.

Beatles, Rain



Grateful Dead, Looks Like Rain