2024 will bring the 21^st year of the South Oakland Ducks, and my fourth or fifth (I have no idea at this point,) as a player manager. I can confidently tell you three things, if you would have told 8-12 year old me that I would still be playing baseball into my 30s, I would have been extremely happy about it, we will hit the fuck out of the baseball, and we will have some losses that make me think the youth league we share a field with could absolutely crush us. Other than that, as our Vice President of Morale would say, we are going to be Dangerous this year.

                2023 Ended in disappointment, we played half the year without a regular shortstop, and somehow ended up over .500 with a 13-11 record. The playoffs did not go as well as I, or any of us would have hoped. The best thing for me that weekend was enjoying Pittsburgh’s annual Picklesburgh festival. To start off out playoffs, we faced the only team that swept us (I think,) and our newfound rival (yea it was quite one-sided last year,) the Buccos. I honestly can’t remember much about that game, except that one dude was wearing way too much Cologne, especially for an adult baseball game. Then the next day, or two days later, D2 got their payback from 2022, and absolutely routed us, 10-0. To get double swept on the weekend, out of the playoffs and by the yellow shirted plunderers leaves a feeling that I would rather not ever have again.

                There is going to be a bit of a new look to the Duck’s this season, both in our roster construction and in our Uniform configuration. For the first time in my career we are getting some new Jersey’s, hopefully these new uniforms bring us some “look good play good” luck. As for our roster, we have a new look with some familiar faces as well. We lost a few guys, including what I assume is the innings leader in Ducks history from our pitching staff. For me it is hard to see guys depart the Duck Pond, but I understand that dudes know when it is time to move on.  We do have a few past Ducks returning to the team this year, with Mullen and Stef. Although neither will be making regular appearances, I am hoping that we can piece it together with Jesse up the middle. We do have a newcomer up the middle with another D Williams coming in to shore up the outfield. With our veteran presence in right and left, this will give us some flexibility moving forward. I’ll tell you; it will be nice not having to wonder how I am going to configure the middle of the field, other than myself and the pitcher, during my workday. Other than the loss of one of our key staff members, we should have a solid and healthy rotation. Let me tell ya, I am excited to have a pitching staff again, it may have been 2 years ago but having like two starters for a season is a nightmare I never want to encounter again.

   On a Sad note, we have been notified that 2024 will probably be the final year that we get to spend our Tuesday Nights in the Friendly confines of the Duck Pond, with Spring Hill being scheduled to have a complete renovation start in 2025. To be honest, that is a pretty sad idea for us, other than a season and a half at West Field, never again btw, the Pond has been my home field since 2017. There aren’t many things I can say, good or bad about the Pond, but it will be tough to say goodbye. I don’t know where our new Game Lands will be in 2025, but I hope we can send off the Pond the right way this year, by raising a trophy and taking a photo at 1354 Romanhoff street. Fingers Crossed