2019 South Oakland Ducks

Team Awards

2019 South Oakland Ducks, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

Congrats to the Devils. Their title was well earned. A lot of those guys have put serious time into the league. Hopefully the over 26 team can get one, too.

The Ducks underachieved this year as a team, in the playoffs, but we had several outstanding individual performances over the course of the season.

Comeback Player of the Year: James Fago

He literally left and came back. After three years on the Black Sox, and one season wandering the East Coast, Fago set a single season league record for saves with seven (7). After he shook the rust off, he was one of our best hitters down the stretch. He also brought his little brother with him, and Colton lead the team in strikeouts both as a pitcher and as a batter.

Rookie of the Year: Matt Muslin

I’m hoping he comes back next season, and they don’t get their shit together up north. Matt posted a .600 obp from the leadoff spot and never complained about playing out of position. We had big shoes to fill at third, and he figured out the turf and the bad hops at Springview, and played great for us.

Defensive Player of the Year: Mark Lombardi

He was our most consistent outfielder. In true gold glove fashion, he was also our best hitting outfielder and lead the team in home runs (2). He threw out several runners this season, made a couple great diving catches, and patrolled the deepest part of West Field for us this year.

Offensive Player of the Year: Derek Clark

Hit .470 and tied Tony with 7 doubles. We had a really good lineup this year, and Clark made everyone better.

Pitcher of the Year: Matt Mullen

He was our most consistent pitcher this year. He gave us a chance to win every time out, and was always positive and picked up his teammates. We played hard for him. We had a great staff and bullpen this year. I’m so disappointed we lost in two games in the tournament.

MVP: Tony Casale

He was the best player on our team this season, and should get serious consideration for league MVP, especially if Stumpf gets POY award, Tony played a great shortstop on two very tough home fields, and held our infield together and lead the team in extra base hits, and stolen bases, and hit .500. Please don’t move away, Tony.

Also of Note:

Tom Pulice is still the best catcher in AA despite an influx of talent at the position. He’s also gonna be manager next season. Godspeed, Tom.

John Zuzak earned a rotation spot with his performance against D2 in the season finale. He also showed up every week and got on base a lot for us. He made the most of his opportunities and never complained.

Thanks again, everyone for another mostly good season that ended poorly. Hopefully Tom can coach us up next year and we can win a title.

Look for fall ball updates and Columbus Tournament stuff in the coming weeks.

Quack

Ducks Lose: Face Elimination vs Grizzlies Tonight

2019 South Oakland Ducks

South Oakland lost to D2, 8-4, in the opening round of the playoffs last night in West View. The game was suspended in the top of the 8th when the lights went out at Herschel Park on Saturday night. The Ducks committed six errors, and wasted a good starting pitching performance by Randy Patton.

South Oakland recorded four hits in the fourth inning and didn’t score a run. Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Ducks tied the game on two, bases loaded walks.

D2 scored two unearned runs in the top of the eighth. The ump missed a call when Maldonado doubled off a runner at first, but the guy was called safe. They hit some singles. There was an error on a pickoff attempt. It was a mess. Then the lights went out.

The game resumed yesterday and D2 scored two more runs.

Our defense and base running let us down. Their pitcher threw well.

This was a bad game.

Tonight the Ducks take on the Bauerstown Grizzlies. 9pm at West Field.

Bad news for the Grizzlies.

Playoff Gameday 1: Ducks vs D2

2019 South Oakland Ducks

South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (16-8)

vs

Pittsburgh D2 (8-15)

8pm

Herschel Park

South Oakland opens the playoffs against Pittsburgh D2 tonight in Elliot. The last remaining original five team, the Ducks are in search of their third title in team history. D2, I think, won the Single A title a few years back. D2 took two of three from the Ducks this season, but South Oakland won the last meeting 4-0 to clinch the 2-seed in the tournament. Hopefully this is the first of many games on the way to a title, but it’s a deep field this year, and there are no easy teams. This is probably the most evenly matched 2 vs 7 game in recent memory.

I don’t know what to expect tonight. We will probably get the kid that shut us down twice already this season. If we win today, we’re guaranteed to at least extend the season a week. A loss would set up a win or go home match tomorrow night against the loser of the Jays Grizzlies game. Pitching wise are built for a deep playoff run, but D2 has a lot of good arms too. This will be a close game tonight. We are the home team but playing at D2’s field due to West Field being used for AAU tournaments or something. We have a veteran team, and I think we can draw on that experience tonight.

Bad news for D2

Pre-Playoffs Pittsburgh NABA Round-Up

2019 South Oakland Ducks, NABA, pittsburgh NABA

Ducks Regular Season Recap

Overall we had a solid year. We won and lost a few close, low-scoring games. The losses to the Eagles and D2 are frustrating, but that happens. Everyone in AA has at least one good arm who is capable of shutting down a team, and we weren’t able to overcome that a few times this year. Records aside, there aren’t any easy teams to beat this year.

Our pitching and defense were statistically the best in AA. 65 runs allowed is a good number. We set team records for single-season shutouts, saves, and runs allowed.

We usually put up more runs, but I think we faced a lot of teams number one pitchers, and we also ran into a few junk ballers who kept us off balance. Typically, we do better against fast pitching, but that’s not exactly a secret. So bring on your crafty lefties in the playoffs. Hopefully we can adjust.

We also had a few guys who took a year off last year who didn’t round into form until late in the year. I also batted eleven guys more this year than in the past, which took some at bats away from the guys at the top and the middle of the lineup. I probably cost us at least one win here, but I got everyone at least 2 at bats per game on average, which I feel is giving everyone their money’s worth while still trying to win.

16 wins is good. I’m a believer in the last ten games being the best indicator of how a team is playing, and we have won nine of them. Hopefully the time off is good for us and we don’t lose any momentum going into Saturday. D2 has a shitty record, and a bad run differential, but they beat us twice and we had a tough time against a couple of their pitchers.

Around the Pittsburgh NABA

In approximate order of news-worthyness..

Here’s a link to the Cranberry Crusaders’ website. Solid work over there. It’s much more fun to write recaps when you’re winning. I assume Andy will post something inflammatory before the playoffs start. Keep an eye out for that bulletin board material. It’s interesting to read through their posts from this year and see the tone shift from cautiously optimistic to confident. Congrats to Cranberry on a good season.

The Wolfpack literally quit this season. What a joke. West View folding for the second straight year hurt us this time, as we don’t get a team coming off a play-in game. They should be voted down to single A, and forced to add free agents to their roster to avoid folding for a third straight year.

The Bandidos and Eagles, 2017 finalists, both have a bad record. It won’t surprise me if either team goes on a run in the playoffs. They are battle tested.

The Oilers are absolutely not cheating. I swear.

Jays had a run-in with Cranberry this year, and I think they used the resulting suspensions as motivation to put together a decent season.

Grizzlies won ten straight to start the year, and have since faltered. We had a 3% chance of taking over second place after we lost to D2 in July, but after that game, we won out, and the Grizzlies went 1-5 or something. Sleeping giant though. I think most teams want to avoid them in the post-season. They have some great pitching.

The Devils are probably better than their record, which isn’t that bad to begin with. I thought they would be in Cranberry’s position now.

Up In AAA

The AAA mangers meeting might be an eventful one, as the Tropics are probably cheating. Shocking, I know. No stats entered for them all season. The only advantage that could possibly give them is a way around minimum games played if no one wants to take the time to challenge them. It creates a situation where everyone is forced to either do a lot of work or not question any of their players eligibility and probably let them play ineligible players. I don’t think the league would be worse off without them.

Our league has always erred on the side of letting players play. Whether it’s giving teams extra time to get money in, letting teams enter the league late, or putting the burden of proof on the team that is challenging player eligibility. I don’t agree with all the decisions that are made by the commish, but I’ve never questioned his integrity or his intention. The intention has always been to grow the league, and give as many people as possible the chance to play baseball. Most of the issues that arise are due to teams taking advantage of that sentiment.

I’m grateful for another regular season. Thank you to everyone who has made that possible. Hopefully we will be playing until August this year. I think we have a good shot.

 

 

Ducks Win: South Oakland 4, D2 0

2019 South Oakland Ducks, Ducks win

Box score

John Zuzak (W, 1-0) threw 6 2/3 shutout innings in his first career start to lead the Ducks to a 4-0 victory in Elliot last night. Zuzak was also 2-for-2 at the plate. Tom Pulice drove in the game winning run with a single in the first inning. Maldonado, Lombardi and Gwin were hit by D2 pitchers. The shutout was South Oakland’s fourth of the season. The Ducks (16-8) finished the season with the fewest runs allowed (65) in AA, and have won nine of their last ten games. D2 falls to 8-14 with the loss.

The Ducks will play D2 in the first round of the playoffs this Saturday.

 

Gameday 24: Ducks at Pittsburgh D2

2019 South Oakland Ducks

South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (15-8)

at

Pittsburgh D2 (8-14)

6:15 pm

Herschel Park

The Ducks look to avoid being swept by D2, and clinch second place tonight in Elliot. South Oakland has struggled this season against D2, losing 4-0 and 6-4 in two earlier matchups. Today’s game will determine whether the Ducks will get the 2 or 3 seed and D2 can still finish between 7 and 9 depending on tie breakers. These two teams could meet again on Saturday in the playoffs.

D2 will throw one of their seven starters, maybe the same guy who shut us down twice already this year. I don’t know if they’re trying to save arms for Saturday or what.

D2 may have based the color scheme of their new unis off the red, white, and blue team USA jerseys in D2: The Mighty Ducks. Also went with white primary color to honor the jersey change to the Anaheim home Ducks jerseys at intermission during the finals that brought the team together. I think it’s a great homage.

The Commish is on the hill for the Ducks tonight.

Bad news for D2

 

Ducks Win: South Oakland 7, Bauerstown 3

2019 South Oakland Ducks, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

Box Score

Tony Casale lead the way with four hits, and the back end of the Ducks rotation pitched five solid innings to help South Oakland to its fourth straight win yesterday in Shaler. Cody Quinn started and went two innings, pitching around a couple fly balls that could have been caught, and allowing one run. Ben Sorosky (W, 1-0) pitched three solid innings before James Fago converted the six-out save (7).

The Ducks took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Lombardi doubled in Casale, and Clark singled home Lombardi. Bauerstown scored in the bottom half of the inning off a double, HBP and a single.

South Oakland added two in the fifth on a walk, fielders choice and two singles. Then they added three more in the seventh on four straight hits, and an RBI double by Fago to put the game out of reach. Cody just missed going yard.

Fago’s seven saves is a single season Pittsburgh NABA record until someone tells me otherwise.

Casale for MVP.

 

The Ducks finish up the season on the road against D2, Tuesday night, 6:15 at Herschel Park.

Quack.

 

 

 

Gameday 21: Ducks at BIG OIL

2019 South Oakland Ducks, Gameday

South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (12-8)

at

Hebrew Oilers (13-7)

7pm

Mellon Park

South Oakland looks to sweep the season series against defending champion BIG OIL tonight in East Liberty. The Ducks and Oilers both have an outside shot at overtaking the Grizzlies (14-5), and theoretically Cranberry (13-2) could also collapse. It should be a good matchup in the latest chapter of the Ducks/Oilers rivalry.

With the WOLFPACK’s forthcoming dissolution imminent, the Oilers and Jays have to be neck and neck for most hated team in Double A. We will see the Jays on Saturday on the field with no mound, provided last night’s rain didn’t destroy it.

The odds of winning the division or getting the two seed are not in our favor. We still want a home game in the first round, and a better draw in he tournament, so our last four games are important. 

We want to go into the post season playing well. A win tonight would at least prevent the Oilers from getting the two seed, and that should be plenty of motivation. 

Bad News for BIG OIL

Ducks Win: South Oakland 4, Bauerstown 1

2019 South Oakland Ducks, Ducks win, pittsburgh NABA, Recap, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

Mark Lombardi drove in three runs and Matt Mullen (W, 2-0) scattered four hits over six innings to lead the Ducks past the Grizzlies last night in Munhall.

Mullen worked out of a jam in the first after a hit batter, a single, and a delayed steal put runners on second and third with two outs. Mullen got their five hitter to groundout and end the inning.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth. MVP candidate Tony Casale moved to third on Derek Clark’s single and scored on Lombardi’s sacrifice fly.

Mullen worked around a single and two hit batters in the fifth with the help of Tom Pulice who threw out a guy trying to steal second.

The Ducks left the bases loaded in the fifth.

Lombardi threw out a guy trying to stretch a single to a double in the top of the sixth, but Bauerstown clawed a run across with a single and a series of ground outs.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Ducks scored three to put the game out of reach. Casale singled to start the inning, and went first to third on Pulice’s well placed single up the middle two batters later. Maldonado, running for Pulice, took second with the infield playing up. Lombardi drove in two runs with a single to left, and took second on the throw home. Mullen drove in Lombardi for the Duck’s fourth run.

James Fago recorded his franchise record fifth save of the season.

  • Big win against a good team
  • Grizzlies employed the no doubles defense for most of the game, leading to a few 300 foot singles
  • Casale’s numbers this year are MVP worthy. He’s at least in the conversation. That guy from Cranberry and the Grizzlies guy are also good.
  • Ran out of baseballs right at the end of our last home game. Perfect timing.

South Oakland’s next game is Friday night against the Oilers, 7pm at Mellon Park

Gameday 19. Ducks vs Grizzlies

2019 South Oakland Ducks

South Oakland Ducks of the North Side

vs

Bauerstown Grizzlies

8pm

West Field

The Ducks look to right the ship when they take on the Grizzlies tonight in Munhall.

We need a win to secure a spot in the top six and avoid the play-in games. I think our magic number is 2. The Eagles and D2 both have 12 losses, and we are at 11 wins if we count our never rescheduled game from April against West View as a win. Both those teams have the tie-breaker over us.

Somehow we’ve lost 4 games combined to two six-win teams. Add that to a few other close losses this year, and I can’t tell if we’re lucky to have ten wins, or if we should have fifteen right now. I don’t think we’ve really hit well yet, but we’re running out of time for our luck to change.

We finish with five games against four teams ahead of us in the standings, and one more against D2 who we can’t seem to beat this season. The Grizzlies won like twelve in a row at one point, and with Cranberry’s magical season, everyone else has basically been playing for third place all year unless someone collapses. But we want to be playing well heading into the postseason, and tonight against a tough team will be a good gage to see where we are at. I like our chances at home.

Bad news for the Grizzlies