pittsburgh NABA

Busted: Gray Bats 7 Ghostbusters 6

pittsburgh NABA

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

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
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

pittsburgh NABA
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

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
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

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

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

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

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

Other write-ups of last weekend’s action


(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.

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
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

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

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

Fighting Fire with Water

pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
Ghostbusters(3-4) vs. Gray Bats (2-4): Saturday 11:30 am, Pie Traynor Field.
probable starters: Schwartz vs. Sorosky
The winner of this game will secure home-field advantage for next week’s first-round playoff game.
The O.C. (5-2) has clinched a first round bye, heading into their regular season finale.
* * *

Number nine is coming down from the rafters this Saturday, with Garrett Moore’s spot in the outfield vacated due to Moore’s shoulder injury and his current quest for Nirvana, his spot will be temporarily filled by former Ducks outfielder, Rob Swanger, who looks forward to the challenge of facing Bats ringer Ben Sorosky.

Jimi Hendrix – Fire – More free videos are here

Fire

Water

Jersey unretired


Bad News for the Gray Bats