Home Opener tonight 9pm at Spring View Field. (The map quest directions aren’t great, try to get to the Pitt field and follow someone if you are unsure how to get there.) ***
Another important, early-season divisional game.
The 2007 Champions are looking to rebound after a sub-par 2008 campaign.
The Confederacy is still looking for their first hit of the season. South Oakland looks to go 3-0 for the first time in team history. The Rebels have some talented players, but are outnumbered by the Union 2-1. There’s some bad blood here. and here. The Ducks have never beaten this team, except by forfeit. Time to change that.
Who better to put on the hill vs. the Rebels than Captain America.
*** Batting Practice: 6pm-730pm at the Pitt IM field.
The Rebels history is sordid. In 2006 head coach Ray Finkle left, (seceded from) the Black Sox with a few other key players and formed his own team, the Monroeville “Rebels”.
My goal is to lead the league in HBP in 2009, probably the only single season record within my aging grasp.
Behind the dominant pitching of Robert E. Lee, the Rebels won the 2007 Pittsburgh NABA Championship.
In 2008, the team added two Warriors’ defectors, former Braves prospect John Tremmel, and gutsy pitcher/infielder Chris Feathers. However the team lost staff ace, Lee, and the team finished 4-17-1 with head coach lightning-quick center fielder, Jefferson Davis, at the helm.
On his horse, literally.
At the all star break in 2008, the Rebels were in last place, 1/2 game behind the Ducks. Then South Oakland went on a tear to sneak into the playoffs on the last day of the season, while the Rebels effectively surrendered, and finished the season in the Monongahela Division cellar. Given the core of talent on that team, the Rebels collapse was somewhat surprising. Some attribute to the fall to the containment of Pickett’s troops in their attempt to Flank Union soldiers at Gettysburg, but not to be ignored is the incredible advantage the North had in both its sheer number of troops, and effective supply lines. Which is interesting since this team has a history of forgetting to let free agent acquisitions (who aren’t deemed to be top-tier ) know when their games are.
In 2008 the Rebels led the league in forfeits.
Ray Finkle returns to coach the Confederacy in 2009.
Ray Finkle vows that Dan Marino was to blame for the downfall of the Rebels in 2008, and Monroeville will have a more competitive reliable team in 2009.
In 2007, in a state above the Mason Dixon line, a team was formed named the “Rebels”, with gray jerseys and a civil war lookin’ guy for a logo. Unreal.
Who knows what tricks the Confederate leaders have up their gray sleeves this summer. They can’t be much worse.
Projected finish: Last in the Monongahela then dissolved into the Union.
There are a bunch of solid guys on this team, I feel for them.
Quack.
Ducks: Get your money into coach Jones.
St. Patrick’s Day Party at Gies and Guthries’ on March, 13th.
The Owlz are the 2008 Pittsburgh NABA Champions. I have no doubt that the only thing on Rob Cool’s mind while assembling his team during the off-season was winning a championship, which he and hiz fellow Owlz did.
The Owlz won both the Division Series and the Championship series on walk off singles in third game of best of three series (once in extra innings). There was some great baseball down the stretch this year.
In 2009, would you rather be on the Owlz, or the team who beats the Owlz on the way to the title? Team of Destiny ’09 is gunning for you next year, Z-Men. Enjoy it while it lasts. Quack, quack.
Seriously, congratulations on a season well played.
Fago for league MVP
Five Years Feels like Forever
The Owlz won the Championship in their first year in existence. The first team to win a championship in its inaugural season; the 2003 South Oakland Ducks.
The Owlz are the first team with a bird mascot to win the Pittsburgh NABA Championship since the 2003 South Oakland Ducks.
The Owlz are the only team with a “Z” in their name to take home the trophy, this may remain fact for some time.
The first team to win the title with a Confederate soldier for a mascot? The 2007 Rebels, who missed the playoffs this season.
***
Here are the Ducks 2008 team awards as chosen by Manager of the Year, TC Jones, who also wrote the summaries.
Team MVP: Nick Homa.
Without a doubt Nick deserves the MVP award. Not only was he arguably the leagues best pitcher, but he put up pretty good offensive numbers too. Without Homa we would have been an under .500 team.
Offensive Player of the Year: Ben Gwin.
This may have been the hardest award to pick. I think this award could have easily gone to Chris Wojoton or Jesse smith, but I chose Ben Gwin because of his clutch and timely hitting. Any time we needed to drive in important runs, Gwin was the one to do it. The +20 RBIs on the season prove it.
Defensive Player of the Year: Coby Kolaja.
Can we argue with the diving catches, the flowing hair, and the absolute cannon of an arm? I don’t think so. Coby Kolaja surprised everyone on the Ducks with his good reads and surprisingly accurate outfield arm.
Quack Talker of the year: Jim Spagnola.
I give this award to the Duck who made his presence felt with his verbal antics. It was a close call between Jim and Rick Whalen (both had particularly disgusting topics to ponder on the bench), but my decision was made after Spagnola called out an “F— You” to an opposing pitcher after getting a hit.
Duck of the year: KT Murphy.
I give this award to the Duck who best accepted his position on the team as a role-player. KT was at every game and never complained. He was also our most timely pinch hitter and made the most out of every opportunity he got.
Most Improved Player of the Year: Garret Moore.
To be honest, at the beginning of the season I wasn’t sure how much time I would be able to get this man. But his hustle and ability to put the baseball in play during at bats gained him the starting role as the DH.
***
My only complaint is that Garrett won an award instead of having another award named after him and given to someone else. ie. the Garrett Moore mustache of the year award, goes to James Spagnola.
I’m just happy to be here, and to be able to help the team.
No individual is bigger than the Ducks, except Rambo.
The final game, much like the Ducks’ sixth season, came and went in a green and yellow blur. It’s going to be odd when 6pm approaches on Monday and it won’t be time to get ready for batting practice before leading the caravan to Spring Hill. The Ducks season opened with a 15-1 loss, and unofficially ended with a 15-3 victory, a nice bookend. It is never fun when a good thing ends, and this season was very good in many ways, but South Oakland went out quacking, in a game that featured the pitching debuts of Ryan Novak, and right-handed specialist, Jimmy Spagnola, by trouncing the Bulldogs in what may have been a preview of next season’s championship (barring radical realignment, which is possible).
Dan Morgan started for the Bulldogs
Starting pitcher/middle linebacker, Dan Morgan was headhunting early on, but the Ducks jumped out to an early lead. On the hill for the Ducks was SS, Ryan Novak, who threw five innings, striking out six or seven batters while allowing three runs for his first unofficial Pittsburgh NABA win.
Novak also hit Coby in the groin with a sixth inning curve ball, Novak’s curve was so deadly, not only did it paralyze the Bulldogs, it dominated his own catcher who had presumably called for the pitch.
South Oakland lead 5-3 going into the top of the fourth, when Manager of the Year, TC Jones’ strategy to bat twelve hitters in the starting lineup paid off. The Bulldogs moved middle linebacker, Dan Morgan, from the mound to first base the Ducks sent twelve batters to the plate and scored seven runs, on a handful of hits putting the game out of reach.
Nick Homa relieved Novak and pitched a scoreless sixth, stranding the bases loaded.
The seventh inning was James Spagnola’s NABA pitching debut. Spags pitched a scoreless seventh after catching the first five innings of the game, impressive. The CMU Robot Master will look to break into the rotation next season, and at the very least add depth to the bullpen.
BULLET POINTS
This was a weak recap. I wasn’t paying close attention, it was a fun exhibition and a great way to close out the season.
Next year we close it out with a championship
Wojton hit seven doubles, and was offered a contract by the league president to play for the Bulldogs next season, which would make him the first paid player in league history.
Andy McCray nearly went yard then hustled out an infield hit on one leg. He also kept Vaughn relaxed on the mound
Eric Lee hit a double, and stole two bases
KT reached base three times, and had a shot down the line ruled foul that appeared to hit the chalk.
The invisible hand played a solid game at short, and actually seemed to enjoy himself. he walked a few times and I’m pretty sure he had a single and an RBI
Guthrie had two infield hits and played a Jason Bay-esque game in left
Manager of the Year hustled to reach on an error and was solid at first base.
Coby, “werewolves of london, Griffey junior” Kolaja will wear a cup the next time he catches.
Novak will probably be next year’s set up man. he also had a hit and was on base frequently.
Brian Strom is a solid pitcher. I had a bad at-bat against him, he kept me off-balance, and got me out on a sensational play by second baseman Vinny Gala, who pounced on my soft liner up the middle like a ballerina going for whatever they go for in ballets. Graceful.
The Bulldogs are friends’ of the Ducks.
the season in review will appear in the next couple days.
I adjusted the blog settings so you don’t have to sign up for a blogger account to leave a comment..
I’ve decided to keep the blog quacking year round.
*** Around the Pittsburgh NABA
An unfortunate clip of the fans after game three of the Monongahela Championship between the Owlz and Black Sox.
The Owlz won 3-2 in nine innings. It was a great baseball game, somewhat tarnished by the carrying on of the fans. Black Sox, pitcher Florian pitched six strong innings when he could barely walk, NABA veteran adn friend of the Ducks’ pitcher Luke Demsey, worked out of a bases loaded, no outs jam in the seventh to send the game to extra innings. SS, Kenny Rayl made a phenominal play on a would be game winning hit up the middle to save the game in the eighth, but the Sox could not score a run off Dunn, who allowed only one runner while pitching the eighth and ninth innings. Some guy on the Owlz singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Ducks support the Warriors in the finals. (we’ve got to keep it Old school, Fago, nothing personal)
Since my selections of Nick Homa for Pitcher of the Year, and TC Jones for Manager of the Year, are unbiased, it’s only fair to put an MVP nomination on the blog even though the Ducks are without a serious candidate, due to Jesse Smith’s lack of plate appearances.
The Ducksblog votes for James Fago, Owlz, for MVP. He lead the league in RBI, and pitched and caught at a high level for a first place, division winning team.
MVP
Fago drove in the game tying run when he was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh, in the Monongahela Championship. During game three he dealt with unconscionable taunting at the hands of a well lubricated Black Sox booster club. Good game, and good season, Jimmy.
Rakers Larry, you can come to the Ducks as well if you want.
First, I’d like to apologize to Nick Homa’s grandparent’s for the use of profanity a few posts back. The line in question it is a quote from the film “The Big Lebowski”, which is one of my favorites. I assure you I don’t hate anyone, and don’t normally use the f-word as a modifier in my writing. I will temper my language from now on. Thanks for reading, and providing Nick with wonderful baseball genes.
***
Storm
It’s obvious, the league president contacted Storm from the X-Men, and had her use her mutant powers to bring a fierce downpour upon Spring Hill, to flood the field and cause a cancellation. He has been doing this all season, just to get in the heads of his division rivals and teams who give him grief.
This game will be made up some time this week. Thankfully, Storm will be fighting giant robots in a far away galaxy, and will not be able to help her friend Joe delay the inevitable beating by the South Oakland Ducks any longer than a few days. (put that on your bulletin board, you Mutant lovers.)
In other news, the Ducks will take on the Confederacy on Saturday at a field to be determined sometime in the noon hour. That will give me another week to anger them into hitting me with a pitch.
South Oakland will potentially play four games in six days this week. We will be provided 24 hours notice before any games are scheduled.
This is happening league wide in an attempt to get all the rain-outs played, every team will deal with this, so don’t start feeling sorry for ourselves, or mad at Joe just because we had our pitching rotation set on “Decimate” for the final playoff push.
The Ducks’ bullpen is ready to pick up the slack. Jim has been dreaming of this since the Matadors’ game, TC’s wing is well rested, and ready fire.
In theory, I’m in favor of the move. It would cause problems if the Rakers finished with one more game than the Ducks and the Eagles. I don’t like the fact that I may either have to miss work, or a game because of it. So it goes….
We have a chance to get into the playoffs. I will do everything I can to get to the games, it is in our team’s best interest the rest of the Ducks do the same.
Both Rambo and Captain America would have fought for the Union. Quack.
Check out the costume change. Note the Voodoo Child (slight return) tease.
“Without slavery, the rebellion could never have existed. Without slavery, it could not continue.”
Abraham Lincoln, December 1, 1862, Message to Congress.
IN 2007, They split from the Black Sox and decided to call themselves the “Rebels”. Opposition to team names and logos such as the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians is documented and understandable, both Native Americans and white people fall on either side of the issue. I don’t really care, but I’m not the one whose culture is being marketed, and sold as though it were a bottle of moonshine wrapped in Smallpox infested blanket.
Oddly, I can’t remember hearing about any protests against UNLV or Ole’ Miss for naming their teams “The Rebels”, at least not to the extent of the “tomahawk-chop” issue on which Sports Center or Outside the Lines inevitably does an annual filler piece during the slow months of the sports year. I’m not trying to be some kind of anti-free speech, PC douche bag, teams have every right to chose any name and logo they want, even one relating to the pro-slavery side of the American Civil War, it’s just not what I would do.
Anyway
It is a bit nationalist to view the term “Rebels” strictly in terms of the American Civil War. In many cases, throughout world history, rebel armies were the “good” guys. However, when your logo is this guy, and your predominant uniform color is gray, one can assume no one has gone to great lengths to avoid Confederate connotations. It is not as if there aren’t far superior options for a “Rebel” logo out there. Consider the following: You can probably find his image on a t-shirt (most likely ironically weaved in sweatshop) worn by a hippie who spends more time taking bong hits and ranting nonsensically about “fascism” than actually doing anything. Just buy 16 of those shirts, slap numbers on the back and you’re good to go. Not a fan of Che Guevara, go the Sandinista route: looking for something less controversial and “leftist”? How about this: Afraid no one knows that’s the Star Wars Rebel logo? how about something more overt: Sure he was only in it for the money at first, but Solo was a huge, late-season addition to the Rebel cause. Incorporating him into the uniform would be tough, but clearly worth the trouble. I dare anyone to claim Han wouldn’t provide a more intimidating screen-printed presence than Yosemite Sam.
Only one conclusion can be drawn, these guys are a bunch of racists, or at the very least not very creative. They could be rocking Billy Idol jerseys and Star Wars hats, but instead they disgrace our national past time by going with a caricature of a confederate soldier. To be fair I won’t discount entirely the outside possibility that Rebel management is operating on an elite level of triple-reverse-irony that is over my head, but I doubt it.
Our life is in our hands, Dude. The Ducks’ (3-6-1) division record is 1-4. 0-1 vs the Black Sox (7-1) 0-1 vs. the Owls (6-2) 1-1 vs. the Eagles (6-4) 0-1 vs. the Rakers (3-3) 0-0 vs. the Rebels (1-4-1)**Pending a possible forfeit for the rain game, which lead to this lengthy, disgruntled post We play each Division team three times. Ten more division games, another go at the Oilers, two vs. the Bulldogs, and a game against the Hurricane Carters’. Then the Playoffs.
I refuse to believe that our team peaked with the Matadors’ game.
There is something weird going on with all the games being moved from Pie Traynor and Etna, to Findlay. I’m not a big fan of that field.
The 2007 Champions are looking to rebound after a sub-par 2008 campaign.
***
Abe Lincoln. Bad News for the Rebels.
Quack
South Oakland Ducks Baseball 
