Gray Bats, Weak – Day 6: Close Your Eyes and Try to Think About Baseball

NABA, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
DUCKS:
PRACTICE 5:30 Pitt IM Field
(Bulldogs Welcome)

Maybe you wrestled in high shcool, maybe you wrestled lightwieght and their was that one school who had some 80lb chick in that weight class. You had to wrestle her or take a forfeit.
It was a lose-lose situation.
Either you won and were supposed to, or god forbid you lost to a girl.

Maybe you got to touch a boob, and if you had as bad of acne as I did as a freshman in high school, it was a big deal.
The Gray Bats (2-12) are that 80 lb girl The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (10-3) have to wrestle this weekend.
A 10-3 team is supposed to beat a 2-12 team 95% of the time.
This Saturday can not be that 5%

Thisrivalry has gone beyond baseball at this point.
A member of Gray Bats management is trying to lead us to believe that they are concerned for the league’s well-being and how the Pittsburgh NABA may be negatively effected by blogs done in poor taste.
How dare he attack the Bulldogs blog like that.
It is a fine site.

Really I think it’s just a matter of frustration at being called out for batting a .200 hitter in the 6th spot in the lineup, and thinking that’s a personal attack when the stats are available online.
And for posting a 2-12 record through 14 games.
And it could be argued that their was never an issue with taste until the Gray Bats were the brunt of it.
Or he thinks he should be the one who makes value judgments for the whole league.
just possibilities, not a personal attack.

(B-Sox, Owlz recap, by Kenny Powers by Sunday or Monday)

In big-picture league news the 10-2 Brookline Black Sox and the 10-0 Imperial Owlz play Saturday night at 9pm at Moore Park.
The Ducks sit at 10-3.
The top two teams in the division get byes.
In the second game of the season we beat the Black Sox 5-3.
Their only other loss is to the Hurricanes.
They have won ten straight, I think.

I am going to guess that the Black Sox and Ducks used last year’s Owlz team as the measuring stick for how much each of our respective teams needed to upgrade to win the Championship.

The Ducks added a couple arms and a few infielders, Darren Daulton, C, Mars, CF, and got stronger up the middle and moved some players who were playing out of position last year back into their natural spots, and that has lead to a 10-3 start.

The Black Sox added the Slaviceks, and Chalfin and a couple other pitchers and that guy who plays third, who used to be on the Phantoms.

The Owlz don’t have one player on their team who doesn’t play at least DIII basaeball.
The chance to play against and beat that team is what baseball is all about.
I know the Black Sox aren’t going into that game scared.
I know the Owlz are out for blood.
The former Gray Bats blogger has griped incessently about how unfair it is to have to play against the Owlz.
He also has lost 3 games to the Black Sox and Ducks by an average of about 7 or so.
No Coplaints about our teams.

Everyone who wants a chance to play baseball is allowed to play in this league it’s important we don’t lose sight of that.
But don’t base your team around the “we give everyone a chance to play ball” theory, and complain incessently that you can’t win.
You either win and try to get everyone in,
or you get everyoen in and try to win.
The way things have been headed it’s one or the other, and that’s why we will realign next year.

Last season I basically compared the Black Sox to a bunch of criminals, it was clearly done in jest, but they didn’t take it so f-ing seriously, and are some of my most loyal readers (the ones who can read, anyway – woooooooooooooo!).

A sense of humor and more importantly some self awareness can go a long way.
I know the definitions of slander, and liable and nothing I do falls into that category.
What one person thinks is offensive, another thinks is funny, or not, who cares.

(We’re Gonna Have Tryouts)

The bloggery has given life to a game between two teams who are nine games apart in the standings.
The gray Bats have nothing to lose, the best they can do is get to 4th in the standings.
All the pressure’s on the Ducks.

If I were the Ducks starting pitcher and I kept hearing how great Sorosky is, and how they have the edge in pitching I’d be pissed.


Censorship is wrong.

LET”S GO PENS!!!

Thanks for reading and leaving comments.

Quack.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

2009 Ducks Baseball, NABA, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
I wouldn’t normally post an email, but this is rediculous.

Got my Phish tickets in the mail, they do a great cover of this Beatles tune.

Let’s include discussion about blog etiquette too. Potential NABA players can view them. Much of the discussion is in bad taste.

This isn’t an issue of free speech if there isn’t a link to the blogs from the NABA site, but there are. Blogs should be clean and project a positive image. No personal attacks either.

I’m as guilty as everyone else, but I think things should change.

Just a thought. Thanks for listening I just want to make this a better experience for everyone.

[Anonymous Gray Bats manager]


I don’t moderate comments. I dish it out I can take it [sometimes better than others]. I think there should be more blogs, preferably ironic ones that make fun of the very idea of blogging, and new media vs. AP press clipping type stuff.


If Kenny Powers and/or Rob, “Razor Ramon” Cool, are reading, if either of you wants to email me, or post in the comments a preview, recap, or any other thoughts on your upcoming Black Sox vs.Owlz Steel Cage match, it would be greatly appreciated.

It will actually get read by the league players and interested parties on the Ducks blog.



I go out of my way not to make personal attacks, I use pronouns – nicknames whenever its applicable, if I wanted to attack people they’d know about it.

Who among us is so self righteous that they should decide what’s in good taste?

Boobs.

_Ben Gwin

Gray Bats Week Day 5

2009 Ducks Baseball, NABA, pittsburgh NABA
If it stops raining we’ll practice at 6:15 today.
5:30 pre-game[s] bp tomorrow.

SOLID DUCKS/BATS PREVIEW:
GRAY BATS BLOG REPRISE

They claim Lombardi is the best hitter in this contest.
He did rip a double off of Dunn last game, solid hit. He’s a ball player.
It’d be a shame if he got pitched around with no one protecting him in that lineup.

Leads both teams in all major offensive categories.
Once had a sweet mullet in junior high, just like “Dutch” himself.

“Pitching Altmeyer would have been like throwing Sorosky again“
If Sorosky and Ameyer are the same pitcher, it looks like another 8-0 Ducks victory.

They take obvious care not to insult the bottom of our lineup
Whalen has been batting 8th, he’s hitting .357, with a .912 ops and is tied for the team lead in triples.
Our team has 8 players hitting over .333

Captain America is ready to break out

We don’t get the “let’s throw this asshole who pitched once in little league” because this team has a win% under .200 pitchers.

  • Kirk Gibson our 6th hitter is batting .350 with a .885 ops
  • The Invisible Hand, Nick Homa and Wojton Clan are out for Saturday with non-hockey related injuries.
  • Britton Dickey leads the league in RE.

Some thoughts on the Owlz – Graybats trash talk from last week.
when an “automatic out” is talking shit, threatening to bean him is too easy. I agree with the owlz decision not to throw at anyone.
The way to go, in my opinion, is to throw at someone else for the indiscretions of the “automatic out”
Anyone but a pitcher, and not in the head.

like how your high school football coach would make everyone else do push ups if you went off sides in practice.

Not that the Ducks would do something like that, not when a team struggles so mightly to get on base in the first place.
Right?
***

Sorosky came to us wanting to play on the Ducks after a bad experience on the Rakers.
We couldn’t offer the same playing time as the Gray Bats.

This game is about the players who are on the Ducks not guys who could have been.

Depo left the Gray Bats becuase he couldn’t take the selfish management of Larry Z The Delusional.
***

Gray Bats Week: Day 4 – mid season all pgh naba team

NABA, pittsburgh NABA

Gotta Win this game to keep pace with the Owlz and Black Sox.


For discussion’s sake:

My biased, semi-uninformed Mid Season All-Pgh NABA Team

By position alphabetically

SP
Dunn
Rafalski
Sinclair
Slavicek

RP
Chalfin
D. Morgan
A.Smith
Sorosky

C
Darren Daulton
Scoscia

1b
Gala
Kirk Gibson

2b
Defillipo
Slavonic

SS
Casale
Joyner

3b
J.Smith
J.Smith

OF
Cool
Goldie
Strom
Tremmel

Utility/DH/pinch-runner/etc…
Craig Boley
Joe Graff
Kenny Powers

Manager
Dr. Jones

Third Base Coach
Randy

Bench Coach
Abe Lincoln

It’d be a 25 man roster, ala South Oakland.

{RE-edit]…Gray Bats, Weak: Day 3

2009 Ducks Baseball, NABA, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball

The Gray Bats have no chance against us if we have our best lineup.
The only way they win this game is if we have guys playing out of position, or still drunk, or whatever, and even then with any nine of us I like our chances.
Still, these guys are 2-12, and are acting like they can play on the same level as us.
Even though we beat them 8-0 last time we faced them.
We beat them by more than the Owlz did, although to be fair the owlz looked like they were sleep walking, and playing different positions for fun and shit.
We all know there’s the biggest hockey game of most of our lives the night before.

If you are a Duck and want to be able to look me, Ben Gwin – the founder and captain of this team in the eye ever again, you will stay as sober as you have to the night before to be effective Saturday, and you will show up ready to play.
You will be ready to bury this joke of a team, who has a great starting pitcher, Ben Sorosky (whom I have much respect for as an opponent and occasional teammate.)
and a couple other guys who can hit.
But nothing else.

They have called out our team, our blog, myself, Kirk, Dr. Jones, the town of South Oakland.
They don’t even incorporate the Batman logo into their uniform.
They have called out the tournament winning Blues team that Sorosky, Strom and I put together (which is really odd, and may not concern you – Larry probably thinks the Gray Bats could beat the Blues though)

They (mostly larry who is batting a robust .200, and wouldn’t sniff the field if he were a Duck Black Sock [correct singular?] Owl, Bulldog, Hurricane, Warrior, etc…) are taking things to another level and I can’t understand it.
This goes beyond the Rebels response to the Confederacy comments, (which i guess i can wrap my head around if i try.)

We lost to the Rebels in an 8am game.
We were worse than the Rebels that day, and it may cost us a bye.
We can not be worse than the Gray Bats on Saturday.

We are playing for a shot at the Division and a bye.
Our immediate long term our goal is to pass the Black Sox – the team immediatly ahead of us in the standings, not to fend off the Gray Bats.
“One game at a time” is a cliche for a reason.



These guys are f-ing rediculous,
maybe we can harass another one of their bloggers into
cowardly shutting down their site.

{Awkward TRANSITION_CITY}{}{
the trash talk between the 10-3 Ducks and the 2-12 Gray Bats is heating up, check the following post and the comments in the post below it.
Also the B-Sox Owlz game is this weekend.
Adding fuel to that fire is like throwing brush in a volcano.
That is the most intense rivalry in the league, there is genuine disdain between those two teams.


I’ve never seen a 2-12 team with so much to say…

Thank you all for reading and commenting it is greatly appreciated.

Ducks Bombers Recap

Quack.

Gray Bats (larry in particular): Delusional or comedic?

Uncategorized


Is LarryZ delusional or are the Gray Bats conducting some grander scheme in an effort to interfere with the Ducks’ mental well-being? I will allow the readers to be the judges.

LarryZ, after accusing members of the Ducks of depositing trash and unnecessary banter on the now defunct Pittsburgh Gray Bats blog, has decided to continue his talking in the most hypocritical of fashions.
LarryZ wrote:
[with regard to the ranking of Monongahela Division teams] Owls #1, Sox #2, Bats #3, Ducks #4, then everyone else

LarryZ has contributed several other ridiculous statements, but I am going to let this one stand alone so that readers can focus solely on it. I will take this opportunity to provide a definition of the word delusion.
delusion: a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary
Of course, one who is delusional is under the influence of delusion.
Let’s see, is the Gray Bats’ belief persistent and false? Incessantly asserting that the Gray Bats are better than the Ducks may well be construed as both persistent and false. Are these beliefs maintained by the Bats despite indisputable evidence to the contrary? Well, the evidence is about as near indisputable as possible. The Ducks have 10 wins, the Bats have 1. Both teams have played a similar amount of games and similar opponents. To most people, this situation can only be described as one in which the Gray Bats are delusional.
I know I get this sort of odd reputation that all I like to do is take shots at opponents on stupid message boards, but this is not really the case. I have said on several occasions that the Bats are likely better than their record indicates, and that they deserve more respect than their record commands, but their continued hubris is laughable. I commend their pride in their team, but their defense of these positions has become outlandish.
Next, let’s consider the remarks of Sorosky (who is slightly more careful about his comments, as he adds that this weekend’s game ought to be “great,” indicating that he feels the Ducks and Bats are at least on a comparable level), with my comments in green:
The Gray Bats will start to pick up some victories and will end up having more wins than the bottom two teams. Maybe even more than the Ducks. What?!? Are you serious? I’m not going to throw the bottom two teams under the bus, but you may well finish above them. But more wins than the Ducks? You realize the probability of this happening is <.01? The Ducks would have to lose nearly the rest of their games and the Bats win nearly all of theirs.
Gauranteed [sic] we take one of the next two from the Ducks. Just like the guaranteed victory in game one of the matchup, right?
No team I have ever been a part of in the NABA has been season sweeped [sic] by the Ducks. Don’t be naïve.
[on the Gray Bats lasting longer than the Ducks in the playoffs] It’s going to happen again just like it did in the fall 08. Hm…I was unaware the Ducks fielded a fall league team.
[on intimidating Gwin and me with his pitching prowess] Congrats! Which team won two down the stretch and snagged a playoff birth?
Look, I have no doubt that the Gray Bats can make a late season push and surprise some people in the playoffs, but I could not let the absurdity of their recent comments go unnoticed. I’m glad you are looking forward to the game this weekend Sorosky and Larry. We are looking forward to it also.
Ducks need to be ready to dominate bright and early on Saturday morning.

Batting Practice and League News

2009 Ducks Baseball, pittsburgh NABA
Batting Practice today: 6:15 at the Pitt IM field.

The Ducks currently sit in third place after the Rebel army surrendered a double header to Kenny Powers this weekend.


Kenny Powers is a beast, they probably would have won both games anyway, but who knows.
Baseball is a funny game sometimes.

The Owlz are a nifty 10-0 and have scored 100 runs, allowing only 11
The Black Sox are 10-2
South Oakland of the North Side is 10-3.

The Owlz and Black Sox play each other this weekend.
Blood-Bath City.

If we take care of business against the defensively impaired Gray Bats ( who did not call the cops on the Owlz since they did not throw at Larry Z- the same Larry who said Alex Warren was overrated in this blog’s comment section) we will gain ground on one of these teams.

Tangent.

The Gray Bats trailed only by a couple runs heading into the sixth inning, they had been crying conspiracy, and it was somewhat effective, then the Owlz brought in the Warren Commission their second gunman theory was debunked.

Single Bullet
Every Conspiracy Needs a Patsy

Warren held the Owlz lead and the Gray Bats dropped game one of the double header.

***
Since neither team has a blog to facilitate trash talking, and since I have an amicable relationship with players on each team, I will pour some gasoline, light a match and walk away. As Kirk Gibson will tell you, it’s a fun thing to do, and will hopefully get a good discussion thread going.

My sources are anonymous as always.

From the Black Sox :

  • “F___ Scott Dunn he’s overrated. We can hit him.
  • “We can hit their junkballers… We’ll take care of the Owlz”
  • “Rob Cool is a homo”

From the Owlz’ss’z:

  • “The Black Sox get older and slower every year, they’re out of shape”
  • “Their defense is poor, they just try to intimidate teams, they can’t touch our pitching.”
  • “The Black Sox do not impress me…”
  • “Dunn no-hit them twice last season.”

A while back there was some trash talk in the comments in relation to the Owlz ability to hit Slavicek, who may or may not be forced to undergo season-ending surgery.

Both these teams stand in the Ducks way of a regular season division title, and our road to the Championship.

We have a win against the Black Sox, but the Owlz dominated a decimated Ducks lineup as though we were the Gray Batz – sweeping a Mother’s Day double header on a day that saw Nick Homa play shortstop.

The Black Sox seem to be very preoccuped with the Owlz, not so much South Oakland of the North Side, and that’s fine.

The Owlz seem more preoccupied with pursuing an invite into the Independant League, and getting Ozzie Canseco to DH for them (two z’s in his name, i think he’s a perfect fit).

The Owlz are like a combination of Mr. Burns’ softball team from that Simpsons’ episode and RaZor Ramon, – I think a lot of teams mail it in against them and the Black Sox before they even take the field. – sometimes literally as they both have forfeit wins this season.

For example: The Gray Bats held out their second best pitcher against the Owlz in game 2 yesterday conceding victory so they’d have a chance against the Bulldogs.
I see the logic, but I believe in going with the guy who gives you the best chance to win that game. You play your best against the best.

The Black Sox do intimidate teams, but they are 10-2 for a reason.
They still have pitching depth and there is not an easy out in their lineup.

These teams hate each other more than the Capulets and Montagues.
There are good odds on a fight breaking out in the stands.

Wallis’ gravity ball was effective for a bit, until the Owlz wised up. (haha – wised up)
There were many errors and base running mistakes by the Gray Bats.
I haven’t looked, but I bet there is a sentiment of “moral victory” on the Chicken Soup for the Gray Bats Soul blog.

It looks like he’s crying

These guys have three blogs. (counting Sorosky’s) jesus.
If blogs were quality outfielders your team would have five wins.
woooooooooooooo!

“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.”
-Vince Lombardi.

The Don Henley’s and the Confederacy round out the Whales Conference.
Both teams forfeit a lot.
Our loss to the Rebels this season looms, unbelievable.
They beat us fair and square but the war is not over, not by a mile. The Union will not stand divided.
We don’t play them for a year.
We have done a great job of winning five straight after a tough loss to a team we should have beaten.

I guarantee a win for the Bulldogs tonight over the Gray Bats.

The Commish hits for the cycle.
Vinny goes yard twice.

The Hurricanes split a double header with the bulldogs over the weekend.
Redemption Song on the best blog in the league.

The Hurricanes are tough, they are one of only two teams over .500 in the Campbell Conference.

The Warriors are always competitive, and the other + .500 team out west.
I attribute this to Heckman being a supreme dick, and his resurgence as a pitcher.
Any team with The Ultimate Warrior has a chance to win.
The Bulldogs will still take that division.

I think all teams making the playoffs has not had the desired effect as guys don’t show up for games they deem meaningless.
What’s the big deal, we’ll still make the playoffs, who cares if we go 4-20 with seven forfeits?
Unless your competing for a bye, and right now half the teams in our Conference aren’t there seems to be a malaise surrounding some teams.
It was voted on so this is what we have.
It hasn’t made it any less fun for me personally.

Ducks vs. Gray Bats Saturday at 8am.
(They are better than 1-10, I’d say they should be 4-7.)

  • Practice tonight at 6:15
  • Thursday at 6:15
  • BP Friday at 5:30


All at the Pitt IM Field.



Quack

Ducks vs. Bombers recap below.

Bad News for the Gray Bats.

Game Thirteen Recap. Fletch Lives or "How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Ducks": Ducks 4, Bombers o

2009 Ducks Baseball, NABA, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
On a Day when Kenny Chesney wreaked havok on the Pittsburgh NABA – leading to two forfeits, an 8-man start from the Bulldogs, Depo getting cut from the Ducks, and who knows how many unwanted pregnancies, the Ducks flew high; higher than you were that time in high school when you shared a joint with that weird kid from Bucks County, only to find out after the fact it was laced with PCP.

South Oakland of the North Side won their tenth game of the season playing fantasic defense behind another outstanding, starting pitching performance, shutting out the Bombers on D-Day.

Mike Fletcher scattered five hits over five innings and struck out five Bombers, without giving up a walk, and Rick Whalen drove in what proved to be the game winning run with a two out, 2-run double in the second to lead the South Oakland Ducks of the North side to a 4-0 victory over the Allegheny Bombers.
Adam Smith pitched two scoreless innings in relief, and the Ducks record improved to 10-3.

The game was delayed by fog for a half hour or so, then the Bombers were cleared for take off.


It was a pitcher’s duel early, the guy from the Bombers, who is probably their regular shortstop, pitched well limiting the Ducks to only a few base runners and limiting the number of hard hit balls as the game progressed through the early morning.

The biggest difference was the Ducks defense (error free on the day), and the ability of the bottom of the Ducks lineup to get on base and produce runs.
Captain America, Britton, Slick, and Dr. Jones batted in the 7-10 spots in the lineup and accounted for three runs.

In the second inning,
Captain walked and Britton singled, then Rick hit a double to left center, then it was Jones’ turn
A napalm blast down the first baseline to drive in the 3rd run.

It was 3-0 Ducks when this happened.

It was going to be a brawl the rest of the way.

The Bombers threw it around a bit.
Kirk Gibson would score on a passed ball.

4-0 Ducks.

The Bombers threatened, getting men on first and second a couple times, but they could not get the big hit they needed.
Mike “Tyler” Fletcher got big outs when he needed inducing many groundballs which were fielded and thrown accurately for outs.
Dickey made a great backhand play on what appeared to be a sure hit up the middle in the 5th, securing the shutout.
The Bobmers’ 7-9 hitters combined to get on base once all game ( I think), a single by their last hitter who acted like he had just won the Atlantic City Memorial Day Tournament when he blooped one in front of the Ducks’ left fielder who was playing with a pulled quad.

The Ducks 7-10 hitters got on base 6 of eleven times, including Coby’s sweet hbp and stolen base in a pinch hit appearance for Wojton.
Coby has more stolen bases than Wojton.

Nothing like a guy who has gone 1 for the season talking shit after a 4-0 loss to a team that is six games better in the standings.

Aside from him, the Bombers were solid human beings, and had to be missing some players.
Good luck to them the rest of the way.

bullet points & Mid-Season Notes

  • Defense and starting pitching have carried our team through the month long stretch of one game per week.
  • Remember when we used to play on Monday Nights?
  • The Dr. and I took in some of the double header between the Owlz and the Gray Batz – the Ducks have a better chance of beating the Owlz than we do of losing to the Gray Bats – take that however you want.
  • The Owlz seemed disinterested and still smoked the Gray Bats, albeit not by the 25 runz we may have assumed.
  • You could have been a Duck Sorosky, all those unearned runzzzz – wooooo.
  • The Gray Bats will come out with their guns blazing, ala the guy[s] who shot 50 cent, this saturday morning. If we lose I’m handing over admin of the blog to Larry for the rest of the year – no one wants that, not even Larry. All hands on deck.
  • Slick Rick and the Invisible Hand have been our most improved players this season, their contributions have been noticable, both have embraced and thrived in a reduced roles on a winner after struggling through the Red Scare years. – While Wojton is finding his stroke, and before Captain America got his command back, they have picked up the slack at the plate and on the mound.
  • Kirk Gibson is also playing up to his potential after batting only .260 or something last seaosn – a natural shortstop playing without an ACL he has made a seamless transition to first base, and is a corner stone of our infield – and allows last year’s first baseman an outfielder by trade to get back to his natural position.
  • Depo was having a solid year, until he skipped Saturday’s game to rest for Kenny Chesney and was cut. Sorry, Depo.
  • Our firstbaseman last year was gay anyway.
  • Dr. Jones has taken this team from the scrap heap and turned it into one of the top teams in the league.
  • Dr. Radical for Life.
  • Aside from Jesse Smith, Tony Casale has been our most valuable player.
  • Britton Mike and Mike have embraced the time-share at second base.
  • Watson’s ankle is healing, I hope.
  • Darren Daulton is unreal, when we don’t have to play at 8am he leads the team in Avg. doubles, and allows Jesse to play 3rd, where he imposes a Mike Schmidt like presence.
  • If we beat the Gray Bats (1-12) on Saturday we assure ourselves that we will finish with a better record than them and we will equal our win total from last season with ten games to play.

Quack.

Gameday [13] : Ducks at Bombers.

2009 Ducks Baseball, NABA, pittsburgh NABA, South Oakland Ducks Baseball
South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (9-3) vs. Allegheny Bombers (5-7)
8am, John Herb Field.

Bad idea

These guys love Disco.

The Allegheny Bombers dropped two close ones to the Matadors last weekend.
According to my sources they can hit, or at least score runs against the Gray Bats.
They have named their team after either the Yankees,
or death-toting pilots.

I’m not sure which is more offensive.

All bets are off for the 8am start time.
Bomberman (above)

We’ve got a survival plan.
and Abe Lincoln

Bad News for the Bombers.

Quack.