Game 19
The joke goes, what happens when the vaunted Storm pitching staff takes a week off? They give up fewer runs than usual. With Hando, J-Hawk, Danger, Cap'n, Bucky, Fatty, Matty Nel all making the most of their summers elsewhere, the Storm were subjected to their selfish skipper taking the hill on a gray day at Balboa Park. That's right, Tums put his secret plan in action: Take over as the Ace.
How could someone who couldn't break 65 MPH, with terrible command get a win? The offense.
Sweet Lou: 2 RBI, 1 R. 2 first pitch pop-ups, for shame.
Face: 2 hits, a BB, a HBP, and 4 R. Slick as ever at SS.
BK1: 3 hits, 3B, 5 RBI, 4 R. Always coming through with bases occupied.
Vicious: 4 hits, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R. Singles? Oh, Norse DiMaggio.
Sexual Chocolate: 3 hits, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R, and an admirable job behind the dish.
Doc K: 2 hits, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R, and a sweet diving catch in CF to end the game.
Tums: 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 R, and 5 innings, 6 hits, 5 BB, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 K. Will never raise right arm over his head again.
Beardless: 3 hits, 2 x 2B, 3 RBI, R. Knows how to turn misplays into outs.
Iron Gut: Hit, R, plenty of good stretching over at first.
Sustainably Bad: 2 BB, R. Line drives don't always equal hits.
Landline: 2 hits, RBI, 2 R, and 2 hitless innings to close it out.
The Storm clinch the top seed in the Ocean Division for the playoffs, but there is no resting on our laurels, as we face the perennial powerhouse Benders in the final regular season game of '09. Lucky us, as playing against such formidable competition should have us in the right state of mind for the post season.
Next week:
Sunday at 1PM, Encinal HS in Alameda vs. the Benders.
Game 18
Flood Park was the setting for a struggle. Without it's fearless, Beardfull leader off on a 9 day Hiatus to Tahoe (hopefully he didn't Roethlesberger any waitresses) The Storm started off the day as we usually do after a big win, STALE!!! Nobody knew how this game was going to go but hopefully the momentum from the previous week would shine through, but who knew it took ten do get the job done.
On a sun shiny day the dark cloud of a man named Hando took the mound and pitched his usual Gem and fought through a few defensive miscues to keep the Storm in a tie. From there Big Rich finished off Hando's game to get the win.
BP: had his usual day with an ever consistent day at the plate and fighting through a numb thumb that these pesky Beaver hitters pounced his way at short
BK1: solid at the plate and stood out in left with not much to do but watch Hando work his stuff...Ohh Sweetie!
Cap'n Mac started us off with a clean double and with solid calls behind the dish along with wakin' us up off our stupor to get this win. Clear Leader of the Team
Hando: Read above hit a shot to third to get us a run and fought through some defensive miscues to keep us in there. Solid
Sexual Chocolate: like the monacher given to him by his fellow sweeties, had been busy all day with balls hit to him, all by the same batter i might add.
Big Rich: racked a nice double and showed off the wheels. Another stellar relief appearance to help keep the Beavers bats at bey. Solid
Doc Big Red Kollman: guess the footwork from the soccer pays off, stellar defensive plays and collected a few hits nice job guy!
Sweet Lou: was even sweeter hitting the game winner in the bottom of the 10th. Clutch Baby!
P.U.: Snowman fought his way on with limited at bats today... true pro
J-Hawk: took a few AB's and got to see some pitches, unluckily they were all slide pieces, and much like BK1 stood out there in Right Field lookin' pretty.
C-Los: hit the ball hard a few times with nothing to show for them but played great on the field. He's back to form.
Lastly: Sporting a 1 something batting average Sustainably Bad strikes out like a b--ch! Yeah not my year at all...
Another Team Win and way to fight through the doldrums that eerily reminded me of the Mad Dogs Game. A game that didn't yield any excitement on our part but this time we learned and fought through a tough pitching staff in The Beavers. Hats off to those guys hopefully we don't see them again. Like i said before, a total team effort, we fought through and we'll keep it up into the playoffs!
Next Week:
12:00pm vs. The Sea Lions at Balboa Park
Game 17
The Storm looked to recover from a flat performance against the Mad Dogs against the dominant team in the league from the last 3 years, the Isotopes. Full of scoundrels, thieves, rapscallions, and ballplayers of ill-repute, the Topes are known league-wide as the Enron/WorldCom/Wal-Mart of the SFNABA. Ok, I made that up, but everyone is always gunning for those guys because they win. All of the time.
The venue for the game was West Sunset, on a very nice day for being so close to the ocean (that statement seems strange after looking at it, but it is the truth). The Storm showed up and actually took infield/outfield and were ready to play the game on time! Preparation certainly makes us play better, who'd a thunk it?
Cap'n, Landline, Sexual Chocolate, Bucky, and Fatty had better things to do, but 13 other Stormicans were on hand to provide a true team effort...
Iron Gut drove all the way from Vegas at 11PM and manned 1B before hurling behind the dugout...
Sustainably Bad was on point in the coaching box and was locked in during his pinch hit appearance.
Beardless made some great plays in RF to limit the Isotope hitters from taking extra bases.
Matty Nel had the clutchiest of clutch pinch hit RBI singles ever recorded in the late going to provide some much needed insurance.
Doc K taught us all a lesson about receiving a throw from the catcher, but tempered that with 2 hits. Happy Birthday Sweetie!
BK1 made the first out in the 9th inning at 3rd...but only because 80% of the Storm were waving him there. on base 3 times, and more great outfield defense.
Sweet Lou had a big day against his former squad, with similar clutchiness as Matty Nel, as well as keeping everyone on their toes.
Tums needs to learn when to elevate a ball.
Danger handled the wackiness behind the dish, and snapped out of a miniature hissy fit to hit a boom shot to left center in the late innings.
Vicious continued his refusal to hit a single with 2 doubles, and snared a fly ball in CF that would have eclipsed the sun if it were any bigger to lead off the 9th inning.
Face continued his ridiculous assault at the plate with two more hits, as well as making some highlight reel plays at SS, nearly turning his first triple play.
J-Hawk started on the hill, and fought through hecklers, a rough strike zone and good Isotope hitters for 8 1/3 innings. Another remarkable performance on the mound for a guy who has been doing it to the league all year. Left the game like a true winner and teammate in the 9th for...
Hando. Sure, he was a presence in the cleanup spot for the Storm. The real story is that this guy came into a 9-7 game with a runner on 2nd with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, and shut the door. A save is an often overrated stat, but considering the way the Isotopes never gave up in this game, and their incredible penchant for putting together late inning rallies, Hando really earned the praise with his performance.
With the win, the Storm have clinched 1st place in the Ocean East division for the 2nd year in a row. There are 3 games to play, all important because the races for playoff seeding are so tight. The Storm still have to go through 3 teams that have played us tough every time, so there is certainly no room to relax.
Next week:
Saturday, 2PM at Flood Park against the Beavers. Let's continue the trend of good preparation, it certainly helps.
Game 16
A rough 3-2 loss to the Mad Dogs marks the beginning of the home stretch of the season. It also serves notice that winning a game by 30 runs the previous week does not serve as an indicator of future trends. Poor defense and silent bats met up with some stellar mound work by Mad Dog crew. The Storm couldn't seem to find a way to answer the enthusiasm and sheer numbers of the opposition, getting awfully quiet as the game neared the end. After carrying a 2-1 lead for 5 innings, the Dogs took advantage of Storm miscues to sneak two runs across. Kudos to the Dogs for being on top of things from the get go. We have lost 2 games this year. Each game was lost by one run, each game was lost on errors. Complex systems can be analyzed to extrapolate data for use as future predictors. Dr. K will have a quantitative analysis prepared for the pregame speech next week.
Hando made his first appearance on the mound in a long time, with 7 2/3 innings with 1 earned run (and what an earned run that was!). When the offense and defense let you down, you can wind up with a loss despite that kind of performance. Strange but true: After not throwing for a few months due to arm issues, throwing a near complete game left our newlywed with a very sore arm! Statistics will be examined to see if Tums' is leading the league in PAP (Pitcher Abuse Points).
Not too much to speak of in terms of heroics, Danger and Beardless drove in the two runs with sacrifice flies in the second inning. Iron Gut made a great play at first base to save a run. Vicious hit another monster double (he truly has an aversion to singles).
This certainly puts us in an awkward position going in to next week, as Cap'n, Sexual Chocolate, Landline, and Iron Gut have better things to do than trying to take down the Isotopes on Sunday at West Sunset, 12PM. Face and BK1 will be back, and hopefully the Storm will be better prepared.
Next Week
Isotopes Isotopes Isotopes West Sunset 12:00 PM
Game 15
The Storm matched up with the Superstars at Flood Park on 7/25 (Happy Birthday Dad). Danger took the mound, and for only the 3rd time this year, Face and the Doc were manning the middle infield at the same time. Figures that neither will be there to start next week's game against the Mad Dogs. Special arrangements were made to field a full 9, as the Storm enter the last quarter of the regular season.
Danger started the game in an unpleasant fashion, hitting the first two batters. Two fly balls later, things were looking bright for the fearsome Gambler. Then the wildness returned, with a walk and yet another hit batter to force in a run. The Storm were losing after a half inning, 1-0.
Very long story short, that run was it for the Superstars. The Storm were up 13-1 in the bottom of the fifth, when a misunderstanding of the rules (on my part, I guess) caused a delay. After everything was cleared up, the game continued, only to end in the top of the 7th. The score was significantly higher at that point, and the game was called due to the time limit/slaughter rule.
Crazy innings, weird stuff happening...Beardless debunked the Samson theorem by hitting a blast off the tree in left center, to go with 6 RBI...the same number that Tums had, who also lead the team in injuries...Face continued his multi-hit game assault with 4 more, and made a great play in left to end the game...Sweet Lou and BK1 all scored at least 4 times apiece...Sexual Chocolate (Chaz) showed up for 3 innings and almost had 4 AB...Bucky looked sharp with 2 relief innings...Doctor K had 2 knocks...J-Hawk strapped it on for my first witnessing of a left handed catcher, and did a great job...Sustainably Bad got plunked in his only AB...Cap'n LITERALLY threw out a would-be base-stealer by half the basepath...Danger allowed only 2 hits in 5 innings...Iron Gut kept on hitting, looking graceful at 1st...
Next week:
Sunday, 8/2 at 12:30PM, at Raimondi Park in Oakland against the Mad Dogs.
Game 14
The Storm have played well this year, due largely to talent and the freaking awesome management (YEAH!). It has come to my attention recently that talent and handsome, intelligent managers are not the only things that make a team great. The gift of foresight is a powerful tool on the baseball diamond.
A certain lefthander, let's call him J.Hawkins, no, Justin H., predicted great things on the interwebz (a la Facebook) when he claimed:
Im hella (sic) inspired now to go read my collection of Calvin and Hobbes books all night and them (sic) throw a no hitter tomorrow. im super serial (sic)
Sat at 7:33pm
Dudebro, who says hella? And serial? Don't you work with children? Sigh. But J-Hawk can be forgiven, because he went out on Sunday and fired a no-no at the Joe's. A walk to leadoff the game and two groundballs which went down as errors in MY book were the only baserunners. J-Hawk faced 29 batters in 9 innings, striking out 11. Sound familiar Giants fans? Some of you may not be superstitious, but I believe you do not jinx a guy in that scenario. Danger, of course, was slow on the take and uttered the words in the 8th inning, fortunately not in our moundsman's presence. Danger was expected to receive a severe beating should things have gone awry, and may still.
This accomplishment would not be possible without some terrific defense to back him up. The two errors were both very difficult plays that I labeled as miscues only because the throws beat the runner to first but were not online. Sweet Lou made a great play charging in on a slow roller, Face was kept plenty busy reading the crazy hops at short, and Vicious showed incredible range out in the center garden.
The Joe's pitching was impressive again, but the Storm bats came through in clutch situations. Iron Gut had a great day at the plate, with two knocks and an RBI, Chaz (need nickname ASAP) had two of his own, and Face continued his resurgence at the plate with another pair of hits. Cap'n scored the big blow on offense with a two out, two run double with a full count.
A great way to come back from a tough loss the week before, with all facets of the game looking polished.
Next week:
Flood Park, Saturday @ 2PM against the Superstars.
Game (Lucky Number) 13!
It happened.
Many possible reasons for defeat, but none more glaring than Beardless (nee Beardful) being, well....Beardless. J-Hawk was willing to sacrifice his sharp image for a Lincoln-esque horror during the winning streak. Cap'n apparently joined Habitat for Humanity as an earth-mover as evidenced by the several pounds of dirt found in his chin strap after a tremendous slide into the plate. Tums has always hidden behind the dark facial forest. Beardless, on the other hand, was prompted by his boss to shave. Which is why we lost.
The Bay Sox and Storm played a game in which both sides couldn't make much happen offensively, and gave away a run in a close game due to defensive ineptitude. The Storm were thrown out stealing twice, and cost themselves a couple of runs. Face had 4 hits, Vicious hit his 2nd home run if the year, and J-Hawk pitched 8 strong innings, allowing a mere earned run. He left the game with the score tied at 2 apiece.
The game went all the way to the 13th inning, kudos to the Bay Sox for doing the job with 10 guys while the Storm had 14 players make an appearance. Botterman and Hinton did the heavy lifting, splitting the game between them on the mound, and contributing 7 hits to the cause. A tough loss against one of the better teams in the league, 5-4.
S-it! We lost....
Next week:
Artichoke Joe's at San Bruno Park on Sunday, 2PM. You know what they Say! "There's always a Calm Before the Storm..." Let's bounce Back!
Game 12
Riordan High School, the site of game 12. Wind and fog nest here, and rarely migrate. The field is beautiful and well maintained, even providing some pleasant views when the weather permits. Well bless my stars, the weather permitted. We have been lucky to have such fine playing conditions so far.
The Storm matched up against the Grays at 10AM on Sunday. In our brief history, the Grays have made an interesting opponent. Some might recall last year's 3-3 tie with one of the most inspiring single game performances by Mac Clonan, who picked the whole squad up by destroying a ball to left for his first homer, and then came into pitch in a bases loaded, no out, tie ballgame in the bottom of the 9th...and recorded 3 straight outs to keep the Storm from suffering defeat.
Also to add to the intrigue are 4 former members of the Grays: Sustainably Bad, BK1, J-Hawk, and Danger. All of them hotheads, all of them ready to kick/grab ass (except Sustainably Bad, who didn't bother to show). The Grays are another good team, fighting for the top spot in their division, doing a very good job of limiting opponents' scoring. And then the Storm showed up.
The beginning of the game was rough on the Storm. Danger took the mound and got through the first inning with ease. The second inning saw the Grays plate 3 on a triple, a home run by Paul Dieltz, a HBP, and some poor defensive efforts by the Storm. The Storm answered back thanks to Vicious' penchant for crushing gap shots, making it 3-2. The Grays added another, and the Storm were not helping themselves on the bases, caught stealing twice in the first 3 innings.
We needed something to shake us out of our early stupor, so Cap'n continued his heroics against the Grays, hitting a 3-run homer to right to make the score 6-4, putting the Storm up for good. The Grays picked up another unearned run off of Danger, and were done for the day offensively. On the other hand, the Storm were just getting started, pounding out 18 hits, 9 doubles, a homer, and 14 walks on the way to a 20-5 victory.
Heroes:
When you score like that, everyone is a hero. The 2-5 spots in the order will do as an example:
Player AB R H RBI
BK1 4 4 3 4 2HBP, 2 2B
Vicious 2 4 2 2 4 BB, 2 2B
Cap'n 4 3 2 5 BB, 2B, HR, SF
Hando 5 3 3 1 BB, 2B
Lots of 2s and Bs...good sign.
Danger: Struggled through some difficult innings at the start, but never quit. 7 innings, no walks, 6 Ks
J-Hawk: On base machine with 3 walks, and 2 scoreless innings to finish the game.
The Goat:
The newly monikered "Doc" Kollman, who got picked off, and thrown out stealing, and then ran off to play soccer. He also drove in 2 runs and made some good plays at SS.
Again, the Storm bounced back from early trouble, and won the day.
Next week:
A break for the 4th of July weekend, and then back to it for a rematch with the Bay Sox on July 11, Flood Park at 11AM.
Game 11
Back to Flood Park to face the Bay Sox, on a lovely Saturday morning. I don't recall how many games that is, but the Storm have forked over an amazing amount of money to the City of Menlo Park. Someone mentioned that purchasing a season pass would be a good idea. Park Rangers are apparently not impressed by men in uniform (in fact, they appear to be disdainful and disgusted).
Much on the line in this one, though while we are at the halfway point in the season, the Bay Sox could move to a single game behind the Storm with a win. The Bay Sox had Scott Botterman on the mound, who as mentioned last year, was taken from the petri dish that Matt Cain was conceived in. In last year's matchup, the Storm had little success against Botterman, leading to a heartbreaking 3-2 loss for J-Hawk (3 unearned runs, ouch). So who other than J-Hawk should head to the mound for retribution?
The game started with a quick pace, both pitchers dealing. Good defense on both sides, as well as a fair amount of strikeouts (LOOOOOOOOOOOOW zone) had things zipping along, until the Bay Sox plated a run in the 4th. At this point, things looked somewhat grim, as the Storm had only put together two hits, and Botterman was sailing along.
Cap'n led off the 5th with a broken bat flare that the Bay Sox 2nd baseman gave everything he had, but couldn't quite reach. Tums singled to right behind Cap'n. A strikeout and 2 quick strikes to Sweet Lou had the inning heading in the wrong direction, but then our plucky 3rd baseman ripped an RBI single to center, evening up the score. Another strikeout, and another 2 strikes on Face, who waited beautifully on an outside pitch and stroked it to RF for another RBI single. Making his debut, Chaz Davis had an infield single scoring another, and the Storm had a 3-1 lead.
J-Hawk kept everything on its normal course, showing a bend-not-break mentality, finishing with an 8 inning gutsy performance. Danger came on in the 9th, and picked up his first save, and the Storm notched a 4-2 victory in an important game. A very good sign entering a stretch of tough opponents, including a rematch against the Bay Sox in a few weeks. Everyone kept it together and pulled through when we needed it, great job.
Heroes:
J-Hawk: Just wants to win more than you do. And that is all the fuel he needs. I love to watch this guy pitch.
Face: Big RBI knock, and lots of range in the middle of the diamond. Making plays left and right.
Cap'n: Showed his versatility by jumping out to 2B and doing the work, including staying focused on a crucial run saving play. Found interesting ways to acquire a "single", and a "triple".
Sweet Lou: Our sparkplug set the tone by taking charge of the offense during a quiet spell land driving in our first run.
Tums: 2 hits, and saved a couple runs over at 1st to end 2 innings.
BK1: Ran down some tough ones out in LF, added a knock.
Play of the day:
Beardful's E9 turned double play, which I can only assume he did on purpose.
Next week:
Another good team, the Grays, though I don't know when or where. Maybe I will call you at 3AM. Sleep in your uniform.
Games 9 & 10
The weather looked iffy, though cool breezes for a double dip make for a more pleasant atmosphere. The Storm rode into Flood Park on Sunday morning to meet up with the Diablos, with whom they split the season series last year. The absences were glaring on the Storm front and........get it, Storm front?
Sorry. There is a severe lack of quality humor on the part of the author, and while he wishes to rectify this abuse, there really isn't anyone to stop him from his buffoonery. Like so many newspapers across the country, we can't afford a good editor, or even publication costs. This explains the slander and filth that plagues these intertubes, as well as the run on sentences and poor vocabulary. For visiting our site, you deserve better from me, and I apologize to those who are disgusted/offended by this trash.
Cap'n Mac toed the slab in the first game, marking his first start as a Storm player. No longer in the let 'er rip role as shutdown closer, Cap'n had to find his stuff as well as pace himself on his way to a gutsy 6 inning performance. Though he did not pick up a win, he deserves one for stepping in on a day when the arms were scarce (or sore). 3 runs, 2 earned, 5 walks, and 2 K.
The Diablos kept the game close, taking advantage of some sloppy defense on the Storm's part. When Cap'n was done, another debut was made. Bucky Zeman, one time fire-breather for the Bay Area Cubs, agreed to try his hand at pitching for the first time in a year and a half, with surprising results. Though the control wasn't quite there, the swingthrough breaking balls were. With the score tied at 4, the bases loaded, two outs, and hearts in throats, the Storm sent in Danger, who struck out the next hitter. The Storm pushed across a run, and Danger silenced the Diablos for the next two innings, picking up a win, 5-4.
Game 2 was a bit more on the normal side for the Storm, save for the late innings. J-Hawk got on the mound and did his thing, inning after inning of flummoxed hitters, with the occasional scream, grimace, or tear (unverified). An early lead made the game pass by with little issue until the Storm defense got eve sloppier than in game 1, allowing 4 runs to cross the plate in an unpleasant fashion. A 7-4 final made it a double header sweep, and a tired group of 11 reflected on a day that may not have been their best baseball.
Heroes:
Hey we were all heroes today in our own way. Perhaps I have decided I shouldn't single out certain players for each recap. Or maybe I don't have the stat book in front of me. I'll let you decide.
Next Week:
That sloppy play from Sunday better sharpen up quick, we face our division rival, the Bay Sox at Flood Park at 10AM. The Bay Sox have scored more runs thatn anyone this year, and have some very good arms to take advantage of that offense. Despite the Storm's strong start, the Bay Sox are a mere 2 games out of 1st place. Again, our roster shall be slim for this game, so everyone be sure and take your supplements, steroids, HGH, and other performance enhancing drugs.*
*This statement is a reflection of the competitive atmosphere created by the salaries and endorsement deals our players have earned. I don't pay these guys millions of dollars to lose. Mac will no longer receive his Cap'n Crunch endorsement checks, Ben Kamekona will lose his Burger King sponsorship, Chris O'Driscoll will lose his Little Debbie Snack Cakes Radio Hour, and so on if the rigorous demands of Weekend Warrior Baseball are not satisfied.
Week 8
On a beautiful night at San Bruno Park (in San Bruno), the Storm faced the Artichoke Joe's for the first of a 2 game set this year. The Joe's win/loss record is misleading in my estimation, as the have a very good squad when they are out in force. Fortunately for our millions of fans, the Storm came ready to play ball as well.
It's fair to say we are off to a good start this year, and nothing punctuates this point better than the pitching. Danger, J-Hawk, Hando, and Cap'n have conspired to limit the export of opponent runs in a Machiavellian scheme so dastardly that the offense has grown fat, lazy, and bearded. If said pitchers were not also members of the batting lineup they would be above reproach, alas they have flaws just like the rest of us (ask Mac to relate his postgame club activities, specifically his attire).
Pleasant pregame conversation with the Joe's opened our eyes to the difficulties of hitting in the twilight (and late night) hitting at San Bruno park. While our offense may attempt to use said difficulties as a partial excuse for our performance, the Joe's pitching was exceptional.
Danger toed the slab on a two-tiered mound (wtf?), having begged coach weeks earlier for the start. Rich was throwing smoke, and the defense was capable. A few tough spots were worked out of, often as a result of <Insert usual complaint about umpiring here>. The Gambler was on point for seven shutout innings, and J-Hawk eagerly finished off the last two for the save. Another dominating job from the Storm moundsmen, another shutout.
The offense was fairly quiet, save for a first inning RBI triple from Cap'n, who trotted home after some defensive indifference. The only other run we scored came on a blast from Hando that plated Danger, though only a poor relay prevented Danger from being thrown out at home by 40 feet. By his own admission, Danger could not have stopped even if he wanted to. We need to get BK1 some stilts and a day-glow vest if he is to be noticed coaching third base.
Huzzah, Storm win 3-0. Coach promised to pick up the first round with a victory, and his players showed that crippling alcoholism can serve as a great motivator.
Heroes:
Danger: 7 shutout innings, a HBP that left a pretty mark, and the circus on the basepaths. Must have thrown that sinking change in the exact same spot for swingthroughs at least 15 times.
J-Hawk: 2 inning save, and the only hit against the hard-throwing Joe's reliever.
Cap'n: Blocked several balls in the dirt beautifully with his manly chest. Apparently did not get all of the ball on his RBI triple, Hando disagrees.
Hando: RBI double, great work at 2nd base. Proves the red meat and alcohol diet keeps you performing at a championship caliber levels.
Face: The rock of the infield, made several tough long distance plays at short, poked a dying quail to right for a single.
Vicious: Made many crucial plays in a very tough center field, the lights hang very low at San Bruno Park, and Leif saved our bacon a few times on some shots in his direction.
BK1: Looked good in his plate appearances, driving a double to left. The Lollipop Guild is hosting a dinner in his honor.
Postgame Highlights:
The ridiculous line of cars leaving the park. I already explained that I had no idea where I was going, why follow me?
Mrs. Robins (Lydia) feeding me chicken nuggets in the car as though they contained edible salvation. I was not saved.
Tequila Sunrise. I though my wife and I like fru-fru drinks, Bambi wins.
The aforementioned Cap'n, BK1, and Landline club experience. I wish I could have seen that. Apparently Cap'n possesses so much game, baseball pants will not hinder his progress with the ladies. Kudos to you, Lothario.
Next Week:
Sunday doubleheader against the Diablos, Flood Park, 10AM and 2PM. Don't know what to promise as a reward, suggestions are welcome at sfstormbaseball@gmail.com
Week 7 Natural Disaster Rematch Part Deux!
Another small turnout, although a different set of Stormites proves that variety is the spice of life. Mr. Anderson was excused for his absence due to nuptials, congratulations, Do. The setting for this one was not nearly as pleasant as previous games. Why? We were playing at Balboa park on a foggy SF Sunday. My inner flower wilts a little every time I think of playing ball in the city these days. The mood was brightened when Bucky showed up in an outfit that I can't really describe but made everyone smile. J-Hawk on the mound for the Storm, a lefty to match for the Tsunami, and off we went.
The amount of weak pop-ups to the first base area from the Storm was astounding, I think I counted 7 of them. More astounding was that we had 3 hits out of those. Even more astounding was Mike Abbott's effort on 2 of them, making some great over the shoulder catches.
The Storm scratched out a few early runs due to aggressive base running (Pseudo-Coach Sweet Lou is so observant), not necessarily the hallmark of our squad. Then the floodgates opened and the bats went wild.
Meanwhile on the mound, J-Hawk was definitely not his usual self, though the man had not thrown a pitch in quite a while. The control was not razor sharp as usual, and his demeanor may have shifted towards open hostility just a tad, but it is saying a lot that even with all the uncharacteristic stuff he completely shut down the Tsunami hitters, allowing a mere 2 hits, one of the scratchiest variety.
The Storm piled it on and won the game by slaughter rule in 6 innings, 12-0. 14 hits in 31 at-bats ain't half bad.
Heroes of the day:
J-Hawk (Abe Lincoln?): Picks up his 4th win of the season, throwing a "complete game shutout". I feel dirty writing that, especially since I am convinced that this was the worst he has looked all year (that's a compliment, sweetie). 6 innings, 2 hits, 5 K, 4 BB. Oh, and the beard is awesome.
Sweet Lou: Previous coaching merits aside, had 3 knocks, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI out of the leadoff spot. Tablesetting at its finest.
Vicious Ekelund: Rocket triple, 2 RBI and a BB. Extra base hit machine. Likes kittens and puppies too.
Danger Gamble: A selfish SOB who has now hit 2 walkoffs. Maybe if the game was close I would be more respectful, but now both Beardful and I have been left forlorn in the on-deck circle after this prima donna does his thing. Though to be fair, it could not have been better timed in this one as will be made clear in a moment. 3 hits, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
Tums Robins: 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 runs, SB. That's right, your behemoth of a coach, the lumbering ox is leading the team in steals. You should all be ashamed.
Pele Kollman: This is the new Cap'n Mac of last year, tantalizing us with dominant performances and then disappearing to participate in "life". A wizard with the glove, two 2 out RBI hits, a run scored, and a HBP. Damn you for teasing us.
Babyface Nelson: 2 hits with a run scored. Still have to figure out a hazing ritual for this guy.
and the goat of the day:
BK1: Earns this for ruining an otherwise great game by fouling a ball right into the windshield of a cop car at the Balboa station. This after we were falsely accused earlier due to the similarity of our uniforms to the Fog's. So in actuality, Danger's walkoff was probably a good thing.
And on to 7-0, a third of the way through the season and many cylinders are firing in unison...though I don't know the specific inner working of an internal combustion engine, are the cylinders supposed to fire in unison...and isn't it the sparkplugs that due the firing? Someone correct me and revoke my Man Card.
Next Week:
San Bruno Park Friday Night Lights @ 7:30PM vs. Artichoke Joe's A new experience for the Storm. FIRST ROUND IS ON COACH IF WE WIN!
Week 6 against The Maddogs was rained out
.
Week 5 against the Legends was memorable for a few reasons.
1. The largest turnout in Storm history, 15 of 17 players.
2. The persistent beauty of the field at Marin Catholic High School, and the general pleasant weather.
3. The strength coming out of the gate against a talented pitcher.
4. The post game BBQ action at J-Hawk's (thanks to you and Bambi for hosting)
5. The Greek tragedy of player/coach interaction.
6. Family and friends coming to the park to cheer on our plucky ensemble.
Perhaps the Storm's best showing of the year. J-Hawk on the hill, a full squad behind him, a distinguished scorekeeper in the dugout, a raucous crowd providing encouragement. I can't say enough about the field. The turf is great, true hops all around. Throw in some peaceful scenery, and I am jealous of the Legends for securing this as their home field.
All that aside, it could not have been cozier for J-Hawk who, in common fashion, was dominant. 6 innings, 1 hit, 2 BB, 6 K. A stone's throw away from his pad, with family in attendance, J-Hawk was masterful even though mechanical issues were being sorted through on the field. When all was said and done, the Storm ended the game early with the slaughter rule (can't spell slaughter without laughter) in the 7th, 11-1. The defense was slick, with no gopher holes or sand traps to change the trajectory of a ball in play. The infield was kept busy by J-Hawk's pounding of the low zone. Bucky did some good work at 1st, Pele showed the range at 2nd, Face glided across the (plastic?) turf, Sweet Lou was whipping it across the diamond in the nick of time, a la Vizquel.
Great stuff, but the big story today was the offense, continuing to break out in a big way.
Vicious Ekelund: Brought out his father to watch him play for the first time in a few years. Makes Papa proud by hitting for the cycle, scoring 4 runs, and leaving the opposition with their heads shaking after his at-bats. Maybe not so proud of the single in his final at-bat, but the box score reads well. I'll pay him the highest compliment I can think of, he made the game look easy.
Pele Kollman: The aforementioned sweet glove work, as well as a 2 for 2 day with a walk at the plate. One of those hits was a 3 run boom shot that left the yard in a majestic hurry. An Utleyan day to be sure.
Danger Gamble: 6 RBI on the day, 2 on a 2 RBI ground out, with the other 4 coming on a walk off grand slam in the 7th inning. Rich had quite a cheering section in attendance, which included Mom, so it was only fitting that he should hit his first salami today. Turned in a scoreless inning on the hill in the 7th.
A quarter of the way through the season, the Storm are 5-0. Scoring many, allowing few. I hear if you have more runs than your opponent, you often win the game. We must continue to test this theory.
Next Week:
Raimundi Park at 12PM against the Mad Dogs.
Game 4 No Such Thing as a "Skeleton Crew"
The Storm's first night game started later than anticipated due to a late running extra inning affair between the Grays and Benders at San Leandro park. Add that to a hotly debated battle between Danger and J-Hawk about who should be starting the game (which went to J-Hawk because Danger was scared of his manager behind the dish), and our lowest turnout of the young season (11), and all the Storm players who made last minute travel arrangements so that we didn't forfeit, we rushed into the fray in a harried manner. With the first pitch thrown at 7:45, and the manager dreaming of sugar plums dancing in his head, the battle with the East Bay Giants was underway. The elements came into play immediately as J-Hawk hit a flyball to left to start the game which the left fielder lost in the gloamin' for a "double". The Storm plated the run and then the fun began.
Justin Hawkins is a pretty decent pitcher (not an understatement). With Bambi teasing him mercilessly before and during the game, he spun a masterpiece. The gentlemen of the East Bay Giants ballclub were flummoxed at every turn, J-Hawk just kept dazzling them with a much improved breaking ball, his filthy change of pace, and a darting heater. Another sterling effort from a guy who loves to play and loves to win. Our man on the mound through some tough jams created by miscues defensive and umpirical...empirical? Let us say there were a few administrative controversies. At the end of the night (10:30PM!) the Storm packed up with a 9-1 victory.
Fireworks provided by:
Danger Gamble had a 1-4 afternoon with a 3B, but only the great effort by the Giants' SS left him without more hits. This guy is locked in, and a laser throwing wall behind the dish.
Sweet(ie) Lou started the offense for us with 2 hits early on, and took charge on the infield making some great plays and generally keeping everyone in line.
Fatty O'Driscoll with a great catch on the of the only well struck balls for the Giants in a crucial situation. Continued his approach of using the first few at-bats of the game to measure it up for his last, with a monstrous 2 RBI double.
Sustainably Bad with a kickass RBI knock in a clutch at-bat, sparked the offensive surge that followed.
BK1 made his 2009 debut, legging out an RBI infield single, a HBP, and breaking his bat on his first trip to the plate in 7 months.
Face Pollzzie had 2 walks, a tear sheddingly beautiful hit and run RBI single, range at short, and prompted a "Lex, who's that? Yeah, #4" from a certain raven-haired admirer from the stands.
J-Hawk with 9 innings, 2 hits, 0 ER, BB, K. Added a 3-4 with a BB from the leadoff spot, with the self-professed enthusiasm of a 7 year old.
and a big thank you to the Mad Dogs for running the scoreboard and doing a bang up job on announcing.
In my opinion, the best part of the game was that we stayed together as a team, backing up plays, picking each other up. The kind of stuff that makes the game much more enjoyable from the players perspective. The Storm are off to a 4-0 start, and are improving.
Next week:
Sunday 4PM at Marin Catholic, vs. the Legends. Protip: Postgame action at J-Hawk's place will be much better if we win.
Game 3
Ooog. Defensive miscues and Ruthian swings pockmarked an otherwise stellar effort from the Storm against the Tsunami. Though the Storm came away with a 11-3 win, it was no the prettiest of victories. The Tsunami had some troubles of their own on defense, and while we got the win, it didn't leave many satisfied with the performance. The Tsunami didn't make it easy, coming up with some hits immediately following errors (we made 6!), keeping the pressure on. All negativity aside, the Storm continue to fight through the tough spots and pick each other up on the flipside.
Hando started on the hill and was his usual nasty self, getting some ugly hacks on his repertoire. Pitching like a man who will soon be shackled to an eternal commitment that shall be first and foremost in his thoughts through the rest of his days (congrats, buddy), Mr. Anderson stayed cool under pressure, pitching his way through some tough innings. Going six strong, with the chance for more erased by so many extra pitches (ok, I'll stop now), he was replaced by J-Hawk, who finished the games off with three strong innings of his own...with an unearned run mixed in (ha!).
Sterling stat lines:
The bottom of the order served as the majority of the offensive output with:
Priorities Kollman: Boom shot double, single, and 2 RBI. Such power, such grace...such beautiful reddish chestnut hair...huh?
Bucky Zeman: I have always loved this nickname because it has the whole space ranger them to it (Rodgers, Bonzai), and this guy is out there. 2 hits, 2 RBI.
Tums Robins: 3 hits placed ever so gently in front of outfielders who seem to think he can hit the ball that far...if they only knew.
Landline Amundsen: Current nickname until he gets a cell phone. Excellent placement of a 2 run single late in the game.
Hando Anderson: The moundwork: 6 innings, 4 hits, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 ER. Also challenged Tums' record of 5 pop ups in a game, fell short by 1. You'll get it next time!
A performance we can improve upon, but a win is a win. Onward and upward, gentlemen.
Next week:
San Leandro Park at 7PM against the East Bay Giants. A new addition to the league, an unknown. Fear the unknown, especially when out of a 17 man roster, I only know of 8 who can make it. Ah jeez.
Game 2
Game 2 of the 2009 SFNABA season was played on another beautiful day, this time at the oddly-shaped confines of Flood Park (355ft. to every field?). The Storm bats started slowly as usual, picked up towards the middle of the game, and put it out of reach at the end. The defense was superb, and the pitching was brilliant in a 7-1 Storm victory over the Blue Claws. The Claws were kind enough to dispatch the Bay Sox (now a division rival) the week before, but the Storm were not in a gracious mood. $5 park fees, missing Final Four tournament action, and Mexican food the night before were some of the terrible obstacles the Storm overcame. Does that imply we are cheap, unfocused, and lacking in dietary sense? Perhaps, but we won the game.
The Storm are 2-0 to start the season, but the offense is not firing on all cylinders yet. These big, strong men swing like softball players and hit pop-ups like nobody's business. Kangaroo court fines, perhaps? If anyone can top Coach Tums' record of 4 infield pop-ups in a game from last year, there will be a shiny trophy awaiting him, polished with coach's tears.
Heroes:
J-Hawk: Could only hang his head in shame when coach blasted him for allowing a few dying quails to pass on in the grass just beyond the infield. He's a pitching coach now, so you would think that he would know the fine line between pitching to contact and going for the K. Shameful...7 innings, 6 hits, 0 runs, 2 BB, 9 K.
Fatty O'Driscoll: Confessed to coach that he had forgotten how to hit after a few uncharacteristic impatient at-bats. Dietary concerns were also noted. Put all doubts to rest with a bases loaded triple to left that broke the game open. Flagrant foul for the snap-catch in left.
Hando: Rocket knock for 2 RBI, turned in a fine inning on the mound. Will have to miss a game for wedding planning. Man card revoked.
Cap'n Mac: A wall behind the dish, ripped a double to left, and threw out a runner trying to steal 3rd in a crucial spot. Hasn't anyone been paying attention? You just don't do that with this guy back there. Did manage to cough up the shutout in the 9th with a surprisingly sub par performance. Perhaps he is just getting it out of the way.
Louis "Agro"/ Pele Kollman: Smooth as silk on the left side of the infield. Both with great plays on D, a hit apiece at the dish, and a calming influence on a volatile moundsman. Upgraded defense is the new Moneyball.
The Goat:
Sustainably Bad, for saying he would need to miss a game to watch the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft. It doesn't matter who they draft, they are still going to suck. You really want to miss a game so that you can watch a terminally diseased franchise (apologies Lions' fans) make another bad pick? Why not just ask Braylon Edwards to cradle your newborn?
Next week:
Perhaps I deserve a share in the goat award as well, for I was wrong when I claimed we had a bye next week. Back at Flood Park again (bring your bankroll), 2PM against the Tsunami. Clash of the Water-Based-Natural-Disasters part deux!
Opening Day 2009
After a few moderately well-attended practices and scrimmages, the Storm took the field for real on March 29th against the Dirtbags on a pleasant day at Marchbank Park. "Danger" Gamble was on the mound (and what a mound!) for the good guys, while a blend of veterans and new faces patrolled the field behind him. The first few innings gave the impression that the Storm might be a wee bit rusty, but as the game progressed we saw the return of some of the brand of baseball that carried us into the postseason in 2008. While there were a few problems with runners in scoring position, the Storm showed marked improvement in their plate discipline, walking 10 times while only striking out twice. Add 8 hits to that and you get a 12-4 victory over a playoff team from last year.
The Storm are to be forgiven for the amount of pop-ups today, as they have spent a long winter dreaming of tape measure shots that a cozy ballpark like Marchbank is ill-equipped to contain. The epithets (and materials) hurled in and out of the dugout remind us all that there is work to be done; certainly they make more of an impression than kind words and patience.
Heroes:
Rich "Danger" Gamble: 7 strong innings to pick up win number 1. Picking up where he left off last year, Rich even uncorked a few terrifying fastballs up and in. Fought through a few tough breaks and got some breathtaking swingthroughs due to his excellent change of pace. At the plate, 3-4 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored (and a VERY loud out) created a a lot of opportunities for...
Lex "Tums" Robins: A clear beneficiary of the prowess of those who went before him, a 3-4 with 5 RBI, 1 run scored, and a stolen base. The DH/Manger role is conducive to stolen bases, didn't you know?
Kevin "Hando" Anderson: Shocked the world by drawing his first 2 walks of the season. If you ponder that for a moment, you might come to the realization that our groom-to-be just equaled his base on balls total from last year. They say that improved discipline leads to better numbers all around the board. Billy Beane is watching...Also singled and drove in a run, with some excellent defense at 2nd/3rd.
Brian "Anna Pavlova" Pollzzie: Made his introduction to the league with some sweet field work at shortstop. Legend has it that if Eli and Brian take the field at the same time, Ozzie Smith gets shivers down his spine.
Justin "J-Hawk" Hawkins: Dragged his usual dull, lifeless self out to the ballyard to sleep through a game...false. Showed up chomping at the bit, foaming at the mouth, and any other frenzied animal metaphors (similes?) that apply. Showed off his arm by throwing his glove at something, which given his performance on the hill I assume he hit. 2 innings to finish the game with 4 Ks, nothing unusual there. Contributed a mammoth sacrifice fly which raises doubts as to his pigeonholing as a leadoff type.
Leif "Lord Urban" Ekelund: Stepped on to the ball field after a fair amount of time off of it (at least as a player) and reached base 3 times without a hit. Stole a base, and contributed mammoth sacrifice fly number 2. After a brief appearance, we bid him well and wait for him to join us further down the road...
Good job everyone, glad we got that first one out of the way.
Next week: Flood Park (Menlo Park) at 2PM against the Blue Claws.
2009 Season
The 2009 NABA season is upon us, and the Storm are looking to improve on a "disappointing" Division Championship form 2008. The league has seen the addition of some new teams, a divisional realignment, but in the end it will still be a bunch of has-beens pulling the old Weekend Warrior routine.
The Storm roster remains largely intact, with a few additions and subtractions. Gone is our first string Bronzer, the mighty Grizzle (AKA Jeff Graham). Though he claims he will show up at a game before he disappears to a distant continent. Gone is Justin Halpern, whose lady friend doesn't live up here anymore so he has no reason to save our bacon. Gone is our HBP magnet Scott Spencer, who played the real estate market and won. Gone is Tyler Axelrod, but surely still holds his V-Cast out in SacTown. Jami James is probably wherever he was last year...
Making their grand entrances (and subject to violent and disturbing hazing rituals) are:
#6 Ben Amundsen: Defender of Justice and all around Good Guy. Despite those qualities, slumming with the Storm
#12 Louis Agront: Slick infielder who played for the champion Isotopes and is slumming with us now.
#19 Matt Nelson: Champion of Righteousness, distance runner (does that help in this game?). Slowing down to slum at the Storm's level.
#4 Brian Pollzzie: World class videographer/photographer (google him or something). Perhaps he will document the slumming.
All your other favorites are back: #24 Cap'n Mac, #1 BK1, #21 Fatty, #3 Hando, #15 Bucky, #7 J-Hawk, #10 Danger, #17 Sustainably Bad, #22 Iron Gut, #8 Beardful, #27 Pele, and #5 Antacid. We're going to take another run at the title in between weddings, coaching, ITing, rehabbing, number crunching, futbol, maniacally working out, drinking, other unmentionable activities...
First Game: March 29 (Sunday) at Marchbank Park (Daly City) 10AM against the Dirtbags.
2nd Game: April 4 (Saturday) at Flood Park (Menlo Park) 2PM against the Blue Claws
3rd Game: April 11 TBD against the Tsunami