April 29 2007

Unwin Park. 10am. Surrey Indians vs Newton Royals.

Talk about clutch. As happy as the rest of us are after today's game, Scott must be walking on air. We hope he touches down in time for Wednesday's practice, but we won't blame him at all if he's still afloat.

Clay had a pre-game opportunity to make two dollars if he did a teddy-bear headstand. He declined.

In our best attempt at sounding like a broken record, today's game was a pitcher's duel from the start. Chris started on the mound, his first time on the mound since a self-described "shit" outing in the later part of the opening game. He recovered very well, allowing just a few scattered hits and stranding several runners.

In a game where most of us just couldn't find our swings, we needed timely hitting more than ever. And eventually we got it. With a runner in scoring position, Aaron hit a blooper the opposite way, just out of reach of a diving rightfielder and just on the fair side of the foul line. That huge RBI put us up 1-0. The top photo in this post is Aaron's swing on that very play.

While most of us struggled at the plate, we have it on good authority that newbie Kris was 3-for-4 at the plate, getting things done in a quiet manner. Attakid.

The Royals, on average, were hitting the ball much better than us with several hard drives to the outfield that eventually got them the tying run followed by a go-ahead run, possibly in the same inning, possibly not - we can't remember.

Things looked promising when Chris stroked a triple to centre, but he was left stranded. That might have happened when it was still 1-0 us or tied at 1 or us down 2-1. Again, we can't remember. The bottom photo in this post is Chris's swing on that very play.

Today's inability to remember things caused us some embarrassment in one inning. After recording what we believed to be the third out of the inning, we all began to exit the playing field. Just as the infielders were about to cross the firstbase line the homeplate ump announced, "that's only two outs guys". Oops.

We do remember playing the field in the bottom of the eighth down 2-1. Looking ahead to a last-chance top of the ninth after going three-up-three-down in the top of the eighth, our future looked bleak. We held them to no runs and were now down to our final three outs.

And then it happened. Cue the comeback!

[iPod alert] With the tying run on base, Scott up to bat representing the go-ahead run, and the videocamera rolling, there's hope in the air. A high fastball comes in, and Scott turns on it. Deep to left - back, back, back, and gone. First homerun of the season. The dugout erupts and the team makes its way to homeplate to meet and greet and maybe high-five the hero. [a next-day update: a link to the video of the dinger is now on the sidebar: scott - 04/29/2007]

We now took the field in the bottom of the ninth, three outs away from a victory. Aaron had taken over on the mound in the sixth and was looking to make this a quick inning. First batter hits a drive to left-centre but the ball is tracked down by the fleet-footed centrefielder. The next batter got a single but Aaron then hit overdrive and shut the door.

Final score 3-2. A two game winning streak, and with a 2-1 record we're above .500 for the first time this season. Next up: Aldergrove Giants on Sunday May 6th at Whalley at 1:30pm. BE THERE!

Today's iPod.
Please see paragraph number twelve - you know, the one with the iPod alert. Kudos.

20 Qs with Clay Edger

1. What is the most daring thing you've ever done?

Bunjee jumped in edmonton

2. What are your pet peeves?

People that chew with their mouth open. And when the pitcher throws the ball in the dirt.

3. What Major Leaguer do you most admire and why?

Darryl Strawberry because he's cool.

4. If a stranger told me I was hot I would…

agree that it is hot and proceed in taking off my pants.

5. What is your favorite board game?

Snakes and Ladders

6. What is your day job and what do you like most about it?

I build stuff. My favorite part about it is that sometimes you really have to think things through. So if the boss catches you staring at a piece of paper and doing nothing, it's usually okay.

7. If there was a fire at your home and you could only save one thing, what would it be?

My hands.

8. What is your favorite baseball memory?

When I was a kid at my dad's baseball game and I got hit on the head with a foul ball.

9. Who do people say you look like?

Some guy name David apparently.

10. I’d like to confess that I...

Don't like reality t.v. Seriously though, 'cause a lot of people say they don't but they still watch it. I really hate it.

11. You’re offered two free tickets to any sporting event in the world within the next 12 months (with airfare and accommodation also included). What sporting event do you choose and who goes with you?

Final game of the March madness tournament. But not for the basketball, just for the college chicks. And I'd just bring a good wing man.

12. What was the last concert you attended?

Tenacious D

13. Are the mind and the brain the same thing or different? Please explain your answer.

Different. Mind is your consciousness and it can be altered... Wheras the brain tells the rest of the body what it's supposed to do.

14. One book everyone should read is…

The Scorecard

15. One movie everyone should see is…

Team America

16. What is your favorite LMBA park to play in and why?

Tamanawis for its close fence

17. If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sushi

18. When was the last time you ran?

When I popped up a bunt to the pitcher.

19. My greatest fear is…

Chris Ratelle's curveball

20. You are now a suspect in a crime that happened 15 years ago. Where were you, and what were you doing, on the evening of April 25, 1992?

Let's see I would've been 7 so I was probably playing sega

April 22 2007

The morning began with drizzle mixed with light rain, and the game's 10am start time looked precarious. Regardless, the team showed up on time and warmed up while watching the Playaz-turned-Padres slowly drift in. Come 10am, the skies had cleared, a glorious day was shaping up, and the Padres had enough players to field a team.

LMBA president Dan Taylor had both teams line up along their respective baselines and then delivered a superb speech honoring Bob Ashmore. Bob had sadly passed away this past week. A moment of silence was given.

Once the game got underway, it paralleled last week's game. This time it was Aaron starting on the mound and pitching a solid four innings; the few runners that reached were stranded. It appeared as though we had a great early start in the bottom of the first when Jeff P. hit a shot over the leftfield fence. The joy was brief as the homeplate ump called it foul, but the immediate reaction of thirdbase coach Jeff H. told the true story. Even more credible was the testimony of both the thirdbaseman and shortstop of the Padres saying it was fair. However, none of them make the official calls. The umps do, and foul it was.

Our silent bats were awakened in the fourth inning when we put a five-spot on the board thanks to a combination of walks, beanballs, hits and errors. A smorgasbord of activity in one half-inning.

Jeff P. came in to pitch in the fifth, and the non-dinger call proved to be the first of many questionable calls that came Jeff's way. Pitches that looked like strikes from everywhere in the park - from the dugout to centrefield to Clay's irises - apparently looked like balls in the one place that matters, the ump's POV. Nevertheless, he managed to make several Padres players look silly on his mixture of heat and curves and also gave the ump some thumps by way of some foul tips while in the batter's box. We feel that while he's still tied with the rest of us in what's shaping up as the epic Indians homerun chase of 2007, Jeff P. ended up ahead in this battle.

One inning the Padres doubled us up on a liner to first with a runner on first, but our very next time in the field we doubled them up on a liner to third with a runner on first. "Anything you can do we can do better." Nothing much else happened in this fastest-game-in-Indians-history (confirmed by our overpaid fact-checkers). Game time was approximately 2:06. Final score was 6-2.

The video camera was rolling during last week's opening game and we now have links to two new videos on the left sidebar. Links are now there for josh - 04/15/2007 and scott - 04/15/2007. Please note: only some of the videos from this season and last have direct links on this blog. To access all the videos from this season and last just click on "From user" while at google video.

Today's iPod.
With a Padres runner on second, nobody out, a lead to protect, and a general team fondness for capris, Andrew vacated his shortstop position, snuck behind the runner, and created daylight. Pitcher Jeff P. saw this, spun to his left and delivered a perfect throw which led to a perfect tag and the bases were now empty with one out. Kudos.
Honorable mention goes to Clay for his in-the-dugout impersonation of himself on the field five minutes earlier. Common decency keeps us from writing details but he had several Indians very entertained. Thanks for that Clay.

20 Qs with Chris Ratelle

1. What is the most daring thing you've ever done?

due to the ramifications of this question and answer, i will leave this one blank, lol

2. What are your pet peeves?

People talking on their cell phones on the sky train.... makes me mad just thinking about it

3. What Major Leaguer do you most admire and why?

Barry Zito, lefty that can throw that disgusting hook and have the ability to befriend Barry Bonds

4. If a stranger told me I was hot I would...

i cant answer this one with a PG answer, lol

5. What is your favorite board game?

Drinking snakes and ladders (yes i own it)

6. What is your day job and what do you like most about it?

I work in a warehouse, and the best part of the job is going home

7. If there was a fire at your home and you could only save one thing, what would it be?

besides my family....my cat

8. What is your favorite baseball memory?

Going to Sask. two years in a row when i was 17-18 to play in the western canadians

9. Who do people say you look like?

Nick Lashey... don't laugh, he married/divorced Jessica

10. I’d like to confess that I...

sometimes order salads as a main course.

11. You’re offered two free tickets to any sporting event in the world within the next 12 months (airfare and accommodation also included). What sporting event do you choose and who goes with you?

World Series and i would take my brother

12. What was the last concert you attended?

Never been to a concert

13. Are the mind and the brain the same thing or different? Please explain your answer.

the brain is the physical thing and the mind is the emotions and thoughts and so on...

14. One book everyone should read is...

insomnia by Steven King

15. One movie everyone should see is...

the big lebowski (sorry Jeff).

16. What is your favorite LMBA park to play in and why?

Robert burnaby, just because it has so many sweet memories.. ie, farthest home run i have ever hit

17. If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Indian food, specifically anything with curry

18. When was the last time you ran?

mmmhhhmmm

19. My greatest fear is...

[Chris left this question blank]

20. You are now a suspect in a crime that happened 15 years ago. Where were you, and what were you doing, on the evening of April 19, 1992?

hmmm, what did i do yesterday.....?

April 15 2007

Opening day fell on Jackie Robinson day. In honor, Jeff Heatley wore a jersey adorned with the number 42.

The first half of the game was a low-scoring affair. Not many baserunners for either team. The rare few got stranded, with one getting picked off of second base after a first-pitch-of-the-game double. To protect the guilty, he'll remain anonymous. As the pitcher's duel progressed, we were fortunate to have had the game of american pingpong to prepare us.

New Indian Jeff Paz proved a valuable addition, pitching five strong innings and shutting down the strong Delta hitters. We eventually managed to break the scoreless deadlock, which apparently awoke the sleeping giants in the other dugout. Their second pitcher was a knuckleballer who seemed much more hittable from the dugout than at the plate.

During one of Enrique's at-bats he was hit by a pitch, but we were left scratching our noggins when he was not awarded first base. The pitch did bounce before it hit him, but is that enough to negate a beanball? It shouldn't be, in our heavily biased opinion. Does anyone have a portion of the rule book to throw in our face regarding this occurence?

At 3-3 in the late innings, the Tigers were able to string together some timely hits and tack 3 runs on the board. Unable to get a significant rally going, we lost our opening game.

And now, a new feature for this season's blog! Today's Indians Play of the Day. Each game - and maybe for some practices - we will single out one play that was better than all the other plays for that game/practice. This is a subjective exercise, and readers may disagree with the choice. If you disagree with any of the choices, you can voice your disagreement, and offer your pick(s), in the chattered section found under each post. For this post, though, we don't think there will be any disagreement.

Today's iPod.
After pitching a stellar five innings that would have permanently disabled lesser arms, Jeff Paz manned shortstop. On a grounder that was just out of reach of the third baseman, Jeff hustled to his right, backhanded the ball, and threw across his body, across the diamond, and into the first baseman's glove to nail the batter/runner. Kudos.

April 11 2007

Our April 8th exhibition game got rained out. We had a practice last night at Tamanawis, our final practice before Sunday's season-opener. Did some fielding and did some hitting. Now if you'll excuse us, Canucks/Stars game one is about to start and we need to get our groove on; more accurately, we need to get onto our couch's groove.

April 1 2007

Our 11am practice on the 31st got moved to the 1st; no joke. We do believe that a practice did occur on the 28th, but we are not in a position to comment on that. Perhaps someone else who is in a position will care to comment?

As for our practice on the first, there's nothing quite like playing baseball in a hailstorm. Add a strong wind so that the hail falls sideways and you've got a recipe for perfection. The infielders and outfielders were segregated for the first half hour for the usual grounders & flies drill, followed by an infield/outfield session, followed by a spirited game of american pingpong which proved to be quite the pitchers' duel. A little too many K's on both sides, but the pitchers did want to prove their worth, spring training and all. No one can take their spot on the roster for granted.

We have an exhibition game planned for Sunday the 8th against the Rockies. Come one, come all - especially the players.