Team Awards 2007

15 players were emailed the voting forms and 10 players emailed back a completed voting form. All players were assured total anonymity and given just one rule: no voting for yourself. At least one player broke that rule. (We included all votes regardless - if they so willingly and boldly broke the only rule, then they must be passionate about them deserving that category and we're not ones to deny such passion.) The number of votes tallied in each category will sometimes be less than 10, sometimes more; some players left a category or two or more blank, and some voted for two players in one category. Entries are listed in order of most-votes to least-votes, with the total number of votes, if more than one, in brackets.

Here are the results...

Most Competitive Player

1) Chris Ratelle (4)

2) Clay Edger (2)

2) Kelly Grace (2) - "always hustling trying to make things happen"

2) Tyler Jones (2) - "'cause he smiles the least"

Most Improved Player

1) Jeff Heatley (4) - "I mean c'mon, he hit a dinger at the last game of the season"

2) Brad Cumiskey (2)

3) Kris Neidert

3) Rod Wingrove

Best Defensive Player

1) Clay Edger (3)

1) Kelly Grace (3) - "solid D" - "every year, it's hard to vote against Kelly"

3) Rob Aubertin

3) Jeff Heatley

3) Josh Karls

3) Kris Neidert

Most Likely To Clone Themselves

1) Scott Sibley (7) - "then he could have his help with managing the team"

2) Clay Edger

2) Jeff Heatley

2) Tyler Jones

Best Clutch Hitter

1) Kris Neidert (7) - "easiest question so far"

2) Kelly Grace (2) - "hits well in tough situations"

3) Enrique Roblero

Season's Biggest Disappointment

1) Aldergrove walk-off loss (2) - "those mouthy jackasses"

1) Jeff Paz leaving the team (2)

1) Losing to the Newton Rockies in first round of playoffs (2)

4) Chris Ratelle leaving the team

4) Losing by default to the Coquitlam Cardinals

Best Sportsmanship

1) Kris Neidert (4) - "smiles even when he's getting squeezed ridiculously by the ump"

2) Kelly Grace (2) - "calm guy that loves ball"

2) Aaron Piva (2) - "calm guy that loves ball"

4) Jeff Heatley

4) Enrique Roblero

4) Rod Wingrove

Most Likely To Fail A Steroids Test

1) Tyler "Yellow Shirt" Jones (3) - "who gets kicked out of a C's game?"

1) Enrique Roblero (3)

3) Scott Sibley (2)
4) Rob Aubertin - "I saw that little freak out last game"

4) Clay Edger

Most Likely To Pass A Steroids Test

1) Brad Cumiskey (4) - "because I think he's afraid of needles"

2) Rob Aubertin (3) - "sorry rob, but it's you"

3) Tyler Jones

3) Josh Karls

3) Aaron Piva - "don't think I've seen that guy get mad once, smooth as ice."

Funniest Player

1) Brad Cumiskey (7)
2) Rob Aubertin (3)
3) Jeff Heatley - "just watch the videos"

Most Valuable Player

1) Kris Neidert (8)

2) Clay Edger

2) Kelly Grace - "good D and hitting"

["Well, Jeff Paz was valuable but I don't consider him. He wasn't around long enough."]

Favorite 20 Qs with...

1) Clay Edger (2) - "it made me laugh"
1) Jeff Heatley (2)

1) Aaron Piva (2) - "for the poignancy of his pregnancy announcement"
4) Rob Aubertin

4) Brad Cumiskey


Unsung Hero

1) Enrique Roblero (2)

1) Jeff Heatley (2)

3) Clay Edger - "awesome back catcher, and he did it all year every game for the full game."

3) Tyler Jones

3) Kris Neidert - "awesome player and sportsman"

3) Jeff Paz

3) Aaron Piva

3) Scott Sibley - "where would we be without him"

Play Of The Year

1) "Aaron Piva's diving catch on a line drive then doubling up the guy on first. The best part was it ended the game." "Aaron's snowcone double play" (2)

1) "Scott Sibley homer to win against the Newton Royals at Unwin Park" (2)

3) "Brad Cumiskey driving to Chilliwack one week early"

3) "Jeff Heatley's homerun"

3) "Jeff Heatley with his steal home during the storm."

3) "Jeff Paz goes to the right, backhands the ball, jumps and throws a strike from deep in the hole over to first... beautiful."

3) "Aaron Piva taking a fly ball off the chest!"

3) "Enrique Roblero's double to win the game against Pirates."

Best Quote

1) Rob Aubertin: SI in SI

1) Brad Cumiskey: I'm sure your toes are beautiful

1) Brad Cumiskey: It’s not fungus, it’s bacteria.

1) Tyler Jones: Check that ball for piss! - "as he mocked the other team last game when Jeff Heatley smoked a homer"

1) Enrique Roblero: Nice job A-rod!

1) Scott Sibley: Does anyone else want to coach next year? - "priceless"
1) That'll be on the blog tomorrow

Sexiest Batting Stance

1) Kelly Grace (4) - "still a big fan of his little shimmy"

2) Enrique Roblero (2)

3) Brad Cumiskey - "as he stares down the fastball"

4) Clay Edger

4) Tyler Jones

["Umm..... No comment"]

Season Highlight

1) "Being in first place" (2)

2) "Jeff Heatley's playoff dinger"

2) "Tyler Jones pitching against the Delta Tigers"

2) "Finding out that Kris Neidert can pitch"
2) "Scott Sibley's homerun, the win against Newton Royals"

2) "Comeback against Surrey Pirates"

2) "The entire first half of the season"

2) "Winning streak at the beginning of the season"

Song That Best Represents This Season

1) All Good Things (Come To An End) by Nelly Furtado

1) Another Sad Love Song by Toni Braxton
1) Free Fallin' by Tom Petty

1) Help! by The Beatles

1) "Oops [we] did it again.."

1) Rain Rain Go Away

1) Shot Down In Flames by ACDC - "exactly what happened"

1) The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan

1) Told You So by T.I.

August 19 2007

Central Park. 2pm. Vs Newton Rockies.

Warming up before our first playoff game the mood was lighthearted. There was banter and laughter during the stretching exercises in centrefield. Future stretching exercises could feature yoga mats and the wearing of lululemon. This would be followed by an Indians pregame performance of the haka.

Unfortunately, the game did not start how we wanted it to, with the Rockies scoring twice in the top of the first. But we got those two runs right back quicksmart in the bottom of the first. As the song goes, 'Anything you can do, we can do... the same'. But not really, cuz the Rockies scored twice again in the top of the second, and added another in the third on a solo homerun to go up 5-2.

In the bottom of the fifth we buckled down and put together some hits to form some semblance of a rally. In fact, since the multiple hits resulted in a total of four runs, we'd say it was a rally. A rally that was capped by a man-on-base line drive to the gap in left-centre that - holy s***, it's over the fence! Two-run homerun Jeff Heatley! Behind the scenes of the homer: Moments before walking to the plate to bat, Jeff was told that he was gonna get subbed out of the batting order after that at-bat, unless he hit a homer. In the end, that homer earned him two more at-bats in the game.

We added another run in the sixth inning to go up 7-5, needing to make just 9 outs for the win. The Rockies though, they came to play, or at least hit. They scored one run in the top of the seventh to make it 7-6. One run lead, six outs to go.

Some of the details of this post were borrowed from the website of the Newton Rockies. We're now going to quote directly from their homepage:

With the Rockies trailing 7-6 in their half of the 8th, Jeremy Peever crushed a first pitch fastball for a pinch-hit 3 run Homerun to give the Rockies the lead for good. Dave Giovanella added a 3 run blast of his own in the 9th, his 2nd of the season to seal the deal and send the visiting Rockies to their 1st playoff victory in the franchise's 5th season.

And apparently the Rockies' solo shot in the third inning was that player's first career LMBA homerun. Congrats to the Rockies on their first ever playoff victory, and good luck the rest of the way.

With our 2007 season over and done with, we'd like to thank everyone who came out to watch us this season. Twas a season of highs (first half) and lows (second half) and we appreciated your support. Thank you.

One video from this game: kris II.

Stay tuned for our final post of the season, Team Awards 2007, coming soon to a computer near you..

Today's iPod.

This iPod has got to go to El Jeffé with his liner of a homer. The mighty swing is pictured below. Kudos.
We had three games at Central Park this season - or, more accurately, we showed up to play at Central Park three times this season - and El Jeffé snagged the iPod all three times. Triple Kudos.

20 Qs with Rod Wingrove

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

i went swimming in the ocean on January 1 for the polar bear swim

2. What are your pet peeves?

guys that use foul language in front of women

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

Benjie Molina because he's a crappy defensive catcher, barely has an average batting average, is probably one of the top three slowest guys in the league, and he still gets paid millions as a starting catcher

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

say 'that's what my modeling agent tells me'

5. What is your favorite board game?

mahogany or oak

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

journeyman steel stud carpenter and making all the apprentices work their asses off like I used to have to

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

my David Haselhoff record collection

8. What is your favorite baseball memory?

everytime i actually get a hit

9. Who do people say you look like?

screech powers. whoever that is I hope it's someone cool

10. I’d like to confess that I...

wear extra tight baseball pants because I like the sensation

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?

ufc 74, one of my buddies

12. What was the last concert you attended?

nickelback (I'm sorry clay my girlfriend got tickets for her birthday, please dont make fun of me)

13. Favorite website(s)?

http://www.ufc.com/

14. One book everyone should read is…

freakanomics

15. One movie everyone should see is…

transformers (the best movie ever)

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

robert burnaby because i don't have to drive to surrey

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

sri lankin for sure, my girlfriend's mom is the best cook ever hands down

18. When was the last time you ran?

2 minutes ago to the fridge to get a beer

19. My greatest fear is…

spiders, I hate those things

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 August 17, 1992?

running to the fridge to get a beer

August 12 2007

South Aldergrove Park. 5pm. Vs Aldergrove Giants.

After finally finding the park, we warmed up. After warming up, the game started. After the game started, the game ended. After the game ended everyone went home happy, 'cept us. Now to the details...

We think every street in Aldergrove should have an arrow pointing drivers to the correct way to access South Aldergrove Park. As we circled the large park area, every street we took towards it ended in a dead-end, and not the good kind. But ten guys made it to the field by gametime and we were ready to go.

It was a pitchers' duel for the (vast) majority of the game. Kris going the first five innings and Tyler going the final four. Going into the bottom of the seventh up 2-1, the Giants plated two, including a solo homerun that wouldn't have made it out of Tamanawis. In the top of the eighth we promptly responded with three runs of our own on several well-hit doubles. According to one Indian it was the best clutch hitting he's seen since ever.

We're now in the bottom of the ninth up by the same 5-3 score. The Giants work the bases loaded, but we have two outs and a two run cushion, so we're alright right? Wrong. The batter crushes one to left that Josh comes close to reeling in but the ball is off the fence. A relay in to home is not in time as the bases are cleared and the game is over.

Final score was 6-5 Giants in a heartbreaking end to the regular season. First playoff game is on Sunday the 19th at Central Park versus the Newton Royals. Gametime is 2pm. The game is scheduled to be Fan Appreciation Day with tickets half-price (and the service charge doubled in compensation).

Videos from this game: clay and kris. The video clay & kris is out soon, but you'll have to pay for that one.

Today's iPod.

It's a tie.

In the first inning (first batter?) a Giants batter attempted a bunt that became a soft foul pop-up towards third. Clay emerged from his catcher's squat, took a couple of steps, and lunged to make the catch. Kudos.

In the eighth inning, the homerun hitter was up again. This time he stroked one to deep left centre where Rob hustled back, stole a look at the fence, and stretched out his glove to make the catch and end the inning. Kudos.

swank magazine 1992 -hilary

A quick post to share the fact that someone recently visited our blog after googling the following:

swank magazine 1992 -hilary

Some quick research shows that we are result number 31 of about 64,000. We'll take our readers however we can get 'em. In this case, we have Scott and his 20 Qs with to thank.

20 Qs with Josh Karls

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

Cliff jumping at lynn canyon

2. What are your pet peeves?

Taking pitches on the first strike and people that eat with their mouths open

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

Babe Ruth he was the greatest who else calls their shots??

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

Simply say 'baw chicka wow wow'

5. What is your favorite board game?

Yahtzee

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

Demolition. Breaking stuff to relieve stress.

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

My loved ones of course i would try for a second run for my sports cards.

8. What is your favorite baseball memory?

Jose Canseco taking the homer off the dome.

9. Who do people say you look like?

Paul Walker or Zac Morris

10. I’d like to confess that I...

Shave my chest

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?

To a germany soccer match with my dad.

12. What was the last concert you attended?

Tom Green

13. Favorite website(s)?

btjunkie.org and other torrent sites

14. One book everyone should read is…

The Catcher In The Rye

15. One movie everyone should see is…

300

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

Robert Burnaby Park. It's close to home and its a great park

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

Meat

18. When was the last time you ran?

At Tuesday's game

19. My greatest fear is…

Heights

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 August 2, 1992?

I was in jail nice try though

July 31 2007

Whalley Park. 7pm. Vs Surrey Pirates.

Once again this blogger found out sometime in the fourth inning or later that we were only playing seven innings. Turns out it is a new-this-season LMBA thing where midweek evening games only go seven innings. So we won't be clueless - or annoyed - again in the future; concerning this topic, that is.

Kris started on the mound and did well. After delivering a three-up three-down top of the first, he led off the bottom of the first and promptly hit a double. His first of four solid hits on the day.

Jump forward to the bottom of the sixth - quite a jump we know, but we're pressed for time here, so please forgive us. Up a run, we're looking to add some insurance before the Pirates have their final at-bat. Kris is on second base, and there's a basehit. The third base coach is emphatically waving him in - with full vocal support of the occupants of the dugout behind him. Here comes the throw... it's gonna be close.. Kris slides.. he's under the tag, he's under the tag.. we start cheering.. but wait.. the ump hasn't made the call yet.. now he's pointing at the catcher's glove.. now he's making a fist.. what the?? Indians players and fans voice their displeasure. Kris - known for nothing if not his honesty, and maybe his penchant for puns - tells us he was safe. Grrrr...

And wouldn't you know it. Top of the seventh the Pirates get a man on third. Two outs. At the plate is a batter having his first at-bat of the game. His first swing of the game? A little blooper, a Texas leaguer if you will, behind third base. We have ourseves a tie game. A tough break for Tyler, who pitched very well in relief after a tough outing last game.

Leading off the bottom of the seventh is (spoiler alert) co-hero-of-the-day Enrique. Co-hero? Yes, because not only did Kris, the other co-hero recipient, go 4-for-4, he pitched five terrific innings. So co-hero Enrique smacks a pitch to right centre for a double. Next up is Jeff, who lays down his second sacrifice bunt of the day, both of them works of art. So now Enrique is at third base...

Today's iPod.
...and with his head fully in the game, he's 100% focused on every pitch. And that pitch is past the catcher! Enrique breaks for home, hits top gear, slides, and he's safe! For real this time! Indians win, Indians win! Our losing skid is over! Kudos.