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.

July 29 2007

Whalley Park. 10am. Vs Delta Tigers.

We lost 8-3.

July 24 2007

Central Park. 6:30pm. Vs Burnaby Brewers.

The weather was hella better than the June 24th rained-out affair which this midweek make-up game was a result of. We tried four different wordings of that previous sentence to strive for the best clarity, and that was the best we could get. Ugh.

Game started in the Brewers favor, with two runs scored in the first inning with a potential third run thrown out at the plate by a heads-up Heatley who had a strong game.

Several Indians had a strong game at the plate, hitting the ball hard; unfortunately, several of the hard-hit balls found a fielder's glove or grass on the foul side of the line. Their players, on the other hand, had hard-hit balls that kept finding grass in the area between the infield and outfield.

In the fourth inning, this blogger found out that we were only playing seven innings, irregardless of time. Something we felt should have been well announced by somebody before the game so all players are in the know. This comes after our last game played only went seven innings due to lonnnng innings in the first half of the game. Our several nine-inning games to start the season - along with our wins - seem like a distant memory.

In the top of the sixth, we were batting and down 3-1. A couple of players did rally caps and that is undoubtedly what sparked a rally, capped by a bases-loaded after-the-pitch try-to-catch-the-runner-too-far-off-the-base catcher's throw to third which got by the third baseman allowing the runner to score to tie the game.

However, in the bottom of the same inning the Brewers moved two runners across the plate, setting us up for a dramatic top of the seventh comeback. To be or not to be? It wasn't to be. We moved one runner across the plate, and then the third out was made. A 5-4 loss. Bah humbug.

Of note, after a beaning this game Kelly has now been beaned three times in the past two games. In other words, that's three times in 14 innings. Wait a sec... We're quite sure it was at least the third inning last game when his first beaning occured (since it happened after his drill-the-pitcher at-bat), so make that three times in 12 innings. That's once every 4 innings. Keep up the good work Grace!

Today's iPod.
The Brew Crew had runners in scoring position and less than two out when a ball was popped up in foul territory a considerable distance past first base. Heatley followed it with speed, kept track of the fast approaching fence, and made an outstretched on-the-move catch before quickly turning to ensure the runner at third stayed put. Kudos.
After Heatley's rain-out performance on June 24th earned him the iPod that day, this is his second iPod at Central Park in exactly a month. Double Kudos.

July 22 2007

Whalley Park. 5pm. Vs Surrey Pirates.

Another no-game game day. The weather network forecasts the end of rain on Tuesday, so our Tuesday make-up game (6:30pm at Central Park versus the Burnaby Brewers) is probable. At this point, we're still thinking that the rest of our games this season should all be played in retractable-roof Safeco. Either that or our 2008 season will consist entirely of make-up games from 2007.

20 Qs with Scott Sibley

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

I once asked my ex-girlfriend if she was moody because she was PMSing?… if you don’t think that is daring try it sometime !!!

2. What are your pet peeves?

People being late - with all the technology we have nowadays there is really no excuse to be late on a regular basis but yet there are people who manage to defy the logic.

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

Bonds – I have to admire someone who is trying to cheat to get to the top, gets caught, but manages to get away with it anyways..... in my opinion Bonds has had to work twice as hard as Aaron or Ruth.

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

Give them one of the 8x10s of me that I carry around just for situations like this one.

5. What is your favourite board game?

Cranium – it’s like crack!

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

Employee Liberator – I love helping to free these poor unintelligent employees from the constraints of a well paying cushy job.

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

My blackberry….. it is part of my soul!

8. What is your favorite baseball memory?

Joe Carter’s walk off world series winning homerun in ’93…… much like my game winning 9th inning homerun in ’07 (I needed to find a way to get that in here)

[editor: click here to see Scott's game winning 9th inning homerun in '07]

9. Who do people say you look like?

I used to get Vince Vaughn – not sure why???

10. I’d like to confess that I...

Wax my eyebrows twice a year…..don’t judge - the ladies love 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?

Superbowl – just to say I went…. I would hold auditions across Western Canada to find the most qualified female companion to accompany me.

12. What was the last concert you attended?

Faith Hill & Tim McGraw – not my choice, but worth it in the end.

13. Favorite website(s)?

What Would Tyler Durden Do – http://www.wwtdd.com/ – great celebrity gossip.

14. One book everyone should read is…

October 2004 edition of Swank Magazine; there is a great article in there about world economical pressures.

15. One movie everyone should see is…

The Usual Suspects.

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

Whalley – what other park has its own hooker section in the stands?

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

Fast Food.

18. When is the last time you ran?

September 1998 – I had to catch a plane….. don’t confuse my trotting with running.

19. My greatest fear is…

Losing control of my surrounding… I’m a bit of a control freak.

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 July 20, 1992?

“I have no idea” is always the answer….. because anyone who could possibly remember what they were doing is definitely lying and most likely guilty, most people can't remember what they had for lunch a week ago let alone what they were doing over 6 months ago.

July 19 2007

Whalley Park. 7pm. Vs Newton Royals.

Another no-game game day. The weather network forecasts rain all weekend, so our Sunday game (5pm at Whalley versus the Surrey Pirates) is iffy. At this point, we're thinking that the rest of our games this season should all be played in retractable-roof Safeco. Either that or our 2008 season will consist entirely of make-up games from 2007.