Sorry I'm late this week, but my other life got in the way. Taking 40 kids to Washington DC next week and we're booked on American Cancellation Airlines!!!!

Three baseball thoughts crossed my mind this week after playing in the games. First, it is great to see base-running become part of the game again with the brouhaha over courtesy runners getting resolved. Too, bad some kind of base stealing couldn't be part of he game like in fantasy camp, you know one per inning, stealing only when you're behind, can't steal again until the other team does. Strategy and coaching would take on a new light and I'm in favor of anything that makes us focus more intently on the game. Second, it's sad how the wood bat has caused outfielders to play so close to the infield creating a lot of force-outs at second base on what would be routine singles if we weren't playing in like little leaguers. The third thought has to do with the irony of listening to John Haines complain about outfielders playing so close when he was the same guy that admonsihed his own team mates for playing too, deep against wood bats. Oh well, I'm just glad I can still suit up and b*tch because when I was growing up, men our age were adjusting their Depends!

9AM GAME

by Mike Mello

The Oakland A's had another rough outing this week against there Friendly rival's, The Philadelphia A's. Philadelphia did not waist any time in the 1st inning pushing runs across the plate........

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The Nooner

by Matt Schmuck

Welcome to Winter Baseball… Oops, sorry. It had to be at least 40 degrees out today. Balmy!

Chalk up another win for the NY Giants. It all started today with Lorne’s pre-game comment: “ I know what it feels like to be rear-ended “. After that comment we were destined for a win.

The game begins and in the top of the 1st we jump up three runs on a few errors from the Elk Grove boys. Bottom of the inning we start out with our rear-ender on the mound. Little Johnson must have still been suffering from being “rear-ended” because he pitched a bit up-tight. Facing 6-batters with 5-reaching base. Miller comes in and quickly allows all of Little Johnson’s runs to come across… Not on purpose of course, but once you’ve been rear-ended, a couple of extra runs don’t much matter.

Miller goes on to pitch very well, being backed up by Sugar-Ray and Simon at third. Combined those guys must have had 53-put outs today. After four innings Miller finally runs out of gas, and Simon comes in to clean up. We had a good day defensively… of course, lets relive a few plays.

Our best defensive play today was by far the fly ball run down in Right-Center by Doc Peabody. An absolute tweener, both PeeWee and Doc are on a full steam collision course, at the last second PeeWee calls the ball, but it was too late, Doc comes flying in (as only 40+ year olders can do) and grabs the ball while avoiding the train wreck. Nice!

Scotty added some excitement defensively, not only with a good grab, but his ability to argue calls, Even when they are in our favor. Ground ball to short, pick – throw - it’s wide, Scotty stretches way out, tippy toes on the bag and makes the grab while falling down. The Ump yells “OUT-YES HE’s ON THE BAG!!!” Scotty jumps up arms wide yelling WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT… I HAD HIM ALL THE WAY!!! Yep, Scotty argued with a call in his favor. Note to team manager, please have the equipment guys get Scotty some hearing aids.

A high-five goes to Jim Realini for catching for us the past two games. I think we left Jim a bit broken for his late afternoon game though. While warming up in the batting cage, Jim takes a ball right off the elbow hit by Chuck Arthur. In the third inning a low pitch bounces up and slams him in the cup…had him gasping for wind a bit. In the fifth inning, the Chuck Arthur slams a foul tip off his big toe!! Then in the 7th inning while batting Jim takes a pitch thrown by Chuck Arthur off the arm. ouch… Ouch … OUCH!

(Realini's note: Chuck!!! What did I ever do to you!!?)

Coach Weil 2 for 4 with a SAC
Scotty 1 for 4
MichaelSimon 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and 2-RBI’s (It’s pretty bad when you go 2 for 3 and drop your average)
Sugar-Ray 1 for 3 with a walk
Tenner 3 for 4 with an RBI
Coach Miller 2 for 4 with an RBI
Realini 1 for 2 with a walk, a HBP and an RBI
Pool-boy Chad 1 for 2 with 2 walks and 3-RBI’s
Little Johnson 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI
Doc 1 for 4

3PM

by Jim Realini

This was a late afternoon thriller played in two-parts. Part one saw the SF guys rolling to another decisive victory behind the the wiley pitching of the frustrating Frank Weishaar and the Giants usual scrappy hitting. In the second half, actually the 7th, 8th and 9th innings; the Tokyo Giants rallied to hand the SF guys their first defeat. Joe Gagliardo, playing in memory of his mom who passed on watching the Giants beat the Dodgers with friends and family in attendance, silenced the SF Giant bats over four solid innings and crushed two doubles to right to end the Giant win skein. Kim Ruppert stunned the SF team (and team mate Doug Rusch) with three solid rips up the middle while Lynn Harkreider, who lost his mom last year, rapped a bases loaded double to right to kill the Giants hope for an undefeated season. Ray Mialovic was robbed of anapparent diouble to right when the crafty Colonel shouted "Foul" in the umps ear influencing him to make the wrong decision. Duane Blevins bashed two hits while Gordon Simmons added a single and a double. Guy Peabody, Chuck Arthur, and Doug Rusch also belted bingles to help crunch the SF Giants.

Meganahan Skellyfetty jumped out of the pool in a non-pitching performance to belt a double for SF. Ruben Donig led SF with two mighty hits on the day. Chad Cordillero, Captain Steve Bennet, John Haines, and Frank Weishaar each contributed singles in the Giants losing effort. John Haines relieved Weishaar in the 7th after Skellyfetty was ruled ineligible to pitch for administrative reasons and fell victim to some wind-aided errors.