During the morning game, a rather silly moment occurred in our fantasy league. Randy Saladana was replaced at third base by Keith DaCosta, who had made the last recorded out to end the last inning. I was catching when this happened and I did point it out to the Plate Ump who was adorned in what I usually wear as an undershirt or Gemello wears to a Halloween Party. The Giant bench said Randy had breathing problems, asthma. I believed him. After the game he said it was a "foot" problem.... I will except Randy's explanation until the truth be deemed as different ;>! If that is the truth then only the questionable substitution of DaCosta for Saladana should be the issue. While "WHO" the runner was did not effect the game, this was another case of "loose" interpretation of the rule. I do not think Doug cheated, in fact, Doug appeared subdued and under the weather all game (he did not play), he did have breathing problems. Do not blame the umpire, I didn't argue the substitution and he took my silence as acceptance. Given the controversy over the "courtesy runner" rule, (including the notorious circumstance of a certain pitcher who ALWAYS gets a runner, even though he apparently can play other positions at reasonably noticeable ability), perhaps the Commissioner(s) could re-iterate the rule with the coaches and the umpires. Incidently, during the PM game I was left stranded on first base with two outs (as a catcher next half-inning) and was unable to get my own team to supply a runner because they could not figure out the last out, the last batted out, the last recorded out.....Other than that, it was a great baseball weekend.

930 AM GAME

by Matt Schmuck with editions by Jim Realini

New York lost today in a difficult 9th inning. I know several guys are blaming themselves, but as you will see from our batting stats it had nothing to do with our field play and everything to do with our batting. We just plain and simple did not hit.
So we lost, it was still fun, and we had some great highlights. Skellyfettii took the hill for us as a pool-boy, and did pretty darn well. Giving up two in the first then settling down and throwing some of the nastiest slow balls I've ever seen. This pitch was floating right through the batters, as if it had eyes. Pool-Boy goes six, and we are down by two. The Tokyo Giants Start with Joe Gags, who just simply shut us down for six innings. Then in the 7th they bring in the Fantasy league vet Carl Vargas, who let us back into the game. In the 8th inning we sent 11-players to the plate getting only 3-hits. One of the hits was a cue-shot broken bat fister by Realini that squirted passed everyone! Carl walked four and hit Scotty. We scored six runs, our only offensive production of the day. Need I say more about our hitting today… we only scored in one inning. In the seventh inning we bring in Doug 'Babe' Meyer to clean up. Doug walks the first guy but then settles in and throws well. Doug ends up giving up three runs in three innings. On the defensive front high-fives all around for Dennis 'Smooth' Horn. Hard hit grounder to short - fires to Smooth at second who turns the DP… Nice job, sooooo smooth….Skellyfettii on the hill sets, winds, FIRES, pop-foul towards the third base dugout, Meghanahan flat out runs sliding on his knees and makes the catch. For the most part our defense was very good as usual. Batting stats for the NY Giants: Chuck Arthur 1 for 3 with a walk. Jim Realini 1 for 3 with a walk and a RBI. Little Johnson 2 for 3 with a RBI. Rich Weil 2 for 3 with two RBI's. Those recording "oh-fers" shall remain unlisted.

FROM THE PLATE

by Jim Realini

I played for the New Yorkers today and enjoyed the experience as a game (does that make me a gamer?) but hated the outcome! I do admire the grittiness of the Tokyo guys and girl! They played tough behind Joe Gagliardo (yes, he owns me, for now!) but they Matt Cain'd him again letting NYG go ahead on Ricjh Weil's big hit. Fighting back, they set-up the play of the game. Bases loaded, one out infield in with the score 6 to 4. Doug Meyer throws and the batter hits a weak ten-hopper to the mound. Doug cleanly fields throws home and I look to first, but the fielder has charged the bunt, so I look to third, but the fielder has charged the bunt, so I look to second but no one's there!! so we stop the run, but the Sushi Men get another bat which turns out to be a double scoring two runs to tie leading to a thrilling bottom of the ninth ending with a ball-four RBI. Remember ninety percent of baseball is half mental!!!!

1 PM Game

by Jim Realini & Mike Mello

The San Francisco Giants are on a roll! Behind the outstanding pitching of Heath "Guess what I'm gonna throw next" Keller and the Flutterbye offerings of John Haines the Philadelphia A's ran into a veritable elvet buzz saw that had them flailing away at an endless assortment of unhittable gas and gauze. When they did hit the ball it was scooped up and thrown to first or it was snatched like a can of corn by Terry Lee and Greg Terra roving the power alleys of Left Center.
The Giants continued their league leading scoring deluge by putting runners on with Realini's "Ichiro" hits, SanFillippo's perfect bunts, patient batting leadiung to walks combined with timely big hits and RBI's by Keller, Weihaar, Haines and Lee. Terry "Pool Boy" Lee ed the barrage with two singles and a mighty triple. Heath Keller blasted a double and a bingle while Frank "Aluminium Wonder" Weishaar and John "En fuego" Haines had two hit days. Haines is now 9 for 12 in games!! Steve Bennett, Tom "Ageless Wonder" Sanfillippo, Doctor Guy Peabody, and Jim Realini each hit singles to hurt the A's.
Considering how dismal the Big League Giants look this year, these San Francisco guys might just keep too, much tarnish off the San Francisco logo.

The Mello Version: This is a game that the Phili's A's, probably don't want to remember for a while. With that said we'll keep it a little shorter this week and get on with this painful write up. The Giant's were visiting and did not waste any time wearing out home plate with 2 unanswered runs in the 1st off of Frank Weishaars bat. The A's in the 1st, sent only 3 batters to the plate. With the sure bat in his hand, Kevin Zimmerman could not do anything right in the batter's box whatsoever with his Refrigerator sized strike zone at hand. Zip for the A's in the 1st. In the 2nd, the Giants were held quiet with the lone Giant hit going to Terry Lee. In the A's 2nd No runs were found, although, Jeff Macausland punched 1 through for a base hit and the only A's highlight of the inning. As for the Giants in the 3rd. They managed a couple more Plate Crossers with base hits by Steve Bennett, John Go Tagless Haines, Mr. Peabody and a 2 Bagger hit going to Heath "Are you tired of pitching yet" Keller". The A's 3rd was not there at all offensively, 3 batters went to the plate and were turned away with zilch once again. After 3 full, A's 0 and the Giants 4. The Black and Orange came up in the 4th and wasted no time firing up the engines. Terry Lee smoked a 3 bagger deep to lead off the inning followed by run producing hits from The Real Deal Realini, Tommy San Fillipo who layed down a buntski and My favorite Giant when he's not playing against Me Steve Bennett all with nice hits. The A's 4th was still sputtering with only 1 base hit awarded to Mr. Comeback Eddie Contreras. In the Giants 5th Sil Krevocheza pitched well for the A's only giving up 1 hit to Johnny Haines, then Sil Krevo shut um down the rest of the inning.The A's in the 5th sent 5 batters to the plate and recieved only 2 hits from Jeff Macausland and Sil Krevocheza with no A's runs in sight. Frank Weishaar led off the Giants 6th with his 2nd hit of the day followed by 1 more hit from the, on fire Terry Lee, But Krevocheza held them in check for 0 Runs in their 6th. In the A's 6th The Green and Gold only found 1 hit off the bat of Rene Loverboy Lovato AND THAT WAS IT. Hat's off to Heath Keller today , He pitched a very nice and near flawless game against the other # 1 Team today. G G G Great j j job Heath. The A's inserted Rod New Oehrlein into the pitchers slot for the 7th, Rod faced only 3 Giant batters to shut em down in the 7th. The A's got a small bit of excitement going in the 7th with a lead of triple by Rod Oehrlein followed by a RBI hit from Ken Calloway. this finally put the A's on the board for the 1st time today. After 7 full A's 1 Giants 8. The Giants in the 8th drummed up 1 hit from their Ace pitcher Heath Keller, Then were shut down again with nice A's pitching from New Oehrlein. The A's 8th was most similar to the rest of their game today with 1 hit from Rusty Abernathy's A's debut and that was all for the A's again. The A's inserted Jeff Macausland as their new Pitcher in for the Giants 9th. Macausland shut em down pretty quick facing only 3 batters and striking out 2.. Deja Vu for the A's in their 9th it was 3 up and 3 down with fine pitching from the Giants John Haines. Final score A's 1 Giants 8. The Leader board has been adjusted. let's see how these 2 teams face off against each other next round. This was a well played and very well pitched game by both teams today. The Giants had runners in the right positions when their bats were alive and the A's spread out their hits to far apart to do the damage their very well capable of doing.