Wednesday, May 27 vs Stirling (Rain-out)
As many of you noticed, it was rather rainy for much of today (Wednesday). At 6:40 pm in Bloomingdale, it was sprinkling lightly, and Diamond B had just a few puddles. Between about 6:50 and 7:03 pm, we had a serious rain shower, during which we set up the bases. At about 7:02 pm, I told the rep from Stirling Ave that his team really does need to show up at the diamond, but since it was raining hard and likely to continue or get worse, we would call it a rain-out. (At this point they had only 4 players present.) One person (Cal - oops, did I say that out loud) mentioned that there was a good hockey game on TV, anyway.
So, by 7:04 or so, my rain jacket was not really necessary, and since Dave was getting in some pitching practice, we (Steven M, Nathan M, Mark P, Mackenzie, Scott A, Tracy, Cam) stayed for batting/fielding practice.
Thanks to those who were planning on coming out, and to those who indicated that they would not be able to. An email even up to 5 pm on gameday is welcome, since I try to prepare line-ups and fielding assignments ahead of time. Those who reliably indicate when they can and cannot come will bat higher in the order and play defense in more innings.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A fine night for Slo-Pitch
Tuesday, May 19 vs Glencairn Mennonite Brethren
Tuesday night was a beautiful night to be on the diamond - warm and clear with just enough wind for Cal's "curveballs".
We had twelve players out, which was almost exactly what I was expecting. Thanks to all of you for letting me know when you plan to play. Steven M and Nathan M brought their roommate Mark ? out. David Neufeld played his first game of the season, which will be shortened for him given his impending move to South America. We also had fans - Romy C, who played in our exhibition game, George F (dad and grandpa of Dave and Mackenzie), and Kathy and Anna A who "watched" from the outfield playground for the first part of the game.
As for the game, we continued to hit reasonably well. Like last game, we had runners on base in most innings, scoring in three of them for a total of seven. Steven M showed why he won last year's Jackrabbit award, twice using agressive baserunning to score from second base with two outs. Dave F and Nathan M each reached base every at bat, and all but two hitters reached base at least once, according to my records.
Our defense turned two double plays, both involving third base. One was the traditional bases loaded grounder to third, which calls for stepping on third and throwing home. The other saw Mackenzie catch a fly ball in left, and throwing out the runner who didn't tag up. (Glencairn learned that "there is no rally that cannot be killed by incredibly stupid baserunning", to quote Dennis Burkhardt.) Other heads up plays came on "errors". I think on a total of three dropped infield pop-ups or liners we still recovered to get a force play, which gets basically the same result.
This week's tip: Infield fly rule. If there are runners on first and second, or first, second and third, and there are less than two outs, then on a fly ball (pop up) that is a reasonable catch by an infielder, the batter is automatically out (whether the ball is caught or not). Runners may run after the ball is caught or dropped if they wish, but there is no force play since the batter is out. Remember this when you are umpiring and running the bases.
Next week we play on Wednesday, May 27 at 7 pm, home vs Stirling on Diamond B. I am expecting Nathan M, Steven M, Sal U, Peter J, Peter S, Mackenzie F, Dave F, Scott A (pending baby), Cal J, Cam J, and Tracy K. I have regrets from Mark D-H. I don't know if Alan and Lynn are planning a honeymoon after Friday or not. Best wishes for your wedding and marriage.
Shirts: Tracy has a lead on getting us some team shirts. Please let me know if you have ideas for what colour you would like, and for lettering (i.e. FMC, or First Mennonite, or East End, or some other words instead or in addition).
See you next week.
Tuesday night was a beautiful night to be on the diamond - warm and clear with just enough wind for Cal's "curveballs".
We had twelve players out, which was almost exactly what I was expecting. Thanks to all of you for letting me know when you plan to play. Steven M and Nathan M brought their roommate Mark ? out. David Neufeld played his first game of the season, which will be shortened for him given his impending move to South America. We also had fans - Romy C, who played in our exhibition game, George F (dad and grandpa of Dave and Mackenzie), and Kathy and Anna A who "watched" from the outfield playground for the first part of the game.
As for the game, we continued to hit reasonably well. Like last game, we had runners on base in most innings, scoring in three of them for a total of seven. Steven M showed why he won last year's Jackrabbit award, twice using agressive baserunning to score from second base with two outs. Dave F and Nathan M each reached base every at bat, and all but two hitters reached base at least once, according to my records.
Our defense turned two double plays, both involving third base. One was the traditional bases loaded grounder to third, which calls for stepping on third and throwing home. The other saw Mackenzie catch a fly ball in left, and throwing out the runner who didn't tag up. (Glencairn learned that "there is no rally that cannot be killed by incredibly stupid baserunning", to quote Dennis Burkhardt.) Other heads up plays came on "errors". I think on a total of three dropped infield pop-ups or liners we still recovered to get a force play, which gets basically the same result.
This week's tip: Infield fly rule. If there are runners on first and second, or first, second and third, and there are less than two outs, then on a fly ball (pop up) that is a reasonable catch by an infielder, the batter is automatically out (whether the ball is caught or not). Runners may run after the ball is caught or dropped if they wish, but there is no force play since the batter is out. Remember this when you are umpiring and running the bases.
Next week we play on Wednesday, May 27 at 7 pm, home vs Stirling on Diamond B. I am expecting Nathan M, Steven M, Sal U, Peter J, Peter S, Mackenzie F, Dave F, Scott A (pending baby), Cal J, Cam J, and Tracy K. I have regrets from Mark D-H. I don't know if Alan and Lynn are planning a honeymoon after Friday or not. Best wishes for your wedding and marriage.
Shirts: Tracy has a lead on getting us some team shirts. Please let me know if you have ideas for what colour you would like, and for lettering (i.e. FMC, or First Mennonite, or East End, or some other words instead or in addition).
See you next week.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Nine is fine for Slo-Pitch
Wednesday, May 13 vs Waterloo Mennonite Brethren
With light rain falling over the supper hour, and forecasts of more rain in the evening, it didn't look promising for tonight's Slo-Pitch game. However, the rain didn't get heavier, it actually let up to sprinkles and then nothing by the last innings of our game against Waterloo Mennonite Brethren church.
Each team played with nine players tonight, down from the 12 I was expecting for our team. (Two are getting married next week, so I guess they might be busy with other things.) Cam, Cal, Scott, Mark, Mackenzie, Peter S, Peter J, Sal, and Tracy Kauffman all braved the elements.
I think that we actually have the best hitting with 9 players in the line-up. We get to bat more often, and between running, umpiring, and coaching, we are all in the game. (That's not to say that I don't like having 14 players, and we'll need everyone we can get in the summer time, I expect.) It took once through the batting order to find our stroke, but in the third inning we scored three runs, sending 8 batters to the plate. That actually tied the score, since we let in only two runs in the first, one in the second, and blanked them in the third. We added two in the fifth, with me tripling in Mark's lead-off single, and Tracy's single over the bag at third cashing me in. We also added single runs in the sixth (with Sal leading off with a triple of his own), seventh, and eighth innings. We had five or more batters in each inning except the second (4) and third (3).
Our defence played a pretty good game, except for the numerous grounders that went through my legs. Mackenzie had one particularly impressive catch on a deep fly ball to left, and Peter Jutzi hauled in a number of flies in the outfield, too. Peter Szabo used both hands to catch a liner to second, and Sal made a picture-perfect stretch at first base to catch Mark's throw from third and put out the batter. In the end, we couldn't catch the four flies that landed over the fence, and I could only catch pop-ups at shortstop, so WMB ended up with 18 runs to our 8.
With light rain falling over the supper hour, and forecasts of more rain in the evening, it didn't look promising for tonight's Slo-Pitch game. However, the rain didn't get heavier, it actually let up to sprinkles and then nothing by the last innings of our game against Waterloo Mennonite Brethren church.
Each team played with nine players tonight, down from the 12 I was expecting for our team. (Two are getting married next week, so I guess they might be busy with other things.) Cam, Cal, Scott, Mark, Mackenzie, Peter S, Peter J, Sal, and Tracy Kauffman all braved the elements.
I think that we actually have the best hitting with 9 players in the line-up. We get to bat more often, and between running, umpiring, and coaching, we are all in the game. (That's not to say that I don't like having 14 players, and we'll need everyone we can get in the summer time, I expect.) It took once through the batting order to find our stroke, but in the third inning we scored three runs, sending 8 batters to the plate. That actually tied the score, since we let in only two runs in the first, one in the second, and blanked them in the third. We added two in the fifth, with me tripling in Mark's lead-off single, and Tracy's single over the bag at third cashing me in. We also added single runs in the sixth (with Sal leading off with a triple of his own), seventh, and eighth innings. We had five or more batters in each inning except the second (4) and third (3).
Our defence played a pretty good game, except for the numerous grounders that went through my legs. Mackenzie had one particularly impressive catch on a deep fly ball to left, and Peter Jutzi hauled in a number of flies in the outfield, too. Peter Szabo used both hands to catch a liner to second, and Sal made a picture-perfect stretch at first base to catch Mark's throw from third and put out the batter. In the end, we couldn't catch the four flies that landed over the fence, and I could only catch pop-ups at shortstop, so WMB ended up with 18 runs to our 8.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Keep your eyes on the Freys in Slo-Pitch
Wednesday, May 6 vs Breslau
Well, we just got the game in tonight before the rain started too severely. I don't know about the late game folks.
Even though we played nine innings (or 8 1/2 to be precise), we still finished well before 8:30 tonight. We also didn't quite make it through the batting order three times. That was in part because we ended up with fourteen players, and in part because many of our well-hit balls were caught by Breslau's fielders.
On defense, one inning stands out. Father-son outfield duo Dave and Mackenzie Frey accounted for all of the outs with catches in right and left field respectively. Mackenzie made the third out on a pretty sliding catch. In another innings, pitcher Cal J showed his athleticism and long glove by catching pop-up at the third base line. Of course, not even Mackenzie was able to catch the balls that went over the fence, so Breslau won by quite a few to about 2.
Roger K and future player/bat & ball boy Zach came out for the first time tonight. Tracy K (who, as church custodian, spends more time at First Mennonite Church than any of us) shook off a few years of rust to join us tonight, and hopefully for many games this season.
Since many people arrived early tonight, we were able to get a bit of practice in before the game. Let's keep doing that as we are able.
Well, we just got the game in tonight before the rain started too severely. I don't know about the late game folks.
Even though we played nine innings (or 8 1/2 to be precise), we still finished well before 8:30 tonight. We also didn't quite make it through the batting order three times. That was in part because we ended up with fourteen players, and in part because many of our well-hit balls were caught by Breslau's fielders.
On defense, one inning stands out. Father-son outfield duo Dave and Mackenzie Frey accounted for all of the outs with catches in right and left field respectively. Mackenzie made the third out on a pretty sliding catch. In another innings, pitcher Cal J showed his athleticism and long glove by catching pop-up at the third base line. Of course, not even Mackenzie was able to catch the balls that went over the fence, so Breslau won by quite a few to about 2.
Roger K and future player/bat & ball boy Zach came out for the first time tonight. Tracy K (who, as church custodian, spends more time at First Mennonite Church than any of us) shook off a few years of rust to join us tonight, and hopefully for many games this season.
Since many people arrived early tonight, we were able to get a bit of practice in before the game. Let's keep doing that as we are able.
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