ok, so we’re not off to a screaming hot start but we’re not totally lost either.

For game one vs. Jerry’s Nuggets, we let a team playing with 9 (just ok) players stay in the game until the 5th. We then threw a couple crooked numbers up two innings in a row and made what had been a close game into a laugher victory. The game was played 5 guys and 5 girls, with Shawn McGivern filling in capably for Don and Paul. No pics or video from this game unfortunately.

Last night vs. Paine Wetzel, we fell victim to a patient team of hitters (they must have walked a 5 or 6 times, easy) and big boppers doing what they’re supposed to. I can’t recall someone hitting 3 home runs against us but their number three batter did just that. It started with a solo shot and ended with two devastating grand slams. Those runs pretty much put the game out of reach, even though it wasn’t so poorly played. We had a couple pop ups and a few strikeouts but did score 9 or 10 so offense wasn’t really the problem. What makes this worse we beat this team HANDILY last year. Oh well…. Don and Miles shared a batting spot, Erin filled in for Christine and there are a few pics and video that I’ll post this week.

On to next week, which is a later game, if I’m not mistaken. I’ll write up something about them when I post the pics/vids.

Ok, so a lot has changed since I last updated.  Previous to now, the latest post concerned a double header of makeup games against Team Beinveste (which we won) and Head First (which we almost won). I had been very excited for these games, as it seemed we were playing our best softball at just the right time, gearing up for the playoffs and making a run for the elusive summer league championship the following week.

Of course, things don’t always go as planned. As it turns out, I (miles) suffered a rather demoralizing (for myself, not the team) leg injury during the first half of the double header and was too frustrated to update the page with a post game breakdown or to upload the pics/video from those games or from the first round loss to Jerry’s Nuggets.  It’s a shame because I took many good pictures during those games and I will try to sort through the footage I have and post them in the appropriate places.

On to the present though, as tonight is the scheduled start of the Fall 2008 Skokie League. After much discussion about abandoning Skokie for a city league, we find ourselves once again back on the North Shore to defend our Fall 2007 championship victory (as Spawn of Belvedere).  The whole gang is pretty much back, although Don (who injured his shoulder late in the summer season) and I are still on the mend from softball pains and Paul is trying to shake off the effects of a recent car accident (thanks again to the drunken illegal who u-turned into Erin’s car on Labor Day!).

Shawn McGivern will suit up for us tonight in a rematch against Jerry’s Nuggets, who eliminated the 3 Seashells just a little over a month ago. That is, of course, if the threatening rainstorm doesn’t postpone it.

Regarding our team name, we have officially decided on Balki’s Ballers for this fall in an homage to the perfectly hilarious, Chicago based 80s sitcom, Perfect Strangers.

In other news, Balki’s Ballers will be sponsored by Paddy Mac’s, which is where we tried to get sponsored in the summer but it fell through.

Game time tonight is 6:30, and the lineup is as follows.

Lee (LCF)
Eve (1B)
Matt (RCF)
Elisabeth (LF)
Sean (SS)
Emilie (C)
Gary (P)
Christine (RF)
Miles (3B)
Lancy (2B)

Sitting: Paul (car accident related) and Don (shoulder)

How strange is it that the two rainout games were against the worst team and arguably the best team in the league? Up first is Team Beinveste, who sport a record of 1-6 with 18 runs scored versus 78 runs against. Both stats are absolute worst in the league. Game starts at 7 and I don’t believe we’ve played a team with this name before.

The second game is against Head First, who comes in with a record of 6-0-1 (pending last week’s regularly scheduled game vs. Ski Unit and a makeup game versus Shillelaghs) with 88 runs scored and 14 against. For comparisons sake, The Shells have scored 71 and let up 31. Other than the 11 we gave up in our stinker loss to Shillelaghs, we’ve given up 20. They’ve been even a little better than that.

The attendees of Saturday’s practice discussed a little strategy/gamesmanship for tonight’s game. Since we play the last place team while our next opponent is in the stands watching, we figured we’d mix it up a little bit in game 1 to maintain our powerful element of surprise (namely, lots of lefty hitters and strong fielders at key positions).

If Head First has a weak fielder (and I’m not sure they do. I’ve seen them and they’re very solid, especially on the infield and in LF), it’s probably going to be in RF. If we can jump on them with a bunch of long hits to RF in the early innings, preferably in the 1st inning, we can probably scratch across a few runs that might be harder to come by in the later innings after they adjust to the big swinging lefties. Putting a good team at an early deficit monumentally inflates the pressure they feel, especially if they’re not accustomed to trailing.

With this in mind, I think we need to load the righties in the top of the order for game 1 and lefties in the top of the order for game 2. Lee, Miles, Don and Paul. Hopefully, the surprise of right field hits will let us jump ahead quickly and push the game out of reach before they adjust and move a stronger fielder to RF. I’m even considering (and I’d ask the other lefties, if they’re brave enough and we’re winning by enough) hitting right handed in my last couple at-bats of game 1.

Ok, that’s it. long pre-game post… Let’s get these games on.

This just in from Eve.

Game 1 and Game 9 have been rescheduled for July 23rd.

7pm vs. Team Benveneste

7:55pm vs. Head First

As Eve mentioned, we’re playing the last place team and then the first place team. To me, that’s perfect. A quick warmup before the war. I’m kind of hoping we can finish off the last place team rather quickly so the next opponent doesn’t get to scout us for strategy. We all know how powerful the element of surprise can be.

Also, both games are at Laramie Park, not Terminal. See Parks on the right tab for directions.  I personally like this park better than Devonshire but not quite as much as Terminal. We played the first playoff game last fall there and it was bitterly cold, if I remember correctly.

These are the last contests before the playoffs and a sweep of both would at least put us in a tie for 2nd place, depending on the outcome Head First’s game next week against Ski Unit.

see the board for discussion about a practice (or two!) in the two weeks until our next game.

Great victory last night. Final score, I believe, was 19-1. Full 30 minute video of the game available below. I didn’t add music or check the audio so if there is any cursing or badmouthing, I apologize in advance.

(118 MB, wmv)

This may sound like a broken record, but we have a game (a late one, 8:45) and again it is supposed to rain.

Tonight’s rival is Head First, who beat Digitus Medius in game two of the summer league playoffs last year. There are pictures from that game here and here’s a picture of their bench from that game.

1998

If that weren’t incentive enough, they are also currently the 1st place team and have gone undefeated thus far. Here’s hoping we can induce a little punishment for last year and establish the tone for the upcoming playoffs.

Game 8. Basically, it was a no contest against a classy but over-matched opponent with a final score of 13-4.

Guest players Sean, Zach Steph and Jane all performed admirably in the rout.

Video coming soon!

(a little over 100 MB)

It’s kind of long because I stopped editing in the middle somewhere but it has my infamous slide play at home and an instant replay.  In hindsight, the camera angle was not great and the tag may have been a little high (you can see the ball on the right side a little above knee height) but it was close enough to be called out. oops! sorry for complaining.

So, yet again, our game is threatened by precipitation. It’s rained on and off downtown today but I’m told things are relatively dry in the suburbs.

Also, as mentioned in last game’s wrap-up, the Shells are playing shorthanded this week, as Matt, Lis, Lee, Molly and Emilie are all unavailable. So, in their stead, we have Sean and Zach as well as Jane and Stephanie. Having seen these guys in action, I have to say I think we did alright in the trade!

So, Game time is 7:55. I don’t know much about Smegheads except that, if their name means what has been suggested, it’s one of the more disgusting monikers I’ve come across in my lifetime. If the standings are any indication, (they sport a 1 and 4 record with 20 runs scored vs 55 against) they may have some trouble fielding the ball. It should be a good day to possibly try some new positions and experiment with the batting order.

Alright. See everyone at the park!

Whew! Last night’s game was a demonstration in the capability of the 3 Seashells. Offensively, the team piled on 13 runs with several big dings and fielded every reasonable chance they had. The story of the night, however, had to be the stellar pitching of Gary Zimmer, who struck out 3 (remember, this is slow-pitch softball) and surrendered only 1 hit (and shortstop Molly Jones nearly pulled pulled that line drive out of the air before CF Lee Greenberg’s throw to 1st was just a second late).

Granted, Sportin’ Wood (a fellow Howard Street Inn Sponsored team) didn’t have a lineup of sluggers but the ‘Shells refused to play down to the competition, which is a good sign of things to come.

I didn’t get too video much (no tripod) and only took a handful of pictures during the 35 minute game but here they are.

35923580358636013607Next week, the team will be majorly short as Lee, Matt, Elisabeth, Molly and Emilie will ALL be out of town. The Shells will have to look to the farm system of Evanston/Wilmette to pluck a player or two for the matchup against the Smegheads. You gotta wonder if their female team members know what it means?

Also, because Lancy missed the game (thanks for filling in Aunt Mimi!) we had to go 6 and 5 with the order, so Don and I (Miles) shared a spot.