Poolside at Gardner Memorial, I bask in a sun as strong as the afterglow of my (selective) memory of today's wiffle game. I am writing this post on my phone. I am literally mailing it in!
EL. OH. EL.
Only four for today's contest, including Kurt and da Commish who both played Saturday as well. They joined forces again, against Dave (R-OH) and Stats. It seemed that Peter and Kurt REALLY wanted to hit off Matt. But the hits were not as common as all would have liked, and the 14 hits on the day were rarely bunched together in a productive way.
The exception came in the top of the 4th when Peter worked 2 singles and a homer off Matt between Kurt's 3 outs. Kurt finally lived his dream and the old timers had a 3 run lead. Peter re-took the league lead in RBI. Matt had a small measure of unsatisfying revenge with a sixth inning solo homer, his first of the season, to end the scoring for the day. An outfielder got a hand or two on both home runs but were unable to secure the catches.
That dinger was the last of Matt's 5 hits on the game - all of the extra base variety (3 doubles, a triple and a homer). Stats' bat really heats up late in games when the pitchers' arms tire; all of his hits were in the 3rd inning or later. Only a single shy of hitting for the cycle, Matt now leads the league in extra base hits with 11.
Kurt and Dave both managed to pitch 3 scoreless innings. Dave scattered 3 hits, Kurt 2. Neither was ever in serious trouble. Peter gave up the one run while closing out the game, and Matt faced one over the minimum (other than that one bad inning) in his two other scoreless innings.
Kurt, Peter - 3
Dave, Matt - 1
W: Mosser
L: Lindsay
S: Berwald
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Notes from Saturday May 28, 2011 Game
A World Wiffle Classic as Korea (Han-Soo and Kim) took on the USA (Kurt, Brent and da Commish).
- Brent was the hard luck pitcher, again, surrendering five runs in 2 innings, including Kim's three-run home run, his third of the season.
- Kim's 5-RBI day put him in the league lead for RBIs with 9. 4-for-14 hitting, including the homer, raised his slugging average to .512.
- Han-Soo went 7-for-15 (!!), which actually LOWERED his season batting average (!!!!) to .519. He and Kurt lead the league in hits with 28 a piece.
- Han-Soo and Kim each pitched three innings, and Kim surrendered the only run of the day for his team - a solo homer by Peter Berwald, which pulled him back out in front of the pack in that stat (4).
- Han-Soo's unbelievable hitting and great pitching is not, reportedly, matched with the glove - two dropped fly balls and a clear error on a grounder today. Still, MVP numbers, no question.
- Lost in here is Kurt's day on the mound - 2 innings, 6 batters faced, 6 outs.
- The losing side had scoring chances all morning scattering 10 hits: Kurt 5, Brent 2, Peter 3.
Han-Soo, Kim - 5
Brent, Kurt, Peter - 1
W: Kim
L: Mackintosh
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Wiffle Mad Libs!
Can't say how the game went today, since I wasn't there. You are invited to write your own story by filling in the Mad Lib table here and then inserting your selections into the game story. You may want to print the table out and, remember, it's more fun if you don't read ahead. Enjoy!
No better way to start off the [ J ] weekend, then a good game of Wiffle. It is [ N ] to observe such traditions before embarking on six hours of shopping for [ V ]. And we had a fair number of wifflers gather at [ A ] field this morning to honor Oakwood’s pastime.
The [ G ] batted first and built a lead [ K ]. They took to the pitching of [ C ] in a big way - particularly the off-speed deliveries which were [ L ] all over the asphalt. Generating all of the visitors’ RBI was [ E ], who delivered knocks of the extra-base variety with the bases loaded more than once.
The home team, nicknamed the [ H ], had a huge [ M ] to climb to make this a game. The task seemed too great for them, until [ D ] drove up to deliver [ I ] cups of [ O ]. This diversion really woke the home-boys’ spirits and their bats.
The comeback began innocently enough, as [ F ] sent a [ Q ] single the opposite way with one out. But from that point on [ B ] failed to retire the next ten batters. The [ H ] lineup hummed like a [ P ]. When the onslaught was finally over, it seemed it was [ R ] already, and the right arm of [ B ] must have looked like a [ S ] [ T ].
It was the [ U ] comeback in wiffle history!!
For those of you who missed it this long weekend includes another chance to play. Come on out at 9:00 AM on Monday morning for bonus holiday wiffle!!
| Ref. | Fill in your word(s) | Description |
| A | Someone you read about in The Oakwood Register | |
| B | a politician | |
| C | a historical figure | |
| D | a current female celebrity | |
| E | a famous musician | |
| F | a famous athlete | |
| G | plural noun #1 | |
| H | plural noun #2 | |
| I | adjective #1 | |
| J | a holiday | |
| K | adverb | |
| L | verb, past tense | |
| M | noun | |
| N | adjective #2 | |
| O | a liquid | |
| P | a counter-top kitchen appliance | |
| Q | adjective #3 | |
| R | a calendar month | |
| S | adjective #4 | |
| T | an aquatic animal | |
| U | superlative adjective (ending in -est) | |
| V | plural noun #3 |
No better way to start off the [ J ] weekend, then a good game of Wiffle. It is [ N ] to observe such traditions before embarking on six hours of shopping for [ V ]. And we had a fair number of wifflers gather at [ A ] field this morning to honor Oakwood’s pastime.
The [ G ] batted first and built a lead [ K ]. They took to the pitching of [ C ] in a big way - particularly the off-speed deliveries which were [ L ] all over the asphalt. Generating all of the visitors’ RBI was [ E ], who delivered knocks of the extra-base variety with the bases loaded more than once.
The home team, nicknamed the [ H ], had a huge [ M ] to climb to make this a game. The task seemed too great for them, until [ D ] drove up to deliver [ I ] cups of [ O ]. This diversion really woke the home-boys’ spirits and their bats.
The comeback began innocently enough, as [ F ] sent a [ Q ] single the opposite way with one out. But from that point on [ B ] failed to retire the next ten batters. The [ H ] lineup hummed like a [ P ]. When the onslaught was finally over, it seemed it was [ R ] already, and the right arm of [ B ] must have looked like a [ S ] [ T ].
It was the [ U ] comeback in wiffle history!!
For those of you who missed it this long weekend includes another chance to play. Come on out at 9:00 AM on Monday morning for bonus holiday wiffle!!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Rapturous Wiffie Weather!
A curious thing happened in the first inning of today's game (which was moved up to 8:30 because of the That Day In May events). New guy, Paul Campbell, awaiting his turn in the bottom of the first just up and.. well.. VANISHED!
Paul had made a nice little catch in top of the first; Kurt was working on figuring out how to get under his skin and then - POOF! Oh, well. Just another one-timer who'll never be back, I guess.
Well, with that there were four left for Wiffle. There was some real hope that maybe one or two more would show at the normal time of 9, to be added in. No such luck. Two-on-two it remained; your loss to those who didn't come - the weather was perfect.
Scoreless into the bottom of the third, the home team broke out with two off Stats - triple, double, triple did the damage. Dave E. put those runners on but credit those 2 RBI to Peter Berwald.
Credit Peter with the game saving defensive play of the day, too. Top of the fourth with two on (remarkably against R-Dave) Kurt connected on a blistering liner up the middle. Peter's quick feet got a good jump and he ran the ball down well past the homer line for a harmless out. Dave (from the mound) and Stats (from the batter's box) both admired strike three to end the threat.
When asked later about Dave's pitching Stats, said, "What pitching? I didn't see any pitches." 'Nuff said.
Oh, and while we're at it, let's credit Peter with the Save as well, pitching a scoreless top of the fifth to end That Game in May.
Kurt, Matt - 0
Dave, Peter - 2
W: Berwald
L: Lindsay
S: Berwald
Paul had made a nice little catch in top of the first; Kurt was working on figuring out how to get under his skin and then - POOF! Oh, well. Just another one-timer who'll never be back, I guess.
Well, with that there were four left for Wiffle. There was some real hope that maybe one or two more would show at the normal time of 9, to be added in. No such luck. Two-on-two it remained; your loss to those who didn't come - the weather was perfect.
Scoreless into the bottom of the third, the home team broke out with two off Stats - triple, double, triple did the damage. Dave E. put those runners on but credit those 2 RBI to Peter Berwald.
Credit Peter with the game saving defensive play of the day, too. Top of the fourth with two on (remarkably against R-Dave) Kurt connected on a blistering liner up the middle. Peter's quick feet got a good jump and he ran the ball down well past the homer line for a harmless out. Dave (from the mound) and Stats (from the batter's box) both admired strike three to end the threat.
When asked later about Dave's pitching Stats, said, "What pitching? I didn't see any pitches." 'Nuff said.
Oh, and while we're at it, let's credit Peter with the Save as well, pitching a scoreless top of the fifth to end That Game in May.
Kurt, Matt - 0
Dave, Peter - 2
W: Berwald
L: Lindsay
S: Berwald
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Oh, well...
Wiffle was moved to Sunday in deference to the 2011 Care Walk. As it turned out, Sunday gave us..
So, what are you going to do with the time you would have been playing wiffle this morning? Let us know in the comments.
So, what are you going to do with the time you would have been playing wiffle this morning? Let us know in the comments.
Friday, May 13, 2011
A Message from Commissioner Peter Berwald
I want to tell you a story today about a special wiffler. His name is Tim Baker.
 |
| This is a picture of me with Tim at a Thursday batting practice. |
Tim has just the sweetest right handed swing in the League. Tim holds a career .465 slugging average in Wiffle and Ale Club Play. In 144 at-bats in 2010, he mustered 53 hits, including a homer, and 13 RBI. Tim has an exemplary attendance record at Theory. In short, Tim is the very model of a modern wiffler.
But 2011 is a whole different story for Tim. You see, Tim has … a weekend job. And that means Tim can’t play wiffle ball on Saturday mornings like you and me. Tim can only play on weeknights.
But for Tim to play on a weeknight, he needs you and me to be there for him. We need to come through for Tim. On this Thursday night, we were one wiffler short of the four we needed to play.
One.
ONE F@(&!#G WIFFLER!!!
This June and July, will you be there for Tim? Wednesday Night Wiffle @ Nance Bradds.
But 2011 is a whole different story for Tim. You see, Tim has … a weekend job. And that means Tim can’t play wiffle ball on Saturday mornings like you and me. Tim can only play on weeknights.
But for Tim to play on a weeknight, he needs you and me to be there for him. We need to come through for Tim. On this Thursday night, we were one wiffler short of the four we needed to play.
One.
ONE F@(&!#G WIFFLER!!!
This June and July, will you be there for Tim? Wednesday Night Wiffle @ Nance Bradds.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
What if there were a Wiffle game, but nobody brought a ball?
Like a rudderless ship spinning in the North Atlantic Gyre seven wifflers met to play, and not one of us brought a ball. Stats brought a bat and chalk and put down the lines whist Dave (R-OH) walked home to get some balls. The hit lines were pretty good today, foul lines were fair but, naturally something was wrong: the plate was too close to the wall. Also the pitching rubber was not quite directly in line with the plate. More on the rubber later.
Not having Peter poses another problem - who's to make the teams? Stats refused to even make an attempt. Rather, through the modern magic that is cellular telephonic communication, we called Peter (sidelined at some soccer game) and asked him to make the teams. Worked like a charm.
Home standing Brent, Eric, Kurt and Matt hosted Dave, Hansoo and Kim. Thanks, Commish.
It was a tight, scoreless game until it wasn't. The breakthrough came in the last inning, wherein Brent surrendered four runs, all off the home run bats of Kim, who blasted two VERY deep homers. Dave also hit two past the line, but by such time the defense, slow to respond to stimuli, had learned to position themselves beyond the homer line. In fact Dave's final out was a pulled blast that was caught a good ten feet past the homer line and about 6 feet foul. Sorry, Dave, not your day. It was Kim's; he drove in all four runs today and got the pitching win.
Did I mention that this final inning was the FOURTH inning? Which I think has to bring our little discussion here back to the Pitching Rubber. Yes, today the deep rubber finally caught up with Brent, but that's not the story of the day. The deep rubber is really slowing down the game. Pitchers are having a very hard time hitting the zone, still (despite five, yes five, Beltrans in the first nine outs of the morning). And compounding the issue is that the batters, with the extra second to look at the pitch, are getting fooled less. TPD means both "total plate discipline" and "thirty pitch doldrum." Folks, we had only 40 At-Bats today, total. It's taking forever to complete these at bats. Brent probably threw fewer pitches than anyone, today, and his half inning was one of the shortest, timewise, of all. Not sure if that's how he saw it, though.
Anyway, we gotta think about this.
The other unpleasant aspect of this game was that someone down Aberdeen Avenue was taking down a tree, sawing it up and mulching the branches. The constant noise cut down about 95% of the chatter, and made it impossible to hear some foul tips.
Dave, Hansoo, Kim - 4
Brent, Eric, Kurt, Matt - 0
W: Kim
L: Mackintosh
 |
| They're hard to see in this telephonic photo, but the lines were quite good. |
Not having Peter poses another problem - who's to make the teams? Stats refused to even make an attempt. Rather, through the modern magic that is cellular telephonic communication, we called Peter (sidelined at some soccer game) and asked him to make the teams. Worked like a charm.
Home standing Brent, Eric, Kurt and Matt hosted Dave, Hansoo and Kim. Thanks, Commish.
It was a tight, scoreless game until it wasn't. The breakthrough came in the last inning, wherein Brent surrendered four runs, all off the home run bats of Kim, who blasted two VERY deep homers. Dave also hit two past the line, but by such time the defense, slow to respond to stimuli, had learned to position themselves beyond the homer line. In fact Dave's final out was a pulled blast that was caught a good ten feet past the homer line and about 6 feet foul. Sorry, Dave, not your day. It was Kim's; he drove in all four runs today and got the pitching win.
Did I mention that this final inning was the FOURTH inning? Which I think has to bring our little discussion here back to the Pitching Rubber. Yes, today the deep rubber finally caught up with Brent, but that's not the story of the day. The deep rubber is really slowing down the game. Pitchers are having a very hard time hitting the zone, still (despite five, yes five, Beltrans in the first nine outs of the morning). And compounding the issue is that the batters, with the extra second to look at the pitch, are getting fooled less. TPD means both "total plate discipline" and "thirty pitch doldrum." Folks, we had only 40 At-Bats today, total. It's taking forever to complete these at bats. Brent probably threw fewer pitches than anyone, today, and his half inning was one of the shortest, timewise, of all. Not sure if that's how he saw it, though.
Anyway, we gotta think about this.
The other unpleasant aspect of this game was that someone down Aberdeen Avenue was taking down a tree, sawing it up and mulching the branches. The constant noise cut down about 95% of the chatter, and made it impossible to hear some foul tips.
Dave, Hansoo, Kim - 4
Brent, Eric, Kurt, Matt - 0
W: Kim
L: Mackintosh
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