Rhodes to Redemption

The soundtrack to James Horner's brilliant score to the 1984 Paramount major motion picture Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was released on Epic Records. The third track on that album, titled "Stealing the Enterprise," runs a full 8 minutes and 11 seconds. Trust me: in the world of 1980's franchise sci-fi soundtracks 8 minutes is an eternity.

The track is worth a listen. It not only complements the hi-jinks of Sulu, Uhura and Scotty as they set their plan in motion, but also deftly captures the emotional conflict within Admiral Kirk as he approaches the point of no return: the betrayal of Starfleet to redeem Captain Spock. It's powerful artistry, paired with virtuoso Shatner. For 8 minutes.

Eight innings felt an eternity for one Jeff Rhodes today. In his first spin on the mound, in the bottom of the third inning Jeff surrendered a previously unimaginable 4 runs. FOUR. The homestanding Zach, Pete, Matt and Eric Z had leads, built in no small part by Zach's THIRD STRAIGHT cycle, of 4-0 and later 5-2.

Very late in the game, it looked like the egg Jeff laid in the third would prove the difference in a loss for the Visiting Jeff, Adrian and JD. But this is October Wiffle.

So of course Jeff came to the plate in the top of the 8th inning with the bases loaded and his team down by 2. And of course he tripled to notch the 6-5 lead that would be the eventual final, winning, score.

Epic.

Redemption is a dish best served... warm with autumnal hints of clove and nutmeg. And plenty of cream and sugar.

Jeff, Adrian, JD: 6 runs, 17 hits
Zach, Pete, Matt, Eric - 5 runs, 16 hits

HR: Zach

WWKD

Eight Greats met today on the hallowed flats of NBF to answer the age-old question that wifflogians have debated for centuries:  What Would Kurt Do?  The answer turned out to be surprisingly elegant:  just whip the ball as hard as you can at Peter's knee!  (Duh.  Obvee.)  But aside from the usual weekly duty of attacking each others' cartilage and dignity, these teams were just as evenly matched as last week's, and once again it all came down to the final batter.  But unlike last week's outcome, this time the batter---Matt, as it happened---delivered in spectacular fashion (spectashion?) with a walloping smash to dead centerfield that sailed just maddeningly out of reach of a backward-scrambling Andy to land in HR Country for the walkoff.  

Note:  Ok this is getting statistically bizarre now:  once again, for the second week in a row, both teams got exactly 17 hits...whattheheck??

Adrian, Andy, Eric, Hansoo = 17 hits, 3 runs  

J. D., Mark W, Matt, Pete = 17 hits, 6 runs

HR = Hansoo, J. D., Matt  

Distilled Down To Its Wiffly Essence

There's a certain purity to a game of 3-on-3 Wiffleball, the kind that was seen today as two very well-matched trios faced off on a damp Nance Bradds field.  Peter's controlled eephus pitching was remarkably baffling, only allowing a few runs.  Which looked like alot like they'd hold for the win against the visiting Vans who just couldn't bring 'em across all day.  That is, until Andy found his footing and smashed two consecutive longballs to vault his team into the lead.  The Halens then mounted a valiant bottom of the 9th comeback charge but fell one run shy as the final out was made.  Shout out to J D for going 10 for 14 today.  

Note:  the Heroes of Strandathoning™ pre-game Vegas line (which closed betting somewhere in the third inning for whatever reason) on Team AEP predicted them to finish with 17 hits and no runs.  While they ended up with 4 runs, be it hereby noted that they did indeed end up with exactly 17 hits!  Which is oddly prescient.  Odder still, the other team also ended up with 17 hits.  Apparently 17 was just today's magic number.

Andy, Eric, Peter = 4 runs, 17 hits, 2 dongs

J D, Jeff, Zack = 3 runs, 17 hits

His cycle is weekly

Happy Bastille Day Eve!! Vive l'OW&AC!!

As we all prepare to celebrate Liberte and Fraternite, let us remember there was a game of wiffle today.

The Maginot line of Peter, Mark and Adrian performed in historically accurate fashion as Jeff, Matt, Tim and (welcome back) Eric Kn. drubbed them by a final tally of cinqante-nil.

Eric's grand return featured shutout pitching and 0.300 hitting. All of Eric's hits drove in runs. His teammate, Jeff, hit another cycle (ho hum, nothing new here), and Stats contributed another homer.

Due to time, this was a 7-inning affair.

Adrian, Mark, Pete - 0 runs, 6 hits
Eric, Jeff, Matt, Tim - 15 runs, 21 hits

HR: Rhodes (16); Lindsay (2)

That Ball is Gone!

It looked like it would be a very short game.. like 2 innings. Commish fill in Matt only came with two balls and in the top of the second, Jeff fouled one into the gutter for an out and Tim hit one on the school roof for a homer. Fortunately Bob had balls, so we played on.

Tim's roof shot was one of (only) 3 homers hit this hot, steamy, windless day. A merciless sun baked the extra deep lines all morning. The other two were by Jeff, who laughs at the extra deep lines, and simply hits 'em toward the tree. Jeff's grander in the top of the 8th proved the winning blow.

After scoring 5 in the first, Home boys Adrian, Andy, JD and Matt were held scoreless until a furious comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth fell 2 runs short.

Visiting Bob, Jeff, Tim and Zach clawed away at the early deficit, taking the lead on the eighth, for the 9-7 win.

Bob, Jeff, Tim, Zack - 9 runs, 14 hits

Adrian, Andy, JD, Matt - 7 runs, 23 hits

HR: Rhodes 2 (15), Young (5)

Jeff vs. The World

It was over before it had even begun.

Jeff jacked the first of his... FIVE... home runs in the top of the first off Andy. The 2-0 lead created at that point would never be surrendered as the visiting Jeff, JD and Tim thrashed Andy, Dewey, Matt and Pete 15-5.

Til my dying day, I will forever blame this loss on Eric Z. who said he was coming, but never did and thereby left the visiting team with no holes in their batting lineup.

From Hell's heart, I stab at thee;
For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.

My pleas to my teammates to walk Jeff went unheeded. Dewey in fact walked J.D. for reasons too deep to fathom. So the homers kept a-flyin' - each one deeper and higher than the last. All told the home team hit 7 jacks.

I definitely recommend you click over to look at the stats. (Not sure if one can do that on one's phone - may require a computer.) Take a gander at Jeff's HR total - lucky 13. Also note that three of our league-mates have crossed the 100 AB line - and have qualified for the batting title. This noteworthy accomplishment is denoted with blue numerals on yellow.

Andy, Dewey, Matt, Pete - 5 runs, 13 hits
Jeff, JD, Tim - 15 runs, 17 hits

HR: Jeff 5 (13), JD (4), Tim (4)

An abundance of spirit; a paucity of runs

10 men showed up for a wiffle game, and a pitchers' duel broke out instead.

Business-like is what some may call it. The regularity of the three-up-three-down innings, the clean fielding, the crisp double plays. The players wanted to play but also had places to be.

The visitors manufactured a run off Adrian on a parade of singles, but scored no more that inning, nor any other.

The home boys tied it with a solo shot by Pete and took the lead for good on an opposite field solo shot by Stats an inning later. Adrian tacked on an insurance tally in the bottom of the 8th, and Zamonski closed it out in the ninth.

A group photo was taken at the conclusion of the match to commemorate the affair. Jock-ularity.

Bob, JD, Mark, Tim, Zach - 1 run, 11 hits
Adrian, Andy, Eric, Matt, Pete - 3 runs, 13 hits

HR: Berwald (3), Lindsay (1)

Vaulting and Debuting

This weekend Jeffrey Rhodes vaulted himself to one of the premier wifflers in the league being virtually unhittable on the mound and a powerhouse at the plate. He went 9 for 12 with 4 doubles and 3 homers today making him not just a good addition to my family, but a good addition to the league as well!

Jeff was flanked by JD, Eric Z and me against visitors Adrian, Andy, New player Jamie Obermeyer and Tim Young. The home-boys won 16-6 with 4 of the visitor’s RBIs stemming from a grand salami by Andy off me.

The OW&AC would like to welcome Jamie O. to the league. Anyone that could endure working with Kurt in China has the right spirit and temperament to survive this league.

This is a picture of Jamie

Keep tuned for Wiffle and Ale updates and hats off to our veterans in the league and those soldiers that have given their all on this 2019 Memorial Day.

Commish

Longball Madness (5/25/19)

  

Baseball, softball, TeeBall, even Wiffle ball is a streaky sport, and today's game solidified that. Jeffrey and Andy both started out cold and ended ripping 6 homers (Andy 4, Jeff 2) & 14 RBI's for the home team (add Eric & me). Adrian, Dewey, J.D. & Mark got 10 in the 4th including a salami by Dewey, all offa me! Andy hit for the cycle. V 10 H 14.  

Two Feats, then Two Feet

An eventful 23 runs were scored in today's wiffle tilt. A whopping ten of them driven in by J.D. mostly on the back of his two (LEGIT) grand slams. Ten RBI is a lot. That's this many Churros:

That the two feats.

The Two Feet are courtesy of Andy, who leaped at the homerun line and kept two feet in bounds whilst stealing a homerun from Dewey. Later... he did it again. So that's TWO two feet.

The visitors faced an early 8-0 deficit but wound up scoring 14 of the next 15 runs scored for a 14-9 win. Dewey plucky grandson, Monroe, (who swings like a Darden) contributed three hits and some relief pitching. When J.D. wasn't hitting grand slams he was striking out to Monroe.

Adrian, Andy, JD, Matt - 14 runs, 21 hits
Bob, Dewey, Pete, Tim Y., Monroe - 9 runs, 19 hits

HR: JD - 3; Andy - 1, Dewey - 1, Tim Y. - 1

With little fanfare, Dewey hit for the cycle.

"The Battyr" (with apologies to William Blake)

Battyr, Battyr, swinging tight,

At the curveball lost in flight;

What mere plastic Wiffle bat

Could ever hit a pitch like that?

 

Your launch angle must've yielded

Cuz your pop-up's cleanly fielded.

Failure's all that you have gotten,

Now your stats are looking rotten.

 

When the laws of physics fail,

The batter's eye is no avail;

For as you take your backwards K,

Morale and hope both fade away.

 

Your teammates, though your praise they sing,

Cannot improve your crappy swing;

The proof is more than anecdotal:

Your discipline was less than total.

 

Later at the theory den,

Reflecting on what might've been,

It's clear that you're no Ted Kluszewski

As you sit and mull your brewsky.

 

O Beer, you'll always see us through!

Both cause-of and solution-to. 

So even when your hitting's lame,

Remember boys:  IT'S JUST A GAME.

My Dog Ate the Stats Sheet

I spent as much time writing this blog as my team spent with a lead.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Thirteen people showed up to play wiffle today. Then this happened..

Salami

The rest of the morning was this...

Adrian, JD, Mark, Matt, Zach, Eric, Jeff - 0 runs, 8 hits

Andy, Hansoo, Peter, Tim, Dewey, Tony - 13 runs, 22 hits

HR: Andy, Hansoo, Peter, Dewey

Redemption is a 34-1/2 Course Meal

2019 Season Opener is a Barn-burner!

Cycles were threatened, balls were cracked, and ethics sorely challenged as an elite eight took to the balmy blacktops of NBF this morning for a game that, while not setting any fielding records, nevertheless saw terrific stuff at both ends of the battery.  The Vans pounced early and often, led by Sir Bob-of-the-hot-bat who would chalk four ribbies on the day.  But just when things looked insurmountably nonethical, the Hungry Halens came roaring back in a J. D. "The Run Ruling Redeemer"-induced megacomeback for the ages.  Both teams would add a few more in late innings, but at the end of Today's Titanic Struggle™ the home team would remain the only one in double digits to take home the honors.

Considering how good the pitching is getting in this league---today especially from Tim "Clemens squared"---it's therefore noteworthy that all eight players chalked at least one RBI.  We'd have to ask Stats, but this author is guessing that that's probably a pretty rare achievement.  So a collective congrats on that.

Adrian, Andy, Bob, Tim  -  9 runs, 20 hits

Hansoo, J. D., Matt, Eric*  -  12 runs, 19 hits  

HR  -  nobody

RBI  -  everybody  

* placed at the end of the batting order for all the usual reasons

Photo Assay

The cure for cabin fever is Pre-season Wiffle. Here are the photos to prove it:

Look at the sheer joy on their faces. Like little boys, again. Who cares if it's 28 degrees?

Andy didn't mind. Hit a dinger that won't count in the stats. But still - look at that smile.

Adrian's day on the mound was ... was not helped by his outfielders ... well, it doesn't count in the stats.

The long dark Winter is over, boys. Time to trod the asphalt once more!