The Way of the Eephus

The parched plains of NBF saw a Summer Sizzler this morning, sizzling with drama all the way down to the bottom of the ninth.  The action had a decidedly American League flavor with lights-out pitching and longball smashes dictating the score.  And it was a good score too:  7-5 the final, with the winning Vans overtaking the early heroics of the Home Team Homies in middle innings.  Always nice to tantalize with the possibility of a walkoff but alas, it was not to be.  

Special commendation to Dewey for displaying an uncanny mastery of the Eephus pitch with at least three of them landing for strikes.  One of which actually got Adrian looking for a backwards upside-down K.  ("a dyslexic out").  Another nod goes to Tom for providing balance against the perennially dominant Andy.  Yet another to Zach for nearly Makin' My Dreams Come True (ew-ew, ew, ew) for hitting the day's longest bomb that actually made it to the warning track.  It it'd been just a little higher, or a little flatter, or a little anythinger...we might've finally seen one actually leave the yard.  As much as I'm dying to see somebody actually do it, part of me is also glad there's this last frontier of Wiff achievement that's still tantalizingly out of reach.  "O that a wiffler's grasp may not exceed his reach, or what's a Heaven for."

Let's hope it's a long hot summer of low-scoring nailbiters.  Viva La Wiff!  

Adrian, Tom, Zach - 7 runs, 16 hits

Andy, Dewey, Eric, Peter - 5 runs, 10 hits

HR - Tom, Zach (2), Andy, Dewey (2)

  .  

Wiff Rabbit

This is a song about batting against Eric Z.

One pitch makes you larger And one pitch makes you small, And the ones that flutter in there Don't ever reach the wall.

Go face Eric When he’s pitching the ball.

And if you chase the curveball That bounces before reaching the wall, Tell 'em a Philosophy Professor Has given you a call.

Damn, Eric When he pitches that ball.

When the men in the outfield Heckle and tell you where to go And you've just wiffed some kind of riser And your bat is moving slow.

Go face Eriiiiiiiic

I think he'll knoooooow.

 

Illogic and nonsense

Spill forth from his head,

Then Zamonski is talking backwards

And the Commish is  "off with his head!"

Rememberrrrrr what the stat sheet said:

"Oh-for-ten. Oh-for-ten. Oh-for-ten!"

Jefferwiff Airball Star Plane: Cicada Edition

In a sweltering week plagued by cicadas and injured shoulders, today's game was the sports equivalent of "We Built This City" by Starship: equal parts youthful exuberance and non sequitur with most of the participants having peaked around 1985.  But seriously tho it was lots of fun to host Berwald The Younger and his buddies into the Nance Bradds fold for a cross-gen slugout.  The youngsters aquitted themselves well too, especially Tom "La Mont" who crushed opposing pitchers with six ribbies and one of the two dongs hit.  (Zack launching the other)  

The Visiting Vans blew it wide open in the middle innings and it ended up a lopsided score but there was so much offense spraying around you wouldn't know it.  Five-on-five, played nine full, and at 11:30 we were all still Knee Deep In The Hoopla---you can't beat it with a stick! 

Adrian, Eric, Pete, Tom, Zack - 10

Steven, Jeff, Mark, Matt, Walker - 3

HR - Tom, Zack