Some Analysis as We're Coming on to the Home Stretch

So here we are, 2/3's of the way through the '10 KSSL season and things have been tightening up in the standings recently. So far Hair Haven (7-3) are looking like the team to beat, with their blistering lineup that features the imposing exploits from Dwayne Prince, Gord Payne, Adam Smith, Luke Stoyles and Michael Murphy. The rest of the team is filled out with solid ballplayers, with no easy outs. Team captain Jonny Murphy has taken advantage of that stream of wind that blows out towards right field every week, by filling his lineup with mainly left handed hitters. Pure genius!

The next team in line is Meadowland Manor (5-5) who trail Hair Haven by two games. It's been an up and down season so far for Meadowland, but if their bats can get back on track, they're going to be a dangerous team to deal with. The way things have been going though, this is easier said than done. After scoring 90 runs in the first five games of the season (18 RPG) they have completely fallen apart - scoring only 40 runs (8 RPG) over the course of the next five games. Perhaps, a few lineup changes may be in the horizon? My question to Jimmy Rodden is, what would Joe Torre do?

The next two teams are in a deadlock for third place, where they trail Meadowland by only one game. First up is Ron's Roofing, who have been wildly inconsistent this season but behind the usual stellar play from head roofer, team captain, Chad Whelan the team will always be in play. What makes Roofing so scary is they're excellent outfield and the fact that they're the only team who has beaten Hair Haven twice.

After a pathetic start to the season, Jonny's Fish & Chips have actually been coming along very nicely. Earlier in the season, there was a point where people actually thought, can they even win a game? And win they have! An 0-3 start to the season has suddenly become a respectable 4-6 record, right in the thick for home field advantage in the 1st round of the playoffs. If they can keep the momentum going, they may steal the 2nd seed away from the other teams.

Some quick hit Cletus observations:

There's a New Shortstop In Town!

It's about fucking time Jonny Murphy set Adam Smith as his permanent SS. For all the right moves he's made managing the team, this is the lone blunder he's made. After moving Smith around, all over the field throughout the season, Smith has finally been the main fixture at short the past two weeks, and he hasn't disappointed, wooing the bleacher creatures by caressing the ball with his glove as Charlton Heston did to women during his Planet of the Apes days. Too bad Smith will be out of the lineup for the next two weeks, due to his travels to Nova Scotia.

What can Rick Smith possibly have in common with Carl Yastrzemski?

The answer is hitting for the triple crown. Yastrzemski was the last MLB player to hit for the triple crown and as of this writing Smith leads in all three major categories (AVG, HR, RBI). Smith was overheard saying he wished the stats were never released this week, after a three week absence. Fear? Who knows, but can Smith actually do it? He has failed in the past (two season's he finished 2nd in AVG, 1st in HR and RBI's) but I think this year will be different. Right now, he has a .48 point advantage over Luke Stoyles in AVG, a three HR lead over teammate Moe Smith (Rick is hitting ahead of Moe which helps him immensely with the match 1 HR rule), as well as a 10 RBI lead over Moe. It'll be interesting to see if Rick can be the first player in KSSL history to come away with the triple crown.

Pro-Line: The KSSL Edition

In the last blog, I mentioned the first ever Pro-Line: KSSL odds - it was an over/under of .400 for Steve Kenny 's average (.292 career AVG heading into the season) . The over was set at an odd 4.80, under 1.50. To the people who paid big bucks on the over (there was only of two of you, Steve Kenny himself and Robert Smith), they're looking like a bunch of Rhodes Scholars because the Splendid Splinter's AVG is still looking sharp, at a .479 clip. To the people who never put in a bet, it's looking like you're going to save yourself some serious cash (you know you were going with the under).

Here are the new set of Pro-Line: KSSL odds:

Winner of KSSL title

01 Hair Haven 1.90
02 Meadowland Manor 2.50
03 Ron's Roofing 3.40
04 Jonny's Fish & Chips 4.80

This Weeks Matchups (Aug 8)

05 Hair Haven/Jonny's Fish & Chips 1.40 3.85 4.65
06 Meadowland Manor/Ron's Roofing 1.90 3.45 2.10

Triple Crown (Yes or No)

Rick Smith 1.85 3.75

Place your bets folks!

In Memoriam

Last week Jack Tatum, one of the all-time great safety's in NFL history passed away. Jack is best known as "The Assassin", the most lethal and vicious hitting safety (check out his hit on Sammie White in Super Bowl XI starting at the 2:53 mark below) to ever play the game. You may have heard of him for his hit on Darryl Stingley, a hit that paralyzed the man, or the guy who laid the lumber on Frenchy Fuqua, which began the Immaculate Reception. To me, he'll always be, from this moment forward, the people's champion, the Shelby Sensation, the Reverse Apache Master, the man with the golden dick, Dr. Cock 'n' Balls, even if he's dead, and never pick up a football, ever fucking again. OK, so I ripped that off from Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down...but in all seriousness Jack Tatum will always be the epitome of an Oakland Raider.

'I just cost that kid a perfect game'

No shit...

Opening Day '10

After last season's highly successful campaign that saw Jonny Murphy lead Hair Haven to its first ever KSSL championship, we're finally back for another go. This year brings us new team names and one new coach. After last season's highly successful campaign that saw Jonny Murphy lead Hair Haven to its first ever KSSL championship, we're finally back for another go. This year brings us new team names and one new coach. Ched Whelan was dropped by last year's sponsor Kilbride Medical Clinic, when his team failed in their pursuit of winning the championship after finishing first in the regular season standings, for the second year in a row. Moe Smith mutually parted ways with the Lions Club, deciding a new team approach was crucial for the future. After long deliberations, which I heard came down to three sponsors, he decided Meadowland Manor fit his needs and desires. Billy Gorman stepped up to the plate as a new captain this season after Rick Smith bowed out for a "less stressful summer". Billy who despises Chinese food, searched for a more traditional Newfoundland meal and found the perfect fit with Jonny's Fish & Chips. And finally we have Jonny Murphy and the defending champions, The Year of the Hair!, Hair Haven. Now on to the games...

- Sunday, May 30, 2010 -

4:00 PM NT

24 5

In game 1, Meadowland Manor shit canned the debut of Billy Gorman as captain 24-5. Scott Murphy making his first official KSSL performance in four years lead the way for Meadowland , earning the POG, going 5-6 with four RBI's. Jimmy Rodden and Moe Smith, coming off his record breaking season, also banged out five hits each. Jonny's couldn't get anything going at the plate or even in the field - where by my count they had at least seven errors. On a bad day for his team, Dave Pike lead the way with the POG with his 3-4 day, which included a HR. Jeff Murphy punched in with a 3 for 4 day The games most amusing plays came from the likes of Scott Murphy and long time ace Brad O'Connell. In Scott's case when he was running towards home, he did a swan dive, face plant, flailing his entire body up and over, while crossing the plate. It was oo funny. With Brad, you wouldn't believe it until you saw it. At one point he was pulled from pitching duties for the league's longest serving CF JJ Dray, while Brad was sent out to play Rover. Yeah, that's fucking right Rover! Steve Kenny was overheard saying all Brad would do is get in the way. Next batter, there was a lazer hit into LF, where O'Connell firmly tracked it down, catching it easily. Has a sleeping giant been hiding from us all these years? Looking back on his Ramboesque ball tracking display from last year, it is anyone's guess.

5:30 PM NT

17 8

The second game of the day brought us similar results, with the defending champions Hair Haven devouring Ron's Roofing 17-8. Chris Ryan Jr. was the break out star of the evening going 3-4 at the dish - one was off the fence and another went to the warning track - while making a few stellar plays in the field. It was easily Junior's greatest day at the Huck. Luke Stoyles and Adam Smith also chipped in with four hits apiece. For Ron's Roofing Skinny Whitten (POG) lead the way going 4-5. The team were without four regular's, team captain Ched Whelan (who was out of the country), Jason Thompson, Kirk Stoyles, and Ryan Foley. Word through the grapevine is Foley missed the game after he fell asleep while eating a bucket of Mary Brown's chicken, after a hard night on the booze. If it was up to me I'd bench his sorry ass, or make him play 3rd base for the rest of the season. How would you like that Foley?