Cletus Van Damme (cletus_van_damme@hotmail.com) TUESDAY MORNING CATCHER
- Sunday June 5th, 2011 -
HUCK FIELD, St. John’s, NL
After a glorious opening weekend that featured nothing but sunshine and smiles, the infamous smog and fog of St. John's came rolling out for Week 2. Even with the crappy weather, most people showed up to have a great time at the Huck. Here’s the lowdown on what happened this week...
4:00 p.m NT
In the early game, defending champion Ron’s Roofing defined the term shit show, with a completely pathetic performance. They were not only outclassed but they got totally dismantled, losing by a score of 14-5 to Stanley’s Irving.
Irving jumped out to a quick lead when reigning MVP Rick Smith smashed a two-run home run in the 1st inning, giving his team a 2-0 lead. In the 2nd, they added three more runs when Steve Kenny and Jeff Carew contributed with RBI singles. The Roofers, and KSSL career worst in batting average, Brad Williams, who is now sporting a career batting average of .098 (6/61), helped out Irving’s cause when he committed an error (expect many more), throwing the ball away on a routine play. They would extend their lead even further in the 3rd, with RBI’s being provided once again from Kenny and spare Sharky Whelan.
By the time the 4th inning rolled around , and the score at 7 to zip, Koo Condon provided a brief spark for the Roofers, but in doing so committing one of the biggest crimes in slow pitch softball, hitting a solo HR. Ryan Foley, who is continuing from his torrid pace from late last season (could he be the KSSL’s Batista?), added a RBI single and making it a 7-2 game. Flash forward to the 8th inning and with the score 10-4, Irving stuck a fork in the Roofers cranium by adding four more runs to their tally.
Stanley’s Irving showed up this week, ready to rebound from last week’s late game swoon and their mission was accomplished. Seven out of their nine players had at least two hits a piece and besides one dropped ball they played a near perfect defensive game. They got another solid performance from Steve Browne (earning his second consecutive POG), who has made a big splash since entering the league. He was terrific in left field, making several stellar catches, while showing true grit and hustle. They also got solid play from Rick Smith, who had an off day at the plate but played his best defensive game in some time. If Irving can continue this solid play in the field, they are going to be extremely difficult to beat as we continue on this season, especially with Jeff Murphy due to come off the DL in a couple weeks. What an arsenal of outfielders.
As for Ron’s Roofing, they were once again without their best player, team captain, Ched Whelan. They were also missing last week’s POG Blair Connelly and one of Kilbride’s finest Mental Murphy, but even so they just flat out sucked this week. We’ll chalk it down as their one time mulligan.
- POGS -
Steve Browne (3-5, R, HR, RBI)
Ryan Foley (3-3, R, HR, BB, 2 RBI)
- NOTABLES -
Steve Kenny (2-4, 2 R, BB, 3 RBI) Aoo Condon (3-6, R, 3B, RBI) Mike Baird (3-4, 3 R, BB)
Luke Stoyles (2-4, R, 2B) Danny Mercer (2-4, R) Koo Condon (1-4, HR, RBI)
5:30 p.m NT
The final game of the day was a close affair with Pike’s Store leading Lester’s Farm throughout the majority of the game. But in the end Pike’s would collapse, thanks to some terrible D and a clutch double by Dave Pike, in the 7th inning, allowing Lester’s to squeak out their first W of the season, winning by a score of 11-9.
Adam “Fake Name” Smith started the action off for Pike’s by knocking in Sebastien “Baze” Vallin in the top of 1st . It would be the first of four hits for Smith on the day. Scott Murphy quickly answered, tying the game shortly thereafter, knocking in Moe Smith in the 2nd.
Pike’s opened up the 4th with four straight hits courtesy of the top of their order. Freddy Cox would then come through with a clutch hit of his own, poking the ball to opposite field and knocking in two runs, for a 5-1 lead. But Lester’s Farm would not go away, scoring two runs in the 5th, keeping the score tight at 5-3.
Billy Gorman would regain Pike’s four run lead, with a two-run RBI single in the top of the 6th. But Lester’s were a resilient bunch this game, scoring three runs in the bottom half, thanks to a Derek Fleming home run (rebounding after looking like a clown earlier in the game when he added to his KSSL career record in strikeouts) and RBI’s from Moe and Mike Brock. It was 7-6 after six.
It took awhile but the camel’s back was finally shattered in the 7th. It all started when Lester’s OF Freddy Cox dropped a routine fly ball. A few batters after the debacle the bases were loaded, setting the stage for the heroics of Dave Pike. Pikey would come through when his team really needed him, smacking a double, knocking in two runs in and giving Lester’s their first lead of the game. JJ Dray and Moe would follow suit, knocking in two more runs for the Farm and a 10-7 lead. Pike’s Store would add two runs in the 8th inning but it would be all they could muster, as they would go down quickly in the 9th inning, 1-2-3.
After last week’s 9th inning choke job, Lester’s Farm rebounded nicely showing a lot of team effort. The only guy who looked to be off his game was Tommy “Superstar” Harris who, frankly, looked like a pile of shit, sprinkled in with some cinnamon. The “Superstar” was out boozing the previous evening, celebrating his last big hurrah, before life, as he knows it, is over. Good luck on the marriage Tommy.
As for Pike’s Store, Adam Smith’s goliathan effort was wasted, in part, because of a few miscues. They were ever so close to being the only undefeated squad this year but thanks to what JJ was overheard calling “NFL parity”, we have all four teams deadlocked at 1-1. It should be an interesting season.
- POGS -
Derek Fleming (2-3, 2 R, HR, RBI)
Adam Smith (4-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI)
- NOTABLES -
Moe Smith (3-4, R, 2 RBI) Mike Brock (3-4, R, RBI) Dave Pike (2-4, R, 2 RBI)
Gord Payne (3-4, 3 R) Billy Gorman (1-3, 3 RBI) Baze Vallin (2-4, 2 R)
- NEXT WEEK'S ACTION (PRO-LINE: KSSL EDITION) -
4:00 p.m
5:30 p.m
Get your bets in!
- MAILBAG - Send your questions/comments to cletus_van_damme@hotmail.com
After many years of readers requesting a mailbag I have finally decided to break down and start one up. So here we go...
Cletus, long time reader, big time fan. Thanks for all the blogs/recaps/mailbag. I’m your #1 Fan! My mom says HI! My question is, if you had to field a starting lineup, who would it?
PS. Anyway I could get your autograph?
-- Paul, Skane’s Ave
Thank you, Paul! My starting lineup would consist of this:
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C Jason Hedges
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CF Koo Condon
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RF Gord Payne
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1B Rick Smith
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LF Moe Smith
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P Mental Murphy
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Rover Tommy Harris
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SS Adam Smith
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3B Aoo Condon
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Skinny Whitten
Snubs include: Ched Whelan, Robert Smith, Luke Stoyles, Dave Pike, Jeff Murph, Jimmy Rodden, Brad Williams
For an autograph please send your PO Box/mailing address and I’ll get right on top of it!
What up Cletus! What kind of chicks do you go for? Looks like you’re losing your hairline bro, do the chicks dig that?
Simon, Your Mother
Whores, barely legal whores. Money pays Simon!
Cletus, is somebody finally gonna throw that filthy piece of shit Japper out of the Huck.
Henry P, Densmores Lane
If Jonny Murphy couldn’t do it, nobody can.
Who’s the greatest team in league history?
Phil, Chafes Lane
The best team I’ve seen since I’ve followed the league would have to be the 2007 champions Red Circle. Great balance of OBP guys (Koo, Matt Tucker, JJ) with the big bangers of Rick and Moe Smith. Along with this they had another top of the line guy Dave Pike, added with good players like Billy Gorman and Charlie Mugford. Great D, monster hitting, pretty much unstoppable. How on earth Moe drafted this team, I’ll never know.
The team with the most talent was 2008’s Kenny’s Auto Body. They plowed through the entire league only to falter in the finals. The crazy thing is they had guys who had down years and they still dominated. Cheeks, Fake Name, and Pikey combined for only around .350 and 3 HR’s. They have all come close to doing this in one game alone. Imagine what could have happened if they played up to their maximum level?
And finally from the KSSL’s own, the first person to every comment in the blog and also the first player to send an email for the bag, Koo Condon.
I want to give a big shout out to Cletus! Love the recap for week 1 - especially the 'Hazelwood Elementary string quartet'! Deadly.
Thanks, Kev. You’re a total class act, and your batting average just went up 50 points!
- PROPAGANDA -
Check out the music player to the right, for some awesome jazzy, experimental, post-hardcore, at it’s finest. Too good, for reals! Cannibals is a must listen!
'You have clothes like a fuckin' dickhead"
- CODA -
Make sure you all check out, those Miami “White Hot Heat” tonight on ABC or TSN. D-Wade will once again prove his amazing abilities and bring home the W! As for next week, we have two more big time games so make sure you make it and if you can’t TELL THE CAPTAINS! Oh and try to bring a few dollars for the registration. And that’s a wrap.
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