My Boner
Published September 2, 2010 @ 08:57 in Raging Storm

So, we lost last night. Luckily, it's double knockout rules so we can still win this championship.

I pulled a boner in the first game, a serous boner, and it's something I don't remember ever doing before. I was batting 2nd in the lineup, and I led off the third inning. I hit a single, advanced to second and with Mofo at the plate, I completely believed there were two outs. In my head, I batted second, and counted the lead-off batter as the first out. So when Tink popped out, there were two away. Or so I believed...

Mofo hit a long fly ball, but with two out I was running full out on contact. I was four feet from home plate when I heard a teammate yell "there's only one out!".

Mofo's ball was caught and I was easily doubled up. I swear I thought there were two outs!!!! I've never pulled a boner like that before, but I did last night, in game one of the playoffs.

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Two Games, Total Runs - A Storm's A Ragin'
Published September 1, 2010 @ 13:23 in Raging Storm

My comp division slo-pitch team, Raging Storm, has a couple of playoff games tonight. It's two games, and the total score determines who advances and who's done for the year. I like to think of it as a 14 inning game.

We had a good season, and I'd argue this is the best team we've ever fielded. A loss tonight would be a very bitter pill to swallow.

Just win, baby.

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Slo-Pitch Tournament Time
Published August 20, 2010 @ 18:53 in Raging Storm

I play for a slo-pitch team in the comp division of the RSPA. As part of the deal when you play in the RSPA, you have to enter at least one tournament. This weekend, we'll be paying our dues and competing in the creatively titled RSPA 2010 Summer Slo-Pitch Tournament.

Game one is tomorrow morning then we play all day Saturday, and if we're any good, we'll get to play a bunch on Sunday, too. This is an SPN sanctioned event, which means it's not the 7 and 3 co-ed split we usually play with. SPN rules are 6 and 4, which threw us for a loop. Most of today was spent searching for female ball players willing to spend their weekend with me. Surprisingly, the pool is rather small.

If you need me this weekend, I'll be playing ball at a diamond in or around Centennial Park in Etobicoke. I really want to win one of those awesome new hooded sweatshirts!

[my apologies for the gayest slo-pitch photo ever]

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The 19 Run Inning
Published June 26, 2010 @ 10:12 in Raging Storm

Last night, in the first game a double header, we in Raging Storm put up 19 runs in one inning. We put our collective heads together and couldn't remember ever scoring 19 runs in a single inning.

This got me wondering... had 19 runs ever been scored in a single inning in major league history? I honestly wasn't sure. It seemed highly unlikely but plausible, so I looked it up.

Way back in 1883, on September 6, the Chicago White Stockings put 18 runs on the board in the 7th inning against the Detroit Wolverines. That 107 year old record remains today.

Of course, now there's a new record. Raging Storm scored 19 against the Hawks in the comp division of the RSPA.

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Strange Outs During a Sweet Sweep
Published June 16, 2010 @ 08:56 in Raging Storm

My slo-pitch team played a double header last night. We won both games in a sweet sweep, but this entry isn't about that. This is about the two times I was called out on the basepaths.

Jimmy the Ump calls a good game, and is a stickler for the rulebook. On one play, I got to third before I was held by our third base coach, Mofo. Before time was called, Mofo affectionately patted my back. I was called out for interference by our third base coach. In my illustrious career I've never seen that called.

Later, in game two, I was at second base. This league has a no lead-off rule, but you can run on "anticipation". Apparently, while at third, I lifted my foot off the the base for a second. It was a vertical move, I wasn't "leading off" by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, Jimmy the Ump called me out for leading off. I've never been called on that one either.

In the parking lot, after the game, Jimmy the Ump saw me as he was getting into his car. Once again, he glared at me and called me out. It was one of those nights.

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Your 2010 Raging Storm Slo-Pitch Superstars
Published March 15, 2010 @ 11:57 in Raging Storm

In the comp division of the RSPA, there's a slo-pitch team called Raging Storm. The core group has remained pretty much intact for about a decade now, but there's usually a little turnover.

This season, we added a couple of new guys and a new girl. Here's your 2010 Raging Storm slo-pitch superstars.

Men
Booner
Engell
Kicster
Mofo
Pats
Gregger
Andy Mac
Will The Thrill

Women
Kitchenette
Colleen The Dream
Mighty Mouse
The Sakker

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Hanging Up the Cleats for Another Winter
Published September 11, 2009 @ 21:35 in Raging Storm

Yesterday I played my last game of softball for the Piranhas in the rec league and tonight my slo-pitch team played its last two games of the season. I wish I could report that Raging Storm is the RSPA Competitive Division 2009 Champions, but that would be a lie. We're #2!

Starting in May, you play about three games a week between the two leagues until it all wraps up in September. I hate having to hang up the cleats for six months. I hate packing up the glove, throwing it in my old Adidas back with the rest of my gear and storing it in the basement.

At least hockey starts up next month. That'll tide me over until the Storm rages once more.

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Storm's Surprise Semi-final Sweep
Published August 22, 2009 @ 14:52 in Raging Storm

Last week, my slo-pitch team stormed back for a come-from-behind quarter-final playoff victory against Game Over. That set up a semi-final best-of-three series against the Cardinals, a team that had beat us badly in all three regular season meetings.

Again, I know only a handful of you care about my RSPA slo-pitch team, but this team matters to me. I've played with them for as long as I can remember and this is only our second season in the RSPA's most competitive division. The come-back last week was entirely unexpected and what transpired Tuesday night was even more surprising.

We were stellar defensively and excellent offensively, and we swept the Cardinals by scores of 16-8 and 12-6. It wasn't even close. Personally, I had my best series in years. Remarkably, we've advanced to the finals in the toughest division in this 108 team slo-pitch league. Essentially, we're playing for the league title.

We're not done yet. There's one more series to win before we celebrate. Two years ago, we won the Int-1 division title and were promoted to comp. Now, we're playing for the championship of the world.

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Grass Thrillin' w/ a Little Bit of Illin'
Published August 15, 2009 @ 09:51 in Raging Storm

I'm well aware that only a handful of you actually care about Raging Storm, a slo-pitch team in the competitive division of the RSPA, but this entry is for that handful of Storm-rootin' peeps.

Last night, at Max Ward Park in Etobicoke, we played the defending champions in the first round of the playoffs. It's single knock-out, so if you lose you're done for the season. It's two games, and the cumulative score determines the winner who advances to the next round.

We were out played in game one. A few defensive lapses started to make it look awfully ugly, and when all was said and done, we were down by 7 runs. That meant we had to win game two by 8 or more runs to extend the season.

Let's see... Game Over had just smoked our ass, they're the defending champion and they just have to lose by 6 or less to advance. It looked bad, Michael Jackson bad. We needed a miracle.

Boom goes the dynamite! Raging Storm's defense was perfect in game two. Our bats were on fire. We mercied 'em, winning 16-1 and easily winning the series by +8.

Do you believe in miracles? Yes!

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Playoff Night = Healthy Dose of Anticipation & Nervousness
Published August 14, 2009 @ 09:59 in Raging Storm

I've got a healthy dose of anticipation and nervousness flowing through my veins today. My comp division slo-pitch team has a couple of playoff games tonight.

You can play the game two nights a week, every summer for years and years, but you don't lose that tingly feeling come playoff time. When I'm not nervous during the comp division playoffs, I'll know something is terribly wrong.

We've had a rough season. We lost more games than we won, including three in a row, rather uncharacteristic for this team I've played with for over a decade. But tonight, it's a clean slate. We have one simple objective.

Just win, baby.

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