Game 4 win 17-16 vs Balls Deep

Gibson, Bream, Henderson, Ramirez, Fielder...these are just a few names of men who have stepped up to the plate, and delivered in the clutch.  Will my name be mentioned with these great ballplayers? No way in hell...

The Ringers took the field last night against Balls Deep, a dreaded hit squad that is a completely average team in every way.  Sully's 10 were looking to continue a hot streak going undefeated through the first 3 games.  Do I smell an undefeated season?

The skipper had a hunch tonight, I stayed up all night trying to draft up the perfect lineup, I slaved over this.  How? How do I put the best 10 in the field?  Then it hit me, Noyes pitches, Bagger and Cutrell to the OF, Danny manning LF, this seemed like a dream diamond...then it hit me, I screwed up, I screwed up royally...and it sickens me.  This Medford 10 ended up with more errors than runs...and we scored 16. 

These guys were on the mound.  On one side the ol Lefty, on the other side a guy lighting em up between pitches.

Adrian Norris, the seasoned lefty started out the game with 2 straight walks.  Later learning he was actually (and unbelievably) taking two steps towards the plate before he threw it.  He settled down and grooved it right in there belt high for the Deepers all night.  To quote one kid at bat "I feel bad swinging at these pitches, I may kill him with a line drive".  Never one to back down from a challenge, Noyesie got out of a jam in the first but literally threw himself into one with two strange and awkward underhanded throws to Crowley at first.  Kid sprinted towards Crowley running a 4.4/40 and then uncorked some underhanded throws that started at his knee and the release point was around his temple.  Like a blind man playing cornhole, he topshelfed Crowley to commit 2 errors that led to a decent amount of runs.  But we asked Noyes to throw strikes all night, and he did.  The guy has come a long way

Sweet, who has been hot all year, stayed hot with some nice hitting early on.  Unfortunately on a double hit by yours truly he came up lame on a slide into 3rd and developed what can only be described as a foot boner.  He iced it down with a luke warm Bud Light and hopes to be fine come next week.  His Kirk Gibson never materialized late in the game.  Let's hope the kid is ok

Matt Cutrell, coming off a swollen knee, proved to be as blind as a bat out in right center.  I was a bit nervous in the warmups when he was basket catching the ball so his other hand (occupied by a Bud Light) wouldn't spill the drink.  Kid had a tough day out in the outfield, his quote "It's like Adventures in Outfielding out here" will live in infamy.  Kid could not get away from the ball if he tried, the one he caught was either going to go in his glove or behead him...

Adam Crowley played a nice first base, pitching in a great stretch to seal a Sully unassisted double play that may have saved the game and the season.  He was also nearly killed by a laser hit straight at him, all he could do is absorb it and hope all his fingers were there when it was over....

Seemed like the Ringers were chasing runs all night, trading jabs from hits by MBags who will try to "go oppo" more this year.  Also big hits by Danny and a man that couldn't "go oppo" if he tried, Jay McGrath.  Noyes pitched in getting on base twice by walks and then a nice hit in the hole, Sully was hitting it hard all night but right at people.  Cutrell, making up for his circus-like play, hit it hard all night too.  Timmy Chanst made his debut on one leg and pitched in with a few hits and a fill in at second for an injured sweet.

Solid D by MBags and Danny, with Sully making key plays when we needed it.  Jay McGrath covering more ground than any man should out there.

The game came down to the end, the Jokomos of Sully were up in the bottom of the 7th needing one run to win it.  When you play baseball most of your life, you dream about these situations.  We have all grown up seeing the '86 Mets, Sid Bream for the Braves, Kirk Gibson hobbling around the bases in Dodger Stadium...everyone wants that chance to walk it off.  I had that chance.

With MBags on 3rd and Sweet lining out before me, I stepped to the plate pretty confident.  I had hit the ball hard all night and just wanted to fly it out to left for the win.  I saw it in my head, being mauled by everyone, bash brother elbow hits, Top Gun high five to low five, Sully popping the champagne, Noyes tearing up as he tackled me around first....none of these things happened

I grounded to third, Sully tells MBags to go! MBags goes and freezes in a pickle! The pickle continues to home plate! The catcher is up the line too much and the throw hits MBags! MBags supermans it over the catcher and touches home with his face! It is a walk off win! Jubilation hits the Ringers!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  You could have heard a pin drop out there.  If I dropped dead at First base I am not sure people would have even known.  The biggest moment in my batting career since I took Joe Davolio out the yard with a walkoff dinger, this fizzled out worse than a Josh Smith slide into 3rd. 

Game 3 Tie 8-8 vs Brew Crew

Wasn't at the game, heard it was a real nail-biter

It was a reunion on the diamond for these two...

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Forgetful Dan...

Ringers open the season with 2 wins in murderous style

The Ringers worked hard this offseason (including these shots from a grueling preseason practice). Many nights were spent in the gym or in the cage getting ready for Opening Day. 

The Ringers opened up against a new team, The Ultimate Warriors, who looked like they should have been at spring practice at Ohio State rather then playing in Bova's League.  The Ol Righty got the nod for the Ringers after a steller 2011 campaign and the fact that he looked rather rickety at preseason practice.  Looking to shake the rust off, the Ringers took the field first looking to play some sellar D. (insert circus music).  Smith, always a steady glove, got the surprise start at 3B for a banged up TC.  His first inning started with a booted ball, and 2 over throws (not to mention the ugliest slide of the decade).  In typical Josh fashion he shook it off and settled down to have a nice game and hopefully will have a nice life too.  Sweet and Sully with some great defensive plays, Crowley with a great scoop at first, Steady Dan out in RF and a guest appearance by Jeff Smith rounded out a nice defensive day.  Surprise C Chris Feige made 2 put outs and almost lost his head on a foul ball (heard before the game "don't worry, you won't get anything back there".  The pounding of the Warriors continued with an offensive barrage by everyone.  Skunked them in the 6th.

Game 2 featured a rematch of the Finals with the 2 oldest teams in the league.  The Raso's floated out a real old fart on the mound as Steven Paz was still resting from the 3 game series last September.  How we lost to these idiots I will never know.  What I do know is the Righty was dealin and the Grillers looked like they were 80 years old.  Seriously, did they make a play in the infield????  The "Shortstop" booted like 6 balls and was hard yelling "I suck dick!".  Sounds like something to keep to yourself, but to each their own.  The Ringers put the hurt on with great hits by Sully and Josh to get us going, huge nights for Sweet and Bags who were on the ball all night.  DSull with a bomb of a HR, PR with a 3/5 day...all the while the Righty kept dealing and keeping the Grillers offbalance.  Another skunk win.

Loss in the Final Game to Raso's Grille

The Ringers bats go silent once again in the Finals....