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...

Please donate to a great cause...

http://www.pmc.org/profile/MC0431

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....

This guy has no doubts....

Finals: Game 1 Loss 13-5, Game 2 Win 22-4

Disclaimer: most info taken from the Medford Men's Softball App v2.0.1 for Android found in the Android marketplace

The Ringers took the field against the Sons of Stevie Paz on a wet and windy night on Tony Bova field. The Ringers came in as the favorite in the finals, holding the #2 seed and having a solid record against the Raso's over the years. Raso's, however, have been hot since the 4th of July and knocked off the top seed, the Wet Bandits, rather convincingly. This was sure to be a battle of the bulge, similar to the bowling ball Paz is hiding under his under armour shirt.

The first game kicked off with driving rains pelting the Ringers the minute we took the field. The Boys of the Grill came out hitting and taking pitches and managed to plate 5 in the first inning. The Ringers had been there before, but went 1-2-3 in our home half. Amazingly it looked like Aruba when the Raso's were out on the field, but without fail, the wind and rain came back in the top of the 2nd and they plated 1 more to run it to 6-0 early. Between errors and not being able to put 3 solid hits together, the Ringers plated a few runs here and there but could only muster up 5 runs all game. We really couldn't have played worse. Raso's couldnt muster up too much the rest of the game, getting a run an inning but we couldn't match it and fell 13-5. There were some bright spots though, Danny and McGrath had some great throw outs from the OF, MBags great plays at 3B, Shaun a great tag/body blow at the plate.

We had 5 minuted in between games and we took that time to argue with each other (Shocker, guess who was involved? His name rhymes with poopy). In Arod vs Varitek style MBags and Crupi argued about who was the slowest on the team, and where the best pizza was in North Medford. This may have proved to be the spark that we needed to fire the team up and start plating these runs. Crupi led the game off with a single (which I think was the biggest play of the night) and gave us a wake up call that this is what we do.

The rains continued to come down but the Ringers started hitting the ball, up and down the lineup we were able to really piece things together, taking advantage of a few Raso errors. Big hits by Sully, McGrath, Danny, and TC started things off for us and that kept up all game. The 'ol Ball Fielder took the mound and got out of an early jam to really cruise through the middle innings, self admittedly they have a real hard time hitting a flat pitch, amazing but we will take it! Armed with an early lead of 16-3 through 3 innings, Raso's couldnt put much together and really looked defeated after about 2 innings, they knew the tides were turning.

Great job in the OF and Sully running down some texas league pop ups that were all over the place with that win. That wind was NOT easy. A nice textbook rundown with PR and MBags, Bagger fielding his position, and TC playing a solid 1B. Really a nice win all around, and Boonton the "Big Power" with a nice dinger!

The rubber match comes Tuesday at 7:30, this is for all the marbles...

(thanks to Boonton for working with Bova on this app)

A Ringers Poem...

Imagine you're The Ringers right now.

Imagine you're The Ringers today, this minute, with the ball in your hand and the curtain about to go up.

You've been here before. The lights, the 100 million eyeballs, the pressure that comes with being the men and rising to meet the moment, it's all old hat to you.

You don't sweat the Raso mystique. You remember August 27, 2011, and a certain 8-hit, 1-K night. The House that Bova built doesn't rattle you. You've left notches in that rubber like it was a belt around your waist.

And you can't believe your good luck. A week ago you were done, your boys were done, you were rubber-necking a hideous postseason crash. But no, you get another shot. And like Freddie you're wondering, "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?"

You won 15 games this year. You never give up. You're for the team -- you stand on the top step of the dugout when you're not standing on the hill.

You bear down. You bear up. It's what you do. It's who you are.

You're the Monty Burns Ringers and tonight's the night.

Back in April, Bagshaw wore his Raso hater hat at a Bruins game.

And everybody outside of Medford loves you because you drew the underdog in this fight. (But, of course, that don't mean snot if you don't deliver now.)

This is what you came for. Not to achieve your own legacy (that's already done by Sully's fielding percentage), but to be a part of a place and a people, to help write and re-write their history. You've been here before, with the strange Raso/Bruins logos in your sights and a quiver full of arrows on your back, but you've never exactly been here before, with the hopes and dreams of the Ringer faithful, and their parents, and their parents' parents, riding on you, with air kissed by curse and laden with anguish flowing in and out of your lungs with every breath. You wanted this, you sought this out, you reached for these people and they reached back. And now you're in. All the way in. You've been a part of this team all season, but tonight you become a made guy, one of the family, with all the rights and responsibilities, with all the risks and rewards, therein. You've been here before but you've never been here before.

You hang with The Sons of Sully now.

And TC promised to shut some folks up.

We take the diamond after two of the greatest games in team history. We take the ball after Jay McGrath slapped it around the yard. We take the ball after a season considered nothing but a prelude to precisely this kind of moment.

This is the game that makes you an icon, if you're up for it. Forget Raso Killer or Big Game Ringer. Try Redeemer on for size. Slip into Deliverer.

Imagine you're The Ringers right now.

Imagine knowing you've got to go long tonight, because there's two games and no one wants to play past Thursday.

But that's all right, because it's in you. No doubt. You have that thing. You can summon it. It will drive you.

You can't seem to think of anything else. There are doubts.

Josh is wearing a Johnny U boot and more tape than Swish had around her chest in "Fastbreak," his ankle's throbbing, bobbing and weaving like a marionette and bearing weight the way Jessica Simpson bears hardship, with a lot of whine and wiggle.

You stunk up the joint in the finals of 2009. You can't let things stand like that. This is a get-back game. You need to write a storybook. You know that.

You also know Steven Paz and the guy with the 44 Long jersey were turning your stuff around last time like a bouncer turns away math majors in coke-bottle specs at the door to a nightclub.

You know it's only Game 1, and even a lights-out performance here doesn't close the deal.
That really chaps you.

So you're The Ringers, and you've got all this swirling around inside your head tonight as you toe the rubber, work through the lineup, and stare up into the thousands of screaming Raso faces.

You're part indomitable spirit and part nerves that jingle, jangle, jingle; part seasoned champion, part new kid on the block.

And the beauty of it is, you wouldn't want to be anywhere else, and the Ringer Nation wouldn't rather have anyone else out there.

Imagine that.

Game on.

Finals vs. Raso's Grille

The Men of Medford take on Raso's Grille...

This is for all the marbles....

Ringers take the Semi Finals Series 2-1

The Sons of Sully took the semi-finals series against the Hibernians 2-1.

I wasn't at the first 2 games but the Hibernians came out pounding the ball putting up 9 in the first inning of Game 1. The Ringers fought hard to get back into it and ties it up only to lose in extras and go down 1-0 in the series. The second game proved to be more on track with Ringer softball as the Hibernians bats fell silent and the Ringers mercied them behind solid hitting and pitching.

Game 3 was on Tuesday under the lights at Bova Park. The kid took the mound for the first time in 3 weeks, as did the Big Kitty coming of one hell of an ankle injury. Once again the Hibernians blooped hits all over to start the game hot, plating 7 in the first 2 innings. The Ringers have been here before though and didn't worry (although going 1-2-3 on 3 pitches in the 1st inning wasnt fun).

The bats got hot in the bottom of the second and didn't stop. Bringing it back to 8-8, the Ringers pulled ahead and didnt look back. McGrath had a key bases loaded hit to open the flood gates and the boys won 22-12 on a mercy in the bottom of the 6th.

Good defense all night by MBags, DSull, Danny, Boonton, Jay, and Bags a nice put out at home

The hits came from everywhere, everyone got into the mix up and down the order.

Jeremy gave out the game ball to "Little Boonton!" That's right folks, a mini purge is on the way! He then gave the game ball to Crupi for "hitting well". Then I got a game ball from TC for going the distance and going 3-4 with 5 RBI's....but who's counting?

The boys are back in the big dance...

First Round Bye/Semi-Finals vs The Hibernians

Ringers Finish the regular season and grab the 2 seed

This week in Ringers Softball Game 15 Win vs Diamonds/Game 16 Win vs Brew Crew

The Sons of Sully played 2 games this week. The first one against the hated Diamonds. Prime Time was at the game this time, but the Diaper Dandy, Murph, must have had a tourney game and failed to make the lineup.

Bags took the mound for the 24th time in a row, setting a modern day Medford Softball record. The focus of the game was on the Big Kitty and his hit streak. He came into the game with 9 straight hits and extended it to 13! The Big Kitty hasn't got attention he has deserved (according to him). The kid has been the gasoline that fuels the car, the kindling that starts the fire, and he is a bad bad man this year. A little different than his year in Babe Ruth when he went 1-1 then 0-45, oh wait I forgot the Grand Slam, oh wait, that was a rainout and didn't count...at any rate, the kid is money, hitch on to his trailer, enjoy the ride.

Couple highlights from the game

-Bags walking the first batter but settling down to throw strikes all night

-The human Kiwi leading off the game and looking like he was scalped by Geronimo, also with an amazing catch in the 5th inning to keep the game out of reach

-MBags going 4-4 with the once shunned Miken Vicious

-The kid registering an over the head triple

-The King of Melrose going 0-4 with 4 groundouts to the SS

-TC roping one into Right Center and being called out for stepping on the plate

Final Score 16-8

The Boys of Summer had a date with the Brew Crew last night. We were hoping for a win, they were just hoping that weren't going to get pulled over for a DUI before the game (quote un quote). The Bad boys of the league came in with an 6-10 record and were looking to get there best win of the season against the surging Ringers. The kid took the hill for the first time since 1987 and looked to continue the Ringers march to the playoffs.

Some days you have it, and some days you dont. Some days you wake up on the right side of the bed, and some days its the wrong side (or is it left?) at any rate, it was one of those games for the typically sure handed Mike Bagshaw. Yup, the star of Hot Damn had a day to forget. Paid off by the Brew Crew earlier in the night, he made some very uncharacteristic errors which makes us think that there maybe moles hidden within the Ringers...Cutrell duffing some in right? Noyes throwing meatballs all game?? Sully going 0-4 saying he wasn't "feeling it" Who is the rat???? You had to feel for the kid though, all signs point to an epic comeback next week for him...

We could/should have beat them 36-3 like the first game featuring the Hibernians and the Master Batters. We did the ol position switcherroo a tad too early and paid for it.

We all hit pretty well, DSull had a great game as did Regular Sully, both had a home run and a triple. TC had some good pokes to the outfield, Bags stayed hot showing warning track power all night, McGrath getting a nice late insurance HR, Connors helping out the bottom of the order, and the Big Kitty, without the streak but continuing to rake.

Highlight of the night had to be the play of 2B Bags and 1B Crupi. The Human Kiwi was holding down first base and yelled Bagshaw to "flip it!!!!!!!!". Giving Bags a 2 inch square to toss it in, Bags couldn't quite fit it in there and thus ruined the play all by himself, shame on you Bags for not fitting it in Crupi's duck glove...

Ringers look to extend this weeks winning streak next week with both games at 7:30

Get Some

Game 12 Win! Game 13 Win! Game 13 Loss :(

Alex Morgan (TC's chick) puts one in deep to seal it!

USA! USA! Take it from Han's daughter...

Game 11 win 20-9 or "back in the win column"

The real All Stars were playing on the bad field last night vs the Bruins...I mean Raso's. In celebration of being the biggest Massholes this side of Route 1, Raso's Grille LLP has changed their jerseys to look like a gey version of the Boston Bruins, minus the B, add the R.

The Hometown boys have fallen on tough times of late, losing two straight and falling back into second place. The ol lefty was penciled in to pitch the game but he has been put back on the DL with what has been listed as a Tramp Stamp, apparently the tatoo parlors around King's Cross dont have the friendliest of needles. I believe the tat is the lonely tree scene from The Neverending Story but that hasn't been verified. Capshaw took the mound and had a little trouble finding the distance, they were either 5 feet off the ground or about 22 feet up. Getting himself into a little jam in the first inning, he would settle down nicely until the 6th when Raso's mounted a little comeback.

I stacked the top of the order this game hoping to get some offense going as we have been a bit quiet the last few games. Crupi got things going with a Texas League single in the first and we never looked back compiling 20 runs and a ton of baserunners. Old Man Sully put the kibosh on more runs being scored...which could make for an uncomfortable clubhouse when the RBI title comes out.

Highlights of the game:

-Jay McGrath is a BAD man. 6RBI's, 2 dingers

-Matt Cutrell is a BAD baserunner. I ordered you a rule book

-Do NOT try to stretch first to third and slide while up 18 runs. Your knees will hate you

-My Convo with Paz

Paz: Hey Blue, tell the kid to get them up, pitching shit out there

PR: Stop bitching, just dont swing then

Paz: Don't tell me what to F'n do, I'll swing at whatever the F I want to

(shades of "You shut your mouth when you're talking to me")

-Noyes' victory convo after purchasing a house and a postwin bowl smoke. Yet another place he can jack up the heat to about 82 and rip his can off with no ventilation...

"Hold on the girl is calling (low voice)"

"Heyyyyyyyyy Girlllllllllllll" (mouse voice)

-"The Big Kitty" (Josh) putting the car in park, then blasting a seeing eye single in the top of the first

-Cutrell with a daring basket catch to end the game

-Bottom of the order picking it back up with multiple hits from Bags, PR, Boonton, Sweet

-TC and Sully switching spots and staying hot

-more eTopps talk, looks like Pete hit big with a Lieberthal card back in the day, should be a .pdf file by next week

-Jude Smith picked up a money clip from PB, Christmas came early in Pepperell

-USA! USA!

Schedule

Game 9 and 10 Losses! 12-5 and 7-6 or "Doh!"

Is it time to hit the panic button? No, not yet, but the bats need some warming! Hats for bats, keeps bats warm...Cerrano may be on to something...

The Sons of Monty took 2 losses this week, the first on Tuesday vs the Master Batters losing 12-5. Even Eddie looked perplexed when I told him we lost and that guy doesn't have an expression for anything. We put them to bed the first time we played them, but this game was different. The ol Lefty took the mound and had an early wake up call from a team that was taking pitches and hitting the ball hard. Noyes settled into a groove mid-game and threw a decent ballgame, they just hit it where we ain't. The bats quieted down although we hit it hard, they just seemed to be there to make the play every time.

The next loss came last night in the bottom of the 7th against the Wet Bandits. Again the bats were quiet (especially the bottom of the order, myself included). Solid defense by both teams and some timely hitting locked it up all teh way until the 7th inning. Sully and Josh stayed hot at the plate. MBags made the play of the year at 3rd with a diving stab and a seated throw to nail a guy at first.

Not much good to write about so enjoy today's Crupon. 25 bucks gets you 5 dollars worth of burritos at Anna's (thanks JD)