Rosengard 7, O'Connor 1
Dave Rosengard (4-6) tossed a 5-hitter, and Phil Ciccone and Don Weiss each drove in two runs.
Appell 2, Melendez 1
Jeff Appell (6-3) also allowed only 5 hits, but Freddy Melendez almost matched him. Alex Rivera drove in Zach Nilva for both runs, with a double and a sac fly. Melendez's team didn't score until the bottom of the 7th, when Ian Parfrey tripled and Brian Hernandez's sac fly plated him. Appell is 2/3 of an inning short of qualifying for the ERA title.
Nilva 15, Hewes 5
Zach Nilva (4-3) continued his run of good pitching performances, allowing 2 runs on 12 hits in 6 innings. He also had 3 hits. Alex Rivera (2-for-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Eric Schulman (3-for-4, solo HR) led the offensive attack, and Eddie Fernandez also homered. Hewes allowed 11 of the runs in the top of the 4th. His team was led by Jaime Orochena (4-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Freddy Melendez (3-for-4, 2B, RBI).
Next Sunday is the LAST DAY at Heckscher.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Nilva's No Hitter
In 28 years of Softball For The Love Of It, no one had pitched a no-hitter. While this pitching futility did not touch the Mets record of 48 years, it still spoke to how difficult a task pitching a no-hitter is. On Sunday game 3 was scheduled to be 5 innings because several players could not stay long enough to play 7. With Rosengard stuck at home selling his furniture in the front yard to make a few bucks and Jeff Appell having been officially suspended for allowing his dogs on the field before the field was open, we had used all available pitchers with the exception of the 22-year-old Zach Nilva. Nilva had pitched well at times, but, miuch like Don Larsen, had a career losing record. Also, Zach is such a great outfielder that using him on the mound seems a waste.
Three innings into the game Ian Parfrey mentioned to me that Zach had a no-hitter going. This depite having only three outfielders, as we had 19 players and we were playing 9-on-9. As if by magic, a young Frenchman with a baseball glove ran up to me saying it would be his greatest wish while in the americas to play in our game. I didn't know what to say, but wanting to avoid total responsibility for breaking the man's heart I told him to wait and I would ask the other team. I walked to the mound and told Zach the situation. He rolled his eyes and gave me a look that said "I'm pitching a no-hitter and you want me to take some Frog who has probably never played before?" I then made a case for the Frenchman. I told Zach that it would be easier to preserve a no-hitter with four outfielders than with three. I guess the combination of my logic and Zach's good nature worked because as I walked off the mound to tell the Frenchman the bad news, Zach called out, "I'll take him."
Manu, Zach's new right-centerfielder trotted out to his position. In that fourth inning he made two stupendous diving catches(turning one into a double-play by catching the runner off the bag at second with a laser throw. In the final frame I came up with two-outs and the tying run on third and hit a line-drive over the secondbaseman's head only to see Manu diving headfirst and catching the ball just before it hit the ground. Zach Nilva had pitched a no-hitter.
Word of Zach's feat has gotten around a bit. This morning I was walking down Broadway when who should I see but Dan Marino, wearing his Dolphins jersey. As he passed me the name written on his back was N I L V A.
Three innings into the game Ian Parfrey mentioned to me that Zach had a no-hitter going. This depite having only three outfielders, as we had 19 players and we were playing 9-on-9. As if by magic, a young Frenchman with a baseball glove ran up to me saying it would be his greatest wish while in the americas to play in our game. I didn't know what to say, but wanting to avoid total responsibility for breaking the man's heart I told him to wait and I would ask the other team. I walked to the mound and told Zach the situation. He rolled his eyes and gave me a look that said "I'm pitching a no-hitter and you want me to take some Frog who has probably never played before?" I then made a case for the Frenchman. I told Zach that it would be easier to preserve a no-hitter with four outfielders than with three. I guess the combination of my logic and Zach's good nature worked because as I walked off the mound to tell the Frenchman the bad news, Zach called out, "I'll take him."
Manu, Zach's new right-centerfielder trotted out to his position. In that fourth inning he made two stupendous diving catches(turning one into a double-play by catching the runner off the bag at second with a laser throw. In the final frame I came up with two-outs and the tying run on third and hit a line-drive over the secondbaseman's head only to see Manu diving headfirst and catching the ball just before it hit the ground. Zach Nilva had pitched a no-hitter.
Word of Zach's feat has gotten around a bit. This morning I was walking down Broadway when who should I see but Dan Marino, wearing his Dolphins jersey. As he passed me the name written on his back was N I L V A.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
ZACH NILVA THROWS NO HITTER
Game 1
Hewes 7, O'Connor 5
Havelock Hewes (10-16) needed most of a 7-0 cushion to pick up the win. Sam Magnus was 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI for the winners. Ken Walker (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Freddy Melendez (3-for-3) led O'Connor's team. Hewes stranded the tying runs on base.
Game 2
Parfrey 10, Stoeth 3
Ian Parfrey (11-7) battled control issues in the first, when he walked the bases loaded and then allowed Glen Lawrence's 3-run double. He settled down to throw 6 scoreless frames afterwards. Alex Rivera was the offensive star, going 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored, and an RBI. Ian Lebowitz scored 3 runs, drove in 2, and participated in a bizarre play where his short fly ball to center fell just in front of Don Weiss, who recovered to force out Parfrey at second, and the throw on to third got Bill McLaughlin, while Alex Rivera scored from third.
Game 3
Nilva 1, Melendez 0, 5 innings
Zach Nilva allowed no hits and walked three, and a French tourist walk-on named Manu made three difficult catches in right-center to preserve the no-no. He then asked me if we play every day, and I told him only on Sundays. I hope not to see him unless he's on my team. Zach's defense turned two double plays behind him, and the game's only run came when Mike Palma hit a leadoff triple to right-center, and then came around on Ken Walker's sac fly to deep left. Freddy Melendez was the hard-luck loser, scattering 4 hits.
Hewes 7, O'Connor 5
Havelock Hewes (10-16) needed most of a 7-0 cushion to pick up the win. Sam Magnus was 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI for the winners. Ken Walker (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Freddy Melendez (3-for-3) led O'Connor's team. Hewes stranded the tying runs on base.
Game 2
Parfrey 10, Stoeth 3
Ian Parfrey (11-7) battled control issues in the first, when he walked the bases loaded and then allowed Glen Lawrence's 3-run double. He settled down to throw 6 scoreless frames afterwards. Alex Rivera was the offensive star, going 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored, and an RBI. Ian Lebowitz scored 3 runs, drove in 2, and participated in a bizarre play where his short fly ball to center fell just in front of Don Weiss, who recovered to force out Parfrey at second, and the throw on to third got Bill McLaughlin, while Alex Rivera scored from third.
Game 3
Nilva 1, Melendez 0, 5 innings
Zach Nilva allowed no hits and walked three, and a French tourist walk-on named Manu made three difficult catches in right-center to preserve the no-no. He then asked me if we play every day, and I told him only on Sundays. I hope not to see him unless he's on my team. Zach's defense turned two double plays behind him, and the game's only run came when Mike Palma hit a leadoff triple to right-center, and then came around on Ken Walker's sac fly to deep left. Freddy Melendez was the hard-luck loser, scattering 4 hits.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Anarchist or Fascist?
I have spent the morning avoiding other responsibilities and considering SFLOI...
I remember thinking early in the season, maybe after the game in Riverdale when I gave up 17 runs in one inning, that many offensive records would fall in 2010. Six months at Hecksher Field has made things look quite different. The two records still in jeopardy are hits and runs. Ian Parfrey has 100 hits, 39 short of Joe Gerber's record. With approximately 70% of the season gone, Parfrey is on target to come in at 139. Given that it should be easier for Ian to collect hits at East River Park, it would seem that the edge goes to Ian eclipsing the record. However, an early snowstorm or a baby arriving on a Sunday morning could easily put a crimp in all this. A little more difficult, but still possible enough to get excited about, is the possibility that either Parfrey or Zach Nilva will get to the 103 runs record. Both are at 71 today and are projected to end the season at 102 runs. Again, they will have East River Park to help them, but weather, pregnancy (for Parfrey) and allegiance to The Dolphins (Nilva) mitigating against them.
An idea of a theme game I have been mulling for decades is the Anarchists versus the Fascists. In the past, few players have been able to chooses one. Part of the problem is that the concepts have such negative implications. Another problem is that some of us feel one way in our hearts and another in our interactions in the world. For instance I feel very much an anarchist (I'm all in favor of free speech and nudity) but behave like a Fascist ("I'll tell you which team you play for and what position you play"). So, rather than having guys choose themselves, I decided to make a list of Fascists and Anarchists, open it up for discussion, revise the list and go with it. I made the following list of the top 30 in plate appearances and made team captains. These are the guys who I think best represent the spirit of their teams. The rest of the list goes in descending order of fascism/ anarchism
Fascists
Gil Schmerler - Captain
Don Weiss
Glen Lawrence
Phil Ciccone
Havelock Hewes
Sal Cipriano
Ian Parfrey
Bill McLaughlin
Bob Holzwasser
Zach Nilva
Ian Lebowitz
Jamie Orochena
Charlie Block
Solomon Sarway
Nel Yomtov
eric Sculman
Brrian Hernandez
Anarchists
Alex Rivera - Team captain
Fred Lang
Derek Martinez
Jeff Appell
David Sommers
Tony Connor
Freddy Melendez
David Rosengard
Paul Geoghan
Marvin Cohen
Jim O'Connor
Laura Stoeth
Mike Palma
Please comment on these choices...
Also, I thought we might play one week in which the positions in the batting order are drawn from a hat, Thoughts?
I remember thinking early in the season, maybe after the game in Riverdale when I gave up 17 runs in one inning, that many offensive records would fall in 2010. Six months at Hecksher Field has made things look quite different. The two records still in jeopardy are hits and runs. Ian Parfrey has 100 hits, 39 short of Joe Gerber's record. With approximately 70% of the season gone, Parfrey is on target to come in at 139. Given that it should be easier for Ian to collect hits at East River Park, it would seem that the edge goes to Ian eclipsing the record. However, an early snowstorm or a baby arriving on a Sunday morning could easily put a crimp in all this. A little more difficult, but still possible enough to get excited about, is the possibility that either Parfrey or Zach Nilva will get to the 103 runs record. Both are at 71 today and are projected to end the season at 102 runs. Again, they will have East River Park to help them, but weather, pregnancy (for Parfrey) and allegiance to The Dolphins (Nilva) mitigating against them.
An idea of a theme game I have been mulling for decades is the Anarchists versus the Fascists. In the past, few players have been able to chooses one. Part of the problem is that the concepts have such negative implications. Another problem is that some of us feel one way in our hearts and another in our interactions in the world. For instance I feel very much an anarchist (I'm all in favor of free speech and nudity) but behave like a Fascist ("I'll tell you which team you play for and what position you play"). So, rather than having guys choose themselves, I decided to make a list of Fascists and Anarchists, open it up for discussion, revise the list and go with it. I made the following list of the top 30 in plate appearances and made team captains. These are the guys who I think best represent the spirit of their teams. The rest of the list goes in descending order of fascism/ anarchism
Fascists
Gil Schmerler - Captain
Don Weiss
Glen Lawrence
Phil Ciccone
Havelock Hewes
Sal Cipriano
Ian Parfrey
Bill McLaughlin
Bob Holzwasser
Zach Nilva
Ian Lebowitz
Jamie Orochena
Charlie Block
Solomon Sarway
Nel Yomtov
eric Sculman
Brrian Hernandez
Anarchists
Alex Rivera - Team captain
Fred Lang
Derek Martinez
Jeff Appell
David Sommers
Tony Connor
Freddy Melendez
David Rosengard
Paul Geoghan
Marvin Cohen
Jim O'Connor
Laura Stoeth
Mike Palma
Please comment on these choices...
Also, I thought we might play one week in which the positions in the batting order are drawn from a hat, Thoughts?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Games and Notes of 9/12
Courtesy of Brian Hernandez and ABC News, here's a brief video of this morning's action. What you're seeing is Phil Ciccone's 3rd inning double to left-center off of Dave Rosengard in Game 1, advancing Zach Nilva to third. The infielders are Fred Lang (2b), Sam Magnus (3b), and Dave Sommers (ss).
Found at field: One righty Mizuno Premier glove, tan with dark brown trim, and an improvised relacing between the second and third fingers.
In last week's comments section, we learned that IF Bob Holzwasser is on the 60-day DL. Hope to see you on the field again soon, Bob.
Games of 9/12:
O'Connor 15, Rosengard 4
Jim O'Connor picked up his 10th win behind the batting heroics of Phil Ciccone (3-for-4, 3 doubles, 2 RBI), Ian Parfrey (2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI), Zach Nilva (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI), and Tony Connor (3-for-3, 3 RBI).
Appell 2, Stoeth 1 (8 innings)
Jeff Appell (5-3) and Laura Stoeth locked up in a real pitcher's duel. In the bottom of the first, Phil Ciccone singled in Don Weiss to give Laura a 1-0 lead. Appell didn't allow another runner to reach third base the rest of the way. His own offense was stymied by Tony Connor's pitching protege until a pair of errors in the sixth inning tied the score. In the top of the eighth, Bill McLaughlin tripled up the left-center gap, and scored on Dave Sommers' sacrifice fly. Appell flew out with the bases loaded to end the inning, but retired Zach Nilva and Phil Ciccone after Don Weiss's one-out single to preserve the win. Appell allowed 8 hits, 1 walk, and struck out one. Stoeth allowed 6 hits, 5 walks, and struck out two.
Friday, September 10, 2010
NYMSL PLAYOFFS SUNDAY!
Hello folks,
So as most of you know, I play for and co-captain the DC Comics softball team. Well this Sunday, soon after SFLOI's weekly gameday ends, DC will be squaring off against the Wall Street Journal in a semifinal match to determine who plays in the final directly afterward. High Times will be playing WNYC at the same time in the other semi. I invite all of you to stick around Heckscher and cheer on two of your boys, myself and Nel Yomtov, and the rest of the DC Bullets!
Here's the NYMSL Playoff info:
All games @ Heckscher Playground
Seminfinals: 1:30 pm
WNYC vs. HT, Field 1
WSJ vs. DC, Field 4
Championship Game, Field 1, 3 pm
Consolation Game, Field 4, 3 pm
Best,
Sal
So as most of you know, I play for and co-captain the DC Comics softball team. Well this Sunday, soon after SFLOI's weekly gameday ends, DC will be squaring off against the Wall Street Journal in a semifinal match to determine who plays in the final directly afterward. High Times will be playing WNYC at the same time in the other semi. I invite all of you to stick around Heckscher and cheer on two of your boys, myself and Nel Yomtov, and the rest of the DC Bullets!
Here's the NYMSL Playoff info:
All games @ Heckscher Playground
Seminfinals: 1:30 pm
WNYC vs. HT, Field 1
WSJ vs. DC, Field 4
Championship Game, Field 1, 3 pm
Consolation Game, Field 4, 3 pm
Best,
Sal
Sunday, September 5, 2010
GAMES OF 9/5
1. Hewes 6, Stoeth 5
Havelock Hewes (9-16) got Gil Schmerler to line out to SS Dave Sommers with the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the top of the 7th to preserve the win. Sommers (2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI) supplied most of the offensive firepower for the winning side. Mike Palma was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI for Stoeth's team.
2. Appell 6, Rosengard 4
Jeff Appell (4-3) scattered 7 hits, and worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the 7th inning, allowing only Jaime Orochena's sac fly. Appell also doubled and drove in 2. Zach Nilva was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Rosengard got a 2-run double by Derek Martinez and little else in the way of offensive support.
3. Melendez 10, Martinez 2
These two pitchers squared off against each other in an equally lopsided game last week, won by Martinez, and this time Freddy Melendez (10-6) got his revenge, scattering 11 hits and pitching shutout ball over the final 6 frames. Don Weiss (3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) and Zach Nilva (3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI) led the way, as Martinez struggled with his control all day, walking nine.
Havelock Hewes (9-16) got Gil Schmerler to line out to SS Dave Sommers with the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the top of the 7th to preserve the win. Sommers (2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI) supplied most of the offensive firepower for the winning side. Mike Palma was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI for Stoeth's team.
2. Appell 6, Rosengard 4
Jeff Appell (4-3) scattered 7 hits, and worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the 7th inning, allowing only Jaime Orochena's sac fly. Appell also doubled and drove in 2. Zach Nilva was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Rosengard got a 2-run double by Derek Martinez and little else in the way of offensive support.
3. Melendez 10, Martinez 2
These two pitchers squared off against each other in an equally lopsided game last week, won by Martinez, and this time Freddy Melendez (10-6) got his revenge, scattering 11 hits and pitching shutout ball over the final 6 frames. Don Weiss (3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) and Zach Nilva (3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI) led the way, as Martinez struggled with his control all day, walking nine.
Labels:
Dave Sommers,
don weiss,
Freddy melendez,
Havelock Hewes,
jeff appell,
ZACH NILVA
Friday, September 3, 2010
Recovery of All Time Pitching Stats
With a huge assist from Tony Connor, who kept all the scorebooks and SFLOI yearbooks necessary to compile this information, I was able to fill in the blanks in our pitching stats and arrive at a reasonably close approximation of lifetime totals. This is for all pitchers with 50 or more decisions, as of the end of the 2009 season.
1. Havelock Hewes W 453 L 436 (.510)
2. Dave Rosengard W 272 L 370 (.424)
3. Peter Bochan W 157 L 129 (.549)
4. Jeff Appell W 89 L 81 (.524)
5. Jorge Loarte W 84 L 64 (.568)
6. Gil Schmerler W 82 L 49 (.626)
7. Bobby Naranjo W 74 L 65 (.532)
8. Tony Connor W 46 L 26 (.639)
9. Derek Martinez W 35 L 21 (.625)
10. Lee Lowenfish W 27 L 45 (.375)
Jorge Loarte's 1995, when he went 27-11, may be the best SFLOI pitching season ever. Havelock went 27-19 in 1998, and has 9 20-win seasons under his belt, as well as the only 34-loss season ever, in 1994. Dave Rosengard and Bobby Naranjo had one 20-win season each, though Rosengard's is somewhat dubious, as he went 21-25.
1. Havelock Hewes W 453 L 436 (.510)
2. Dave Rosengard W 272 L 370 (.424)
3. Peter Bochan W 157 L 129 (.549)
4. Jeff Appell W 89 L 81 (.524)
5. Jorge Loarte W 84 L 64 (.568)
6. Gil Schmerler W 82 L 49 (.626)
7. Bobby Naranjo W 74 L 65 (.532)
8. Tony Connor W 46 L 26 (.639)
9. Derek Martinez W 35 L 21 (.625)
10. Lee Lowenfish W 27 L 45 (.375)
Jorge Loarte's 1995, when he went 27-11, may be the best SFLOI pitching season ever. Havelock went 27-19 in 1998, and has 9 20-win seasons under his belt, as well as the only 34-loss season ever, in 1994. Dave Rosengard and Bobby Naranjo had one 20-win season each, though Rosengard's is somewhat dubious, as he went 21-25.
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