Away 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0-- 8
Home 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 1-- 9
Away
pos player ab r h bi bb so avg
P Z.Nilva 7 1 2 0 0 0 .456
RF D.Martinez 7 2 2 1 0 0 .450
CF K.Walker 7 2 5 1 0 0 .548
3B S.Magnus 6 1 2 2 0 0 .302
SS F.Melendez 6 0 2 1 1 0 .484
LF G.Lawrence 7 0 2 0 0 0 .364
2B A.Connor 7 0 1 0 0 0 .385
OF F.Lang 7 2 2 0 0 0 .242
C D.Rosengard 6 0 2 0 0 1 .231
2B-- Magnus (4)
SF-- Magnus
DP-- Melendez
Home
pos player ab r h bi bb so avg
SS J.Orochena 7 2 5 0 1 0 .447
OF D.Weiss 7 1 3 0 1 1 .370
CF A.Rivera 7 2 3 1 1 0 .443
LF I.Parfrey 6 1 3 2 2 0 .536
1B S.Cipriano 7 0 2 2 0 0 .299
RF A.Rodriguez 6 2 4 0 1 0 .625
3B J.Appell 7 1 2 0 0 0 .361
2B G.Schmerler 7 0 1 0 0 1 .198
P.Geoghan 2 0 0 1 0 0 .250
P H.Hewes 7 0 1 0 0 0 .227
2B-- Orochena 2 (12), Rivera (29), Parfrey (14)
3B-- Rodriguez (1)
ip h r er bb so era
Z.Nilva L,4-4 13.0 24 9 6 6 2 3.89
H.Hewes W,11-17 14.0 20 8 4 1 1 5.03
Scoring
Top 1
S.Magnus doubled to left, D.Martinez scored
F.Melendez singled to right-center, S.Magnus scored
Away 2, Home 0
Bot 1
I.Parfrey singled to left, J.Orochena and A.Rivera scored
Away 2, Home 2
Top 2
D.Martinez singled to left, F.Lang scored
S.Magnus hit sac fly to center, Z.Nilva scored
F.Melendez reached on fielding error, D.Martinez and K.Walker scored
Away 6, Home 2
Bot 4
J.Appell reached on throwing error, A.Rodriguez scored
P.Geoghan grounded out to right field, J.Appell scored
Away 6, Home 4
Bot 7
S.Cipriano singled to left-center, D.Weiss and A.Rivera scored
Away 6, Home 6
Top 9
F.Melendez singled to right, K.Walker to third, on throwing error, K.Walker scored
Away 7, Home 6
Bot 9
J.Appell reached on throwing error, A.Rodriguez scored
Away 7, Home 7
Top 10
K.Walker singled to left, F.Lang scored, Z.Nilva out at home, K.Walker out at second
Away 8, Home 7
Bot 10
A.Rivera singled to shortstop, J.Orochena scored
Away 8, Home 8
Bot 14
I.Parfrey doubled to right-center, on throwing error, I.Parfrey scored
Home 9, Away 8
Sunday, October 10, 2010
SFLOI PLAYS 14-INNING MARATHON
Melendez 7, Appell 5
Freddy Melendez improved to 12-8 on the season, as his team scored 4 times in the first and never looked back. Zach Nilva was 2-for-3 with a home run, and Tony Connor was 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Alex Rivera was 2-for-4 with a home run and 3 runs scored for Appell's side.
Hewes 9, Nilva 8 (14 innings)
There was talk of playing a tripleheader, but we decided to just play Game 2 forever instead. As is his usual custom, Havelock Hewes gave up 6 runs in the first 2 innings (only 2 of them earned), and then masterfully held Nilva's team to 2 runs over the final 12 innings while his team battled back.
Sal Cipriano lined a 2-run single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game at 6. In the bottom of the 8th, Nilva escaped a bases-loaded 1-out jam by retiring Don Weiss and Alex Rivera on short fly balls. Ken Walker singled and later scored on a throwing error in the top of the 9th, and Nilva got the first two outs before Alexander Rodriguez tripled to right-center, and came around to score on an infield grounder when Marvin Cohen failed to hold on to a high throw. In the top of the 10th, Ken Walker's single to left plated Fred Lang, but Zach Nilva was tagged out in a rundown between third and home, and Walker was out advancing to second to end the inning. Alex Rivera's 2-out infield single to deep short scored Jaime Orochena in the bottom of the inning, after Orochena had just beaten out a hustle double earlier in the inning. Rivera was gunned out with the winning run by Glen Lawrence on Sal Cipriano's single. Nilva escaped a bases-loaded no-out jam in the 12th when Don Weiss led off with a single and reached third when it got past RF Derek Martinez. Afrer two intentional walks, Sal Cipriano popped out, and Alex Rivera was inexplicably caught off of second base. Jeff Appell grounded out to end the inning. Finally, Ian Parfrey led off the 14th with a double to deep right-center, and scored when the relay throw to third ended up in the dugout. If anyone knows of an SFLOI game that went longer than 14 innings, let me know. I've never played in a game longer than 11.
Offensive stars in the long game were Jaime Orochena (5-for-7, 2 doubles), and Alexander Rodriguez (4-for-6, 3B) for Hewes's team. Ken Walker was 5-for-7 with an RBI for Nilva's team.
Freddy Melendez improved to 12-8 on the season, as his team scored 4 times in the first and never looked back. Zach Nilva was 2-for-3 with a home run, and Tony Connor was 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Alex Rivera was 2-for-4 with a home run and 3 runs scored for Appell's side.
Hewes 9, Nilva 8 (14 innings)
There was talk of playing a tripleheader, but we decided to just play Game 2 forever instead. As is his usual custom, Havelock Hewes gave up 6 runs in the first 2 innings (only 2 of them earned), and then masterfully held Nilva's team to 2 runs over the final 12 innings while his team battled back.
Sal Cipriano lined a 2-run single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game at 6. In the bottom of the 8th, Nilva escaped a bases-loaded 1-out jam by retiring Don Weiss and Alex Rivera on short fly balls. Ken Walker singled and later scored on a throwing error in the top of the 9th, and Nilva got the first two outs before Alexander Rodriguez tripled to right-center, and came around to score on an infield grounder when Marvin Cohen failed to hold on to a high throw. In the top of the 10th, Ken Walker's single to left plated Fred Lang, but Zach Nilva was tagged out in a rundown between third and home, and Walker was out advancing to second to end the inning. Alex Rivera's 2-out infield single to deep short scored Jaime Orochena in the bottom of the inning, after Orochena had just beaten out a hustle double earlier in the inning. Rivera was gunned out with the winning run by Glen Lawrence on Sal Cipriano's single. Nilva escaped a bases-loaded no-out jam in the 12th when Don Weiss led off with a single and reached third when it got past RF Derek Martinez. Afrer two intentional walks, Sal Cipriano popped out, and Alex Rivera was inexplicably caught off of second base. Jeff Appell grounded out to end the inning. Finally, Ian Parfrey led off the 14th with a double to deep right-center, and scored when the relay throw to third ended up in the dugout. If anyone knows of an SFLOI game that went longer than 14 innings, let me know. I've never played in a game longer than 11.
Offensive stars in the long game were Jaime Orochena (5-for-7, 2 doubles), and Alexander Rodriguez (4-for-6, 3B) for Hewes's team. Ken Walker was 5-for-7 with an RBI for Nilva's team.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Steal Rule
Previous posts have debated the increased pitching speed that has appeared in SFLOI over the past few years. What occurs to me is that there is no downside to a pitcher winding up and flinging it as hard as he or she can. Not the ricochet off the top of the backstop, bruises to the umpire nor fear of the hit-by-pitch free pass dissuades the fastball chucker. There are always consequences in baseball. An outfielder playing too shallow to cut off the line drive risks seeing the ball sail over his head. The outfielder who plays too deep gives up many doubles and extra bases. The slow pitch pitcher must use guile and throw pitches that are not strikes risking walks to get outs. So what is the risk to the fast pitcher? How can we even the score?
Enter the SFLOI Steal Rule.
1) For pitchers designated as "fastball" hurlers base runners are allowed to steal. This rule DOES NOT apply to non-fastball pitchers.
2) Runners cannot leave the base until the ball is released by the pitcher (option is until it crosses the plate).
3) Players can advance on passed balls and wild pitches (rule would be suspended with certain players who can only play catcher).
4) Catchers may attempt pick offs at first (Pitchers cannot pick-off since the runner can't leave until the ball is thrown).
4) A pilot game is proposed for Hastings in 2010 with full adoption to be voted at the winter meeting
5) Added bonus is rule adds strategy to the game and the hit and run play
I look forward to a lively debate.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The View From the Batter's Box, Part I
While Marvin is certainly our resident philosopher, I will admit to having spent most of the last three years thinking about hitting. It has done wonders for my batting average but has probably ruined the swings of half a dozen people I've talked to. The batting title is within my grasp this season, though Freddy Melendez scares me with his right-field power and disciplined approach, and he swings with a sort of precise gusto, if you will, embodied in the 3-run triple he clubbed off of me to end yesterday's game one.
I have also learned the advantages of a right-field swing, though when I see Don Weiss standing there and inwardly grinning at the thought of a line drive coming his way, I realize that given time a defense will adjust to anything. Anyway, I take pride in the ability to hit line-drive singles between the first and second baseman, and I am always on the lookout for the pitch that can be blasted right down the line and over the head of an unfortunate right fielder for a home run.
I have thought a lot lately about batting slumps, as I have gotten into one-- not a terrible one, where I am adrift at sea in an open boat and starving to death for want of a hit, but a more pernicious sort of slump where I find myself wasting several at bats a day-- flying out on a first-pitch chicken-dance changeup from Havelock; deciding to pull no matter where the pitch is and then popping out; that sort of thing. This season has seen far more horrible slumps-- Marvin going 4-for-108 at Heckscher; Alex Rivera's 20-for-74 midsummer; Fred Lang's recent 5-for-63 freefall on the heels of a 16-for-29 hot streak that involved a batting tip from Phil Ciccone and a lot of sharp grounders into the shortstop hole. And Havelock's whole damn season; Bob Holzwasser's as well, until the day he went 5-for-7 and then tore a groin muscle... so I am 11-of-32 in September. No biggie, right? I suppose not, but I find the feeling of wondering what the hell's wrong with my swing for six days of the week and then going out on the seventh to fuck up some more just as unpleasant as everyone else.
Slumps can be physical or mental or some combination thereof. Dipping the back elbow is a good way to get under everything. Thinking too much about placing the ball can be equally deadly. Injuries can cause slumps, though they can also cause hot streaks. I think Alex's slump may have been caused by the conundrum posed by his role as a top-of-the-lineup hitter-- should he take pitches like a #2 hitter or be aggressive like he wants to be-- so, for a little while he took strikes and swung out of the zone, with a resulting dip in average. Lang's slump was at first a natural reaction to an unnatural hot streak, but he got frustrated and dug himself in deeper. I thought to myself last week, a lot of slumps are caused by swinging too aggressively. So my first time up Sunday, I was struck out looking by Jim O'Connor. Lately I've been considering acupuncture, or maybe going back to drinking too much on Saturday nights. Hangovers sometimes lead to a meditative approach to hitting.
As you may have seen from the leader boards, the race to break records is once again on. Joe Gerber's marks of 103 runs and 139 hits may possibly fall. Gerber had 376 plate appearances in which to achieve this; Zach and Freddy and myself will be lucky to get much over 300. I'm not asking for an asterisk for Gerber. I just want good weather until 2011.
I have also learned the advantages of a right-field swing, though when I see Don Weiss standing there and inwardly grinning at the thought of a line drive coming his way, I realize that given time a defense will adjust to anything. Anyway, I take pride in the ability to hit line-drive singles between the first and second baseman, and I am always on the lookout for the pitch that can be blasted right down the line and over the head of an unfortunate right fielder for a home run.
I have thought a lot lately about batting slumps, as I have gotten into one-- not a terrible one, where I am adrift at sea in an open boat and starving to death for want of a hit, but a more pernicious sort of slump where I find myself wasting several at bats a day-- flying out on a first-pitch chicken-dance changeup from Havelock; deciding to pull no matter where the pitch is and then popping out; that sort of thing. This season has seen far more horrible slumps-- Marvin going 4-for-108 at Heckscher; Alex Rivera's 20-for-74 midsummer; Fred Lang's recent 5-for-63 freefall on the heels of a 16-for-29 hot streak that involved a batting tip from Phil Ciccone and a lot of sharp grounders into the shortstop hole. And Havelock's whole damn season; Bob Holzwasser's as well, until the day he went 5-for-7 and then tore a groin muscle... so I am 11-of-32 in September. No biggie, right? I suppose not, but I find the feeling of wondering what the hell's wrong with my swing for six days of the week and then going out on the seventh to fuck up some more just as unpleasant as everyone else.
Slumps can be physical or mental or some combination thereof. Dipping the back elbow is a good way to get under everything. Thinking too much about placing the ball can be equally deadly. Injuries can cause slumps, though they can also cause hot streaks. I think Alex's slump may have been caused by the conundrum posed by his role as a top-of-the-lineup hitter-- should he take pitches like a #2 hitter or be aggressive like he wants to be-- so, for a little while he took strikes and swung out of the zone, with a resulting dip in average. Lang's slump was at first a natural reaction to an unnatural hot streak, but he got frustrated and dug himself in deeper. I thought to myself last week, a lot of slumps are caused by swinging too aggressively. So my first time up Sunday, I was struck out looking by Jim O'Connor. Lately I've been considering acupuncture, or maybe going back to drinking too much on Saturday nights. Hangovers sometimes lead to a meditative approach to hitting.
As you may have seen from the leader boards, the race to break records is once again on. Joe Gerber's marks of 103 runs and 139 hits may possibly fall. Gerber had 376 plate appearances in which to achieve this; Zach and Freddy and myself will be lucky to get much over 300. I'm not asking for an asterisk for Gerber. I just want good weather until 2011.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
GAMES AND NOTES OF 10/3
Starting next week (Oct 10), and until the end of November, we're at East 10th Street and FDR Drive, 10:00am.
Ian Lebowitz is now the all-time SFLOI leader in batting average after getting his 1000th plate appearance today. He is batting .502 lifetime. Chris Hall is now second at .496.
O'Connor 10, Parfrey 9
Freddy Melendez's 3-run triple to right-center gave Jim O'Connor (11-8) a walkoff win. O'Connor led 2-0 after 4 innings when the bats woke up. Each team scored 4 times in the 5th, and Parfrey's team added 5 more runs in the 6th to take a 9-6 lead. O'Connor helped himself by going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI. On the other side, Parfrey was 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI.
Melendez 15, Stoeth 6
Freddy Melendez (11-8) finally got some run support, and was 4-for-4 with 4 runs scored. Dave Sommers was 3-for-4 with 6 RBI, Zach Nilva added 3 hits, and Brian Hernandez drove in 3. In a losing effort, Alex Rivera was 2-for-4 with his 6th HR of the year, and Phil Ciccone was 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Ian Lebowitz is now the all-time SFLOI leader in batting average after getting his 1000th plate appearance today. He is batting .502 lifetime. Chris Hall is now second at .496.
O'Connor 10, Parfrey 9
Freddy Melendez's 3-run triple to right-center gave Jim O'Connor (11-8) a walkoff win. O'Connor led 2-0 after 4 innings when the bats woke up. Each team scored 4 times in the 5th, and Parfrey's team added 5 more runs in the 6th to take a 9-6 lead. O'Connor helped himself by going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI. On the other side, Parfrey was 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI.
Melendez 15, Stoeth 6
Freddy Melendez (11-8) finally got some run support, and was 4-for-4 with 4 runs scored. Dave Sommers was 3-for-4 with 6 RBI, Zach Nilva added 3 hits, and Brian Hernandez drove in 3. In a losing effort, Alex Rivera was 2-for-4 with his 6th HR of the year, and Phil Ciccone was 3-for-4 with an RBI.
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