Opening Night

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Autumn Ball

“Autumn Ball” has begun.  This is two weeks late so I’ll do my best to briefly recap.  We will be referring to the season as “Autumn Ball” as opposed to “Fall Ball” or “Foul Ball” to keep Cinco in mind, who is taking a season off. 

Week  #1

After a rainout on the scheduled opening pitch the SFRC got it going at SFRCP. 

The SFRC broke into Autumn Ball with a win vs. Almost All-Stars (14-10).  It was a perfect night out and good times were had.  We struggled a bit in the second game of the evening falling to Almost All-Stars 25-13). 

We welcomed the addition of M-Dub, C-Dub’s brother. 

Quote of the night: “I think he’s a pedophile.”  We’ll keep the target and speaker anonymous. 

Week #2

Week #2 almost didn’t happen.  As of 7pm September 1st we only had seven players.  Sans was ready to mail it in, but Brain and T-Mac wouldn’t have it.  SFRC had another perfect night for two games!  Thanks to Bruce, Pauly and Potter we played two games.  In Game #1 we scratched and clawed and Sans pitched a brilliant game leading the FRC to a 4-3 victory over Railroad Specialties.  The FRC fell to Speady Turtles in Game #2 17-2. 

Fans of the night:

Clearly this goes to Mrs. C-Dub and daughter.  Thanks for coming out to SFRCP.

Incentive (Courtesy of Schlitz)

SFRC Sticks – Get those bats going! Schlitz has prizes for the three swingers with the most gusto (and the three top hitters too)!  The person with the highest batting average wins a Schlitz prize pack (a.k.a. SPP) and the second place winner will take home a highly sought, rarely found, Schlitz Belt Buckle!

Get in the cage and get ready to make a final run at these great prizes, courtesy of our friends at Schlitz!  I feel bad for H-Bomb and Varmits (final opponents).  They have no idea what the power of Schlitz can do.

Schlitz Processed Food Night 2009

Schlitz Processed Food Night

Schlitz Processed Food Night

Processed food night brought out the masses.  There may have been tornados and thunderstorms to the North and East, but above Neill there was a nary a cloud.  It simply doesn’t rain at Neill.  The stats are updated.  Pictures from processed food night can be found here.

 Game #1 vs. Booze Brothers

At 6pm the FRC crowd was lean, but that would change before the evening was done. 

There are a handful of teams the FRC have faced over the past 20 years that could probably beat us with eight players.  The 2009 version of the Booze Brothers is not one of those teams.  They started with eight fielders and were buried before their ninth and tenth players arrived.  The SFRC simply took advantage of the gaps and sent leader after leader to the plate on the way to an 18-3 shellacking of the Booze Brothers.  It didn’t feel that close.

Final score:   SFRC 18 – Booze Brothers 3

Last out: Ryan

Plays of the game:

In the field: There were a few nice plays by CW and Pub Krull staring at the brightest star in our sky.

At the plate: Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader, etc.  I think everyone hit the ball well.   This was partly due to the lack of fielders and partly due to the fact that the FRC are coming into their own in mid July.  Pub Krull also hitting a HR and followed it up with two swings and misses for a K.

Game #2 vs. Edina Realty

There was standing room only for Game #2 at SFRCP a.k.a. Neill Field A.  Game #2 was a competitive game that went back and forth throughout.  They scored a couple, we scored a few, they scored eight, we scored three, they scored one, we scored four, etc. 

Final score:   SFRC 11 – Edina Realty 12

Last out: Cinco

Plays of the game:

In the field:  Pub Krull sits back 270 in left field and waits, waits, waits….then runs in and makes a basket catch at 200 feet.

At the plate:  35 with a graceful slide into second base.  There is a good reason Ol’ 35 doesn’t slide very often. 

Fans of the night:

The list is long and distinguished.  In no particular order…David & Rita Jonson, Heidi Thompson, Susan Meinke, Anna & Owen Stangl, Pat Garrity, Dave Jones, Brent Denoma, Julie, Neihaus family, CW family, Neil Bailey, Steve Oaks, Greg Lovstad, Patsy, Trisha, Kathy Goering, Joann, Don Schwabauer and Kris Cecare.

Post games recap / Quotes of the night (The list really could go on and on):

·         “She was born in 1978.  She should act like it.”

·         “She does not seem to be the kind of girl to jump on that donkey and whip it like there is no tomorrow.”

·         “Patsy, you bent my thingy.”

Fear Jackal / “Yours is Bigger than Mine”

In case no one noticed, it was sunny on July 15th, 2009.  The wind was blowing too.  For any opposing team reading www.sfrc.biz, it’s worth mentioning….The FRC don’t lose when Jackal can be heard.  Numbers don’t lie. 

Game #1 vs. Celts Pub

The SFRC can get it done many different ways.  In Game #1 of the evening we took advantage of the extra outs Celts Pub gave us.  We also took bases when they threw to the wrong base.  Most of all we hit.  It was Leader, leader, leader, all the way through the line-up.  The FRC simply hammered the ball and never took their foot off the gas.  After taking a 22-11 lead, Celts Pub scored a run after Ol’ #35 booted a tailor made triple play ball.  But as the FRC are wont to do, we came back to score four and win 26-12. 

Final score:   SFRC 26 – Celts Pub 12

Last out: Matty

Plays of the game:

In the field: After T-Mac charged a ball, picked it up with his glove and through the runner out at first, Ryan said, “you need to bare-hand that ball next time.”  The very next batter hit a ball that Ryan had to charge.  #7 put the glove in his pocket, bare-handed the ball and calmly through to first to end the game.   

At the plate: Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader, etc.  I think everyone hit the ball well.   I believe the FRC batted around twice in this game.

Game #2 vs. Edina Realty

The other way the SFRC get it done is by doing “just enough.”  With the sun setting right over the pitcher’s shoulder seeing the ball was more than a small issue.  I do not think a single ball went over an outfielder’s head for either team.  There were at least four or five swings and misses and countless lazy ground balls hit by both teams.  This was clearly the worst conditions I have ever experienced considering there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.  The FRC did not bat around in Game #2 of the evening, but we did put a few hits together and scored some runs.  Let the record show that the SFRC won with the wind blowing directly in.  Possibly the first win EVER with the wind blowing in. 

Final score:   SFRC 8 – Edina Realty 7

Last out: T-Mac

Plays of the game:

In the field:  There are at least three candidates.

1.      Kurty made a great diving backhanded stop at short and threw to third for a force out.

2.      Pub Krull made a diving/rolling catch in left center to steal a hit.

3.      T-Mac took a few slow motion steps with cinder blocks on his feet and jumped (using that term loosely) to make a catch with two outs and two on with a one run lead to end the game.

At the plate:  I have no idea who got a hit.  All I could see were sun spots.

Fans of the night:

Clearly it is good to see Patsy week in and week out, but this week’s fans of the night have to go to Mrs. Pub Krull and “little miss giggles” (that was on her shirt).  We give it to the Pub Krull family for letting him show up Sans and stay for a few refreshments after the game. 

Quotes of the night (The list really could go on and on):

·         “Yours is bigger than mine.”

·         “I have been thinking about coming out here to run my doodle.”

·         “She must have smelled my doodle.”

·         “Cute dog.”

Neill Field A

There’s no place like home….There’s no place like home. 

Game #1 vs. Junior Varmits

We were back.  Back “at home.”  a.k.a. SFRCP.  For the first time this year.  It was good to be “home.”  After years playing against Varmits, they have slowly migrated to the “sons of Varmits.”  I have no issue with this and it is actually pretty neat to see.  The only issue is that the “Junior Varmits” are faster, quicker, get to more balls and make more plays.  July 8th was no exception.  They had two shortstops playing different innings and both of them probably made two or three plays (resulting in outs) that would not have been made by other teams in our league.  A positive note about the “Junior Varmits” is that they play at least 40% quicker than their fathers.  We have no problem getting seven innings in with the “Junior Varmits.”  This was always an issue with their seniors.  The FRC struggled with the bats a bit, but hung in there for most of the game. 

Final score:   SFRC 4 – Junior Varmits 7

Last out: Shane?

Plays of the game:

In the field: Without question a top five play of the year (maybe THE play of the year) Lars laying out for a ball right down the line in left field.  He got a good jump on the ball, tracked it down and went “Super Lars” make a diving catch parallel to the turf that is SFRCP. 

At the plate: TO making a comeback after almost four years on the shelf.  He does not need to justify his roster spot, but he went 3-3 for any doubters that were around. 

Game #2 vs. H-Bombs

In typical FRC fashion, we came back for Game #2 with a chip on our collective shoulders.  It was leader, leader, leader for seven innings.  We left a number of runners on base, but delivered when we had to.

Final score:   SFRC 12 – H-Bombs 6

Last out: I feel like someone was forced out at second base???

Plays of the game:

In the field:  Solid defense by the entire SFRC squad.  Sans made a nice “Matrix like” catch on a line drive up the middle (or was this in Game #1?).

At the plate:  TO again hit the ball solid.  Kurty made a big play after his legs gave out (something about batting lefty) scoring after putting some pressure on the catcher.

Fans of the night:

Chad and Mrs. Chad made it to the park.  It was nice to see them.