Dreams - Here's your well deserved victory recap....
Tremendous win. Re-live it. Re-love it.
Tremendous win. Re-live it. Re-love it.
Enjoy the weekend.
Deep breath.
Focus.
Top of the 7th, nobody on and it's a one run game. Figured it would be a tight one anyway. Time to buckle down and finish this. The last 10 minutes and the endless carousel of Ballers on the basepaths don't matter anymore. It's a new inning and we are 3 outs from a big win. Reset. I look around and hope the rest of the squad is thinking the same. I KNOW they are. We've seen this movie before but this time it's going to be a different ending. It HAS to be.
We are the home team but this may as well be last licks for Chung and the artists formerly known as the Ballers. If our rivals plate 2 more, momentum is gone and an "L" is effectively and appropriately written in the ledger next to "Shattered Dreams"
Last week, I wrote about Jeff. "... His tank went from half full to zero - in an instant..The only things carrying him home were fumes..and the desire NOT TO LOSE... When ability, energy or youth leave us - we let our heart push us to victory." Those words rang true again as the Baller's #3 hitter aimed to keep the rally going. I was playing very deep left based on his last AB and the need to keep everything in front of us. As the ball was hit to no man's land in short center the only thing that went through my mind was "that ball CANNOT drop". Based on my current speed and skill, I probably shouldn't have caught that ball. But as i ran as fast as I could and made a last ditch effort to hurtle my body towards it and into the ground, I honestly KNEW I would get it. The overwhelming desire to erase the demons...to win and to not disappoint the nine others around me, was the only thing that mattered. One out, but we knew the scare was gone and the game was over.
I really don't like to write about #27, but there is a common thread that keeps playing back in my head. We are nowhere near as fast, as strong or as deep of a team as we used to be, but we can summon glimpses of it when it is most important. We did it all night and this is the theme for our 2013 campaign. Believe in it.
If you have been sleeping through the past few games and need convincing, consider the following:
- Big first innings & a fearsome top of the lineup: 4 up and 4 in to start the game and erase our opponents early lead. We hit em early and often and would never trail again. Numbers 1-4 were vintage: reaching base 12 out of 16 trips to the plate - amassing 10 hits, 2 walks, 9 runs and 7RBIs. Gaudy. Like King Soloman (or maybe more like Newman) I would have to consider splitting that Gator up. Cliebo, Isaac and Seltz - enjoy a mental corn dog. You deserve it.
- Pop: Did Craig and Jon have a side bet of who could hit the ball farther? Turn back the clock, as it looked like 2002 out there. I had visions of the Twinkies and Markwood Bombers looking on in disbelief at the display of raw power from our very own McGwire and Sosa. Wish I brought a squirt bottle of vinegar.
- Clutch: Key moment in this game might've been the two out, nobody on, 4th inning rally started by an opposite field hit by BP. Hurts with two indeed. 5 big and much needed runs. Not to be understated was how everyone approached each AB on Tuesday night. We worked Chung. He had to throw a lot of pitches to every batter and we made it tough on him the entire evening. Furthermore, SD did not go down 1-2-3 in any inning. Constant pressure on the opposition was huge and will bring us more wins if we can carry that approach forward.
- Grit: Duff and Robbie hustling down the line on every ball. They were both robbed of hits but each still did their job with productive (BS) outs yielding big RBIs. Beating a force out at 2B in the first inning, felt great and sparked me with a boost for the rest of the game.
- Defense: Craig has filled in admirably for Collins in LCF. Steady as they go and robbing the #2 hitter of a sure HR in the middle of the game. Outstanding. The infield was also spot on. Ed throwing from his knees. Seltz with a great play to notch the 2nd out in the 7th and Jeff showing Jose Lind-like range at 2B. JD has been a vaccum on anything in the air to the right side of the field and also gave some great scouting advice for the defense late in the game. Hans continues to stabilize the infield at first and BP is making his play for Gold Glove at the P spot. Tight all the way around.
The season is half over and we are 3-3 but riding high. We've patched together lineups every week, and in an ironic twist, a sub has been credited with the GW RBI in each of our victories. 2013 has been all or nothing so far. When we've struggled this year, we've all struggled as a team. When we win, we've all contributed. Let's keep the momentum going. Let's grab the division by the Ballers on Monday and not let go.
TJ#3 on Monday.
Hell yeah, I'm in. Who else?
SD4L
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