WITH A REBEL YELL ...WE CRY MORE, MORE, MORE..

HURTIN' UNITS VS. THE RUSTY REBELS.

Game # 22- August 25, 2014

Hurtin' Units lose 17-16

Team Record - 3-18-1

Keogh Park- Game # 22, the last game of the regular season. It seems like just yesterday that we were at the Legion selecting our team. I have to tell you, the Hurtin' Units nation, I have really enjoyed this season, despite having the worst record and worst plus/minus in the league. We have a great group of guys on this edition of the Units. 

Last season, near this time in the schedule (week of the playoffs, actually) I was not enjoying the baseball and when the season ended, it took me a considerable amount of time to decide whether or not I might come back. I obviously came back and I have really had a fun season. 


I know what you're thinking, your team has lost 18 games, you're in last place, you have the a record setting plus/minus (-177)...how can you call this a fun season? My season is not about wins, losses and stats; it's about going to the park, playing a game I love to play without controversy, distractions or conflict. And for me there is also the challenge of putting a lineup together and finding the most suitable positions with the players we chose in the draft...This is fun for me. 

There are times this season (past seasons also) that I thought that our team is jinx or cursed or maybe a former player has a voodoo doll, poking pins in to it. I say things like this from time to time, almost always tongue in cheek, I honestly don't believe there are forces out there working against us. I do believe we got off to a slow start and that played on our confidence, I also believe we have played better of late and we have weathered the storm and our game is on the upswing. Is it too little too late? We will soon find out...playoffs are just around the corner...UNITS UNITE!!

The weather for this game with Rebels was nice. The temperature was around 21 degrees, but with the humidity it felt like 27. The sun in the western sky played a bit of havoc, in the early innings, burning in to the retinas of the right fielders. The skies had a few fluffy clouds, but there were no threats on this evening. 

At game time we had 10 Hurtin' Units players dressed to play. We would have 11 on the night, but Art was a little late because he was at Wonderland eating beaver...tails and climbing Wonder Mountain. He did manage to make it just as the game started. Mike was the only missing link Unit.

Roman ( the official umpire of the Hurtin' Units) was the umpire for this game. The game was a 7pm start and the Units were the visitors. 

This game was probably the most enjoyable game of the entire season for me. It had everything and it was a see-saw battle all game long. The defense, for both teams, was amazing. And even with both teams having solid pitching and defense, each team still managed to score a basket full of runs. 

The runs that were scored were not those of the error variety; no sir ee bob, the runs scored in this game were all earned.

Over the first 2 innings, the boxscore looked the same for each team, both scored 3 runs in the first and were shut out in the second.  

In the 3rd inning, the Units would score 3 more runs and the Rebels would counter with 2 runs of their own. After 3 complete innings, the Units lead by a score of 6-5.

In the top of the 4th inning, the Units bats were energized and 5 batters came around to score. The bottom of the inning saw the Rusty Rebels rally for 3 more runs.

After taking a lead in the 3rd inning and adding to it in the 4th inning, the Units came out and laid an egg in the 5th and that would have been okay if the Rebels could have been shut down. This was not the case; the Rebels would rally for 7 hurtful runs. The Units had 2 outs quickly in this inning, but as with many other times this season, we could not get that elusive 3rd out. The score after 5 complete innings 15-11 for the Rebels....RAT FARTS!!!!

In the top of the 6th inning, the Units bats again came alive (like Frankenstein on the table) we rallied for 5 monsterous runs. The defense of Units would hold the Rusty Rebels to only a single run in the bottom of the inning. The score after 6 complete innings a 16-16 tie. 

Going in to the 7th inning, the Units and the Rebels found themselves in the tie game. The Units needed to score just to take the pressure off.. Maybe, just maybe, it was the added pressure that caused the Units to go down 1,2,3 in the top of the 7th.  In the bottom of the inning, the Units would get an out, but Rebels would then load the bases and would eventually get a base runner across for the win. Rebels win 17-16.

I mentioned earlier in the posting, that this was my most enjoyable game of the season. It really was fun, I almost wish it hadn't been the finish of the regular season. I would personally like to see a longer schedule, even if it means a few more 9:30 games ...What can I say, I like to play.

In conclusion, I would like to say it was great to have Kevin back in the the lineup, even if he was playing catch, he brings a power and confidence to the team. 

I would also like to say that I thought the Units defense was awesome in this game. The outfield played really well. Don C. made 2 spectacular catches, one going back over his shoulder and the second running in on the shoe top. Art, Joel and Dwayne all made fly out catches. Dwayne's was a bit of an adventure, but he got the job done. I'm not sure if Rick caught anything in the air, I know he got some ground balls. 

This was probably the best I've seen our outfield play this season and if Kevin can't play the outfield in the playoffs, we have these guys to back us up. Our defense, in the outfield was pretty good and the infield had their shiny moments also. Dave threw 2 runners out at home (with Kevin catching). Esau, Clayton, Bill and myself saw some infield action, and we all contributed in the very close game loss. Kevin also hit a homerun in to the tennis courts. Good game Units...UNITS UNITE!!!