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Sluggers Fall to Shriners in First Playoff Game ãItâs a beautiful day for a night game.ä--Frankie Frisch, Baseball Announcer Most people think Frankie Frisch was smoking something when he uttered that phrase the first time, but had he uttered it on Tuesday, August 28th at the Esplanade, he would have been the only person associated with the game with his wits about him. It all started with two teams that had been neck and neck all season. The Sluggers finally overcame the Shriners on the final day of the regular season. With the Sluggers in second place and the Fez in third, the Sluggers garnered home field advantage for a one-game playoff to see who could go to the championship game. These teams were obviously equal in many ways. They traded blows inning by inning. The Sluggers scored four runs in the first. The Shriners answered with four in the second. The Sluggers added one the bottom of the second. The Shriners came back with three in the top of the third. The Sluggers put a five-spot on the board in the bottom of the third. Back and forth they went until the seemingly inevitable happened--extra innings. With the score knotted at 12 after seven full innings, the umpire, his elastic bands holding his socks up close to his bony knees, announced ãThatâs the game,ä and walked away. Both teams chased after him, pleading with him to let them finish it out. Amazingly, he seemed to not know that the score was tied. Eventually, he agreed to grace the teams with his presence on the field and allow them to finish what they started. The Sluggers took the field looking for three quick outs. A single and two walks later, the manager figured it was time to bring in the closer to slam the door. Replacing Brian ãWightman Canât Jumpä with Robert ãStretchä Orleman seemed like a good idea. And perhaps it would have been had the fielders been able to see the ball after the hitters made contact with it. ãYou canât hit what you canât see.ä--Walter ãBig Trainä Johnson, Washington Senators Pitcher (1907-27) describing his pitching strategy After a single and a double--both aided by night-blinded fielders--the ump inexplicably said ãThatâs the gameä and just walked away, his thick, horn rimmed glasses glistening in the moonlight. Again both teams chased him down the Charles River jogging path. Finally, he explained that Red Man Joe, the only real umpire on this staff would show up early the next evening so the teams could finally complete this chaotic match. ãThe checks in the mail, [expletive]!ä--Tony ãSkipä Vinciguerra, Sluggers Manager/Shortstop (1997-present) yelling to the umpire as he walked away from a tie playoff game in extra innings without explanation So get there early they did. Both teams arrived and prepared to play one (or more) final inning(s). The rulebook reads that the game must pick up at the exact point at which it stopped. This unfortunately meant that the Green and White had a couple of proverbial strikes against them. They were to start the inning in the field, of course. The Shriners would get to start the inning with two runs in, no outs, and the bases loaded. Starting a game like that played hell with the Sluggers collective psyche, and it showed. Even with Lisa ãQ-Loä Chiuchioloâs brilliant pitching, the Fez added eight more runs before the Sluggers went quietly in order in the bottom of the eighth inning. The long Sluggers season had finally come to an end. The first playoff game in Slugger history proved to be the longest game in MDC League history. It spanned eight full innings and four hours over two days. Each of these three measurements is a league record. Combined, they form the most grueling game in league history. ãWe set the table, but no one ate.ä--Johnny Oates, Texas Rangers Manager (1995-2001) after his team left 14 runners on base in an 8-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics ãOur biggest problem was leaving runners on base,ä Coach Tony said while watching the Shriners and CRP take the field for the championship game. ãWe didnât execute with runners in scoring position. We left seven runners on base in this game. Sure that pales to the 12 runners the Shriners left on, but we know we can hit better in the clutch than that.ä ãI was never nervous when I had the ball, but when I let go I was scared to death.ä-- Lefty Gomez, New York Yankees Pitcher (1930-42) The Sluggers used a record three pitchers in this game. The rumors and questions about Wightmanâs rotator cuff spread like wildfire when he was pulled in the eighth. ãHeâs a human being, you know,ä Coach Tony said when reporters questioned Wightmanâs health. ãHeâs not indefatigable.ä ãI never slept when we lost. Iâd se the sun come up without ever having closed my eyes. Iâd see those base hits over and over and theyâd drive me crazy.ä--Robin Roberts, Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher (1948-61) ãI was a mess out there,ä Sluggers manager/shortstop Tony ãSkipä Vinciguerra said immediately following the game. ãI was a mess for one simple reason. I couldnât sleep last night. I couldnât visualize how weâd overcome a bases-loaded, no-outs, and two-runs-in situation. I went over it and over it again and again. I kept thinking about how we could have avoided that situation. What we could have done differently.ä ãLosing streaks are funny. If you lose at the beginning, you got off to a bad start. If you lose in the middle of the season, youâre in a slump. If you lose at the end, youâre choking.ä--Gene Mauch, Philadelphia Phillies Manager (1960-68) The record books will show that after ending the regular season by winning four straight, the Sluggers fell in the first game of the playoffs. What the record books wonât show is the heart and moxie they brought to that final game, though that might be inferred by the sheer length of it. Quotable Sluggers
Offensive Player of the Game George ãThe Hit Manä Hart has been quietly tearing the cover off the ball this season. He went 2 for 3 in this game with a triple, a two-run blast, and 2 RBI. After spending the majority of the past three seasons in the Mexican League, where he earned the name Se–or Baso Mucho (Mr. Extra-Base Hit), Hart has finally shown that he can play with the big boys. In Other Offensive Highlights· After being robbed on a sure double by an awe-inspiring catch in the second inning, Lisa ãQ-Loä Chiuchiolo answered with authority by hitting an 0-2 pitch to shallow right-center field for an impressive RBI single. The Sluggers are finally seeing dividends pay off from that fateful day in 1996 when they bought Chiuchioloâs contract from the Orix Blue Wave of the Professional Baseball Organization of Japan. Defensive Player of the Game Itâs getting repetitious, we know, but Aaron ãPenguinä Mathieu yet again erased a player at the plate when he threw a strike to catcher Isaac ãThe Tool Manä Taylor. Mathieu is completing these plays with such regularity that late in the game, the Shriners began to stop running from third to home on balls hit to the outfield. The Fez stranded three runners on third base out of sheer respect for all of the Sluggers outfieldersâ arms, particularly Mathieuâs. In Other Defensive Highlights· Player of the Week Sure Will ãThe Naturalä Jamieson went two for three with a double and two RBI, but he made Player of the Week for his two diving catches in foul territory. Sure the senile umpire ruled that they were out of play, but that didnât matter to the Green and White, who were inspired by his fantastic defense. The dives showed that Jamieson was not about to let poor officiating get in the way of his game. They also showed a complete disregard for personal safety. Jamieson is day-to-day with a strained right shoulder. ãThose all-out plays our vital to our success,ä Michelle ãBall First, Base Secondä Zoltwoski said, ãespecially in a tight game like this.ä ãWhat was truly impressive about both of those catches was that both were made while he was running to his right,ä Matt ãThe Rockä Ronzio stated Tuesday night. ãBeing right-handed, he wears his glove on his left hand and therefore has to reach across his body to make those grabs.ä ãHeâs taught me a few things about rolling,ä Steve ãWheelsä Baer said. ãThe way he rolled like those old ãStop, Drop, and Rollä fire safety videos explained was really impressive. I think Iâll try that the next time Iâm diving for a ball or my clothes are on fire.ä See Jamiesonâs Player of the Week stats and photo here. The Rumor Mill A few rumors have been floating around as the season came to a close. Here is just a sampling of the off-season news youâll see breaking this winter.
Thanks for Great Season--A Message From the Coach The Coach of the Sluggers told reporters that he wanted to publicly thank his team for a fantastic season. As he raised a glass at the post-game festivities at the Red Hat, the Skipper said, ãIâm so proud of this team. That we ended the season with a four-game winning streak shows what weâre made of. If we stay healthy we can go all the way next year. There is no doubt in my mind. Hereâs to Opening Day 2002!ä ãPeople ask me what I do in winter when thereâs no baseball. Iâll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.ä--Rogers Hornsby, St. Louis Cardinals Infielder (1915-26) ãYou always get a special kick on opening day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when youâre a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.ä--Joe DiMaggio, New York Yankees Outfielder (1936-51) Batting Summary
Pitching Summary
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