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Bat for Boy 2006: A Wiffle Ball Story
08/15/06
by Shaw

In keeping with Clay's columns (one and two) on wiffle ball, the greatest story told about a diamond this year had nothing to do with jewelry or professional baseball... it was one day, one team, one goal, and one ball: a wiffle ball. It was the tale of 7 people whose sheer will to win when the odds were against them made the '86 Mets look like Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson. I was on that team, and here is our story.

We entered the field this year as clear underdogs. Sure, we were defending champions, and sure everyone from that magical 2005 team was present, but those things were never in question. On everyone's mind instead was, can they do it again? Will Zack make another leaping catch at the fence and rob the potential walkoff homerun? Will Shaw be able to string together 5 good innings and shut down the big offense that looms? Will Gus's magic infield hands stop the game from being decided on the ground again? Or were they just lucky in 2005? Even I saw it: the potentially shameful first round loss. We drew the team with the most starpower in the league, and with the dangerous arm of Jon on the mound... well, let's just say none of us were buying new cars just yet.

Jon's unconventional delivery in action

That first round game turned out to be a good contest. Shaw gave up a two run homer to Jon in the first, but kept the bases quiet the rest of the game. Shaw's team was keeping the ball on the ground, playing station to station wiffle ball and putting men on the bases, and Jon was giving up walks. With this level of production, something was bound to happen... and happen it did. Gus started things off in the fourth with a two run shot of his own. A few hitters later, Shaw grounded to first, sending Bob C. from third to score the go-ahead run. And that turned out to be all she wrote, with Shaw cementing the victory from the mound. He ended the five-inning game with five strikeouts and no walks.

Shaw delivers what might very well be a swooping curveball

The second round was a similar test. Shaw's team was playing Stan's team (Stan being the founder and director of the tournament and lifetime leader in nearly every stats category). Fortunately, Stan had pitched the previous game, so Gill was on the mound. Gill had proven himself in the old days, but the scouting report on his arm showed him to be hittable.

Stan's team in the previous game, exhausting Stan's eligibility to pitch.

Gill, just after icing his arm for the big game.

This game was a baseball lesson. Bob C. started off the game with three walks to load the bases, and struck out the next three hitters to end the inning, without saying a word out loud to anyone. After that it was smooth sailing. He did give up two solo home runs but it hardly mattered, as Shaw's team scored every inning after the first, again, keeping the ball on the ground and not hitting into double plays. A particularly emotional point came when Shanna hit a single to score Marissa and put us ahead 3-2. As the only team in the A-league with any girls on it, it was nice to show off their skills too.

Marissa swings halfheartedly, wasting a strike because, "I don't need three. I only need one."

Unfortunately, this game took a tragic turn at the end, when Zack, offensive stalwart and defensive showman, sliced his foot on a fencepost and had to leave the game and the tournament to get 6 stitches on the sole of his right foot. He did come back for the final game to cheer on his squad.

Next up for us was a long rest, as the loser's bracket had to be decided. We took this opportunity to regroup and decide what to do about replacing our missing player. After a long discussion, we knew that the right thing was to keep our team the same without Zack. No one could replace him, or anyone on our team for that matter. Every single person was vital in their own way.

In the A-League finals, we were to face the same team we had played in the first round, only this time, they were pitching Debrosky. His delivery was befuddling. His accuracy was unquestioned. And his pitches behaved as if they were manipulated by God in midair.

Debrosky pitches a rising curveball; gawking onlookers include his own teammates.

Debrosky performed for his team, allowing one run in four innings, and keeping Shaw's team guessing every step of the way. On the mound for Shaw's team was manager Gus, who did everything he could, but couldn't stop the steady offense, giving up six runs over four innings. The future looked grim. But the youths on the other side of the field had made a terrible tactical error, allowing Debrosky to pitch two innings in relief the game before, meaning he was only eligible to pitch four innings against Shaw's squad. When Jeff, the Spaniard, stepped in for the final inning, the mood shifted.

The Spaniard steps in for relief

Shaw's team sensed a break in the clouds, an opening, however slim, for us to come back. But with two outs, no one on base, and Shanna at the plate, the door was closing fast. Gary was talking about "next game" (it was double elimination, so they would have had to beat us twice if they won). Shanna walked toward the plate, resigned that we would lose, and glumly said aloud, "so this is it, I'm the last one up." I grabbed her by the shoulders, looked her in the eye, and said, "Shanna. You are not the 'last one up', you are 'up next.' Pick up the bat and pick up your attitude and play some goddamn baseball. This game isn't over." She singles. Next up: Marissa. Walked on four straight pitches. Gus hits a three-run homer. All of the sudden, we're only down 6-4. Bob gets on base. Shaw singles to left field. Gary hits us all home! 7-6 us! Shanna and Marissa get on base again, and Gus hits another home run to bring us to 10-6.

Shanna, taking a healthy cut.

There is another half inning to play, but we all knew we had it... all we had to do was stop them from scoring 4 runs and we would be the champions. It got hairy when Gus gave up two runs, but Bob C. closed it out in the end, cementing our victory. When the final strike was thrown, the stands were in uproar. The day had been won by the best team, and we all knew it.

Following our victory in the final, we played the B-League winners, who gave us a run for our money, but in the end were no match for Shaw's pitching, erratic, unpredictable, and accurate as it was. He ended the day with two complete game wins, giving up four runs and no walks, and he had 7 strikeouts.

Gary, Marissa, Zack, Gus, Bob C., Shaw, and Shanna celebrate their tournament win (number 2)

Epilogue:

In the offseason, Gus has already promised that he will try to keep everyone on the winning team. It is not known whether anyone will try to make moves, but a few players do become free agents this year, so the salary cap may become an issue. More information forthcoming in a future report.

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