We have been blessed with good quality rookies over the years. This year is no exception! Rick Greenfield embodies the characteristics that are respected throughout the league. He tries hard, he's supportive of his team mates, he can take a joke and he dish a joke.
And he can REALLY sing.
Rick wasn't always a baseball demi-god. No. No siree.
Born in August of 1955 in South Wentworthville, Australia; some say he was born with a full head of hair and a guitar in his hand. Others say he had trouble playing a tune successfully on the radio, but I just think those folks are bitter. Wentworthville had recently gone from a de-amalgamation and split into the towns of North, South, East and West Wentworthville. Somehow they thought it would be easier. Our Rickey was the first born citizen of the newly formed South Wentworthville!
He was a natural. A flare for writing pop tunes coupled with a magnetism that drew crowds. After years of working the malls, Rick got his 1st record deal at the age of 14.
Album Cover
Inside Cover
His debut album titled, "I'm The Australian Rene Simard" went triple platinum in West, East and South Wentworthville. North Wentworthville was still under their well publicized rock and roll ban. Rick's song, "My Lovely Lady Hair" went number #1 in Australia. and hit #30 on the underground German dance clubs. This spawned a second album.
His critically acclaimed second album titled, "Yes that actually IS a Bunny in my Pocket"; made him an international star and a very highly sought after sex symbol.
It wasn't long until the music career was put on hold and accepted a role on General Hospital as Doctor Noah Drake. Now he went from breaking young girls hearts to restarting old girls hearts.
The lure of the screaming fans was too much for Rick. He went back his real passion. Music. There was a slight name change before releasing his next album. Also a little bit of a tougher image.
This album of course featured the song "Jessie's Girl" and the other big hit, "Man, My Hair Is Radiant, Isn't It"? His music career lasted until he got word in the mail that he'd been drafted this year by the Grisslies.
Unable to Contain the Excitement!
THE SPEECH
Live from the Donini Deck. Actually, not live. This conversation took place on Sunday night.
ROB: People travel too much
DOUG: [quizzical look] Really? I don't see that as a real issue
ROB: Oh, sure it is, look at you. Going to Florida for a long weekend? That's stupid.
DOUG: Why? It was a nice break, just what the doctor ordered.
ROB: Too short, why bother.
DOUG: Well, it worked for me.
ROB: And look at Dancey, 10 days in Ireland?
DOUG: Ya, sounds like he had a fantastic time too.
ROB: Too long. Who wants to be away for 10 days!
DOUG: Lots of people Rob.
ROB: What did he miss? 3 games? Ed should hammer his for attendance this year.
DOUG: You know, I think they'll look more at his historical availability. He's pretty reliable.
ROB: Fine, but that's not the point.
DOUG: And the point is?
ROB: Travel. Its a waste of time.
DOUG: Well I think its a pleasure thing. Maybe you should try it. You might change your mind.
ROB: Doubt it.
DOUG: Why don't you and Suzie come with us next time we go to Florida.
ROB: When are you going?
DOUG: Don't know. How's winter for you?
ROB: Too cold. They can get frost in Florida in the winter, what's the point of that? I can get frost here
DOUG: Spring?
ROB: Too wet. Why pay the money when its going to rain every other day?
DOUG: Okay, we'll go in the summer.
ROB: Too hot. Plus I might have to miss a game. Sue wouldn't like that.
DOUG: Yeah, I guess not. Well that leaves the fall.
ROB: Hurricane season? I don't think so.
DOUG: So you're never going anywhere?
ROB: I wouldn't say that, I just don't want to go to Florida.
DOUG: Okay, then where?
ROB: Well somewhere with some culture for one thing.
DOUG: Fair enough, Florida isn't exactly a cultural landmark. What are you thinking?
ROB: Like somewhere where they've invented something and really left their mark on the world. Hey, you know what I like doing for this Superbowl?
DOUG: Are we having the same conversation?
ROB: Ya.
DOUG: What do you like doing for the Superbowl?
ROB: Making a big huge pot of spicy Chilli!
DOUG: Okay.....
ROB: So maybe I should go to the home of chilli and pay homage to the creators of the dish?
DOUG: Which is where exactly?
ROB: Chile!
DOUG: Chile.
ROB: Ya. Or maybe go to Boston where they invented Cream Pie. Can you believe that before there was a Boston there was no such thing as Cream Pie?
DOUG: I think there was probably Cream Pie, but it was just called Cream Pie.
ROB: Doubt it. There's not Philly Cream Pie or Buffalo Cream Pie, is there? Oh, I'd also like to go to China because they invented ducks.
DOUG: I don't think ducks were 'invented', they probably evolved..
ROB: You know what I mean.
DOUG: No I don't
ROB: Well, I read on the internet, and its illegal to lie online, that ducks were invented in Peking, China.
DOUG: The meal "Peking Duck" may very well have been invented in Peking, but "ducks" were not.
ROB: Are you calling the interweb a bunch of liars?
DOUG: [sigh] I give. Submit. You win. You wore me down. What's the song.
ROB: John Denver.
DOUG: Rocky Mountain High?
ROB: Nope
DOUG: Thank God I'm a Country Boy?
ROB: Nope
DOUG: Take Me Home Country Road?
ROB: Nope, Leaving On A Jet Plane.
DOUG: Touche.
Here is Robs rendition of the John Denver classic "Leaving on a Jet plane". You'll probably cry when you read how Rob has personalized this. I know I did. Music here ====> CLICK ME
Starting A Winning Streak
All my bags are packed I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here by the legion door
I hate to interrupt your beer to say goodbye
But the team can't hit, I heard Doris moan
The taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his horn
I'm so tired of losing I could cry
So hit one me and catch for me
Tell me that you'll throw straight for me
Hold the runners like you'll never let them go
Cause I'm starting a winning streak
Don't give up, its not so bleak
Win number 2? Where we go!
There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played like a clown
I tell you now, we're going to start winning
Every strike out I get, I'll do for you
Every hit I get, I'll sprint for you
We'll start to comeback, and you'll wear that championship ring
So hit one me and catch for me
Tell me that you'll throw straight for me
Hold the runners like you'll never let them go
Cause I'm starting a winning streak
Don't give up, its not so bleak
Win number 2? Where we go
Now the time has come for clutch playing
One more time I'll throw a scoreless inning
Open your eyes watch me carry the day
Dream about the days to come
When the Grisslies rock the microphone
And you can brag about the day that you saw me play.
So hit one me and catch for me
Tell me that you'll throw straight for me
Hold the runners like you'll never let them go
Cause I'm starting a winning streak
Don't give up, its not so bleak
Win number 2? Where we go
Hot Tub Woody's eh? 4th place. Leading the league in runs scored at game time. 10.13 against.
I was wondering out loud if we'll ever get an easy night.
Then it occurred to me. WE ARE the easy night for a bunch of other teams. 1-6 record, 5.42 runs scored, 9.71 runs against, last place, 2nd worst +/-. We even lost an inter-squad game!
Tonight's encounter with the Hot Tub Woody's had all the ear marks of a defensive affair.
It wasn't.
If was a bloody debacle! The gory details are too disgusting. Let me just say that the Woody's scored 6 in the 1st inning and followed that with innings of 7, 5, 3, 5, 0 and 9.
Actually, the funny part is that when we held them to 0 in the 6th, we narrowed the gap to 26-19.
Lets talk about the good news.
- Our run of games not scoring at least 10 runs died at 7 games. I'm declaring that to be the "modern record".
- We shut down Scott Barton. He was only 6/7.
- Rookie Rick Greenfield (or Springfield) was the first Grisslie to have a 5/5 game this season and he scored 4 runs to boot.
- Two Grisslies are amazingly in the top 25 of hitting. Murry Saunders and Al Hayward. Winston is only .010 points out of the top 25.
- I tripled my runs scored total from 1 to 3.
- Rob Farah doubled his runs scored total from 2 to 4.
- Dave, the super sub, Fleming scored 3 runs which was 15 percent of our total, that will prove interesting when you read the stats blog on Saturday.
- Lance Horgan (former Grisslie) became the first player in the league this year to have a 7/7 night.
- Geoff (Yoke) Keogh became the first player in the league this year to have a 6/6 night with 6 runs scored.
- The first 4 hitters in the Woody's lineup combined for 22 runs. That was enough to beat us by two.
Next week should be pretty easy as we only have the Gruesome Devils and Draft Kings to deal with and a hurt #1, and Brad Wadden and Roger Gaudet on shift.
I think we're turning the corner!
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