PLAYOFFS

DAY 4
Okay kids...before the gnashing of teeth gets too far along, here's what you need to know.

We have 5 teams at 2-0; the Woody's, Rebels, Grisslies, Draft Kings and Master Batters.
We have 5 teams at 0-2; the Son's of Pitches, Sliders, Tap Masters, Gruesome Devils and Hurtin' Units.

No one has been eliminated.
No one has secured a bye to Sunday.
The five 2-0 teams have probably secured at least an elimination game Saturday evening.

So here is what you need to know about Saturday's games.

• The Sons Of Pitches play the Hurtin' Units, so one of those teams will not continue to be winless.  
• The Rusty Rebels play the Master Batters, so one of those teams will not continue to be undefeated. 
• The Gruesome Devils play the Sons of Pitches.  If SOP didn't beat the Hurtin' Units, one of these two teams will have to break their winless streak.
• The Tap Masters play the Hurin' Units.  If the Hurtin' Units didn't beat the Sons Of Pitches, one of these two teams will have to break their winless streak. 

We've figured out nothing so far gang.

There will be two teams eliminated in about 14 hours from now (its 12:30 now); and all I know at this point is that it won't be Woody's, Rebels, Grisslies, Draft Kings, Master Batters or Dodge.

The remaining teams; Dog Catchers, Beer Bros., Dusty Cleats, Sons of Pitches, Sliders, Tap Masters, Gruesome Devils and Hurtin' Units are all still in play to be out after the round robin.   However, it would take an epic turn of events for the Dog Catchers or Beer Bros. to be kicked to the curb.

I would love to make picks, but instead will wish everyone a fun and healthy Saturday!!!

DAY 3
Pat Riley, would not be terribly pleased.  3 days into the playoffs and still only one upset on the books.  Here are your new standings.

Draft Kings Vs. Beer Bros.:  The Draft Kings started like they do when they're in a good groove and it has nothing to do with the bats.  They didn't allow a run in the 1st or in the 2nd against a team that was coming off of a games where they scored 29 runs in six innings.  At the plate, they scored 4 in the 1st inning and 3 in the second.  7 - 0 after two against the Draft Kings?  No one wants those odds.  A Neil Pendlebury 7th inning grand slam narrowed the score to a respectable respectable 13-10 final. The Draft kinds are in the hunt for the bye.  The Beer Bros. at 1-1 can still get a bye, get an elimination game or be eliminated after the round robin.  Wide open.

Dog Catchers Vs. Hurtin' Units:  The Final was 20-6 for the Dog Catchers.  But it was 10 - 5 for the Dog Catchers in the top of the 4th and the game was still very much in play.  But the Units just couldn't quick seem to fire on all cylinders and Dog Catchers started to pick up speed.  They wouldn't end up needing the bottom of the 7th as they got their +7 to even their record at 1-1.  The Hurtin' Units, like the Sliders at 0-2 are out of the running for a bye, but they are very much in the spot of battling for a good elimination game slot.

DAY 2
Pat Riley, coach of the Lakers at the time (FYI: that's basketball) once said that, "the playoffs don't start until the home team loses."  The inference of course, is that the home team is expected to win and the favourite has home court advantage.  If home teams keep winning there's no real pressure.  No real excitement.  Its just another game on the schedule.

Now you could call the Cleats v. Dodge tie an upset, but they both got points so I don't really acknowledge it.  But day 2 DID see an upset!

Standings wise, we all need to breathe.  Nothing is decided.  Nothing will be decided tonight.  Nothing will be decided on Friday night.  Everyone will be alive.  What is relatively certain is that some teams will be playing for the bye.  Some will be playing for the wild card elimination games.  And some will be playing to stay alive.  A lot will change. 6 teams have a win.  8 teams don't have a loss.  8 teams don't have a win.  6 teams have a loss.  1 team has 2 wins.  1 team has 2 losses.  The only thing we know for sure is that the Sliders won't be getting a bye.  They could still quite easily see Sunday.  But a buy would a cataclysmic event.

Tap Masters Vs. Grisslies:  Lock down defense and clutch hitting was the order of the day in this one, (except for one bad throw from the stupid 2nd baseman).  Brad Smith's bases loaded 2 out triple to center ( smile ) in the 5th, broke open a game the Grisslies were leading 11-7 at the time.  The final 17-11.  Glen Tinkler, " he leads the team if not the league in two out RBI hits".  He was 3/4 and scored a run.  Two of his hits came with 2 outs and drove in runs.  I'm right occasionally.

Gruesome Devils Vs. Rusty Rebels:  The Rebels defense was spectacular in this one.  They hung zeros on the Devils in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings.  The leagues worst defense held their own against the Rebs, only giving up 5 through 4 innings themselves.  But the Rebels would get four in the 5th, four more in the 6th inning and not need the 7th as the pulled away and won 13-4.

Sons Of Pitches Vs. Master Batters:  The Sons came into this game with a game plan for the first place Master Batters.  Being down 13-9 after 5 innings says that plan was doing pretty darned good.  But the 6th inning was ultimately their undoing as the Master Batters would pull away and win this one 21-16.  Martin Ranby my "watch out for guy" for SOP was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.  Bob Blewett, "can (and has) gone 4/4 this season, but if he goes 1/4 the one he gets will break your back.  He's almost guaranteed 2 foul outs to him when he catches"  Bob was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a bucket full of RBI's.  I was wrong about the foul outs though.  He only got one.

Hot Tub Woody's Vs. Sliders

There is panic at the disco this morning as the Slider wake up to find themselves 0-2.  Don't sweat it.  The Brew Jays started 0-2 one year and made the final.  There Grisslies had a 2-2 round robin and won the championship.  Two games do not a round robin make.  The Woody's trailing 4-0 after one inning, outscored the Sliders 22-8 the rest of the way.  Their attack was balanced with 11 of 12 men scoring runs.  7 of 12 scored multiple runs!  So how did my "watch out for" guy Eddie Hopkins do?  "I'm going to go with Not So Fast, Eddie Hopkins.  And maybe this is personal because I've been on the wrong side of too many 4/4 nights from him.  The man can still stick."  As expected.  Eddie was 4 for 4 with 2 runs scored.

Tonight's games have

Beer Bros. @ Draft Kings (someone will go to 2-0 and the other to 1-1)
Hurtin' Units @ Dog Catchers (someone will go to 0-2 and the other to 1-1)

All games Keogh, good luck gang!

DAY 1

Well day one is in the books.  Here is how your standings look.  After tonight everyone will have played a game and the Master Batters and Sliders will have played two.

Draft Kings 14 Vs. Sliders 10:  This game was what you'd expect from two top 4 teams.  Tied at 10's after 5 innings.  Still tied at 10's after 6 innings.  The Sliders didn't score in the top of the 7th.  After a quick out in the bottom of the 7th, Rick Hjelholt and Ingo Bartens keept the game alive with hits.  With two out and nothing in, Derryl Gaudet and Stike delivered key hits.  You may remember someone writing this last weekend, " Ingo Bartens.  Has a knack for getting the hit that you can least afford to give up"

Master Batters 13 Vs. Dog Catchers 11:  Another tight affair between top clubs.  The Master Batters scored 4 in the first and held a 10-4 advantage after 4 innings.  The Dog Catchers counted 4 in the 5th and came to the top of the 7th trailing 10-8.  The inning started with two outs and no one on.  Then Kevin Boston, Cliff Tucker and Kevin Moon all reached and scored to put the Dog Catchers ahead for the first time all game.  The Master Batters hadn't scored since the 4th inning and when the first two batters were retired on a foul out and fly ball, it looked done.  Then a fortunate hit by Roger Gaudet, followed by Douma, followed by Agrue, followed by Chiovitti changed the fortune of the MB's and gave them the dramatic win.

Dusty Cleats Vs. Dodge City Rounders:  You'll have to forgive people for not anticipating this game being close.  11th vs 6th place, its understandable.  The Cleats had a 6-0 lead after the 1st and then found themselves trailing 7-6 after the 2nd.  Slugfest?  Not so much, the teams settled down and played some really good defense after that point and the final score was an 11 tie.  In the game Gord Robertson was 3/3 with a run scored against Dodge.  "the Cleats will either win a game or be in a game in the 7th inning of the round robin because of Gord's glove and bat"

Beer Bros 29 Vs. Hurtin' Units 11:  This one was actually supposed to be close.  Two teams separated by a point. Hurtin' Units with a better plus / minus, having scored more runs and given up fewer.  Slight edge to the Units maybe.  Not on this night.  The Units led 4-0 after the top of the 1st and the lead wouln't even last a 1/2 inning.  The Beer Bros scored every inning, 5, 2, 7, 1, 7, 7 and wouldn't need the seventh inning.  As predicted, Al Bales 4/4 with 3 runs scored.  "Never fails to save his best ball for September. He will hit above his season average and he goes all "game-face" defensively"