Sour Nut Fails to Ruin Season

Last week, I was at an end-of-the-season Rivercats game enjoying a bag of peanuts and a cool drink, let’s just call it a lemonade. I was enjoying my peanuts and my time. I had arrived at the bottom of my cup and the end of my bag. I placed the last peanut between my mouth and I was treated to a sour, shriveled up nut whose taste was unable to be covered by my last swallow of lemonade. It was a horrible way to end an otherwise delicious treat.

Last night was a shriveled up peanut to say the least. I have had an enjoyable season with my new team. Though I have missed several games in the second half between globe-hopping and regular hopping around because of my cranky knee, the team has had successes. More than that, the season has provided me with a great semi-athletic outlet with a bunch of guys that I can consider friends.  

This game was very reminiscent of Bad Gnus games of my past. I thought we were the better team from the outset. However, after 3 innings in which BSBD had several well struck base hits and played flawless defense, the lead was only 3-1, due to many failed opportunities to cash in with runners on. It just takes one tough-break inning to ruin the game when you don’t take advantage of your chances and that inning was the bottom of the 5^th.

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After BSBD snuck another run home by the crazy/aggressive base coaching of Windmill Bob, the lead stood at 4-1. It seemed like we were up by 10. The Long Islanders starting chipping away, literally. Their inning was filled with little chip shots just in front on the outfielders and out of reach of infielders. The usually immaculate defense also let a couple runners aboard that otherwise would have resulted in outs. By the time BSBD was able to turn their 4^th inning-ending double play in 5 innings, they were trailing 5-4.

No big deal, we aren’t going to give up another run. We just need to scratch 2 runs across in 2 innings. Nope. Didn’t happen. No real good reason for it, but there was no good reason for most of what happened that night. I’m not even going to mention Walt taking a called third strike earlier in the game. Wait, what?

The Shiner Bock player of the game is going to our fearless leader, Greg O! I don’t know if he actually ever got a hit but he was completely robbed of extra bases twice by young outfielders that will have no chance at those balls in 10 years. If just one of those balls fall, we might be playing next week. Aside from those non-hits, Greg played an excellent left field, not only that he got everything in his vicinity, but he was positioned so well. He saved several hits with his combination of brains and talent. The last Shiner should be sweeter than the last nut.

Our last game is also a time to reflect back on the season. Look at this picture of Sarah accepting her Shiner Bock Trophy. To me this picture epitomizes the joy of this team. It is a silly picture of one of the beautiful Women of BS, in a circle of post-gaming Deadlies, accepting her trophy that was handmade by the son of a player. It is times such as this that will have us fired up to come out next year to start of the 2014 Spring league, not the opportunity to turn that final fly out to a line drive hit. When it comes down to it, the errors, defensive gems, fly outs and doubles in the gap don’t nearly matter as much as the opportunity to hang out in the park with friends. See you in the Spring!