Taking Offense

If Friday night’s conditions were balmy, Saturday’s conditions could only be described as “like sitting inside an oven next to a leg of lamb”. Yes it was hot and juicy and of course the Defensive Specialist dressed appropriately in jeans, t-shirt and shirt. For all the Defensive Specialist’s big talk about preparedness and mental focus, it was a real rookie mistake to forget to check the bureau of meteorology for game time temperature. There were a couple of upsides to the spike in temperature – 1) the Defensive Specialist got to sweat off a few unwanted pounds and 2) we finally got to see what the offenses could do in optimal hitting conditions.

If you asked both managers what aspect of their game they’d like to see get going, you can be sure it would be offense. While the output was a little better in game 2, the vast majority of the heavy lifting was being completed by the upper parts of both line-ups. In a league that’s showing the early signs of being pitching dominant (well perhaps not in Melbourne), 2 or 3 guys aren’t going to get it done for you on the offensive side of the ball. Every team will rely on their entire line-up to grind out at bats, lengthen out innings and get into the bullpens. So with the heat fairly taxing, it was going to be interesting to see how the pitchers laboured through it and whether the hitters could capitalise on the warm night air and get the scoreboard ticking over.

Wayne Lundgren took the ba…..

Oh, you wanted to know about the catchers pop up during infield outfield? It’s becoming a hot topic as once anonymous coaches now realise they’re under the microscope at a totally different level. Sure it’s easy to pretend you’re coaching the hell out of it at first or third base, but what does that really consist of? A few pats on a hitters backside when he draws a walk? Waving a runner home with 2 out on a line drive to right field? That stuffs all easy. No, the true test of a coach is when he has all eyes on him as he attempts to drop a dime piece on home plate to finish infield outfield.

You can probably guess that things didn’t go well last night by the fact that the Defensive Specialist wasn’t even going to bother mentioning it. The Defensive Specialist happened to bump into the Multiculturalists trainer last night who mentioned off-handedly that coach Brent Phelan had asked if there were any valium available in the medical kit – so you can see how this scrutiny is affecting coaches.

The Defensive Specialist isn’t sure if Phelan managed to get his hands on the drugs but his fungo hitting was slow and sluggish and after 3 attempts at hitting the dime piece it appeared he may fall asleep at home plate. The 4^th attempt proved to be a little more fruitful with yet another cut backhand arching back towards the screen and only barely staying in.

Blue Sox coach Jason Popsicle was up next and it was clear that he was suffering acute performance anxiety – a lack of firmness and stamina being the tell tale signs. His attempts at the pop up were flaccid and unsatisfying with the first attempt sailing out of play and the second attempt simply horrible. A fellow spectator asked the Defensive Specialist how Popsicle could rectify his anxiety issues? Its not easy but focussing on his breathing is one method and of course as the time comes to perform, gentle pressure to the perineum always helps.

The Defensive Specialist isn’t able to attend Sunday’s game, which may ease the pressure on the lads. If either coach sticks the pop up inside the catchers cut out photographic evidence will be required to verify it because at this point its almost unbelievable.

Wayne Lundgren took the ball for the Blue Sox who decided to alter their line up for this game 3 contest.  Stone Hands Maat got the start behind the plate, which made the Defensive Specialist feel like a driver on the freeway when you approach a car crash. You know that you don’t want to see anyone hurt or injured, but you cant help looking anyway. Alex Johnson was the other change, making his ABL debut at first base. Lundgren handled the Multiculturalists with ease in the first but more importantly nothing clanked off Stone Hands glove!

The Multiculturalists sent Steve Kent to the mound and manager Steve Schrenk had to hope that he could extend him out past the 2 innings he offered on his last outing. Things got off to a rocky start as Trent D’Antonio mashed a double to straight away centrefield and Techno Tim Auty walked. Mitch Dening, who very nearly suffered an orchiectomy at the hands of Andy Graham on Friday, smoked a line drive to centre that allowed D’Antonio to move to third. Stone Hands ended the threat by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play.

Michael Collins started the 2^nd with a hard hit ground ball off Michael Lysaught’s glove for a single. Tom Vincent hit a soft liner to left and Donald Lutz grounded out 6-3 to move the runners up. Ian Choy grounded out to second to plate run and put the Multiculturalists up 1-0.

Kent was replaced by 57-year-old knuckleballer Phil Brassington in the 3rd inning and things didn’t get off to a great start when he dosed David Kandilas. The Defensive Specialist did find Kandilas’ reaction somewhat odd – an almost angry bat toss. David, you’re the 9 hole guy and Brassington was throwing no firmer than 79mph, strong chance that there was zero intent. Anyway once the rage subsided, D’Antonio walked to put runners on first and second with none out. The stadium lights then suddenly began to strobe as green lasers shot out into the sweltering night sky. When 14000 beats per minute started thumping out of the speakers the fans knew it was time to reach for their whistles as Techno Tim Auty headed to the dish. Brassington was obviously a little breathless from the Vicks Vaporub fumes in the air and tossed a wild pitch that moved both runners up. Auty then punched a single to left to score Kandilas and move D’Antonio to third. Techno Tim then capitalized on a bobbled throw and moved into second base. Brassington still punch drunk on the fumes uncorked another wild pitch that scored D’Antonio and advanced Techno to third. Brassington called out the trainer and took a strong pull of smelling salts to clear his head and showed immediate results by K’ing Dening and Stone Hands. Andy Graham then singled into left to score Techno, and Johnson was brought to the plate looking for his first ABL knock. Graham got a great read on a ball in the dirt and advanced to second to put him in scoring position. Johnson then lined a ball into right as Graham was waved home. Collins realised that he had no play and wisely charged the ball in order to make a play on Johnson who was thrown out at second to end the inning.

The Blue Sox were all over Brassington in the 4^th and only bad base running prevented another big inning. Lysaught led off with a walk and Mark Holland followed with a single. Kandilas then lined a ball into centre as Lysaught headed toward third. Coach Graheme Cassel held Lysaught up but Holland had his head down and was looking to go first to third. He was nailed attempting to scramble back to second. Collins then gunned down Kandilas on a steal attempt. The inning was not a complete loss however as a wild pitch enabled Lysaught to score taking the run total to 5.

Lundgren’s night was done after 5 innings with a line including 4 strikeouts, 1 earned run and 2 base on balls. He was replaced on the hill by Shane Benson. Collins singled for his 2nd hit of the night to rightfield and Vincent hit a ball off Benson that Lysaught couldn’t handle for a base hit. Lutz doubled to right field as Collins got a bad read and broke late for home. With Vincent on his hammer, Schrenk waved both runners home. A nifty relay from Kandilas to Lysaught saw Collins safe but Vincent hosed at the plate. Benson used that base running gaffe to his advantage and ended the inning with no further damage.

The wheels of the bus well and truly came off for the Multiculturalists in the 6^th inning, which began with a lazy throw from Moon on a ground ball by Kandilas resulting in an error. Kandilas stole second as D’Antonio punched out on a Michael Lennox fastball. Kandilas stole third on the next pitch leaving him perched on 3^rd for Techno Tim. Auty grounded a ball to Moon at third who came home. Kandilas didn’t slide and knocked the ball out of the glove of new catcher Kyle Perkins who may benefit from some time spent in the weight room. Auty moved up to second. Dening then lined a ball to left field that Lee charged and dove head first for. He speared the ball barely and instantly earned himself the Defensive Specialist’s “Play of the Game” award.

With 2 out Stone Hands singled to right field and pinch hitter Josh Dean walked. A wild pitch allowed Auty to score and moved the runners up. Johnson and Lysaught both walked as Luke Wilkins was brought into the game to stem the bleeding. This lasted all of one pitch as Holland drove a ball to deep left field. The one hop double plated all 3 Blue Sox baserunners and brought Kandilas back to the plate. Kandilas hit a can of corn to rightfield that Vincent inexplicably dropped allowing Holland to score and Kandilas to hustle into second. D’Antonio singled to centre, scoring Kandilas and advanced to second as all sense of baseball fundamentals were lost on an airmailed throw to the plate. Auty had an infield single to put runners on third and first for Dening. Dening slapped a ball up the middle that second baseman Andrew Schmidt dived and snared forcing Techno at second. Inning mercifully over after 8 runners crossed the plate.

The Multiculturalists scored some scrub time runs in the top of the seventh off Benson as Schmidt and Didi singled to right. A Moon fly ball to right advanced Schmidt who then scored on Michael Collins 3^rd base hit. Benson punched out Vincent to end the 7^th, which ended up being the final frame as the announcer declared the game over as a result of the ten run mercy rule. Thank god!

Blue Sox manager Glenn Williams will be thrilled that his lineup got the bats going, especially his lower third who hadn’t shown much until this point. Lundgren wasn’t overwhelming but his outing demonstrated again that the Blue Sox pitching staff is going to be its real strength this season. The Multiculturalists were exposed as being somewhat thin in the pitching stakes once you get past their starters. With Kent restricted in his innings it means that the bullpen has to get a lot of outs and they just do not have the quality arms to go at a line up like the Blue Sox. Schrenk will need to find a way to get more out of his starters and spare the pen from overexposure.

As for the Deep in the Hole ‘Player of the Game”? It’s a toss up between Techno Tim, D’Antonio and Holland. Lets go with D’Antonio  who continues to set the tone at the top of the lineup with 2 hits, a run, 2 walks and an RBI.

The Defensive Specialist’s duties as a family man preclude him from being in attendance on Sunday, but do not fret he will be back during the week with more sparkling insight.

Good luck to Phelan and the Popsicle today with less pressure on the dime pieces.