The main reason I originally had reservations about playing vintage base ball is that I was concerned about not having a "real" glove to protect myself from a line drive hit back at me while pitching. Since in vintage base ball the pitcher is even closer than in modern baseball there is even less reaction time. Over the years I been hit a number of times by line drives. It is a fact of life if you are a pitcher, especially if you throw as many innings as I do. Every now and again someone hits a shot right at you. It is for this reason that I no longer play in leagues that allow aluminum bats. The reaction time for a pitcher is not long enough given the speed that a ball comes of those new bats.
In the season and a half of vintage ball I've played so far I've only had one ball hit really hard directly back at me while pitching. That was in the Vintage World Series playoffs last season. A one hop line drive was hit right at me and I went to field it with both hands but it got by them and I actually caught it between my legs. I thought it was pretty funny to stop a ball that way and remember smiling as I threw the batter out at first.
Today my number came up for real. In the second inning an absolute rocket was hit directly back at me and was headed for my face. I got my glove hand up and blocked it with the heal of my hand. For those not familiar with vintage base ball gloves they are essentially leather gardening gloves. Good protection against thorns but no protection against a baseball traveling at 90+ mph. I found the ball and tried to throw the batter out but instead threw it wildly into foul territory and out of play.
With play stopped everyone came running to assess the damage to my hand. Buck, the team captain, almost immediately suggest perhaps I should take third base rather than keep pitching. My first thought was "That's really not much safer than the mound" and fortunately Spider mentioned this so that I didn't have to myself. My hand was definitely throbbing but nothing seemed broken so I figured I'd rather keep pitching. After taking a minute or two to get used to the pain I took a few warm up pitches and finished the inning. After the inning Buck suggest I go to centerfield which I took him up on it. I later moved to second base which seem like the best place for me. I wasn't confident I would be able to catch a fly ball with my throbbing hand.
The Wheelmen jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first 3 innings but we fought back to make it 6-3 in the middle innings. They eventually added 2 runs in the 7th and the final scored was 8-3.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
June 6th - Barons vs Mustangs
Today the Mustangs have 7 players - none in blue jeans - so we're borrowing a couple of players from the Barons who have agreed to let them bat for us as well as field. Very sporting of them and truely appreciated by all the Mustangs.
Two days ago I couldn't throw my fastball for a strike so today my biggest concern is fixing that. I've decided I'm probably striding a little too long so I'll try to consciously shorten my stride a little so that I stay more on top of the ball. That should keep it from sailing up and in so much. I work on this some warming up on the side and again on the mound before the game starts. It seems to be doing the trick.
I can't remember much of the details of this game but we lost - again. I felt very good despite having pitched 6 innings two days before. My slider was working particularly well. What I do remember is one inning in which I got the first 3 batters to hit what should have been routine ground balls directly at infielders but the grass was so thick that two ended up being infield hits. The 3rd was hit to the third baseman who threw a little off line to first. The first baseman made a sweep tag and the umpire called "Out on the tag!". The first base coach immediately complained that he missed the tag and the ump immediately changed his call. It seems to me that a coach complaining about a call isn't evidence that the call was wrong but that's what was ruled. Our first baseman said he got him - just barely - on the belt.
At the plate I had four at bats and got pitches I should have hit well in each one but popped them all up - 2 to the outfield and two to the infield. I need more bp. After facing that fireballer on Thursday today's pitchers seemed like a walk in the park.
After pitching 6 innings I notice I'm developing a blood blister on my middle finger. I get this sometimes from throwing a lot of sliders. The seams of the ball roll off the inside of the tip of my middle finger causing this. I figure I'd better let Max finish the game so the blister doesn't get any worse. I have to pitch again tomorrow against the Wheelmen in a Vintage game.
Two days ago I couldn't throw my fastball for a strike so today my biggest concern is fixing that. I've decided I'm probably striding a little too long so I'll try to consciously shorten my stride a little so that I stay more on top of the ball. That should keep it from sailing up and in so much. I work on this some warming up on the side and again on the mound before the game starts. It seems to be doing the trick.
I can't remember much of the details of this game but we lost - again. I felt very good despite having pitched 6 innings two days before. My slider was working particularly well. What I do remember is one inning in which I got the first 3 batters to hit what should have been routine ground balls directly at infielders but the grass was so thick that two ended up being infield hits. The 3rd was hit to the third baseman who threw a little off line to first. The first baseman made a sweep tag and the umpire called "Out on the tag!". The first base coach immediately complained that he missed the tag and the ump immediately changed his call. It seems to me that a coach complaining about a call isn't evidence that the call was wrong but that's what was ruled. Our first baseman said he got him - just barely - on the belt.
At the plate I had four at bats and got pitches I should have hit well in each one but popped them all up - 2 to the outfield and two to the infield. I need more bp. After facing that fireballer on Thursday today's pitchers seemed like a walk in the park.
After pitching 6 innings I notice I'm developing a blood blister on my middle finger. I get this sometimes from throwing a lot of sliders. The seams of the ball roll off the inside of the tip of my middle finger causing this. I figure I'd better let Max finish the game so the blister doesn't get any worse. I have to pitch again tomorrow against the Wheelmen in a Vintage game.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
June 4th - Putney Fossils v Saxton's River Pirates (at Kurn Hattin)
The Kurn Hattin baseball field is a gem that is well hidden in plain sight. It can't be seen from either of the two roads near it and can't even be seen from the parking area. You approach the field from above and don't see it until you come to the edge of the plateau above it. The top of the steep hill on the first base side of the field provides an excellent perch to watch a game from.
The field has no fence and the outfield is huge: 420' to straightaway center, 390' down the left field line, and 376' down the right field line. This field is were home runs go to die. The CRVBL used Kurn Hattin as its 2nd field in 2004, the year the league expanded from 4 to 6 teams. The last few years we have used it only occasional when other fields were unavailable. The infield grass is a little rough but the infield dirt, which was upgraded to surepack in 2004, holds up well and is a great improvement over the mostly sand that was there previously.
Tonight's game is against a team of mostly 20 to 25 year olds. As I come over the crest of the hill I can seem them warming up in the outfield. A lot of young, strong arms on this team.
We are short on players tonight so we've borrowed a couple of players from Saxton's River. They've got plenty to spare. They are the home team tonight so after they take a very crisp infield and we take a our slightly less crisp (but effective) version they take the field. They have Dave Bronw pitching tonight. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1989 and played a season in short season single A. (I learned after the game that this is his first time pitching in 17 years.) He is throwing hard - probably low to mid eighties at least. I'm the lead off batter tonight so I head to the plate to see what if I can handle his heater.
First pitch: Fast ball, strike one, outside corner at the knees
Second pitch: Fast ball, strike two, outside corner below the knees. I thought it was too low for a strike.
3rd pitch: Fast ball, outside corner at the knees. I swing at it trying to at least foul if off and hit it pretty solidly down the right field line, foul.
4th pitch: Outside. ball one.
5th and 6th pitches: ball 2 & 3. I think one was an attempt at a curve that was above my head. Full count.
7th pitch: I'm looking fastball (Duh!) and get it. It's over the inside 3rd of the plate and I take a mighty swing, and a miss for strike 3. (Photo below)
Our half of the first (and most other innings) went fairly quickly. We got a few walks and some hits and they made and error or two and we scratched out 3 runs over the course of 7 innings. Not bad all things considered.
Their hitters faired better. The first 3 reach on hits and it was quickly 1-0 with runners on first and third. I think I struck out the 4th batter for the first out. The 3rd base coach gave a flurry of signs (which he hadn't done for the previous batter) so I figured he had the runner on first stealing. I did my first and third move which worked perfectly - runner on 3rd was caught about 20 feet down the line in a run down. Benjamin our 3rd baseman has the ball and runs him about 1/2 way down the line then throw to our catcher, Q. Meanwhile I'm getting in position behind Q for the next throw if necessary. Q runs him back a little ways but suddenly things don't look so good. Benjamin is too close and just getting out of the baseline so Q opts to throw to our shortstop who is not yet in position. He's still on his way over from short. Somehow he catches the throw on the run but the baserunner sees things are getting screwed up and makes a break for the plate. Our shortstop tries to throw me the ball on the run but the throw is way wide and the ball goes out of play. Both runners score. The next batter pops up and the following batter flies out. What should have been a one run inning is a three run inning.
We ended up losing 7-3 which wasn't bad but it could have been a lot closer. In addition to the 1st and 3rd screw up I was having throwing my fastball for strikes. It usually tails in some but tonight it was way inside and I couldn't get it over the plate at all. I hit 3 batters (I think they all ended up scoring) and finally decided I had to stay away from my fastball because I felt like I would have to throw a bp fastball to put it over the plate. I can usually make corrections to my mechanics in the middle of a game to fix problems like this but tonight I'm not able to. I'll have to work on this before my next game.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
June 4th - Game tonight - Fossils vs Saxton's River Pirates
Tonight's game is against the NEW Saxton's River Pirates. The CRVBL has had a SR Pirates team since the beginning (now named the Chester Pirates) and most of those guys had played for the original Saxton's River Pirates that played for years in the old Northern League and then played in various collegiate type leagues for a number of years.
Tonight's team is new this season but is organized by Dave Moore who ran the original Saxton's River Pirates. He has reclaimed the name which is only fair since they are based in Saxton's River. I'm told tonight's starting pitcher for the Pirates will be Dave Brown who is 42 now but when he was younger played for the original SR Pirates, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and played a season for Erie in the New York Penn League. Supposedly he throws really hard. I'll be optimistic and point out that since he only played one season for Erie he must be beatable. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
OK. Here's the deal. I just googled Dave Brown and found his stats for the 1989 Erie Orioles.
0-3 21.2IP 8.31ERA 25H 31BB 21K 11WP
It looks like he throws hard but is wild. It could be an interesting game.
Tonight's team is new this season but is organized by Dave Moore who ran the original Saxton's River Pirates. He has reclaimed the name which is only fair since they are based in Saxton's River. I'm told tonight's starting pitcher for the Pirates will be Dave Brown who is 42 now but when he was younger played for the original SR Pirates, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and played a season for Erie in the New York Penn League. Supposedly he throws really hard. I'll be optimistic and point out that since he only played one season for Erie he must be beatable. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
OK. Here's the deal. I just googled Dave Brown and found his stats for the 1989 Erie Orioles.
0-3 21.2IP 8.31ERA 25H 31BB 21K 11WP
It looks like he throws hard but is wild. It could be an interesting game.
Monday, June 1, 2009
May 31st Pioneers at Simsbury Taverneers
Today's game has become a media event because Jim Bouton, former New York Yankee and author of "Ball Four", will be playing for us today. Buck is pretty much a nervous wreck on the ride down, worrying about whether all our players will make it and whether his defensive plan make sense. We've got 12 players today if everyone shows so he's spent a lot of time figure out who will be playing where. He didn't get much sleep last night and he's eating his breakfast - oatmeal - out of the pot in the front seat as we pull out of his driveway. Spider is driving so Buck can focus on his breakfast - and worrying.
The basic game plan is to have Bouton pitch the first 3 innings, then have me come in for the next 3 followed by an inning of Slappie and closing with 2 innings of Turk. Buck was hoping to have Bullet close but he's not playing today. Buck also has me playing 2 innings in rightfield - based on my having played a couple of innings in centerfield against Hartford where I made a sliding catch on a sinking line drive.
We arrive at the field at about 9:15 for a 10:00 game which is just about right. Hammer & Nails are already in the parking lot and Albie pulls in just after us. Buck is starting to relax a little since we didn't get lost and other players are showing up too.
We unload the gear box - a huge plastic storage box that must weigh 80+ lbs - and carry it to our dugout. Some Simsbury players are already there working on the field. Simsbury's field is very nice and is totally enclosed with fences. Left center is about 390, right center is a little more reasonable - 360ish. The dugouts are the best I've seen anywhere -really spacious, with 3 steps up to the field the length of the dugout and no fence to obscure your view of the game. We get our cleats on and start warming up.
With about 15 minutes to game time everyone has arrived except Turk and Bouton. Turk, who was in New York on Saturday at a Mets game, comes running in followed by Bouton who appears to be in no hurry what-so-ever. As soon as the Taveneers finish taking infield we head out to take ours. I head to right which feels really weird. Bouton is getting dressed then starts warming up on the side with Nails. I get 3 fly balls hit to me during infield and two are over my head - one to each side. I catch all 3 - the ones behind me with over the shoulder catches. Not bad for a pitcher. It reminds me of playing home run derby in the back yard with Isaac using a tennis ball and no glove.
After taking my fly balls I head in and while the infielders go through their paces I watch Bouton warming up. I'm watching from behind Nails and a little to one side and he's throwing knuckle ball after knuckleball. There is almost no spin to any of them but they don't seem to be moving around a lot - a little drop maybe but not much else, at least not that I can see. Still it's really impressive to see how he can just throw one after the next like it's nothing.
After Buck wins the coin toss (again!) we take the field. In addition to the Taveneer's usual photographer (Susan D'Apice) there is a camera man from the local Fox TV station there filming the game. Bouton also has his own publicity guy there. They are filming and taking photos from wherever they please and seem not to be concerned at all about the fact that we are actually playing a baseball game.
Bouton starts off fine getting the first batter out on a pop up to 3rd but after that thing start don't go so well. The next batter hits a shot on the first pitch just to the second base side of short and it looks like Spider will catch it but it's been hit too hard and he can't handle it. (After the game Spider showed me the black and blue spot on his throwing hand where the ball hit it.) The next few batter seem to not have much problem with Bouton's knuckler and between that and some defensive misplays the Taverneers score 4 in the first.
We go quickly in the bottom of the first. The Taverneer's hurler is throwing fairly hard but, more importantly, he is quick pitching a lot. I head out to right for the 2nd inning and despite my 3 catches earlier I'm not really comfortable out there. It's such a long way from the plate it's really quite a different game from out there. Nothing is hit to me but the Taveneers do get another run.
I'm up second in the bottom of the second inning and come up with one out. From what I've seen so far it looks like the Taverneer's pitcher throws pretty straight and counts on the quick pitch to get batters out. I decide I'm going to look fastball on the first pitch and I get it and hit it pretty hard to short and just start running. Anything can happen in Vintage and appartently it does because I reach first safely. I never did find out what happened but I see in the book later it was put down as a hit so I leave it at that. I don't score that inning so we head to the 3rd.
The 3rd inning is when the combination of the Taveneer's hitting Bouton fairly well and some very poor defensive plays behind him put 7 runs on the board for the Taveneers. I'm sitting again this inning and keeping the book and it's not pretty. If my memory is correct there were at least 3 errors and possibly as many as 5 including an overthrow of third from left field that hit the Taverneers photographer's camera squarely on the end of her telephoto lense. That was scary but fortunately the lense absorbed the blow and was shattered but she was unhurt. Finally we get out of the inning but we're now down 12-0. I always say if your going to get down big make sure you get down big early. At least we have that going for us.
In the bottom of the 3rd we scoring a couple of runs so at least we're on the board. By the end of the inning i'm really itching to get on the mound but I have a feeling Buck hasn't let Bouton know he's only going 3 so I check with Buck first before taking the mound. He goes to Bouton and says "Do you want one go one more?" to which Bouton of course replies "Yes" so I'm sitting another inning. It was either that or go to 1st instead of Buck and I wasn't up for that.
In the top of the 4th the Taveneer's go quickly without scoring a run and we're back to the top of our order for the bottom of the inning. We score 3 (I think) in the bottom of the inning. I drive in one with a single with runners on first and third, steal second and score when the first baseman can't handle a low throw with two outs.
After 4 innings the score is 12-5 Taverneers and I've finally got the ball. After seeing Bouton's knuckleball my fastball must look extra fast so I have an easy inning and we're back up. I don't remember whether we scored or not that half inning but I now I gave up two in the 6th.
In the 7th the lead off batter for the Taverneers reach, stole second and went to 3rd on a wild pitch. Runner on third, no outs. I struck out the next two batters and the third out was a great catch by Murph on a pop up behind the plate almost to the backstop. It's hard enough to get there but then to catch it with that glove is awesome.
In the bottom of the 7th we score a bunch of runs on hits and errors. I drove in two more when their pitcher tried to quick pitch me but it backfired because I hit a line drive past their first baseman who wasn't looking. It turns out he was quick pitched. (Come to think of it this must have happened in the previous inning because by the 7th inning the quick pitcher was no longer pitching.) In any case, after 7 innings the score was Taverneers 14 Pioneers 13 and I handed off the ball to Slappie and headed back out to right.
Unfortunately Slappie walked the lead off hitter (which is hard to do given it takes 7 balls) and ended up give up 4 runs in his inning. We didn't get any back in the bottom of the 8th and heading into the 9th we were down by 5. Turk also walked the first batter he faced in the 9th but worked out of the inning. In the bottom of the 9th we couldn't get anything going and ended up losing 18-13.
The most best aspect of today's game was the amount of interest Bouton's appearance was able to generate from the local press. For us bush leaguer's who play because we love it (and secretly hope there's still a chance we'll be picked up by a major leauge team despite being several decades too old) it's really cool to have our entire game filmed just like in the bigs. It was also great to see Jim out on the mound at the age of 70 still throwing a damn good knuckle ball. If he'd been pitching into a slight headwind instead of with a tail wind I think he would have made the Taverneers look silly.
Here's the 3 hour game compressed into 2 minutes and 47 seconds courtesy of Fox61:
The basic game plan is to have Bouton pitch the first 3 innings, then have me come in for the next 3 followed by an inning of Slappie and closing with 2 innings of Turk. Buck was hoping to have Bullet close but he's not playing today. Buck also has me playing 2 innings in rightfield - based on my having played a couple of innings in centerfield against Hartford where I made a sliding catch on a sinking line drive.
We arrive at the field at about 9:15 for a 10:00 game which is just about right. Hammer & Nails are already in the parking lot and Albie pulls in just after us. Buck is starting to relax a little since we didn't get lost and other players are showing up too.
We unload the gear box - a huge plastic storage box that must weigh 80+ lbs - and carry it to our dugout. Some Simsbury players are already there working on the field. Simsbury's field is very nice and is totally enclosed with fences. Left center is about 390, right center is a little more reasonable - 360ish. The dugouts are the best I've seen anywhere -really spacious, with 3 steps up to the field the length of the dugout and no fence to obscure your view of the game. We get our cleats on and start warming up.
With about 15 minutes to game time everyone has arrived except Turk and Bouton. Turk, who was in New York on Saturday at a Mets game, comes running in followed by Bouton who appears to be in no hurry what-so-ever. As soon as the Taveneers finish taking infield we head out to take ours. I head to right which feels really weird. Bouton is getting dressed then starts warming up on the side with Nails. I get 3 fly balls hit to me during infield and two are over my head - one to each side. I catch all 3 - the ones behind me with over the shoulder catches. Not bad for a pitcher. It reminds me of playing home run derby in the back yard with Isaac using a tennis ball and no glove.
After taking my fly balls I head in and while the infielders go through their paces I watch Bouton warming up. I'm watching from behind Nails and a little to one side and he's throwing knuckle ball after knuckleball. There is almost no spin to any of them but they don't seem to be moving around a lot - a little drop maybe but not much else, at least not that I can see. Still it's really impressive to see how he can just throw one after the next like it's nothing.
After Buck wins the coin toss (again!) we take the field. In addition to the Taveneer's usual photographer (Susan D'Apice) there is a camera man from the local Fox TV station there filming the game. Bouton also has his own publicity guy there. They are filming and taking photos from wherever they please and seem not to be concerned at all about the fact that we are actually playing a baseball game.
Bouton starts off fine getting the first batter out on a pop up to 3rd but after that thing start don't go so well. The next batter hits a shot on the first pitch just to the second base side of short and it looks like Spider will catch it but it's been hit too hard and he can't handle it. (After the game Spider showed me the black and blue spot on his throwing hand where the ball hit it.) The next few batter seem to not have much problem with Bouton's knuckler and between that and some defensive misplays the Taverneers score 4 in the first.
We go quickly in the bottom of the first. The Taverneer's hurler is throwing fairly hard but, more importantly, he is quick pitching a lot. I head out to right for the 2nd inning and despite my 3 catches earlier I'm not really comfortable out there. It's such a long way from the plate it's really quite a different game from out there. Nothing is hit to me but the Taveneers do get another run.
I'm up second in the bottom of the second inning and come up with one out. From what I've seen so far it looks like the Taverneer's pitcher throws pretty straight and counts on the quick pitch to get batters out. I decide I'm going to look fastball on the first pitch and I get it and hit it pretty hard to short and just start running. Anything can happen in Vintage and appartently it does because I reach first safely. I never did find out what happened but I see in the book later it was put down as a hit so I leave it at that. I don't score that inning so we head to the 3rd.
The 3rd inning is when the combination of the Taveneer's hitting Bouton fairly well and some very poor defensive plays behind him put 7 runs on the board for the Taveneers. I'm sitting again this inning and keeping the book and it's not pretty. If my memory is correct there were at least 3 errors and possibly as many as 5 including an overthrow of third from left field that hit the Taverneers photographer's camera squarely on the end of her telephoto lense. That was scary but fortunately the lense absorbed the blow and was shattered but she was unhurt. Finally we get out of the inning but we're now down 12-0. I always say if your going to get down big make sure you get down big early. At least we have that going for us.
In the bottom of the 3rd we scoring a couple of runs so at least we're on the board. By the end of the inning i'm really itching to get on the mound but I have a feeling Buck hasn't let Bouton know he's only going 3 so I check with Buck first before taking the mound. He goes to Bouton and says "Do you want one go one more?" to which Bouton of course replies "Yes" so I'm sitting another inning. It was either that or go to 1st instead of Buck and I wasn't up for that.
In the top of the 4th the Taveneer's go quickly without scoring a run and we're back to the top of our order for the bottom of the inning. We score 3 (I think) in the bottom of the inning. I drive in one with a single with runners on first and third, steal second and score when the first baseman can't handle a low throw with two outs.
After 4 innings the score is 12-5 Taverneers and I've finally got the ball. After seeing Bouton's knuckleball my fastball must look extra fast so I have an easy inning and we're back up. I don't remember whether we scored or not that half inning but I now I gave up two in the 6th.
In the 7th the lead off batter for the Taverneers reach, stole second and went to 3rd on a wild pitch. Runner on third, no outs. I struck out the next two batters and the third out was a great catch by Murph on a pop up behind the plate almost to the backstop. It's hard enough to get there but then to catch it with that glove is awesome.
In the bottom of the 7th we score a bunch of runs on hits and errors. I drove in two more when their pitcher tried to quick pitch me but it backfired because I hit a line drive past their first baseman who wasn't looking. It turns out he was quick pitched. (Come to think of it this must have happened in the previous inning because by the 7th inning the quick pitcher was no longer pitching.) In any case, after 7 innings the score was Taverneers 14 Pioneers 13 and I handed off the ball to Slappie and headed back out to right.
Unfortunately Slappie walked the lead off hitter (which is hard to do given it takes 7 balls) and ended up give up 4 runs in his inning. We didn't get any back in the bottom of the 8th and heading into the 9th we were down by 5. Turk also walked the first batter he faced in the 9th but worked out of the inning. In the bottom of the 9th we couldn't get anything going and ended up losing 18-13.
The most best aspect of today's game was the amount of interest Bouton's appearance was able to generate from the local press. For us bush leaguer's who play because we love it (and secretly hope there's still a chance we'll be picked up by a major leauge team despite being several decades too old) it's really cool to have our entire game filmed just like in the bigs. It was also great to see Jim out on the mound at the age of 70 still throwing a damn good knuckle ball. If he'd been pitching into a slight headwind instead of with a tail wind I think he would have made the Taverneers look silly.
Here's the 3 hour game compressed into 2 minutes and 47 seconds courtesy of Fox61:
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