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*** SANCHEZ RUN THE TABLE *** Steamers' bats betray them as Sanchez complete 4-game sweep
SANTA CLARA, 6/14/09: Somewhere in the United States, presumably, Josh Blackford and C.T. Hoes conducted whatever business it is they conduct on Sundays now that their BAB careers are over. Perhaps that was folding laundry. Maybe it was doing the New York Times crossword. It could well be filming a pitch for tough actin' Tinactin. We'll never know. But it wouldn't be unreasonable to believe that around 1:00 pm on June 14th, 2009, a controlled, but significant burst of sadness passed through their bodies. Not enough to create panic, mind you, but enough to grab their attention. After closer examination, this down feeling wouldn't come from being unable to memorize a line, identify Senegal's southern neighbor, or ball a pair of socks. It would have come from being the only two original Dirty Sanchez to not participate in what felt like something of a title defense---the importance of protecting their hard-earned bragging rights from defeating the Steamers in 2005, when they'd all but flatlined on two separate occasions. That carried more value than any trophy could.
OK, maybe it IS unreasonable. In fact, it's highly doubtful Blackford or Hoes even remember being ON the Dirty Sanchez. Furthermore, they have no idea the impact winning that series had on the rest of their teammates, each having departed BAB shortly after "Game 7".
What wouldn't be unreasonable to believe is that the remaining Cleveland Steamers from 2005---captain Leland Yow, Torance Matsui, Brandon Ridley, Greg Lynas, Greg Sacramento, Soonam Chowdhury, and up until a month ago, Joel Stauffer---would rather listen to Michael Moore and Rush Limbaugh making love to a William Hung album than have to deal with another year full of threads outlining exactly why their opponents were so great. When Rob Flores, Tito Bernal and the rest of the Sanchez go into storytelling mode, it really isn't that different than a young boy being schooled on the "value of a dolla". You half-expect them to tell about walking 3 miles in the snow just to get to Gill Park that clinching day. Though not as dismayed over losing the series as the Sanchez were delighted to win it, the Steamers are a proud bunch. While fully ceasing the original Sanchez' glory isn't realistic---only pulling a 2004 ALCS Boston Red Sox could overshadow the original comeback---the opportunity to at least even the score was one they had no intention of wasting.
In the end, the Cleveland Steamers were unable to win even once, and their play level seemed to sink as the series went along. Al Padron, Rick Flores---the retired ex-Steamers will be safe from the inevitable boastful pride sure to inundate the Smackboard for the rest of BAD ASS Baseball's existence.
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Down 3-0, the Steamers may not have shown up early to practice for this elimination game as they had in 2005, but don't mistake that for indifference to winning---there was plenty of Steamer intensity and hustle from the first inning on, and a lot of Steamer emotion and frustration during moments of failure. The Sanchez managed to match 9 innings of Steamer emotion and frustration on a single unforgettable play as will be addressed below.
Yow's team benefitted from a gift double by Miceli---the throw from 3rd bounced off 1B Davis' mitt and over the fence---and ensuing RBI singles from Matsui and Yow. One inning later, Ridley and Matsui roped solo home runs, the former especially impressive as it hit the backstop in LCF on the fly! After two innings, the Steamers held a 4-1 lead.
That lead could have easily been 5-1 when Holley
led off with a blast to LCF. "Super" Dave Del Real---feeling invincible
following his 1st inning home run in which he, perhaps ignominously, fastened a
cape to his back for the trot from 3rd to home
Bush and Andraesen led off the Sanchez 3rd with outs---BS Yow and SS Holley made the latter out very interesting as the below photos indicate----but the Sanchez still managed a 2-spot on a solo homer by Manning and an RBI double by Davis. After 3, it would be 4-3 Steamers.
The 4th inning (or more specifically the immediate moments following its' controversial close) will be the one to define this game and series, for better or worse. After holding the Steamers scoreless in the top half and tying the score early in the home half, Bernal's team continued to threaten with men on 2nd (Wagner) and 3rd (Manning), one down and Davis to bat. He lined out to center, then took the hill for Bernal's AB. Tits roped it to the outfield, easily scoring Manning with the go-ahead run.
Then all hell broke loose.
Yow fired a throw to C Lanctot in the hopes of retiring Wagner at the plate. The throw was high up the massive catcher's frame, so Dave slid just as Jason slapped the tag. Dislodging the plate, Wagner strongly insisted he was safe. Practically all Steamers called him out. As arguing ensued, P Davis was asked his opinion and gave it---honestly but unwisely, in hindsight---out. That was all the validation the Steamers needed, and ultimately Wagner's run was wiped off. Fuming, Wagner, after flinging home plate as far as he could, was inconsolable as he headed to his position in LF. Matsui, as has been his MO ever since Wagner entered BAB last year, egged his friend on. Normally, Wagner simply brushes it off but this time, he was in no mood for diplomacy and warned Matsui as such.
When Torance ignored the warning, Wagner reversed
course and gave Matsui, standing near the mound, a hard shove. Matsui fired a
baseball at him in retalliation. To borrow a phrase from South Park, now it was
on! Wagner tackled Matsui to the ground as Sacramento, then Ridley, then most of
the players
(Del Real was already in CF, Garewal was
retreiving home plate, and Davis initially ran to the fracas before U-turning to
the dugout for his camera, unaware that Stauffer had captured the brawl on his
own camera from start to finish) worked to
separate the two. No punches appeared to land, and although Matsui continued to
jaw at Wagner, heads cooled and peace ultimately prevailed.
The festivities may have concluded, but the game hadn't. Down 8-4 in the 5th, the Steamers went down in order---their 3rd straight goose egg. Leading off the home 5th, Garewal received a gift hit when Steamer LF Matsui cut in front of BS Kuzmiak---who'd called the ball all the way---and muffed the play. Stauffer lined out hard and Yanez K'd, but Del Real came through with a double to score Garewal with the 9th run.
Top 6th: The Steamers threaten, with men on 2nd and 3rd and one out. Nothing came of it as Miceli lined to short and Matsui to LF, meaning another Steamer 0. A pair of homers by the Sanchez---Andraesen solo, Wagner 2-run---upped the Sanchez lead to 12-4. They were not great on offense, not by any means, but the Dirty Sanchez continued to play well on D and not give the Steamers any badly-needed breaks. Yow's team went down in order once again in the 7th---Holley again at the fence. Four more runs came the Sanchez' way in the bottom 7th, 2 on a Bush bloop triple to center and two more on another Manning dinger. It could have been more had CF Yow not made a fantastic catch on Wagner's drive to the fence, arms and hands outstretched like Rod Smith on a post pattern as he leaped over the fence to make the grab.
Flip the scoreboard to the 8th, the Steamers down to six outs to keep the series alive but needing to make up at least 12 runs. Finally awakening at the plate, Miceli (2-run), Matsui, Kuzmiak and Holley each produced RBI doubles en route to a 5-spot, but Yow, scuffling the whole series (9-for-23 entering today), tipped out weakly to his soon-to-be-ex-roommate Manning behind the dish. That closed the inning with the Steamers down by seven. Needing insurance, instead the Sanchez went down in order in the 8th---keeping the Steamer deficit within reasonable reach. They would need a huge, Game 1-esque 9th inning to stave off elimination.
Lanctot quickly made the first out. Sacramento
followed with a single, as did Ridley, but Miceli bounced into a forceout
putting Bernal's men one out closer. Appropriately, considering the
circumstances, Matsui---who confidently predicted a Steamer sweep prior
to Game 1---lined out to his temporary adversary, Wagner, in LF. The series,
once and for all time, came to a close with the Dirty Sanchez winners in 4!
"They're from church. They're used to (inappropriate sexual behavior)." -- Andraesen, after being advised to not repugnantly penetrate the remains of the pinata with picniccing kids nearby.
ANALYSIS by JOE DAVIS
If you want honesty, I'll give it to you---when this series began I didn't want to sweep like all my teammates. To me, there was nothing magical in a sweep. It woulda been my own personal preference to beat the Steamers in the exact manner we had back in 2005. But once we got up 3-zip, I wanted to nail the coffin shut. Judging by my personal stats I was doing my best to let the Steamers back in the series. Fortunately, up and down the lineup made up for my poor showing.
Super Dave: I hope he doesn't plan to don a cape for all his future homers. That would be no different than T running the bases backward. He said he'd been waiting a while to do it, indicating it's a one-time act.
Is Cav back? Well, for now. Cav Manning at the top of his game, as he was this series, is good for the league and as a friend, I personally root for him---even when he's not on my team. We'll never understand the frustration he deals with related to his arm, and the fact it could snap any moment. If I couldn't play ball anymore, I wouldn't want to be alive. And that's no lie. When he is on, he makes it look so easy. Too many guys around today didn't see Cav when he was a FORCE. It would have sucked to have him reduced to ONLY a gimmick, the shit-talking catcher who can't swing hard. But he helped us win with his bat and his mouth.
Ridley got in Cav's medicine cabinet! That ball was majestic. Now we're gonna have to deal with his mood swings. If we can even recgonize him under the acne and bloating. No wonder he was so quick to the brawl; it was a release.
Speaking of the brawl...
When I give my opinion of a play, I give it honestly. I don't expect commendments for it because it's what you're supposed to do. In a league like this, if you don't have honesty, NO ONE's word is good and I'd hate to be on the short end of a call because somebody isn't being honest. From my vantage point---in front of the mound---Wagner looked out. The throw beat him and he looked out. I gave my honest opinion. Tito and Wagner didn't appreciate that, and I'm sorry it hurt our team, but we all have to be honest otherwise the honor system is shit. Bush is one guy I've always especially respected for that; he will be honest even if it costs himself or his team. (I'm not saying no one else is, but he is one player who stands out in this regard) You can trust his word and I want to be viewed similarly. It won't always be accurate, no one's is, but at least it won't be fabricated.
Looking back, Wagner obviously wouldn't have gotten so hot if he didn't know for fact he was safe, but who in our league doesn't call themselves safe? We all get screwed on calls at some time or another, it happened to me already as with everyone. When Jason has more time in the league and knows us all better, he will hopefully be more forceful with his own opinions on future plays. It's easy to see how Leland's throw was so accurate---that was one big red target sitting behind the dish.
My favorite moment of the brawl? Jim walking by with home plate as if nothing is wrong. "Look at me, I'm just a groundskeeper, I'll be fired if I try to break up a fight."
Was I the only one who thought Kuz and Torance were about to fight on Jim's single in the 5th, where Torance cut in front of Kuz even though he called it all the way? Kev was already frustrated, as were most of the Steamers especially Holley and Leland, about the direction the game and series was going. He stopped and glared at Torance as if he wanted to tackle him, too! But one fight was enough. I've been play-punched by Kuz and I can tell Torance and anybody else they don't want the real thing.
In summary, Sanchez 4 life! This series should now be permanently retired. Sanchez/Steamers, at least on the field, has run its course. JD
"NOW he's safe." -- Manning, after Wagner crossed the plate on his 6th-inning home run.
MORE NOTES
As expected, Ridley, Miceli, Del Real, Sacramento and Lanctot departed after the series game. So the players divided teams by age -- oldest vs. youngest -- for a 7-inning exhibition.
The Vitamins busted out with an 8-run 4th
inning---an unprecedented throw over the backstop from LF by Kuzmiak
helped advance the runners
"You brought charisma, and........." -- Wagner, struggling to explain to Davis how he helped the Dirty Sanchez.
MORE NOTES
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---discarded
all regard for his safety, crashed through the fence and caught the rock! Dave
narrowly escaped a stake to the heart on the play, and while he sucked no blood
afterward, he did seem to suck whatever amount of Steamer momentum they carried
at the time. Moments later, Lanctot would bounce into a 6-3 DP wrapping up a
scoreless Steamer 3rd inning.
h
