B League Picayune
Often in error, never in doubt.
Volume 6, Issue 23 – June 24, 2024
$1.40 (Prices at Kilauea may be higher)
Games of Thursday June 20 were cancelled due to overnight rain resulting in wet fields.
League president Anthony Galindo checks in:
Effective June 24th, teams will be allowed to draw up to 12 players under the Extreme Hot Weather Rule. The purpose of the rule is to provide substitution for players who may need relief during the heat. Managers please check with your players before your games and draw according to your needs.
Also, Richard Battle is back and ready to play again so he has been assigned to the Blue Team. In addition, we have a new player, Candy Perez, who will play as a priority pickup until he is assigned to a team.
Weather: Another hot one, temperature rising into the low 90s, but the humidity wasn’t so terrible, at 52% when I checked before the 12:30 game. Mostly sunny.
Games of Monday June 24:
10:30 a.m., Green (0-1) at Gray (0-0):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Green 5 1 5 0 5 4 20 Gray 0 0 5 5 0 0 10 Pitchers: Green – Tommy Deleon; Gray – Jack Kelly. Mercenaries: Green – Candy Perez; Gray – Morgan Witthoft. Umpires: home plate – Rex Horvath; bases – Dave Berra. Perfect at the plate: Green – Jack Crosley (4 for 4 with a triple), Candy Perez (4 for 4), and Paul Rubin (5 for 5); Gray – Ivan Budiselic (3 for 3).
Green was into its third time through the lineup and led 11-0 before every batter in the Gray lineup had gotten a trip to the plate. After Ralph Villela led off the game by lining out to third baseman Morgan Witthoft, seven of the next eight batters singled and five runs came across in the top of the first. The game’s big controversy happened in the middle of this rally. With two runs in and the bases loaded, Jack McDermott hit a hard grounder down the third-base side. Morgan Witthoft made a good play, stepped on third for the force, and then started running David Pittard toward home. David stopped just short of the commitment line, hoping to draw a throw and then return to third, but Morgan kept running toward him, forcing him over the commitment line. David stopped and stutter-stepped, and Morgan wound up catching up to him and tagging him, and then, following shouted instructions from his teammates, continued on to home plate and stepped on the mat. But, following consultation with the rules mavens, the play was ruled dead at the moment the tag was illegally made on David, with David ruled safe and scoring the third run of the inning. Doesn’t matter that Morgan stepped on the mat, doesn’t matter that (in my opinion) David ran out of the baseline to evade the tag – our rules are clear that the runner cannot be tagged after he passes the third-base commitment line.
Whew.
Gray didn’t score in the bottom of the inning, Tommy Deleon working around David Kruse’s one-out single, nor in the second, after Green scored one run on two singles and Mike Hill’s sacrifice fly in the top half, the home half ending with Ralph Villela making a nice backhanded catch of Johnny Lee’s liner to the 5-6 hole.
Green kept hitting in the third, the first seven batters knocking clean singles to the outfield, Mike Hill delivering the fifth run with his second sacrifice fly to right-center.
Gray finally broke through in the bottom of that inning, scoring five times on seven singles while making just one out. Jack Kelly worked a scoreless top of the fourth, and Gray scored another five, on eight more singles, in the bottom of the inning, to draw within two runs. (Over the third and fourth, Gray batters went 15 for 18 (.833); in the innings before and after, they were 5 for 17 (.294). Make of this what you will.)
But Green regrouped and posted another five-run inning in the top of the fifth, and this time not just with singles. Jack Crosley led off with a line drive that split the left- and right-center fielders and rolled to the fence, Jack winding up at third with a triple. Trey Wall walked and Candy Perez singled, Jack scoring. Ralph Villela hit into a 6-5 force, but Paul Rubin, Mike Hill, and David Pittard each singled, two more runs scoring, and then Mike Garrison drove in Paul and Mike Hill with a double.
Tommy Deleon got both Donnie Janac and Frank Delmonte to ground to third baseman David Pittard to start the bottom of the fifth, David making strong, accurate, cross-diamond throws for outs. Jack Kelly singled, but Trey Wall ran down Johnny Lee’s fly to right-center to end the inning.
Green led 16-10 entering the buffet, and scored four more runs on six singles, the last four coming with two out, prompting the flip-flop to be invoked. (Jack Crosley, Candy Perez, and Paul Rubin all singled to complete perfect days at the plate.)
Working with a ten-run lead, Tommy Deleon got Mark Dolan to fly out to right-center to start the bottom half. Ivan Budiselic, completing a perfect day at the plate, and Morgan Witthoft both singled. But Tommy got Ken Brown to hit a foul pop to Candy Perez at first, then got the final out on David Kruse’s grounder to third base, David Pittard fielding the ball cleanly and stepping on the bag for the game-ending force out. Final score: Green 20, Gray 10, Green’s first win versus Gray this season.
Quote of the Day (I): Scott Wright, to Eddy Murillo: “Eddy, there’s a cookie over here if you want to put another pound on your ass. Never mind, Fritz is here.”
11:30 a.m., Orange (0-1) at Purple (0-1):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Orange 3 0 5 3 1 X 12 Purple 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Pitchers: Orange – Ray Pilgrim; Purple – Jeff Stone. Mercenaries: Orange – Bobby Miller and Scott Wright; Purple – Hal Darman and Anthony Galindo. Umpires: home – Trey Wall; bases – Mike Hill. Perfect at the plate: Orange – Eddie Ortiz and Ray Pilgrim (each 3 for 3 with a double); Purple – Daniel Carvajal and Anthony Galindo (each 2 for 2).
Not to diminish Ray Pilgrim’s excellent pitching in any way, but Orange held Purple to just one run thanks to its smothering defense, which turned double plays in five of the six innings, each one of them ending the frame – it was a master class.
Purple actually turned the first double play of the game, in the top of the first, short-circuiting Orange’s game-opening rally. Five of the first six batters singled, and then Fritz Hensel drew a bases-loaded walk, three runs scoring. Larry Shupe hit a sharp grounder up the middle; shortstop Rick Jensen, moving to his left, made a nice play on it and flipped to Mike Velaney, who pivoted and snapped a throw to Daniel Carvajal at first to double up Larry.
Mike Velaney and Daniel Carvajal singled in the home half, putting runners on first and second with one out, but Rex Horvath gobbled up Jeff Stone’s grounder, stepped on second, and threw to first – Orange double play number one.
Jeff Stone retired the side in order in the top of the second. Rick Jensen led off the bottom half with a single, then was forced out on Tom Kelm’s grounder to shortstop. Rip Wright hit a sharp ball back up the middle, but Ray Pilgrim made an excellent play on it and started a 1-6-3 double play – Orange DP number two.
Orange scored five times in the top of the third, on six singles and doubles by Rex Horvath (to the base of the fence in left field) and Eddie Ortiz, increasing its lead to 8-0.
Purple got on the board in the bottom half. Jim Foelker led off with a single. Larry Young lined a ball down the first-base side that Doc Hobar made an outstanding play to knock down, recover, and beat Larry to the bag on, Jim advancing to second. Anthony Galindo’s single to left field brought Jim in, and Hal Darman followed with a line single to left field, Anthony stopping at second. Mike Velaney pulled a grounder down the third-base side that Eddie Ortiz fielded cleanly; Eddie stepped on third for the force there, then threw to second for the third out – Orange double play number three.
Orange got three more runs on five hits, including two more doubles, by Doc Hobar and Ray Pilgrim, in the top of the fourth, and now led 11-1. In the bottom half, Daniel Carvajal singled with one out. Jeff Stone flied out to Paul Atkins in right-center, taking the double play off the table.
Quote of the Day (II): Daniel Carvajal: “It’s the little victories…”
But the inning ended with Rick Jensen grounding to Eddie Ortiz, who threw to second for the inning-ending force, his fifth out-producing play in the field of the game.
Orange scored its final run in the top of the fifth. Larry Shupe, Bobby Miller, and Scott Wright singled, loading the bases with one out, and Larry scored on Doc Hobar’s sacrifice fly to Jim Foelker in left-center. Rex Horvath drove a fly to deep left field, but Clint Fletcher caught it with his back to the fence for the third out.
Tom Kelm and Rip Wright singled to start the bottom half. Eddie Ortiz fielded Jim Foelker’s grounder and stepped on third for the force there, for out number one. Rex Horvath then fielded Larry Young’s grounder a bit to the left of second base and flipped to second baseman Scott Wright for a 6-4-3 double play – Orange twin killing number four.
With Orange leading by 11, the teams flip-flopped for the buffet. Anthony Galindo singled to left, his second hit in as many at bats. Hal Darman flied out to Bobby Miller in left field. Mike Velaney came up for the third time, and wound up being the only Purple hitter to get three at bats: he grounded back to the box, and Ray Pilgrim started a 1-6-3 double play – Orange’s fourth of the game. Final score: Orange 12, Purple 1
Exchange of the Day:
Eddy Murillo: “One job, catcher.”
Fritz Hensel: “Fuck you.”
12:30 p.m., Blue (1-0) at Maroon (1-0):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Blue 1 5 2 1 5 1 15 Maroon 1 0 5 0 2 1 9 Pitchers: Blue – Jerry Mylius; Maroon – Chunky Wright (1-4, 6) and Eddie Ortiz (5). Mercenaries: Blue – Rex Horvath and Johnny Lee; Maroon – Eddie Ortiz. Umpires: Home plate – Jeff Stone; bases – Rick Jensen. Perfect at the plate: Blue – Dale Fugate (4 for 4) and Rex Horvath (3 for 3 with a walk and a double); Maroon – Jack Spellman (4 for 4 with a double).
Returning from vacation, Chunky Wright picked up where he left off, holding Blue to a single run in the top of the first, George Romo doubling home Richard Battle from first with two out. The inning ended with third baseman Jack Spellman making a good play to his left to short-hop Terry Thompson’s hard grounder; Spellman’s momentum took him toward second base, and he tagged out George before George could reverse course and get back to the bag. (This description for all those who complain that I never credit myself.)
Maroon looked poised for a big inning in the bottom half, as the first four batters singled, a run scoring, the bases loaded with none out. Buddy Gaswint slashed a hard grounder down the third base, and George Romo made an outstanding play to field it cleanly. George then stepped on the bag, forcing out Anthony Galindo coming to second, but he did not tag me, standing on third base. Instead, George threw to first, doubling up Buddy; when he threw, I took off for home, but first baseman Dale Fugate cut me down with a perfect peg to catcher Billy Hill – I thought I’d catch Blue napping, but I was very much mistaken, and the result was a TRIPLE PLAY. Good gravy.
Blue took the lead for good in the top of the second, scoring five times on eight singles. The last five came with two out, after a 9-4-2 relay, Buddy Gaswint to Jack Spellman to Marvin Krabbenhoft, cut down Dale Fugate, running for Johnny Lee and trying to score on David Brown’s single. A good play, but it made no never mind.
Maroon in the home half again loaded the bases, on one-out singles by Alvin Gauna, Joe Dayoc, and Marvin Krabbenhoft, and again failed to capitalize, and George Romo turned Chunky Wright’s grounder to third into an inning-ending 5u., 5-2 double play.
Rex Horvath’s two-out, two-run double made it 8-1 in Blue’s favor through the top of the third.
Maroon broke through in the bottom half. The first six batters hit safely and four scored. James Chavana flied out to right field, then Alvin Gauna ripped a double to left-center, gapping the outfielders and driving in Jimmy Sneed with the fifth run.
Blue got a single run in the top of the fourth. Chunky Wright retired David Brown (6-3, excellent play to his left and strong throw to first by Jimmy Sneed) and Richard Battle (knuckling line drive to left that James Chavana stayed with and caught) to start the inning. George Romo doubled and took third on Terry Thompson’s line single to left. Dale Fugate, who hit nothing but line drives all day, singled in George.
Trailing by just three, Maroon had a chance to take the lead, but again did not. Jerry Mylius retired the first two batters. Chunky Wright singled and took third on Eddie Ortiz’s hit. Chunky, feeling the heat, requested a pinch-runner, which would prove a key turning point. Scott Wright tried to go opposite field, but popped out to George Romo to end the inning.
His teammates ordered Chunky to take a breather, and we reorganized the defensive set, with Eddie Ortiz moving from third to pitcher; Jack Spellman from second to third base; Scott Wright from first base to second base; and Joe Dayoc taking over at first base and Marvin Krabbenhoft returning to catcher. We wound up throwing the ball around a bunch, and while I score most every plate appearance that results in a batter reaching base a hit, in this inning there were a couple that could have been ruled errors. Maroon actually caught a break when Terry Thompson, running from home for Billy Hill, took off for second after shortstop Jimmy Sneed’s throw sailed past Joe, resulting in Terry being called out per the league’s no-tolerance-for-advancing-past-first policy. The only other out recorded in the inning came on George Romo’s sacrifice fly, driving in David Brown with the fourth run, which was followed by Terry and Dale Fugate knocking singles to bring in Richard Battle with the fifth.
That made it 14-6 – a hole, but not an inescapable one. Three of the first four Maroon batters singled to start the bottom of the fifth, Jack Spellman coming around to score, and James Chavana walked, loading the bases. But Jerry Mylius caught Alvin Gauna looking at a called strike three and, after Joe Dayoc’s single drove in Anthony Galindo, got Marvin Krabbenhoft to line a two-strike pitch down the left-field side, foul by a foot or so, for the third out – the third instance of Maroon failing to take proper advantage of a bases-loaded situation.
Blue got a chance to experience this in the top of the buffet. With Chunky Wright back on the mound, Blue loaded the bases on a walk to Jerry Mylius and singles by Billy Hill and Rex Horvath. But Jimmy Sneed turned a tremendous double play on Johnny Lee’s grounder to the left of second base – moving to his left, Jimmy grabbed the grounder, tagged second, and then fired home to cut down Jerry trying to score. Terry Thompson, running for Billy, scored on Pat Scott’s pop-fly double in short right field, just fair, but that was Blue’s only run of the inning, as Marvin Krabbenhoft at first base made an outstanding play on David Brown’s hard grounder, knocking it down, retrieving it, and beating David to the bag for the third out.
That left Maroon chasing seven to tie in the bottom half. They got one, on three singles, but with one out and runners on the corners, Jerry Mylius finished up an outstanding performance by getting Anthony Galindo on a two-strike foul and Jimmy Sneed on a liner to left fielder Richard Battle. Final score: Blue 15, Maroon 9, the visiting teams winning all three of the day’s games.
Standings – Session Three:
Games Runs Runs Run W/L
W L Win %: behind: for: allowed: differential: streak:
Blue 2 0 1.000 — 32 20 +12 W2
Red 1 0 1.000 .5 16 7 + 9 W2
Green 1 1 .500 1 29 23 + 6 W1
Orange 1 1 .500 1 23 18 + 5 W1
Maroon 1 1 .500 1 22 24 – 2 L1
Gray 0 1 .000 1.5 10 20 -10 L1
Purple 0 2 .000 2 8 28 -20 L3
Home Visitor Walk-off Extra-inning Flip-flop 1-run games
W-L: W-L: Wins: W-L: W-L: W-L:
Blue 1-0 1-0 0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Red 0-0 1-0 0 0-0 1-0 0-0
Green 0-0 1-1 0 0-0 1-0 0-0
Orange 0-0 1-1 0 0-0 1-0 0-0
Maroon 1-1 0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Gray 0-1 0-0 0 0-0 0-1 0-0
Purple 0-2 0-0 0 0-0 0-2 0-0
2024 total victories (read across) and losses (read down):
Blue Gray Green Maroon Orange Purple Red TOTAL
Blue X 1 1 2 3 1 1 9
Gray 2 X 2 1 3 0 2 10
Green 2 1 X 2 1 2 2 10
Maroon 1 2 3 X 3 0 2 11
Orange 0 0 1 0 X 2 2 5
Purple 2 1 2 2 2 X 0 9
Red 3 1 1 1 1 3 X 10
________________________________________________________________
TOTAL: 10 6 10 8 13 8 9 64
Season home run leaders:
Tim Coles – 5
Gregory Bied – 2
Jimmy Sneed – 2
David Brown – 1
Ken Brown – 1
Tim Bruton – 1
Jack Crosley – 1
Larry Fiorentino – 1
Jeff Fisher – 1
Clint Fletcher – 1
Buddy Gaswint – 1
David Kruse – 1
Denny Malloy – 1
Eddie Ortiz – 1
Dave Pittard – 1
Paul Rubin – 1
Pat Scott – 1
Ralph Villela – 1
Morgan Witthoft – 1
Schedule for Thursday June 27:
10:30 a.m.: Maroon (1-1) at Orange (1-1), Purple umpiring
11:30 a.m.: Purple (0-2) at Green (1-1), Maroon umpiring
12:30 p.m.: Gray (0-1) at Red (1-0), Green umpiring
Blue has the bye, with priority for its players out of the bucket.
Preview: Suddenly hot Blue team has the bye Thursday, giving the rest of the league a chance to catch up. Maroon and Orange, both at .500, square off at 10:30. Purple, which felt the absence of Gregory Bied, Tim Coles, and Peter Sundquist today, hopes to get that trio back for its game versus a tough Green squad. Red can tie for first with a win over Gray at 12:30. Will we see another over-the-fence homerun before Labor Day? One thing is certain: only time will tell.
Keggy’s Korner:
Scott Wright has this mitt, which was left behind today, and will bring it to Thursday’s games.
Morgan Witthoft checks in:
Austin Jazz Society, of which Mike Mordecai and I are President and Vice President, are producing this Wednesday’s show at Monks Jazz Club. We are showcasing 15 of Austin’s more senior jazz musicians. Besides playing trombone, Mike will emcee the show. A sell-out is almost guaranteed, but Monks Jazz Club also offers an excellent live stream (that was actually born out of the pandemic).
This show has been planned for a month. The most senior member of the Austin jazz scene, Dr. James Polk, had been experiencing health issues and was unable to attend our first Legends show in October 2022. Last Friday he passed away.
No one had more influence on the Austin Jazz scene than Dr. James Polk. This influence was felt largely in the 1960s-1970s and the 1990s and on. In 1978 he joined Ray Charles’s band and later became musical director.
This Wednesday’s show will become the first of many musical events to celebrate his musical imprint. Since in-person tickets won’t be available this is the live stream link. Total cost is $13.74.
Congratulations to Rip Wright on his selection to the Texas Senior Softball Hall of Fame!
And happy birthday to Terry Watts!