Spring 2011 - Week 6 Preview!

After a week off due to the rain, we're back in action in week 6, and we have a full slate of exciting games on the deck. Without further ado, let's break the matchups down like a shotgun.


Rumspringa (1-3-1) vs. Saved by the Balls (0-5)

'Springas first 5 opponents have a combined record of 16-7-1, which is most likely the tougest in the league.  (I say "most likely" because I'm not going to actually look up all 15 teams strength of schedule. I may not have a life, but I have some limits to the amount of time I'll put into this.) I imagine that a sigh of relief had to be breathed by Scotty Moriarty and company when they looked at the schedule this week and saw winless Saved by the Balls on tap. If anyone can use a cupcake week, it's Rumspringa. But I'd caution them against being too relaxed though. Saved By the Balls have been improving, specifically with their offense. 2 weeks ago, they scored 5 runs in 2 games, including 3 against the stout VIP defense. If Rumspringa thinks they can just show up and win, we could very well see a historic upset.

Chicken Tetrazzini (3-2) vs. The Emperors Club (4-0-1)

Last season, the Chickens were one of the league's least successful teams, when they finished 3-8-1. Although early in the year, they were on fire, winning 3 out of their first 5 games, and nearly pulling an upset against this week's opponents, The Emperors Club. In their week 3 game last season, the Angry Birds held the VIPs to just 1 run through 4 innings before losing 3-0... This season, CT is off to another 3-2 start, and they find themselves matched up with The Emperors Club. The team appears to be improved upon from last season, so maybe they can not only keep it close this time, but score an upset... The VIPs meanwhile, are the league's only unbeaten team, and are looking to keep it that way. They'll have to manage without standout rookie Gwen Barr though, as she broke her hand in week 4 and will be out of action for a while.

Just For Kicks (2-2) vs. Moose Knuckles (3-2)
The Moose Knuckles have a very explosive offense that is averaging 6.6 runs per game (1st in the league), but they haven't run into a defense as talented and experienced as Just For Kicks. JFK got off to a rough start, going 0-2 against the VIPs and VD, however since then, Head Coach Bryan Freed has his team on the right track, winning their last two games. They'll be looking to go over .500 with a win against the Knuckles on Wednesday. 

New Kickheads (3-1) vs. Chubby Gangsters (3-1) 

These teams are exceeding expectations early this season, as they both come in with 3-1 records. The Gangbangers have really been impressive with quality wins over the Jagernauts and Chicken Tetrazzini (both top 10 teams). With the new additions of P Jeffrey Scott, C AJ Derr, and Kyle Ludwig, plus the experience of the veterans Buster Patterson, Gregg Moore, and Tracy Colby, the Gangsters have found a formula for success... NKotB on the other hand have the same record, however they have yet to face a top 10 team. Of course the Kickheads can't help who they have played. But they have a great opportunity to make a statement this week by beating the CGs and showing that they deserve their spot near the top of the table. 

Foul Balls (2-4) vs. 5 O'Clockers (3-2)

Jason Kidd will be looking to score

Wed night against his former team.

Once upon a time, it was a tradition for these two franchises to meet in the playoffs. Most of the time, it was the Clockers who would be the ones bouncing the Foulies from the tourney, as they've gone 9-1 lifetime against them. The one loss the Clockers suffered to Foul Balls happened in the Spring 2009 tournament, when the Balls destroyed Britney Travis and company on their way to the Wentworth Trophy... Of course, while the 5OC still look largely the same throughout the years, Foul Balls has evolved greatly over time. This season's version of Foul Balls is probably more competitive at Luckie's than they are at War Memorial. But I'm sure that Jen Nardi will have her team focused for this week. A win against the team that has owned them for years would be a nice way to pre-game for the bar... One other game note: This will be the first time the 5OC's Jason Kidd will face his former team since his return to WAKA this season. Kidd was a member of several Foul Ball teams, including the aforementioned Spring 2009 championship team.    

Just For Kicks (2-2) vs. Jiminy Kick-It (2-3)
Normally rookie teams struggle mightily in their first season, but JKI has kind of bucked that trend by splitting their first 4 games. They've scored 4 runs per game, but on the flip side, they've also allowed 4 runs per game. Just For Kicks has had one of the toughest schedules in the league thus far, and I know they'll be licking their chops at the opportunity to let their offense loose and score some runs. Regardless of the final score, this should be a good learning experience from the young JKI team. 

Battlestar Ballsactica (2-2) vs. New Kickheads (3-1)

"Kicking is the game. Ballsacks are our

aim." - Amanda Hassell

This is a game that has been circled on both team's calendars ever since the schedule was released in April. The back story: NKotB's first season in WAKA was this past Fall. The team was one of the funner teams in the league, always partying hard, playing beer in hand, and generally having a good time. But they didn't win a lot of kickball games. After NKotB went 3-9 and was blown out in the first round, it's rumored that it lead to conflict within the team. The team was split between players who were more competitively focused and players who were less serious about the game. Andy Tapley and six other former NKotB members decided to set off on their own and formed the new Battlestar Ballsacktica. While Amanda Hassell and Courtney Efird were left with the task of rebuilding NKotB... And while BB is supposed to be the quote/unquote "competitive" team, it turns out that the Kickheads recruited some very athletic players including Andrew McCrea, Manny Anderson, Dean Epps, and Jenn Epps. Already this season, they've matched last season's win total, going 3-1 headed into this week.

In interviews conducted this week, it's clear that this is not just another game to these two teams. "This game means the most to us." BB Head Coach Tapley commented this week, "While we hope to come out with the 'W', the Kickheads are looking pretty good this season. Hopefully, they're ready for the Ballsacks."

NKotB newcomer Jake Carel stated, "This isn't just a game, it's personal... I'm not quite sure why it's personal, but it is!"

Kickball pundits everywhere are looking forward to this matchup, with oddsmakers virtually clueless with which way it'll go.

A total of seven BB players were members of the F2010 NKotB team.

Jiminy Kick-It (2-3) vs. Jagernauts (3-2)

Two weeks ago, the Jagernauts lost a heartbreaker to Rumspringa, after Brian Yohn hit a walk off single in the final inning. Thanks to the rainout, they've had 2 weeks to think about that loss. It remains to be seen how they will bounce back from that loss. Will they be focused and ready to get back on track? Or will the loss linger in their psyches causing them to make mistakes and come out flat? One thing that will not help is the absence of Kim "Silver Bush" Merritt, who will be missing the game due to a cross country scouting trip... With games against JFK and JAGER in week 6, JKI has their work cut out for them. If they can pull out a tie or a win this week, it will be a huge upset. *UPDATE* After posting, I received word that the Silver Bush will be available for the Jagers this week. His scouting trip isn't until next week.  

 

Off in the Corner (0-5) vs. Vicious & Delicious (4-1) 

While OitC is winless going into this week 6 matchup, VD would be foolish to take them lightly. Off in the Corner has shown great improvement week over week. They started the season by getting blown out by the Chubby Gangsters and the Clockers by a combined 31-1. In week 2, they cut their runs against down to 9 against BB. In week 3, they cut it down again to 6 runs allowed against JAGER. Most recently, against the first place VIPs, they held them to just 4 runs... Can their improving defense limit the relentless Vicious & Delicious offensive attack? And even if they can limit the runs, they will need to find a way to score some themselves. No easy task against a team that is allowing less than a run a game.