Spring 2011 - Week 9 Preview

Foul Balls (2-7) vs. Chubby Gangsters (6-2) 

The Foulies OFs would be wise to back up
a few steps when Steve Midlik comes up.

I'm not going to lie. It's still bizarre to type "2-7" next to the Foul Balls name. I'm old enough to remember back to 2008, when the Foulies were the most dominant team in the league for 2 seasons. In fact, they started their franchise by going 17-3-1 in their first 21 games, made 2 finals, and won a Wentworth Trophy.  Of course over the years, they've lost some key players, but captains Jen Nardi and Andreas Beyersdorf continue carrying the flag... On the other side, it's just as bizarre to type '6-2' for the Chubby Gangsters. In their first two seasons (F09/S10), they were the league's doormat, going 5-18 during that time. But Buster Patterson and Tracy Colby have continued to acquire talent and experience and have built themselves into legitimate contenders... In many ways, this is a match up between the Peninsula's past and the Peninsula's future (from a competitive standpoint).

5 O'Clockers (5-3) vs. Chicken Tetrazzini (4-4)

Can Jeff Pauley and the
Clockers rebound on Wed?

The Clockers had high hopes going into week 8 against the VIPs, however they came up short. Now, they'll be looking to bounce back against the Tetrazzini, who earned a big win over NKotB last week. This is a very important game, from a seeding standpoint as we head down the stretch. Currently, there are six teams bunched in the middle of the pack, with either 4 or 5 wins. Not only would a CT win help them jockey for position in the standings, but it would give them a huge confidence boost... If they have any shot at victory though, they'll have to find a way to shut down the prolific Clocker offense. The Clockers offense is averaging 8.5 runs per game (tied for first in the league) and are equally adept at bunting and kicking away. C Taylor Wilson and Ch Joey Lawrence (Whoa!) have shown to be a very competent combo on defending the bunt game, but teams have had some success testing the Angry Birds outfield. No team in the league can fire line drives into gaps better than the Clockers, with Allen Walker, Josh Waldrop, and Paul Phan. This will be a very interesting game to watch on Wednesday to see which team comes out on top.

New Kickheads (5-3) vs. The Emperors Club (7-0-1) 

NKotB would love to see Ant
Williams pouting on Wed.

NKotB has been far exceeding expectations this season, but they stumbled last week against a veteran Chicken Tetrazzini squad. It's possible that they may have been looking past CT toward their big double header this week against the VIPs and VD. Or perhaps it was the lack of 'fuel' while far away from the familiar tiki bar of War Memorial last week... Whatever the cause of the loss, it's clear they'll have to bring their 'A' game if they want to pull the upset in either of their games this week... The VIPs are still the leagues only undefeated team, although very rarely have they blown anyone out. In fact, offensively, the VIPs are averaging 4.75 runs per game, which is 6th in the league. If NKotB can find a way to penetrate the VIP defense and turn this into a shootout, than they might have a shot. And although they have the speed and power to do so, it's easier said than done. The VIPs defense is playing at an elite level, only giving up 1.13 runs per game (2nd in the league).

Battlestar Ballsacktica (3-5) vs. Rumspringa (4-4-1) 

The return of Troy Southall
has been a big boost for 'Springa.

After a very poor start to the season, which has been covered extensively in this blog, 'Springa has finally climbed out of the hole. But last week, they stumbled a bit, losing a heart breaker to the Chubbies. This week, they'll have a challenge from an inconsistent Battlestar team. BB is a team that has a lot of talent, skill, and some experience. I predicted them to be one of the top 10 teams prior to the season starting, but to this point, it hasn't quite come together for them for whatever reason. But it's too early to count them out. If they can score an upset here against Rumspringa, it would give them a lot of momentum headed into June.


Saved by the Balls (0-8) vs. Jagernauts (5-4) 
SbtB just can't find a win to save their lives, and it'll be tough to beat a veteran team like the Jagernauts. Reports are circulating that the 'Nauts are planning on arriving at War Memorial early to do some extensive tailgating though. It's not like SbtB is completely devoid of talent. If the Jagers take them too lightly, David Chappell, Trace Ferre, and Trey Jarrett could do some damage.

Jon Hund is ready to take off. 

Vicious & Delicious (7-1) vs. New Kickheads (5-3) 

Jimmy Wilcox and VD score a lot of runs.

Killer double header for NKotB, as they square off against the top two teams in the league. We already talked about NKotB and their keys to victory earlier. VD is a very similar team to the VIPs, especially defensively. The biggest difference is offensively. VD is very aggressive and will test the rookie Kickheads. If NKotB gets caught throwing the ball around the infield, Vicious & Delicious will make them pay and this one could get ugly. But if they can play within themselves and make smart plays, than they can hang in there. VD has a way of making team's break though... Regardless of how this week turns out for NKotB, it will be a great learning experience for a young and hungry team.

Jiminy Kick-It (3-6) vs. Battlestar Ballsacktica (3-5)

With just 3 regular season weeks left, every game counts, as teams jockey for position and favorable seeds. JKI and BB are hoping to earn their 4th win and the head to head advantage in the standings... Battlestar Ballsacktica has a lot of powerful legs that crush the ball (literally in the case of Phillip Tanner). In my scouting of JKI, I've seen that their outfield can struggle at times. This is probably a good match up for BB, if Jiminy doesn't tighten up the holes. That will be the key to this game.

Just For Kicks (6-3) vs. Off in the Corner (0-9)

Genius.

Ever since JFK lost to Moose Knuckles three weeks ago, they've been on a mission. They've gone 4-0 and outscored their opponents 32-1 since the loss. It's almost as if Bryan Freed and co. are out to make a statement to anyone who may have written them off as title contenders. It turns out that JFK is still a force to be reckoned with. It'll be tough for winless OitC to stop JFK, although they have shown that they are capable of playing close games against top teams in the past. In week 4, they held The Emperors Club to only 4 runs... If JFK is not completely focused, than this could be a game. Of course, nothing in the last 3 weeks shows me that JFK is anything but focused.

J-Lo is always ready in the outfield for OitC.

Moose Knuckles (5-3) vs. Vicious & Delicious (7-1)

Three weeks ago, the Knuckles pulled one of the biggest upsets in Peninsula history when they became only the third team to ever beat JFK. So, they have shown that they have the ability to be giant killers. Of course, there are few giants as big as VD, and the Moose will have to be nearly flawless in their execution to drop them... Although Moose Knuckles mostly consist of inexperienced players (they only have 4 players on their roster with kickball experience. None of which had played more than one season prior), they know have a great grasp on the strategic aspects of the game. They will lay down nice bunts to get runners on, they know when to go down first for the sacrifice, and they have the big legs to knock the runners in. It's no accident that they have been successful and are the third highest scoring team in the league... On the other side, VD has about 458 combined seasons of kickball experience (that's an estimate). They sport the leagues top offense (8.5 runs per game) and defense (0.68 runs allowed per game). They are deep at every position and excel at making their opponents make mistakes. If MK can avoid getting rattled and play their game, they have a puncher's chance of pulling another historic upset.

Jesse Jones hurls the ball towards the plate in week 8.