As much as I’d like to write about every game every week, I feel like the podcast handles that well enough to a certain extent, so this time I’m going to write more about matchups that ought to be awesome. And this week there are certainly a few that look more like week 8 games than week 2. Catch ‘em if you can!
CHOSEN GAMES
Pizza Party vs. Wildman Attack Force @ 7 p.m., YSC
Last season, these two teams squared off in what may have been one of the more epic Games of the Week, resulting in a wild Wildman win, 9-8—a game that easily could have gone the other way. As I recall, Wildman’s last run was on an abso-fuckin’-lutely crazy bunt home run by a super-drunk Matt Geier, after Pizza Party’s pitcher overthrew the ball to first base. Matt stole 2nd and on his way to 3rd, the ball was overthrown again—right through his legs.
With that run, Wildman had a bit of a cushion and a couple innings remaining. Pizza Party put up a couple runs to bring it within one, though. But in the top of the 9th, with runners in scoring position and only one out, Travis popped it up short in foul territory where Wildman’s first baseman caught it (that was me). The following kick was a grounder, also right to this guy, and that was game.
So, yeah, that game could have gone either way. Wildman had a handful of errors, didn’t play all that great defensively (not to take anything away from Party, by any means), and certainly had better kicking days, but it eked out a win . . . and Party was pissed. This time around probably won’t be much different, except I’m predicting Party to win, albeit barely.
Pizza Party > Wildman Attack Force
Mario Chalmersiz vs. Das Boot @ 5 p.m., Holcolm Gold
Yet another battle of age-old nemeses—Chalmersiz vs. Das Boot. It wouldn’t be a season in KVKL without these two facing each other. Das Boot has to be sick of this matchup by now, having lost to Chalmersiz their last two meetings (both in Game of the Week, no less). Maybe this time, away from the lights, will be just what the seasoned team needs. I unfortunately couldn’t watch either team play last week, so I don’t have much in the way of insider information, but I do know Capt. Das Phil had some defensive changeups from years past, including Das Josh (a.k.a. Terminator) pitching for the first time. Das Boot has also lost two of its key ladies, Caitlin and Kylie, for most, if not all, of the season, both of whom were stalwart defensive players, and consistent on offense. (But I guess that’s at least one less person to yell at me.)
Both teams have always been stellar on defense, and capable of scoring, although Das Boot has been the more run-heavy team of the two. I want to say the last two games were in the 9-8 territory, though, which is pretty high for Chalmersiz on both ends. It also has home court advantage again, and that could definitely be a factor in the waning innings after winning in the bottom of the 9th last season. This ought to be one helluva game and if you’re fortunate enough to play at 7, you should probably check it out.
Das Boot > Mario Chalmersiz
Rockets vs. Wu-oost @ 7 p.m., Hobbs
Neither the Rockets nor the Wu-oost have changed much in the past couple years, and perhaps the biggest difference is the loss of Kyle (1B) from the Rockets. The hardest thing to maintain for the veteran-laden Rockets is, naturally, the veteran Dan Mauga, who, as we all know, is evil. The Rockets as a whole are probably the better team, but the Wu-oost has been doing this for a while, too. This could be one of those high-scoring, 21-17 games. If the Rockets can manage its new players and contain Dan and Esco’s high-caliber kicking, then it will probably pull away with the win. Of course, doing that isn’t easy, and those two can put up RKIs all day.
Rockets > Wu-oost
Goats vs. Nick Lerner’s Homies @ 9 p.m., Hobbs
The Goats put up 19 runs on Where’s My Pitches? and the Homies lost 8-6 to the Rats. Both teams keep losing and adding players, but the Goats’ core is still playing—Shaher, Joe, and the Laurens—and their collective leadership put a damper on Cougar and the Homies’ first Game of the Week in a while.
I honestly didn’t see either team play much last year, nor their first games this season, so I don’t know what to expect. The Homies improved over the season, especially once it had players showing up consistently; the Goats haven’t had quite the success it did a couple years ago with its first Final Four appearance in 2013, but it’s still a top 15 team. It will also probably win big.
Goats > Nick Lerner’s Homies
Good luck and stuff!