Honey Bears, I Shrunk Your Averages

Lynas and friends pull Treats closer to victory

SANTA CLARA, 3/9/08: On a somber day for BAD ASS Baseball (Honey Bears captain Bryan Bush missed this game to bury his grandfather), 18 players gathered to advance the Honey Bears/Yellow Treats series. With enough players on each side to open the field, and the Treats more than willing to do so, the Bears liked their chances better with closed field. In the end, they came up short anyway.

FROM ROB DEER TO ROB CHEETAH

Scoring commenced when Simas cracked an ITPHR to CF in the bottom of the 1st. Riding that high, he made a fierce 2nd-inning catch of a Matsui drive to CF, tearing the fence apart in doing so--along with two nice diving stops by SS Kuzmiak, the Bears were restricted to a 2-spot in the 2nd.

Skip ahead to the 3rd, with the score tied. The Treats busted out with five, including a 2-run DaRosa double and a 2-run Bernal bomb to left. An inning later, Flores managed to drill one up the middle that Bears CF Minor couldn't run down; the ball went to the fence and a giddy Flores managed to touch 'em all! DaRosa soon backed that up with a conventional homer, and the Treats held a 9-2 advantage.

In the 5th, the Bears finally began to come out of hibernation; Manning's RBI double was part of a 3-run rally by Bush's club, one that could have been much more had Trinh, Pyle and Holley not each been retired with two men in scoring position---the latter's especially painful as it was his only hitless AB of the afternoon.

The 7th inning proved to be THE turning point. Struggles by the infield on defense and clutch hits by Holley and Minor pushed the Bears within 10-8. When 3B Lynas---who otherwise shut down his position beautifully---lackadaisically allowed a routine Andraesen pop to squirt out of his mitt with 2 on and 2 out (bringing up league RBI leader Matsui with the bags full), a lead change seemed inevitable.

However, Torance's sinking liner to center was hauled in by a sprawling DaRosa, protecting the lead and picking up his embarrased teammate in the process!

Wagner's 8th-inning solo homer added insurance for the Treats. Although Minor doubled in the Bears 9th run in the 9th, Andraesen harmlessly grounded out to 3rd to end this low-scoring contest---and put the Honey Bears in a 2-0 series hole.

"All of you should be f'n punched." -- Manning, after Andraesen's 7th-inning popup to 3rd was dropped; neither batter nor baserunners were running hard on the 2-out play, which left Cav seething.

AWARDS

The big plays by DaRosa and Simas---both robbing Matsui---in the outfield earned Gold Gloves for both, while Lynas' 5-for-5, 2-RBI day coupled with sterling (save for the Andraesen pop) defense at 3rd won him BAD ASS of the Day.

Small Penis went to Matsui, who recorded but one hit on the day, had the two hits stolen and also was called out on a foul flyball caught near the fence by DaRosa, despite Matsui's argument that he was behind the fence when he did so.

MORE NOTES

• League batting leader Simas went hitless in his final 3 trips after starting 2-for-2, much to his consternation.
• Rookie catchers Yanez and Wagner both dropped gift foul tips by Manning and Minor, respectively, but neither cost their team.
• Minor had to break an 0-for-4 with his 2 late RBI doubles. Kuzmiak finished with only 1 hit in 5 trips---he is 3 for his last 15 after beginning '08 33-for-40.

• During the game a young boy approached the Treats dugout asking to play. DaRosa asked the kid, "don't you know who this is?" referring to Kuzmiak. The boy then asked for Kuzmiak's autograph and signed a ball "George Steinbrenner."

• No exhibition game was played, due to lack of interest mostly on the Bear side.
• Absent from the Bears were Soonam Chowdhury, Brandon Ridley, and the aforementioned Bush.
• Absent from the Treats were John Cocoles and Brandon Hamilton. JD

* Players of the Week *

BAD ASS of the Day 

Greg Lynas, Treats

5-for-5, 3 2B, 2 RBI

Gold Glove

Brian Simas, Treats

miracle running catch in CF

Ed DaRosa, Treats

clutch diving catch in LF

Small Penis

Torance Matsui, Bears

1-for-5