"Never get involved in a land war in Asia" or "Walk the Lead-Off Batter"

Roneil  driving the ball 

The Stamford Pirates were preparing to play the Westport Cardinals  in game three of the best of three semi- finals of the Ct MSBL playoffs  when observers were pondering  various parallels to history . History  offers some lessons that may be insightful as one proceeds into battle.

Would this game three be similar to day three  of the Battle of  Gettysburg where the forces of the Union  overcame  the invasion of  Confederates led by General Robert E Lee turning the war in the favor of the North ? One observer recalled that on day three  battles were raging on  Culp's Hill, and cavalry battles raged to the east and south, but the main event was a dramatic infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge known as Pickett’s Charge.

Confederates reach their high water mark on Pickett's charge on Day 3 at Gettysburg  

Thoughtful observers  also offered the Battle of Poltava in 1709 as a possible model for what was to happen. There the forces of Charles XII of Sweden had invaded Russia with the intention of taking Moscow and ending the reign of Tsar Peter I. At the time, Peter  had not yet picked up ‘The Great” as a suffix  so he was more likely  referred to as  Peter “The Up and Coming”, or Peter  “Off to a Good Start.”   At the time Sweden was the top seed  in Europe   and had marched toward Russia with 44,000 well trained soldiers. But the winter was the coldest in 500 years and Charles lost half his troops  during the brutally cold winter while the Russians were better prepared to handle the winter. In the subsequent Battle, Peter defeated the invading Swedes and this defeat marked the acknowledgement that Russia was a military power.

But the lasting lesson was the rule : "Never get involved in a land war In Asia"

As the teams were preparing to start the game there seemed little chance of a land war in Asia, but a clash of the two teams in a “Win or Go Home" game  induced in observers the unconscious shiver one might have on the eve of a battle.

Westport was the home team and would send out their ace lefty Griff. Griff is hard throwing and  very tall (at 6’5”’ he still was three inches shorter than Peter the Great who stood  6’8’’ and likely would have been a very hard thrower).  

Peter the Great would have been a hard throwing lefty -very tough 

The Pirates would counter with your faithful correspondent. Two seasons ago, the teams had met in the semi finals. In game two of that series we had the most  exciting moment I had witnessed in my many years in the league. Trailing by three in the bottom of the seventh and down a game the Pirates came to bat three outs away from elimination. The Cardinals ace Matt Bartolemi was cruising along. But  with two outs we get a singles from Roneil Icatar and Evan Smith to bring up Scott Gussarof. Scott is prepared and swings at the first pitch and blasts it high and far over the fence at Stamford High School way up the driveway of the house  across the street. The ball was out of the park before he took a step out of the box . What a bomb!  I recall jumping up from the bench as the ball sailed into the distance . We later won that game in extra innings when Evan knocked in Roneil with the walk off. But that home run was the most dramatic moment  I had witnessed in my years in the league.  As I was getting in my warm ups I wondered  would we see more drama in our game today ?

Scott Throwing gas in Game 2

The Pirates are the visitor given Westport is the top seed on  the basis of their 15-2 record.The temperature  in the low 50’s which is in stark contrast with our game the previous week which was played in 90 degree temperatures. But both teams have the same conditions. As I warm up I acknowledge to myself I am better with higher temperatures but the baseball gods don’t take requests so cold it is and I better adapt and now.

 Kevin preparing 

Griff seems to struggle with the cold as well and to start the game walks Joe Paccione our  leadoff hitter. Sitting on the bench I know all about the probabilities of the leadoff walk scoring. Griff follows that by hitting Kevin Collins. Long time readers know the crucial  lesson that leadoff walks score and often bring their friends too. This is right up there with never start a land war in Asia.  Scott follows with a ground ball to short.  A routine grounder to short poses the likelihood of a double play but the throw to second is high and rolls into right field. I am sure the baseball gods are behind this error as they would not allow a grounder ball to compensate for the walk and hit batsman. The baseball gods are a very vindictive bunch and extract a big price for lead off walks. On the overthrow one run is in to score. Kevin Collins tries to score all the way from first but is out at the plate. Scott  meanwhile goes to second on the throw to home. On the next pitch Scott breaks for third .Griff steps off but his throw is off line and Scott gets to third. Chris Auten singles him in and the Pirates are on the board with two runs-with just one hit.

The Cardinals have one of the best players  leaving for a wedding so their normal batting order is changed to get him leading off to get an at bat. But one pitch and fly to left field sends him on his way. Up next is their regular leadoff hitter Steve Anaqnostou  (Aggie) . I have been pondering all week on how to pitch to him. He is a lefty and is one of the few hitters who takes the two seam fastball away to the opposite field. The two seam fastball away tends to be my best pitch to a lefty but it does not seem to pose a problem for Aggie. So I try the change up, the four seam fast ball inside, the curve and the four seam fastball  inside and walk him on four pitches -none of which were at risk to being called a strike. At this point I was not thinking about the desperation of Pickett’s charge but decided if I am going to get beat then it will be with my best.

Aggie is a complete player- the scouts would refer to him as a “Tool shed” .

See https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/vbgqvm/good-face-high-ass-the-baseball-scouting-glossary which is a really entertaining article about  classifications and terms scouts reference to describe players .
Tool shed : A player possessing lots of tools, i.e. the individual attributes (arm strength, hitting power, etc.) that comprise a well-rounded player)

So Aggie promptly steals second. I now am committed to the two seamer and against Oliver Van Zant I throw one inside as Aggie tries for third. But Cam Giordano, our catcher  fires a strike to Kevin Collins who applies the tag at third  and we have an out – a great throw by Cam . Observers were impressed with the throw but no one there could anticipate what a big factor in the game his arm would prove. Cam has caught every inning of every game this season and is now on game three in two days  but he is as spry as a young golden retriever and fired up with the throw. Pirate fans are aware Cam is scheduled to be married in three weeks but he is not distracted and eager to compete.

I try the change-up to finish Oliver but he grounds one through the hole between short and third for a single. So much for using all my pitches.  But we get the always dangerous Lars Anderson on a grounder to Roneil and after one inning the Pirates hold the lead at 2-0.

In the second we get a double  from Johnny Liz .With two out Kevin Collins drives  a shot  off the fence in left center scoring Johnny  to extend the lead to 3-0 .

Scott taking his cuts 

Westport gets on the board in the second when Josh Genovese lofts a high fly to the  left field fence with a runner on base. Although later our leftfielder Joe Paccione allowed he thinks he would have caught the ball under normal conditions, he pulls a hammy heading the ball and the ball drops in for a double while Joe hobbles to retrieve the ball. Joe has to come out of the game as Westport narrows the Pirate lead to 3-1.

In the third ,our first baseman  and clean up hitter Chris Auten, who played at New Mexico State via playing High school ball in Los Angeles  gets his second hit of the game but is stranded .

Westport is back to the middle of the order and we get a fly ball to get the first out. Up next is Brendan Taylor. Brendan has 11 home runs this season including one in Game 1 of the series. He also hit a grand slam off me a few weeks back so he is not likely terrified at the prospect of facing me. I am in my “you’re going to have to beat me with my best” mode . And he does just that  blasting a fastball way up in the trees at Wakeman Park. Nearby homeowners were grateful for the trees as that ball was headed their way.  As Brendan circles the bases I remind my self I can only throw the next pitch  . I can’t do anything about the pitch  that Taylor just crushed so I need to focus on the next pitch. We get out of the inning without further damage and it is 3-2 after 3 innings  – four innings left.

 Evan Smacks a hit 

We start the fourth with a base hit from Steve Scapalito. Scap had homered  earlier in the day in Game 2 . He is on first with a chance to extend our lead. Kevin Clark follows with a base hit and the Pirate faithful are on their feet. (In the interest of accuracy , all four of them were sitting in their chairs keeping warm )

Westport manager Bill Thornton has seen enough and the Cardinals a pitching change. They bring in Oliver van Zant. Oliver is a Bowdoin grad and the observers pondering the Civil War are reminded of Bowdoin’s Joshua Chamberlain. While Oliver takes his warm-ups the faithful recall Joshua .

The Battle of Gettysburg is where Chamberlain became famous and may have saved the Union’s bacon during the second day of the battle. After being pushed out of the town in the first day of the battle, the Union controlled the high ground outside of the town. Chamberlain, now the Colonel of the 20th Maine occupied Little Round Top on the far left of the Union line. If the Confederates turned the line, they could roll up the entire defense.

The 15th Alabama Regiment tried five times to turn the line of the 20th Maine in an attempt to get a foothold on top of Little Round Top. Each time they were turned back. They were bolstered by men of the 4th and 47th Alabama Regiments and also the 4th and 5th Texas Regiments. But the Confederates were exhausted having speed marched 20 miles to the battle and entering the fray with no water.

Chamberlain ( with the mustache) leads his men down The Little Round Top with no ammo but bayonets 

Both sides were running low on ammunition, Colonel Chamberlain feared that the next charge would dislodge his men from their position. He ordered the men to fix bayonets and he led them in a charge down the hill where they executed a brilliant flanking maneuver to force the Confederates off the hill. The Confederate commander of the 15th Alabama, Colonel William Oates admitted his troops, ” ran like a herd of wild cattle” during the retreat. Afterward, Oates would describe the conduct of his enemies in eloquent terms.

“There never were harder fighters than the Twentieth Maine men and their gallant Colonel. His skill and persistency and the great bravery of his men saved Little Round Top and the Army of the Potomac from defeat.”

I was imagining this situation  with Joshua and his men are up on the hill out of ammo with the Confederates coming up the hill:

Soldier: "Captain, we are  all out of ammo...and they are coming for us" 

Chamberlain ( with confidence) : "Finally we got 'em where we want  'em"
  
Soldeir : "huh?" 

Chamberlain:  "Here's the plan - fix  your bayonets and on my command  we change  right at them down the hil"l 


Soldier: (Astonished)  "Charge  them ???"

Chamberlain : "Yep  and one more thing when we descend start screaming like those tennis players  at the US Open who shriek when they hit a ball"

OK  Joshua  probably  didn't add the US Open  comment but he sure showed ingenuity and leadership and courage under fire , 

Chamberlain receiving  Lee's surrender at Appomattox

Cardinal fans were wondering if Oliver would be able to channel his inner Chamberlain to deliver the Cards from danger. As an aside Chamberlain spoke 9 languages.  

Oliver left no doubt that he had the stuff to do so . Scouts would say have this to say  about Oliver :

( from the piece described earlier) "He's a baseball player." Though it would seem to apply to anyone on the field—I mean, is everyone else playing a different sport?—this sentiment is intended to be a noble compliment conveying an evaluator's utmost respect for a prospect, often connoting intangible skill or countenance that exceeds his physical tools. In Dollar Sign on the Muscle, a Phillies' scouting report on Bip Roberts praised him because, among attributes, he "can run, play defense, play baseball." Yes, play baseball, indeed.

Oliver gets a strikeout  and a double play and the threat is extinguished . Oliver is bringing  the gas as they say and the Pirate fans are warned scoring will be a tough task from here on out. We get through the bottom of fourth giving up just a bunt single. Oliver strikes out the side in the top of the fifth facing the heart of the batting order. One hitter returned to the bench after three swing and misses and remarked   “that stuff was nastier than Darlene in Ozark”

Darlene is nasty 

Oliver leads off in the bottom of the fifth and gets a bunt single to put him on first . We get Lars on a fly ball but Oliver has stolen second  and gotten to third on the fly ball. Stepping to the plate is Brendan Taylor. As he steps into the box we all hear  “Put him on” as if it is a voice out of the cornfields in Fields of Dreams.  Joe Paccione had gone out to the woods in right field to explore nature and shouted “Put him on” from out there. We cant see Joe but we follow instructions .  So Brendan trots off to first base challenging  baseball tradition by putting the go-ahead run on base but setting up the double play possibility. The first pitch to Josh is  strike but Brendan steals second. Joe is still out in right exploring nature’s bounty shouts “Put him on”.  I wonder if we are going to hear James Earl Jones next with “ People will come Ray, oh yes, people will most definitely  come".  We are all adjusted so now the bases are loaded and only 1 out. I pause to collect myself and remind myself to forget the runners and situation focus on throwing a good pitch. I know I need to execute the pitch and have faith the outcome will take care of itself. Behind me are guys ready to make a play.

The pitch is an inside fastball and it is hit on one hop to Kevin Collins at third. Kevin played on the Division 3 NCAA champs for Trinity  and has handled his share of tough plays in big spots. He grabs the ball, pivots to home and fires a strike to Cam for one out and Cam turns and fires to first –double play !!  Inning over and on to the 6th !  Pirates clinging to 3-2 lead.

Oliver comes out and once again strikes out the side – that is seven case you are scoring at home.

The bottom of the sixth and the Cardinals fans are aware there is only 6 outs left. We get a fly ball but Josh Carey singles to left with one out. We get a ground ball to Roneil which I think can be two. He flips to second for one but the throw to first is high and over the head of our guy sending the runner to second. This brings up Aggie with the tying run on second. I go with the two seamer away and he hits a ground ball to short . But the ball is bobbled and  runners are at the corners with two out and Oliver up. A curve is called strike one but Aggie steals second giving the Cardinals the go ahead run in scoring position. A fastball on the outside corner down and away gives me strike two. It was probably  my best pitch of the day and I am ready to throw it again. But Cam calls for the curve and pats the dirt telling me it has to be down. I like his confidence that a curve in the dirt won’t get by  and I resolve to give this as much spin  as I can. The pitch is down and where we want it - Oliver gets under it and lofts a fly to Scott in center field who takes it in and we are thru 6 innings.

Kevin Clark leads off the 7th  and breaks the string of strikeouts with a base hit. He has been hot and that is his second hit of the game. After another strikeout, Evan Smith singles to center  and we have a chance. But Oliver strikes out the next two batters and we are on to the 7th and final inning. The Cards have 12 K’s in the game but trail 3-2 coming to the bottom of the 7th.  

Lars leads off and rips a line drive to Scap in left and we have one out. At this time the brain trust determine I have gone far enough and Chris Jimenez takes the ball to hopefully close it out. Chris closed out Game 2 of the series earlier in the day with three solid innings . Coming up to bat now  is.... yes you are right - Brendan Taylor. Chris gets Brendan to pop one up near the first base dugout. Cam, Chris and Chris Auten from first converge but none can make the grab and Brendan is alive with another chance. Chris hits him with the next pitch and the Cards are alive. A bloop to left field and a walk load the bases with one out. The game will be decided right here. Chris is cool on the mound and his body language is exuding calm and confidence.  By contrast, on the bench with Kevin Clark , both of us feel our stomachs churning.  Chris fires in a pitch which is hit on one hop to Evan now playing third . Evan catches the ball and fires a strike to Cam who pivots and throws to first  and  a double play !!!  Great play --Game over and the Pirates win!!!  Theeeeee Piraaaatessees  win!!

The Pirate  faithful rise up and shout and joy reigns on the Pirate side of the field. Your faithful correspondent is thrilled. Of course ,  the Cardinals are disappointed their journey has come to an end. But  they come by to extend their congratulations  amid the Pirate celebration .

We head to the championship final now with the knowledge everyone on the team made a contribution to get us to the championship. Let's go Pirates ! 

Roneil about to drive one of his doubles