CARDINAL SIN

A heart felt HOLLER BACK!!!!!!! to all my loyal readership and friends out there as I have been remiss in my coverage of the softball community. Over the last few weeks I have been off on vacation (more on that in a near future blog) and tending to other "Real World" matters. But without much further ado, we all know that Spring is here and that a young man's fancy turns to his love of softball every year at this time. The Season is fast approaching and let's get down to softball business.

If you've read any of my blogs over the years your familiar with my belief in the existence of the Softball gods.

What you might not know is that I went to Catholic school for 13 years (my parents sent me an extra year to piss me off). While I'm down with freedom of religion ironically I'm not really much of a Catholic anymore. However, one thing I do remember from my parochial school days is the concept of The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Cardinal Sins, which is a classification of the human vices : wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.

Well I have committed a Softball Cardinal Sin

and have left the Westlanders to join the Cardinals in Saturday Gunn Sports league http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/2010/03/245-highlights-saturday-softball-spring.html.

Some would consider this an act of madnesswhile others would consider it as a Homecoming.

I was treated very well and fairly by Westlander management/players the last two years and still maintain a very strong friendship with many of them. But I couldn't turn down the chance to help run and forfeit avoid for my original team the Cardinals. Both teams are sure to lock up in a memorable softball war again this year.

2010 is going to be a lot of fun for everyone.

HOLLER !!!!!! SOFTBALL IS BACK!!!!!!!!

New 5/24 Rule Highlights the Saturday Softball Spring Preview

Last night I attended the league meeting for the Gunn Sports 2010 http://www.gunnsports.com/ Saturday's men's modified sports league. I covered what winter softball meetings were really about in my classic blog http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/2008/01/btc-betta-have-my-money.html. I usually never attend meeting but I went to last night's get together b/c I will be helping Cardinal manager, Sierra, run the Cardinals (and I had major Cabin Fever and nothing better to do) in 2010.

Gunny's league has evolved from a neighborhood league in the school yard

to a viable below 96th softball competitive option. For years Gunny's league has been hampered by extremely poor field conditions at Dewitt Clinton Park

but that all changed last year thanks to a major upgrade/renovation at 54th street

that has put Gunny's league back on the softball map. (fyi :He also has fields in Central Park's North Meadow)

If the Central Park Softball league http://www.centralparksoftball.com/ at
Heckscher Park is the Tiffany's of Saturday Softball,

then Gunny's league is more like your friendly neighborhood Joyeria Pepe Jewelery store

Gunny's league may not have "The Sheep’s Meadow" or "Tavern on the Green" nearby, but things are kept much more real. Some keep it real quotes from Gunny's league/website/meeting are as follows:

"Everything else will be explain in the meeting!!NO Hidden Cost....."

""Start using the Message Board"Trash talking allowed !!! "

Now that's keeping it real.

While both leagues are well organized and play in front of big crowds they are both very different softball experiences and you should play in the one that best matches up with your preferences and schedule. The Central Park league is a more corporate, laid back, touristy type of league while Gunn Sports is more hardcore, prize driven, competitive, wildleague and a truly all day event for it's loyal players like Lou Gonzalez Freddy "Little Unit" Suarez

and the talented "Flaco"

So before picking which Saturday league to join get all your facts straight.

A good meeting is one that gives you all the facts/information right of the bat, pun intended. At Gunny's meeting league president Carlos Gunn and commissioner Hector Hernandez

explained a new (new to me anyway) and controversial pitcher's playoff qualification rule. The Gunn Sports rule is as follows "To qualify for the playoffs a pitcher must appear as pitcher in 5 regular season games and pitch 24 innings". Very Bold and Interesting. It has some loopholes that still need to be worked out like emergency playoff pitchers, but overall I like the idea/premise behind the rule. Basically they want pitchers to show up and play. That should always be the idea. They are trying to eliminate/reduce people making a mockery out of the game by doing that bullshit where a pitcher shows up, throws one pitch or inning and then leaves. I give them credit for having the balls to make this rule and these guys are always at the park so they should be able to enforce it. Kudos to Gunn Sports.

Another strong positive from Gunny's meeting was their enforcement/ application of http://citysoftball.wordpress.com/ & http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/ pitching rules. They handed out printed version of our rules http://10manmodified.com/web/ which proves the old adage that "imitation is the greatest form of flattery".

I would be remiss not to note that other issues remained unresolved at the meeting like total team roster size and the league provided a pitcher's banned list on their website. Hopefully, these topics will be addressed at the next meeting.

CABIN FEVER

Another day. Another snowstorm.Why don't they just cancel spring?

As you can tell my Cabin Fever is burning hot. Cabin fever is the term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person is shut in a small space, with nothing to do, for an extended period.

Top Ten SoftballInsider Cabin Fever Cabin Fever Symptoms

10. Restlessness - How many fucking times can I pick up my bat and swing it indoors in front of a mirror. So fucking pathetic for a 40 year old.

9. Irritability - send out obnoxious Yankee hater emails to Friends who never respond b/c they have real jobs and kids.

8. Forgetfulness - I have so much time on my hands that I actually forget to run errands or call people. It doesn't matter anyway b/c I have so much time on my hands that eventually I will get it done.

7. Laughter - laugh to keep from crying from boredom

6. Excessive sleeping - waking up late and naps are a must

5. Distrust of anyone they are with - Not applicable since I work at home alone. So all I do is play catch with my dog, but I pretend its a baseball play for entertainment purposes. Loser

4. An urge to go outside even though its miserable - How many times can a person look out the window or check weather.com. Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles in this slop, but today its so messy out that that's not even an option.

3. Simple boredom from being home alone - you know you've got too much time on your hands when your writing softball blogs in February and you find free on-line porn boring

2. Eating - Cabin Fever leads to hunger which leads to getting fatter.

and the #1 SoftballInsider Cabin Fever Cabin Fever Symptoms

1. You get tired of Listening to Sports talk radio b/c your realize the hosts and fans are just bitches or cry babies. The only thing that keeps you listening is that you feel good about being smarter than most people who call in. Yet you almost call in but you don't b/c the last thread of self respect keeps you from doing so plus you don't want anyone identifying you as a loser caller.

Softball Injustice : FIGHT THE POWER!!!!!!!!

I would like to thank Nick Ross, manager and player, of Brother Jimmy's in the Big Apple League http://esportsdesk.com/leagues/front_pageesd.cfm?clientID=1322&leagueID=2106 , for providing the breaking news (see information below) on the The Queensboro Oval , under 59th Street Softball field. The field was awkward and had a unique clay surface but the competition under the lights was excellent/fun when old school umpire Angelo ran a league there. Teams like DEA, Wolf Pack, Sensational Shop, Cardinals, and Mo's Tavern fielded strong ball clubs and as a player you looked forward to playing games after work there. The league fell apart when illegal modified pitchers like Millo and John Brown titled the competitive balance.I know the field is still used for pickup, Co-Ed and Yorkville games and more importantly it would be a shame for Manhattan to lose another softball fields as there are so few fields currently available.

Please review the information below and attend if possible:

Parks for People Not for Profit

Mayor Bloomberg’s “Green Campaign” along with help from Betsey Johnson of the City parks Department is selling public open space to private businessmen. The Queensboro Oval, below the 59th Street Bridge has been a home to ball players, families, dog walkers and children learning to ride bikes for over 40 years. Countless people use it and want to continue to do so. They are being denied this community privilege because a greedy sole proprietor has offered the city money for the space and because the city, OUR CITY, has agreed to sell our public outdoor space.
It began with a for profit tennis club enclosing the park in a bubble for 6 months of the year when the space was too cold to be enjoyed by the public. Years later, the bubble remained for 8 months. We are now in a battle to preserve the remaining 4 months of the year for the people of this community and this city.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE IN THE CITY. THERE ARE MORE TENNIS COURTS THAN BALL FIELDS IN THIS CITY. THE TENNIS CLUB CHARGES OVER $150/HOUR WHICH MOST COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN NOT AFFORD. PRIVATIZATION OF OUR SCARCE, PUBLIC, OUTDOOR SPACES IS UNCONSCIONABLE. IT IS AT ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL, A CONTRADICTION. PUBLIC - PRIVATE? COVER AN OPEN SPACE WITH A BUBBLE?

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!

To help, attend the meeting at Hunter, 129 E. 79th Street, on

February 18th, 6pm.
Write to your local representatives and oppose this reprehensible change

Jacqueline Ludorf 505 Park Avenue
Chair Suite 620
New York, N.Y. 10022
Latha Thompson (212) 758-4340
District Manager (212) 758-4616 (Fax)
www.cb8m.com Website
info@cb8m.com - E-Mail

The City of New York
Manhattan Community Board 8

Official Government Notice
Please Do Not Remove Until February 19, 2010

Parks Committee

Public Hearing

RE: Queensboro Oval: Update on the Parks Dept.'s plans to convert this dual tennis-softball facility to an all-tennis center.

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Place: Hunter School of Social Work
129 East 79th Street, Hexter Lounge

Anyone with an interest in this matter is encouraged to attend.

Margaret Price and Barbara Rudder
Co-Chairs

updated : 4th Annual DOUBLE ELIMINATION - Two Tournaments

If you want to get your season started by playing highly competitive ball check out these Two highly competitive Softball Tournaments :

Major Open Pitching Modified Tournament #1

March 13th and 14th, 2010
Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn
Entry Fee: $325.00
RAIN DATE 20th & 21st
########

Rules for MAJOR MODIFIED TOURNAMENT -

Rule #1 NO BITCHING ABOUT THE PITCHING

Rule #2 If you believe otherwise read rule number one.

• NOTES: GUARANTEE three (3) game on Saturday and
• one game elimination on Sunday
  
• Bunting at anytime
  
• NO stealing
  
• HIT BY PITCH (batter get a base)
• both foot on the pitching rubber, no wind mill
  
• international rule after complete 7 innings
  
• 10 run mercy rule after 5 inning
  
• All participating teams are responsible for team liability insurance for their ballplayers
  
• DEPOSIT REQUIRED
  
• ALL TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY UMPIRES ($25) BEFORE SCHEDULE GAMES

You gotta love that "no bitching about pitching line" line - keeping it real

If you don't play open checkout :

4th Annual DOUBLE ELIMINATION
Tournament #2

March 20th and 21st, 2010
Location: Red hook, Brooklyn
Entry Fee: $325
RAIN DATE 3/28 & 3/29

NOTES:

• GUARANTEE three (3) game on Saturday and one game elimination on Sunday.
• Bunting at anytime
• NO stealing
• HIT BY PITCH (batter get a base),
• Both feet on the pitching rubber, no wind mill,
• International rule after complete 7 innings
• 10 run mercy rule after 5 inning.
• All participating teams are responsible for team liability insurance for their ballplayers.
• DEPOSIT REQUIRED. ALL TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY UMPIRES ($25) BEFORE SCHEDULE GAMES
  
  NO sling, sidearm, windmill, rocking, bunting, stealing and PITCHER RESTRICTIONS. PLEASE DISCLOSED YOU PITCHER TO AVOID PROBLEMS.

Tournaments meeting is SATURDAY prior to noted tournaments
Payout depends on the number of teams, umpire fees, ball, league misc expenses.

Please call Ramesh 516-491-1855 or Rick @ 917-578-4232
FEEL THE IMPACT!!!

I've promoted this tournament in the past http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/2008/02/early-season-tournament-news.html and highly recommend Ramesh as a creditable source, reliable person, and tough competitor. Too bad I can never get him to play for me :)))))