VICTORY! Spin-Offs Route an Old Foe 23-8!
Aleks “Trouble” Damz prepares to give the foe what for!
On Thursday night, Acting Captain ALEXIS SARAVIA led our brave heroes into battle with the nefarious forces of Los Burros, those fiends of the softball diamond. During the Spring season, Los Burros dealt The Spin-Offs a crushing blow. On Thursday we returned the favor - with interest - routing the Burros 23-8!
With this stunning victory, The Spin-Offs are now 5-0 in the Summer season!
But before the tale can be told and the glory given, we must first give a Big Spin-Offs Welcome to the following newcomers to The Spin-Offs family: KARLEEN “THE INTIMIDATOR” HAGAN, who was christened with her nickname by the opposing team for her skills as catcher!; BRIAN MARTINEZ who, for someone who has never played ball before, has the makings of a pro!; and KATERINA BAYER, who is up from Florida visiting her dad, The Great GEORGE BAYER. Finally a big Spin-Offs welcome is also due to JAY, who has moved to Virginia to look after the softball team's captain and ensure that he doesn’t play softball on his crutches (or his wheelchair!).
MEMORABLE MOMENTS from THIS and MONDAY’S GAME:
JENNY “J.GUMP” DICKENS continues to demonstrate that she is an able batter and a superb fielder. It seems that not an inning passes where she doesn’t rob an opposing batter from making what initially seemed like a great line-drive to infield!
And as for JOHN LINSENMEYER, we’re going to have to start watching him more closely. During one recent at bat, he quietly and unassumingly walked up to the plate – and then crushed a wicked home run to center field. While the foe was frantically digging through the underbrush on the perimeter of the field, JOHN came trotting around the diamond at an easy pace, to the exuberant cheers of his teammates!
CRAIG ROBINSON continues to lend his welcomed experience to the infield, where he serves admirably as The Spin-Offs infield Field General. However, he is so eager to help his team win, that sometimes it actually works against him!
Case in point, during a recent game, CHANNON “CP” PAYNE was on the pitcher’s mound. The first batter smashed a line drive at CP’s chest – which he promptly caught without blinking an eye. (The batter walked away mumbling something about robbery.) One out.
The next batter popped-up over CP’s head. Two outs. (By this point there was a general murmuring of discontent coming coming from the foe’s sideline.) (At least I assume there was – it was hard to hear over the cheers of CP’s teammates!)
The third and final batter of the inning popped up slightly over and behind CP’s head. CP pivoted to position himself for the catch, and practically ran into CRAIG, who had moved to back up CP. While this was a smart move (it’s always a good idea to back-up your fellow players!) in this case CRAIG was closer than he should have been, and he and CP nearly collided, with the ball dropping between them! (This is why it's also important to call the ball!)
Meanwhile, the foe’s runner pranced to first base to the cheers of his teammates. CRAIG however was not having it, and gave the base runner such a withering glare that the latter slunk back to his sideline and told his captain that … well frankly we’re not sure what the runner said, but shortly thereafter his captain declared “That’s Out #3!”
Way to use those Jedi Mind Tricks CRAIG!!! :)
Turning to the outfield, MARQUIS “TRIPLE TREAT” BRANTLEY continues to distinguish himself as both a fine player and an outfield Field General. At a recent game, MARQUIS arrived decked out in a purple hat and purple knee-high socks. After watching the speed with which MARQUIS rounded the bases and mercilessly hunted down balls in the outfield, JAY quickly dubbed MARQUIS “THE PURPLE FLASH!”
And speaking of people with multiple nicknames, the members of THE NAVARRETE CLAN may only have one nickname each, but keeping track of them all is starting to confuse the heck out of the teams poor crippled captain! There’s the pregnant (yet ever-fabulous) JESSICA “JNAV” NAVARRETE. Then there's her talented husband OSCAR “ONAV” NAVARRETE. Next up is the yet-to-be born but already athletic BABY “BNAV” NAVARRETE, and of course THE NAV CLAN’S CANINE and (occasionally traitorous) team mascot APOLLO “ANAV” NAVARRETE!
And speaking of canine mascots, thanks are due to The Great GEORGE BAYER. In addition to his outstanding playing skills, at a recent game he brought his vicious attack dog FRONZIE to sub-in for the A.W.O.L. APOLLO “ANAV” NAVARRETE, whose slaves (I mean owners ;) were stuck in the office.
Not stuck in the office was DARRELL “COOL HANDS” HUDSON, whose skills continue to improve at a startling rate. Perhaps it’s the PX-90 workout routine that he’s doing, but he seems to be hitting harder, running faster, and generally playing even meaner than ever before. And he was already a TALENTED PLAYER!
“MAMA SHIRLEY” GOODE continues to demonstrate that she is both a talented team photographer and a talented infielder. At a recent game, the opponent’s coach was heard to warn his team, “Don’t hit to Blondie – nothing gets by her!”
RICK “THE FREIGHT TRAIN” OSBORN, aka “OZ,” once again demonstrated that he has the stuff to put the ball “over the rainbow,” which he does consistently and with amazing ease!
KIRK GAGNON continues to play well and bring his quiet but infectious good humor to the team. Unfortunately a proper nickname continues to elude him! (We’ll find a good one for you KIRK!)
HO-JOON LIM swore an oath of vengeance on Thursday night. Despite making numerous towering hits to the outfield, the opponent seemed to be on a mission to thwart HO-JOON’s every effort. It’s a shame that the US Park Police were not present, for they surely would have arrested several of the opponent’s players for robbery!
STEVE CARR was in attendance after a long absence, and a good thing too! After the excitement of the game, the teams captain did not quite have the strength to power his wheelchair back to his handicapped parking space by The Jefferson Memorial. Thanks for getting me back there STEVE!
Finally, last but certainly not least, CURTIS “CHIEF” TROY (aka “THE CHEF”) was on hand to participate in the slaughter. Wearing a new and menacing black batting glove to match his Spin-Offs’ uniform, he once again proved himself a valuable member of the team!
Well done Spin-Offs! Keep up the good work!!
