by Jeff
5/18/2010 5:29:00 AM
Ball Busters Come Up Short Momentum was on our side, we were playing a team that was in last place, significant upswing within the divisional leader board was there for the taking and we took a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 5th inning in a 7 inning game. The sun seemed to be shining on this gloomy night, the path to victory seemed assured and our spirits were high. Then the unthinkable happened. As far as I could see there was no Near Earth Object hurtling towards the Great Lawn of Central Park, there were no Alien sightings with glove piercing lasers or blinding ray guns that made it impossible for the Ball Busters to field their positions or a nearby telephone booth that the McGarry Bowen team ran into to change into Super Heroes. We just fell apart at the worst possible time and let a clearly inferior team score 8 big fat runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to take a 9-5 lead culminating with a Grand Slam homerun that shook the Ball Busters franchise to its core. Did we try a valiant comeback in the final innings to try and recapture the lead we so brazenly took in the first 5 innings; of course we did. Bottom of the 7th and down to our last three outs, the Ball Busters tried one more time to exorcize the demons of the 5th inning and we got close. We cut the deficit to 9-6 and had runners in scoring position when our appetite for scoring runs allowed us to be too free wheeling with the base runners and the managers of the team (all of us) made some ill-fated decisions that sealed the Ball Buster defeat and took any hope of a comeback away. We take full responsibility that. In the end the score remained the same and we were defeated 9-6. A humbling defeat after thinking we were moving forward with another victory and moving up in the standings. However, someone said last night that we win as a team and we lose as a team. No finger pointing here. Were there balls that should been caught? Could we have hit better? With a little luck could an umpire’s call have gone either way? The answers to all these questions are a resounding yes; but that would just be belly-aching and what-iffing and no body wants to hear that. We have 10 days off to recoup and get beyond this loss. Is it the end of the season? Is it over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell No!! J We will rebound and be ready for the next opponent. Game BallsSo maybe no Game Balls should be awarded in defeat but there were still significant contributions to the cause even if our collective effort came up short. Jeff remained our catalyst by getting on base almost every time and turning three singles into doubles by just being aggressive on the base paths and using his God-given speed. Matt clobbered another two-run homerun. Larry made a triple out of single by just using his pure speed. Alan kept us in the game long enough for us to win and when you are winning 5-1 in the 5th and lose; its defense not pitching. Kim scored her first RBI of the season in her first appearance of the season by driving in a run in the 5th inning. Alex and Ray Ray showed steady improvement with the bat and Jules played an expert right field and began a three person relay throw from right field that resulted in throwing a runner out at 2nd base. James made an outstanding catch in left field on a bomb rocketed off the bat of their best hitter. Jason, the professional designated hitter, actually played 3rd base for half the game and represented very well. We came away with four pulled hamstrings including James, Oliver, Ray Ray and Jeff Segal that really hampered our mobility in the final innings but they all gutted it through to the end. So that’s it. A numbing defeat but there were parts of our effort from last night that we can build on. This is no time to sit under a tree and sulk. 10 days. That’s the marching orders. 10 days to put this behind us and get ready to play again. The Park will be there….will we??? Jeff
by Jeff
5/17/2010 5:11:00 AM
Ball Buster’s Bounce Back!!No base running lapses, no errors, no 9th inning desperation rally’s or “we lost the game but we’ll win the fight” attitude needed this day…..just pure domination in pure Bachrach Ball Buster fashion. What a difference a week makes! We were winning 6-0 before anyone broke a sweat and the Ball Buster’s were victorious and a walk away win with a score of 8-3 that was no indication of how dominant the Ball Buster victory truly was. With excellent hitting, superb base running, stellar defense and a shutdown pitching performance from Mr. Ageman the outcome of the game was never in doubt. The Seaport team was no fluke team either. They could hit very well, played strong defense and their woman represented very well with some surprising hitting skills; it’s just we played better and in key situations we executed and they did not. So we evened our record at 2-2 and played ourselves right back into contention in a very competitive division 2 field that promises to remain a toss up for the remainder of the season. We had some new hero’s last night that have cemented their spot on the roster and some new faces that contributed to our victory and we are very grateful for their presence in helping us field a complete team. All in all in was another great night in the Park and a good time was had by all. In keeping with tradition Game Balls must be awarded. Ball Buster Game Balls MVP Game Ball – Jeff Segal. Jeff is our leadoff man and last night he was our catalyst. Having a perfect 3-3 night at the plate last night spraying hits to all fields and stretching singles into doubles with his aggressive base running; Jeff was the perfect lead off man. He scored every time he was on base and jump started our night to victory. He was no less spectacular in left field where he made three outstanding catches that snuffed out any hint of a rally by the Seaport. Last night was Jeff Segal’s night and he really deserves the accolades. The only problem I have now will be fitting his head through the elevator doors after he reads this!!! Bravo, Jeff!CY Young Game Ball - Allan Ageman. Allan was in “the zone” last night. One of the best complete game efforts I have seen in a long time. Every pitch seemed to find the back of the strike zone and he kept a very good hitting team swinging off the back of their heals all night. He struck out 4-5 batters, fielded his position very well and drove in a few runs. A complete performance from a complete player. Bravo, Allan!Babe Ruth Game Ball – Matt Conroy. With his classic Ruthian swing, Matt answered the bell again last night. Lifting a two-run homerun high into the night, Matt clobbered a two strike pitch whose trajectory could have brought down rain. As he rounded the bases and strolled across home plate, Matt tipped his hat to the adoring crowd and shouted into the announcers microphone covering the game…”That one’s for you Johnny!!” hoping to reach the ears of the little boy Matt visited in the hospital prior to the game. Okay, of course, most of that never happened but Matt’s good nature makes it not that much of a stretch. However, Matt did hit a monstrous home run that was the deciding factor in the game. Bravo Matt.Derek Jeter Game Ball: Larry Villar. Larry put on another, starting to sound repetitious, clinic at short stop. I don’t know another way to put it. He fields the ball as smooth as anyone and he sizes up each runner so he knows whether to give it a toss across the diamond or bring the Louisiana Lighting. All his throws were perfect last night except one. On that throw, Matt made a great backhanded stop and although they didn’t get the runner, they prevented another runner from scoring. Small plays with big impact on the outcome of the game. Bravo Larry. Gold Glove Game Ball: Lauren Haak Playing 3rd base is beginning to look really good on Lauren. She has settled in nicely to her new responsibilities and has become a force at third base. She fielded all plays to her last night cleanly and made a real nice play on a top-heavy spinning pop up that sizzled into her glove for the last out of an inning that prevented the Seaport from yet another rally. At the plate, Lauren was her usual hitting-machine self. Lauren is turning into a real quality ballplayer and has the early lead on Ball Buster female player of the year! On another note that did not go unnoticed by this manager, Lauren spent an inordinate amount of time with Dani (see below) on the fundamentals of softball; showing her how to hit and field. Just another revelation of Lauren’s true character and selflessness. Bravo Lauren!Joe Torre Game Ball: Brian Powe. With all the razzing that Brian gets and even if most of it is well deserved, I would be remiss in denying he had an impact on last night’s game and has had an impact on the team as a whole. Say what you will, but Brian comes to every game, supports our efforts more than anyone else and last night did an outstanding job coaching first base and helping the base runners find their mark. With Segal and others on base what seemed like every inning, Powe was instrumental in helping stretch singles into doubles and preventing runners from going too far. All kidding aside, he is a big fan of the team just with his presence and we all appreciate it. Bravo Brian!Vlad Guerrero DH Game Ball: Jason Taxier. Jason is the consummate team player. He comes to each game and is used as our designated hitter. A tough role to fill when you just hit and don’t get a chance to play the field. Is he happy about that fact? Of course not. But Jason goes about his business and keeps his frustrations to himself (well most of the time - J) and just drives in runs. Sometimes in bunches. Last night was no exception. With the outcome of the came still in question before the Ruthian blast, Jason came up with two outs and bases loaded and lined a single past the outstretched hands of a very capable short stop. Drove two runs in and we were on our way. I see more playing time in your future, Jason. Stay with the program and things will work itself out. Bravo Jason! Willie Mays Game Ball: Oliver Hernandez. Oliver is so amazing in centerfield that it’s very hard to capture what it’s like to watch him give chase to a ball driven into the outfield by the written word. He closes on a ball better than anyone I have every seen. His speed is legendary and I do believe I saw smoke coming off his sneakers last night. Two incredible catches in centerfield last night and again thwarted until rally. Whether it’s lateral or vertical movement, Oliver is a blur that always makes the catch. Another quality hitting performance last night and if you think you are impressed with his closing speed in the outfield, you should see him run the bases! Art work in progress. Bravo Oliver!The Not Lacrosse/Softball Game Ball: Dani Schaaevitz. Dani is the cousin of Alex Roth. Dani worked for us last summer part time and fit very well into the Bachrach fabric. Last night she also represented us very well on the field. Dani is an all-star lacrosse player at the University of Virginia (Richmond) and a first rate human being. Dani tried her hand at softball last night and did very well. Didn’t get any tries at short field (she’s probably thankful for that) but she looked great at the plate and very comfortable. Hit the ball hard and with a little practice could easily be a formidable ballplayer and she can run like the wind. We hope to see Dani around the office a little more in the coming weeks! Bravo Dani!Miss Congeniality Game Ball: Alex Roth. Alex probably gets tired of hearing this but her contributions each week are undeniable. She goes about her business quietly and with little fanfare but she is the underlying glue that holds this team together. She makes sure we always have enough players (see Dani) and that everyone knows where we are going and what we need. She is always one step ahead of me; making sure everything and everyone are accounted for. Besides that, she is the other half of the battery that accounts for our dynamic Pitching/Catching tandem. Consummate team player, great catcher and actually got on base a couple of times last night. Bravo Alex! I’ve Got Some ’Tude Game Ball: Heather Ray Hatton. Ray Ray was another last minute fill in that saves our collective butts. Ray Ray played 2nd base last night and for someone that does not play organized softball; she knew where to play and more importantly what to do when the ball was hit to our defense. However, what Ray Ray brings most is her attitude. She has no fear and is willing throw down with the best of them. It would have been interesting to see her at last weeks game. Thanks for the participation and your support of the collective. Bravo Ray Ray! The King is Dead/Long Live the King Game Ball: King James Sammarco. For the first time in the 3 seasons I have been here, King James had an off night. He it the ball with authority last night but just got under the ball enough to turn a home run into a long fly out. I dubbed James, King James, for his propensity to hit the long ball in almost every game we’ve played to date. This morning King James wanted to distance himself from the King James status but as you can read it fell on deaf ears. But I will compromise. King James of last night is dead….long live the new King James!! After 50 homeruns and 100’s of RBI’s King James is the most prolific hitter on the team and he is allowed one off night. Bravo James!Fan of the Day Game Ball: Sandy Schaevitz. Mother of Dani, Aunt of Alex and friend to the Bachrach Group! Sandy was our sole fan last night and braved the increasingly cool weather to cheer her daughter’s new found team on to victory. She seemed to genuinely enjoy herself and more importantly green lighted an idea I have. We thank Sandy for her generous and vocal support and hope to see her at some more Ball Buster victories!!!So that’s it. We have evened our record and put us in a position to be competitive and fight for the title for the rest of the season. What more can you ask for. I continue be a keeper of the faith. As always any day that ends playing softball in Central Park is a damn good day!! Jeff
by Jeff
5/17/2010 5:05:00 AM
Ball Busters Band Together We limped into Randall’s Island last shorthanded. We were only able to field three woman and six men and that left us one person short. One person short in the field and one person short at bat. That constitutes one automatic out each time through the line-up and a complete full inning of outs (3) during a seven inning game which makes for quite a handicap. Not to mention the logistical nightmare that occurs when you are trying to position players short one fielder. Needless to say, we came up short. The final score was 13-6 but that does not tell the complete story of this game. More on that later. The umpiring in this game was inconsistent at least and flat out horrible at worst; even if the umpire himself was likeable. More on that later. It was 6-0 before we knew what hit us and although we had one valiant comeback to rally the score to 6-4, in the end, they scored a few more runs on our depleted defense in the late innings and won the game going away. However, in the ashes of defeat a new team arose last night and stood its ground in complete defiance. It is in honor of that conviction we move on to awarding the Game Balls or to paint a finer point on it….The Game Ball. Game Balls Yes I could award game balls to everyone like I did last Friday. As usual Larry put on a clinic at shortstop and hit another homerun. King James played an exceptional right field and hit another homerun. Matt was sensational at first base getting the front end of 3 reverse double-plays and hit with his usual array of all fields. Segal played well in left field and running in to catch when the situation called for it and then back out to left. Oliver was his usual fleet of foot on the bases as well as center field. Lauren anchored third base and hit a shot down the third base line that would have made Derek Jeter proud. An under-the-weather Juliana fought the flu and a pre-game softball to the noggin’ to play outstanding as our substitute catcher. Allan under duress the entire game trying to throw strikes to an umpire that seemed to make the rules up as he went along fought valiantly to keep us in the game and give us an opportunity to win. We were so depleted we had Powe coaching first base in his suit!! And he did a good job. Alex left the confines of catching and played 2nd base for the first time and actually looked like she belonged even if on one of her hits she slightly ran out of the first base line. And that’s were the fun began…………Game Ball MVP: The Ball Busters! Yes, the entire team. Tensions started early last night because the Umpire had a completely different interpretation of the rules than either team did. However, I make no excuses for the poor sportsmanship, belly aching, sissy-whining, foul-mouthed, total loser approach the Gators take to an American tradition as valued as softball. Their whining and complaining in what seemed like on every pitch slowed the game to a snails pace and set the pressure cooker timer on “ludicrous speed” and it wasn’t long before it was to blow its top. Welcome to the 4th inning. Now I’ve been told that I have a tendency to, on occasion, have a short fuse. Diplomacy is not my strong suit. However, I will say that I really tried to bite my tongue last night. I counted to ten. I walked away. I counted to 10, again. I sat on the bench and tried to keep score. But when this jerk of a first baseman picked on Alex (as he was whining about everything) for maybe taking one step outside the base line while running to first and actually cursed at her; well that’s were we drew the line…..Okay, so I’m not sure what we did was right or wrong. And I’m certainly not trying to turn this into a macho thing. But, if you were me, and you turned to see the entire dugout empty in seconds to come to my defense with Allan leading the charge…well that is quite a sight. James, Jeff S., Matt, Jason, Oliver, Lauren, Alex, Julie, Larry, Richard and Powe in his suit, all running through the infield protecting each other was nothing short of magnificent. We may have lost the game but we came away with something much more valuable. We came away with a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging and a conviction that we are not going to get pushed around anymore. We have been collectively getting kicked in the teeth on a professional basis for the last two years. I have repetitively told my team that if we stick together, when we come out on the side of this economic downturn we will be unstoppable. Well, the fog is lifting on the economy and maybe last night was our first shot across the bow that we are a family and we are on our way back to profitability and respectability. Every group was represented on the field last night from Technology, to Finance, to Real Estate to Admin as well as Synetek. We have a ways to go but at least for me I am a keeper of the faith.Thank you all for taking my back last night. I am very proud of all of you. Allan, I won’t forget anytime soon what you did last night. Thank you. Jeff
by Jeff
5/3/2010 9:04:00 AM
The only constant in life is change. It’s inevitable. Change we did last Friday night in Central Park. We fielded no less than 8 players Friday night that did not play and/or were not part of the team last year. You would think with that lack of familiarity we were destined for defeat. On the contrary, the Ball Busters put together one of the most complete victories I’ve seen in the three seasons I have been here. The Ball Busters hit with power throughout the lineup, played staunch defense and when all was said and done the Ball Busters walked away with a convincing 8-3 victory bypassing an overmatched Zagat’s team and the score really wasn’t even that close. What was actually the best part of the night was the camaraderie of this team that was literally put together 48 hours before the game started. With Allan and James not available for action and some other untimely departures we scrambled to put this team together. However, if you were a casual observer of our game Friday night you would have thought this team was together for a whole season. Everyone had their head in the game and knew what to do if the ball was hit to them. There were some spectacular plays and a few hiccups but everyone supported each others efforts and at the end of one game, if this is possible, we were a team! Last year I started what I hoped would become a tradition of awarding Game Balls for key contributions. I would like to continue that now….. Game Ball Awards Larry Villar: Clear MVP of Friday night’s game. Outstanding fielding display at shortstop where base hit after base hit went to into Larry’s glove to die. No less than 10 chances at shortstop and except one that got away Larry threw strike after strike to Matt at first base to throw out one runner after another. Great lateral movement through the infield to cut off potential base hits and make timely plays. His bat spoke loudly as well as he laced double after double down the right field line and was responsible for a good portion of our runs scored. All around complete game and deserving the game MVP award. Bravo Larry! Matt Conroy: Walk quietly and carry a big stick!! I think this applies to Matt whether he is in the office or on the field. Matt certainly carried a big stick Friday night. With a thunderous display of power, Matt pounded ball after ball into the outfield gaps Friday night and I’m pretty sure one of those balls is STILL rolling!! Matt drove in run after run with his bat and provided some nice footwork at first base and knowing how to move around the first base bag to adjust to off-targeted throws. He must have had 20 put outs a first base!! Bravo Matt Chris Papa: When we needed a big hit in the 5th inning to salt the game away, Mr. Papa came through in the clutch. Wearing his Bermuda shorts and shades Chris looked pretty casual even for a softball setting but when the game was on the line he smashed a two run double that iced the game away and took any hope of a comeback away from Zagat’s. With Chris’ pregnant wife in attendance as our sole support, the Papa’s walked off the field knowing they did a job well done. Bravo Chris! Jeff Segal: Maybe we should call him Jeff “it’s not all hype” Segal. Displaying a quick bat with timely hits and smart base running, Jeff was our lead off man in the lineup and did not disappoint. He continually plowed the field for the big guns to drive him in. More importantly, he showed real speed in the outfield going after deeply hit balls and demonstrating the right angle of pursuit. Jeff almost made the most spectacular catch of the game after a long run that started in left field and ended somewhere in center field. However, he just couldn’t come up with it in the end. A valiant effort! Bravo Jeff! Alicia Wright: Only being recruited to play 24 hours before the game and not having played organized softball since high school one could say that Alicia was in a tough spot. Taking over second base responsibilities, Alicia played admirably. She fielded almost every ball cleanly and knew what base to cover and where to throw the ball when it came to her. Not always such an easy thing to do when you have a ball hit sharply to you and runners whizzing by. Alicia is a genuine softball player, a good teammate that has genuine enthusiasm for the game and was a great addition to the team. Bravo Alicia! Lauren Haak: Lauren gets the “Purple Heart” medal for taking a shot off her leg and staying in the game to its completion. 4th inning and Matt was trying to throw a runner out from first base across the diamond to Lauren at third. Matt’s ball got away from him and came in very fast and very low to Lauren as the runner approached. While trying to tag the runner the ball banged of her leg making a sound that you could clearly hear across the field. Instead of sitting down, Lauren stayed in the game and gutted it out. Lauren played solid third base and had some very good swings at the plate. Bravo Lauren! Juliana Rodrigues: I think it’s fair to say that Juliana’s hitting skills are a work in progress. However, I have never seen someone stand up to the plate with more confidence than Juliana. It’s really something to see as she walks up to the plate, winks at the pitcher and throws me the thumbs up coaching first base as if to say “I got this one Jeff”. Actually, I think she did say that! Juliana has great bat speed through the strike zone and it’s only a matter of time before she starts lacing singles through the infield. Bravo Juliana! Alex Roth: Besides being the hottest catcher in the league, Alex brings more enthusiasm and teamwork than any other individual on the team. He caught a great game and did all the little things that often go unnoticed such as throwing the ball back to the Pitcher every time so he can stay in his groove. She is fearless behind the plate and proved it in the 5th inning on a quick pop-up behind the plate that she practically flung herself into the backstop trying to field the foul tip. The attempt was unsuccessful but the effort was noticed by all. Bravo Alex! Jason Taxier: Arguably, Jason played the toughest and most unenviable position Friday night; Right Field. Beside the unnatural spin the ball takes when it’s hit to right field, Jason also had to contend with a large gathering of mothers and their children who decided to sunbath in right field. Not only was it a distraction it was dangerous. Case in point, after a long run to catch a line drive hit down the right field line, Jason caught the ball only to be done in by a youngster that was left unattended by his nonchalant mother. In trying to avoid the child, Jason dropped the ball. An unfair legacy to an otherwise solid game fielding and hitting and running the bases. Bravo Jason! Alex Hernandez: Not arriving until the 6th inning being held up at work, Alex did not fail to deliver. His first at bat he stretched what seemed like a single into a triple with the speed of a gazelle! Alex ran like the wind and eventually scored on Juliana’s RBI. We could have used Alex all game but we’re sure glad he showed up when he did. Bravo Alex! Richard Bachrach: Fearless third base coaching. Richard consistently knew when to hold the runners and when to send them in from third. Seeing that we scored 8 runs (really 9 but one was disallowed because the runner didn’t slide) Richard had a very successful night. His leadership of the entire group and caring for some of the wounded was exemplary. He also prevented the team from any mental breakdowns while the score was still close. Bravo Richard! So that’s it. One successful victory does not make a season but it sure beats the hell out of losing. As I’ve said before, any day that ends playing softball in Central Park is a damn good day. Especially when you win!! Jeff Jeffrey M. McLaughlinDirector of TechnologyBachrach Group LTD.
Ball Busters
Subscribe