One Final Game

We've got a Sunday hard count of 19 with 6 or so additional "I'll try / maybe" so before the mitts turn into mittens, we''ll be playing ball!

Come 9am, the grooming of the field will begin. The blustery wind is taking care of the wet. But a month of inactivity has left some areas of infield lumpy from human and geese activity. Please come early (with a rake if you have one) to pitch in so that we can have the First Pitch at 10am.

No Game Today / Next Last Attempt

Weather-wise, it was a long-shot all week. It is encouraging that we had 14 who emailed to commit to play despite that forecast. But at 2am, in a light mist, there was way too much standing water on the Dennison infield to expect it to dry and solidify by game time.

We’ve come to the end of regularly scheduled games. Mother Nature wreaked havoc on the season’s first 9 weeks and for much of the season, and is mistreating us to the end. But if we can catch a break, maybe we can get out and catch a ball.

By Tuesday / Wednesday:

- we’ll have a better idea about next Sunday's weather (currently a promising game time temp of 55 with clear skies!)

- we'll have seen a Red Sox Duck Boat parade #coramagic #relentless #cyeovaldi

- we’ll make the call as to whether we’ll end it on November 4 or we’re already safe at home for the season, based on how many of you email that you are jacked to still try to jack one out

Play ball ... or stare out the window for at least 5 months while wishing that you played more ball!

No Game Today

With a 9am windchill temp of 39 degrees rising up to about 46 towards the end of 9, we'll heed the pearls of wisdom from two players: "The field will never dry out ... be smart" and "stay in and have a warm breakfast." Sage advise.

 

But we still have 2 more weeks! Announce your presence with authority.

Updates

Charlie went in to MGH yesterday. From Leslie Barnaby: They found 3 blocked arteries - one completely and 2 at 70-80%. He needs coronary bypass surgery. We are very lucky that his heart is strong. It created auxiliary pathways. His BP is high. Dr. said that he was lucky that we brought him in despite having no specific pain or symptoms. We are very lucky!

Less important: we've hit our magic number and, on Sunday, we play baseball. We, too, are very lucky. We get to play baseball!

A Name-Game Win

In 40 hours, we got 15 names and 2 more recruits. Historically, when that number of you have stepped to the plate by Friday, a few more decide to have a few fewer on Saturday night, and then on Sunday  ... play ball!

Saturday update: 16 names (+2 rookies) and counting ...

Fall Ball!

THE best time of year to play baseball. October can be as chilly as April. But unlike in spring, by autumn you've remembered how to get to and catch a fly ball and your hands don't seem to sting much anymore. July? August? WAY. Too. Hot. But for Fall Ball, you throw on a sweatshirt to go to the car. Stretch and toss, and maybe a few grounders or fly balls in and you're thinking about peeling off the sweatshirt. But you're having so much fun and you're up to bat with runners on and you leg out a double and you make a show of it by calling time out, peeling off the sweatshirt, tossing it to the ball boy and dusting off your pants as the hometown crowd continues to roar ...

Thru October: The Clubhouse opens at 9am. The lineup is posted in the dugout at 9:50. First Pitch is 10am! (Remember to take your sweatshirt home.)

Sometimes You Win ...

Last year, we were rained out on Mother's Day and not once after that. Those were The Good Ol' Days. This year, Ma Nature taketh away: 4 of 5 11pm forecasts said that the rain was over  - but it is still raining after midnight here in Framingham. Since no forecaster called for the sun to come out by 3am or anytime before our 9am First Pitch, there is no way that the squish of the infield gets tight for us to play.

Check your emails by late week for the release of the Fall permit!

''Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." ~ Casey Stengel

There simply isn't a dry enough window in any forecast to get a game in on a field that's been soaked since Saturday.

We ought to have the Fall permit in hand this week and, while there's still nearly a half season remaining, expect that we'll have a strong turnout next week in anticipation of closing down our "summer home" next Sunday before moving south to our annual Autumn residence for the duration of the season.

Yep ... No Game

When they call for rain in the days leading up to a game, the numbers are going to be lower even if it doesn't rain. When it actually does rain - like it did at 4:30am and like it will again soon - the number that should be showing up at the field is zero. No game. No practice. More sleep!

Tomorrow, We Play Baseball!

There's been direct contact, Old School -style, with enough players to be sure that, despite the Holiday weekend, we will indeed have enough for a game.

Dave, Howard, Charlie, George, Josh, Christian, Hugh, Steve J., Jon, Hamlet, Chris P., Stephen P., Rob, Carlos (+2). That's 16. No word yet from many more of the commitment-phobic, the skeptics,  and the technologically challenged who will surely put us over the top.

Nathaniel W. wants to play, making 17 who've committed, but needs a lift from Boston, around South Station, around 7:30. Anyone in the area?

Gear is there at 8am for 8:20 BP. All please sign in by 8:45 so that we can start at 9am and be gone by around noon.

Happy 8th of July!

Expecting it to be the season debut of at least 4 more players (Charlie, Josh, and 2 rookies) and a low-humidity morn. But still, it's better to be playing in the cool temps at 9:05 than 12:05 so please be signed in, as usual, by 8:45.

Stop Reading ...

... and start driving! The gear will be there at 8am. Will you?

Sure, Why Not ....

.... what's a 2018 Game Day without threatening clouds and a late-game chance of rain? We're a go for Sunday, instead of doing this all over again on Monday and possibly not playing at all. Dennison, with gear arriving at 8:30am and all signed in by 9:15am. Play damp ball!

Let's Do It

Put some baggies in your wet cleats and, at 9:15am,  practice ball!

One Hour Delay / Limited Practice

It’s rained already and could continue until around 9am or a little later. We’ll have a window with no rain after that but the field will be wet and any balls used today will be used for the last time by getting waterlogged and bat-bustin’ heavy. So BP likely can’t happen or we’ll have no balls left when we eventually do have full workouts. But we can still do as we did the only other time that we got onto the field - throw, try to remember how to catch a fly ball and hit a cutoff, while pitchers could conceivably even throw off the mound.

We’ll meet at 10:15am and still plan to be off the field by around 11:30.

The Season Begins ... Next Week

Welcome to Week #1 of The Permit. Showers have begun here in Framingham - go back to bed! Last year, we had no rainouts after Mother's Day. This year, we've had one playable Sunday in all of April.

Good Bunting, Bad Bunting

In a few weeks, the bunting will be hung from the Grandstand for Opening Day. Below, in a Sports Illustrated ad, is incredibly bad bunting for a good cause. All three batters hold the bat dangerously. Head in the game - fingers out of the way!