Frenchtown Field looks better than ever! The new material used for fencing along the outfield wall and backstop is much less apparent (some might say "obnoxious") than the orange snow fencing in place around the outfield last year. The DeLoppes will make their 2012 debut Saturday at their home field alongside the Jason Mattseals, a team that may practice more than the DeLoppes, the Thunder Ducks, who will open their season against the DeLoppes with the Marquee Match-up on May 28th, a short-handed Flying Squirrels squad with Chris Paquin on loan from the Matteals (Call them the Squeals?), and the Belgian Wiffles, who have practiced since last tournament and feel they have developed deeper pitching. One traveling team, the Gargamels from Bay City, will also be playing in this tournament.To atone for the lost 35 minute game call from the last tournament, the Podcast crew will once again do play-by-play and semi-relevant Spring Training color commentary for a first-round game. This time they are promising to save it in every possible format TWICE to be sure they have an uncorrupted copy saved. Richard Hurd, captain of King Friday, will be in attendance and the guys will try to get him into the booth at some point to say something incendiary!
The format will again be double-elimination with a single play-in game to determine seeding. Here are the play-in match-ups and schedule:
Flying Squirrels - 3 Gargamels - 0
Mattseals - 0 Thunder Ducks - 0
Wiffling DeLoppes - 1 Belgian Wiffles - 0
The Real Update: Congratulations to the Belgian Wiffles for taking their first tournament championship and getting some respect from their peers! They defeated the Ducks, DeLoppes, Squirrels, and 'Seals on their way to the championship, while scoring 23 runs and allowing only 7 on the day. Belgian lost their "play-in" game, but never lost when the games counted in the bracket. Rookies Dave "Eureka's" Castle, Chandler "Bing" Phillips, and Craig "Seymour" Skinner all impressed with their play. The Ducks came in second place, seemingly running out of gas in the championship game.- Photos from the tournament are online:
http://wiffleinsemiphoto.blogspot.com/ - Play-by-play and commentary from the Mattseals vs. Belgian first round game:
http://wiffleinsemi.podbean.com/2012/04/21/jason-mattseals-vs-belgian-wiffles-gamecast - Videos: "Strike Out the Sideways" - "Proper Style Points"
Update #1: 4/19 - 6:09 PM: Chris Paquin is forgoing the Verlander Taco Bell night-before-a-start meal, and instead is choosing to to rock a Carl Pavano 'stache to give him his best performance on game day.
Update #2: 4/20 - 1:17 PM: Forecast - 44° at first pitch, high of 55°. Clouds in the morning breaking up into a sunny afternoon. Winds from the North at 10-15 mph. The wind may be partially blocked by the woods behind right-field; any breeze that gets through will push the ball to left field, and could make it a rough outing for right-handed pitchers who rely on their slurves or sliders.
Update #3: 4/20 - 7:47 PM: The Squirrels, who became the "Squeals" with the addition of Chris Paquin from the Mattseals on a one-day loan, may became the "Squealdos!" (yes, the exclamation is necessary when three teams come together Megazord style) as Adam Grant and Eric Pfefferle of the Commandos have talked with Coffee about "getting a few bats in".
Update #4: 4/20 - 9:35 PM: With the Tigers rain-out, will Lewis, Pfefferle, and Grant choose MLB or WSEM? Will keep you informed.
Update #5: 4/20 - 7:47 PM: The Squirrels, who became the "Squeals" with the addition of Chris Paquin from the Mattseals on a one-day loan, may became the "Squealdos!" (yes, the exclamation is necessary when three teams come together Megazord style) as Adam Grant and Eric Pfefferle of the Commandos have talked with Coffee about "getting a few bats in".
Update #6: 4/21 - 12:29 PM: We'll test run 'Mr. Munson's Great Athletes of the Week' at today's tournament (mainly to remind you we're doing it). The safe money is on Pearson and Jeremy Wright to take the honors, though I give Paquin a decent shot at the fun slot.
