Mac's Mailbag 06/18/2008

Where has Ben Smith been?

He hasn’t fallen off the face of the earth. In fact, he’s been making changes to the SBL page for me because linux and the SBL page just don’t get along. While I suspect that “car troubles” has been secret code for “my girlfriend doesn’t want to spend her weekend with a bunch of idiots who take a made-up game way too seriously,” Ben has told me that he plans to be a regular in the second half of the year. Now, if we could only get Jon to show up and drop that ridiculous average down a few points.

What does your Oatcake team have to do to knock off the undefeated laser cats?

Well, aside from my idea to give Nate a beer laced with ruffies, I think all of the following have to happen:

1) Shelley has to be there.
2) I have to get out of moving my friend from her apartment and be there
3) The Laser Cats have to get off to a slow start
4) Oatcake has to have two five run innings off the bat
5) Either Nate or Terry needs to have one of those 6 for 12 type games
6) We can’t miss double plays or fail to box out
7) Terry Hall has to play like Terry Hall can
8) We need to score over 25 runs

If all that stuff happens, we have a shot.

Aside from yourself, who is the best of the “good at baseketball but not at basketball” crowd?

Hey now. Basketball certainly wasn’t my sport in high school or ever, but I’ll have you know that Big Rando and I once carried the scrubby duo of Nate and Billy to a third place finish in one those YMCA 3 on 3 things. But I digress…

Hmmm, Jon O was the first to come to mind, but the more I think about it, he might be good at basketball. I think I’ll go with Kip Corbett. I’ve never seen him play, but I’m assuming it isn’t his thing.

A few weeks ago, Nate said that Terry Hall was looking more like Billy and less like one of the big three every game. Your thoughts?

Well, let me start off by saying that being compared to one of the five best players of all time is hardly a slap in the face. But, it is true that Nate, Terry, Clayton, and to a lesser degree, Frankovich, have shown a killer instinct and will to win that is hard to stop. It’s no fluke that teams with one transcendent star with a killer instinct have won every SBL title. Teams with balance like Oatcake may have no problem scoring 18 per game every time out, but what happens when they need to score 30? I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think it was a fair description. Personally, I hope he catches fire and torches the rest of the league.

Will the Laser Cats be considered the greatest team of all time at season’s end?

It’s certainly possible. While they are off to the best start, they certainly aren’t totally demolishing teams like other teams in the past have done. They could never have gotten off to these slow starts against teams like the Double Bluffs or the Thunder Studs. Add in the fact that those teams had to deal with the monetary systems of player point values and it only speaks to the fact that they have a way to go before being considered the best ever.

Which team has the best chance to upset the Cats?

I maintain that the Queens have the best chance. If Bryan, Stud and Aryn show up to play Nate, Terry, and company, they have the talent to match up. While it certainly is no secret that Bryan has a habit of vanishing when he plays Nate’s teams, isn’t he about due?

What do you think should be on the agenda for President-elect Corbett?

I think the era of Kippy will usher in a lot more technology usage. I fully expect there to be more videos taken and perhaps made into an end of the year type video. Some other ideas he’s thrown out there that would be great? An electronic scoreboard and a computerized stat system that will not only make keeping the book easier, but it will sync up to the website for up to the minute stats…which should allow Frankovich to know when to shoot that middle single to boost his average.

After two straight weeks of several players shooting homers strictly for stats, have things gotten out of hand?

Yeah, when Lee was on the path to 100, I thought it was a refreshing chang-up and a good storyline for a struggling funbridge team. When it happened again this past week, I really think the Kamikazies needed to focus more on winning both games that everyone shooting nothing but homers. Stats are one of the coolest things about the SBL, but sometimes the pursuit of these stats can take away from the game.

Which rookie has been the biggest addition this year?

While I’m partial to the kid who doesn’t wear shoes (Gillshire), I have to give it to Opie. He’s pretty awesome, and nobody could call him a ringer.

Who has been the MVP of the first half of the season?

I think you have to go with Nate and Terry as co-mvps right now…but the surprise behind them is Stud. I mean, we have to give him credit for at least a few of Bry Bry’s double plays right? If he plays more than six games in the second half of the season and the Queens surge….watch out.