It's that time of the season again.
The time of the year where Veto Leaguers disappear into the great summer abyss. Each season at this very point in time, the VLB hits a wall where it struggles to gather enough players to play. There are a few explanations, but still more mystery.
Is it vacation season, wedding season, or is it the point in time where Veto Leaguers get burnt out? Commissioner Matt Veto will be resorting to his usual late season calling mode. Expect to be contacted and asked of your availability to avoid no shows and disappointment at the ballpark.
Sunday's game was cancelled as only eight players turned up at Veterans Park. Saturday's contest took some improvising.
Vandals 15, Meteors 7
How nine-innings was managed is a mystery. By 12:30 p.m. only 10 Veto Leaguers were present at the ball yard. A record was set that will never be broken.
Perhaps against better judgment, 12-year-old Sean Black was allowed to play in the contest becoming the youngest player ever to step foot in a Veto League contest. It was also the first time father (Terry Black), mother (Seneca Munoz) and son all played in the same game on the same team.
They turned out to be an integral part of the Vandals success.
With league pride on the line, each division's first place team battled to remain on top of its division. It was the last regular season chapter of the new, oldest VLB rivalry between Kiel Engstrom's Vandals and Matt Veto's Meteors.
Kiel Engstrom and VLB newcomer Eric Lindburg (found randomly taking BP with a buddy before the game) started the offensive charge. Two runs scored in the top of the first inning.
The Meteors grabbed one back in the bottom of the third and tied the game in the fourth.
Locked at 2 to begin the sixth, the Meteors began to flounder and the family began to shine. The Vandals batted around the order three times and drove in 12 runs to take a 14-2 lead, turning a defensive struggle into a blowout. Munoz (3-for-7, 2 RBI), Terry Black (2-for-8, 2 doubles) and Sean Black (2-for-7, 2 RBI) each helped keep the slaughter rolling.
Couple that with Engstrom's 7-for-9 day at the plate and things grew quite bleak for the Meteors.
The Meteors scored five more times, at one time drawing within seven runs, but could come no further. Jon Escajeda was 5-for-7 for Veto's crew and Josh Traub notched four hits. Jacob VandeMoortel made his 2006 debut going 3-for-7.
The Race Part 2
In a rare opportunity, the VLB's Race for the Slow was decided in a race between Jacob VandeMoortel and Scott Ellefritz. Race results indicate that Ellefritz is likely the slowest member of the VLB, but that doesn't make him a slouch.
"No, not a slouch," VLB Commissioner Matt Veto said. "Just slow. He's got a heck of a glove at third and I admire the man for wearing a cup. Maybe that's what slowed him down."
Ellefritz is not going down without a fight. He would still like to rematch the first race with Jeff Kilgard and Brett Carlson.
"I'm pretty sure Ellefritz can beat Kilgard," Veto said. "Let's race them like three times in a row. That'd be funny."
Ellefritz pleaded that the length of the race is the problem.
"I'm talking about doubles--home to second," he said. "I'm a doubles kind of guy."
Though stats might prove otherwise, Ellefritz is sticking to his guns.
Additionally, in a rare message board post, Colby Moore has called out Ellefritz assuring that the wily third baseman could never beat him in a race. There has been no word as of yet on the possibility of a Moore/Ellefritz match-up.
The Night Game Specifications
The preparations for the third annual VLB Night Game are coming together. Though no field has yet been secured, the rules and regulations have been laid out.
This season's night game will be by invitation to assure fairness in playing time in relation to participation throughout the season. The night game roster will be 26 players long and will be filled by invitation. Priority will be given in according to number of games played. Therefore the player with the most number of games played this season will be guaranteed a spot on the roster.
If the 26th player is tied with others, priority will be given to the player with more years of dedication to the league. If you are on the edge, now is the time to make up for lost ground and start playing games. Invitations will go out at an undisclosed time. Players will be given two weeks notice and will have five days to commit or be taken off the list. There will be a waiting list assembled and should someone drop out, the waiting list members will move up a spot. Those who show up on days when there aren't enough people to play will receive that weight when determining invitations.
Even though you may not make the list of players, it would be greatly appreciated if any and all members can help with certain duties, i.e. collecting gate money, organizing and staffing concessions, running the PA system, running the score board, keeping book, etc. That participation and volition will help with priority weight for future seasons.
More information will be provided at a later date. One thing that has been broached and is near finalizing is the All-Star game style. The three captains from each division will each decide the teams. Teams will be picked days before the night game to save a significant amount of time on game day. This is why it will be necessary to make a decision within five days of the invitation.
Dates, times, and location will hopefully be determined by the beginning of next week.
The time of the year where Veto Leaguers disappear into the great summer abyss. Each season at this very point in time, the VLB hits a wall where it struggles to gather enough players to play. There are a few explanations, but still more mystery.
Is it vacation season, wedding season, or is it the point in time where Veto Leaguers get burnt out? Commissioner Matt Veto will be resorting to his usual late season calling mode. Expect to be contacted and asked of your availability to avoid no shows and disappointment at the ballpark.
Sunday's game was cancelled as only eight players turned up at Veterans Park. Saturday's contest took some improvising.
Vandals 15, Meteors 7
How nine-innings was managed is a mystery. By 12:30 p.m. only 10 Veto Leaguers were present at the ball yard. A record was set that will never be broken.
Perhaps against better judgment, 12-year-old Sean Black was allowed to play in the contest becoming the youngest player ever to step foot in a Veto League contest. It was also the first time father (Terry Black), mother (Seneca Munoz) and son all played in the same game on the same team.
They turned out to be an integral part of the Vandals success.
With league pride on the line, each division's first place team battled to remain on top of its division. It was the last regular season chapter of the new, oldest VLB rivalry between Kiel Engstrom's Vandals and Matt Veto's Meteors.
Kiel Engstrom and VLB newcomer Eric Lindburg (found randomly taking BP with a buddy before the game) started the offensive charge. Two runs scored in the top of the first inning.
The Meteors grabbed one back in the bottom of the third and tied the game in the fourth.
Locked at 2 to begin the sixth, the Meteors began to flounder and the family began to shine. The Vandals batted around the order three times and drove in 12 runs to take a 14-2 lead, turning a defensive struggle into a blowout. Munoz (3-for-7, 2 RBI), Terry Black (2-for-8, 2 doubles) and Sean Black (2-for-7, 2 RBI) each helped keep the slaughter rolling.
Couple that with Engstrom's 7-for-9 day at the plate and things grew quite bleak for the Meteors.
The Meteors scored five more times, at one time drawing within seven runs, but could come no further. Jon Escajeda was 5-for-7 for Veto's crew and Josh Traub notched four hits. Jacob VandeMoortel made his 2006 debut going 3-for-7.
The Race Part 2
In a rare opportunity, the VLB's Race for the Slow was decided in a race between Jacob VandeMoortel and Scott Ellefritz. Race results indicate that Ellefritz is likely the slowest member of the VLB, but that doesn't make him a slouch.
"No, not a slouch," VLB Commissioner Matt Veto said. "Just slow. He's got a heck of a glove at third and I admire the man for wearing a cup. Maybe that's what slowed him down."
Ellefritz is not going down without a fight. He would still like to rematch the first race with Jeff Kilgard and Brett Carlson.
"I'm pretty sure Ellefritz can beat Kilgard," Veto said. "Let's race them like three times in a row. That'd be funny."
Ellefritz pleaded that the length of the race is the problem.
"I'm talking about doubles--home to second," he said. "I'm a doubles kind of guy."
Though stats might prove otherwise, Ellefritz is sticking to his guns.
Additionally, in a rare message board post, Colby Moore has called out Ellefritz assuring that the wily third baseman could never beat him in a race. There has been no word as of yet on the possibility of a Moore/Ellefritz match-up.
The Night Game Specifications
The preparations for the third annual VLB Night Game are coming together. Though no field has yet been secured, the rules and regulations have been laid out.
This season's night game will be by invitation to assure fairness in playing time in relation to participation throughout the season. The night game roster will be 26 players long and will be filled by invitation. Priority will be given in according to number of games played. Therefore the player with the most number of games played this season will be guaranteed a spot on the roster.
If the 26th player is tied with others, priority will be given to the player with more years of dedication to the league. If you are on the edge, now is the time to make up for lost ground and start playing games. Invitations will go out at an undisclosed time. Players will be given two weeks notice and will have five days to commit or be taken off the list. There will be a waiting list assembled and should someone drop out, the waiting list members will move up a spot. Those who show up on days when there aren't enough people to play will receive that weight when determining invitations.
Even though you may not make the list of players, it would be greatly appreciated if any and all members can help with certain duties, i.e. collecting gate money, organizing and staffing concessions, running the PA system, running the score board, keeping book, etc. That participation and volition will help with priority weight for future seasons.
More information will be provided at a later date. One thing that has been broached and is near finalizing is the All-Star game style. The three captains from each division will each decide the teams. Teams will be picked days before the night game to save a significant amount of time on game day. This is why it will be necessary to make a decision within five days of the invitation.
Dates, times, and location will hopefully be determined by the beginning of next week.