The Hoffy Train Keeps Rollin to 4th Straight Title

Team Hofbrau tightened its grip on Quincy Merchant League softball, winning its 4th consecutive title with yet another dramatic come-from-behind victory, 8-7 over arch rival Malachy's. Hoffy took the best-of-seven series 4-1.

Malachy's started off strong with two runs in the top of the first off Hofbrau starter Steve Lannan. Hoffy quickly answered with a lead off home run from centerfielder Nelly Feliciano. First baseman Jim Dennis and second baseman Ramon followed with singles and were later driven in by outfielder Steve Yocco's line drive to center.

After Lannan shut down Malachy's in the top of the second, Hoffy added another run in the bottom of the second frame when DH Keith McCray tripled to left and scored on a fielder's choice by outfielder Dave Brolin.

The powerful Malachy's lineup exploded for five runs in the top of the third inning to retake the lead at 7-3. Crafty pitching from Malachy's starter exposed a lack of discipline from the Hoffy batters as the three time defending champs would only muster three hits over the next four innings. The side was retired in order in both the fifth and sixth innings, marking the first time all season that Hoffy had been held without a baserunner for two consecutive innings.

Hoffy ace Lannan was equal to the task, shutting down Big Green for the last four innings of the game.

Malachy's led 7-5 going into the bottom of the seventh. Hofbrau then saved its best comeback of the season for last. With one out, Brolin singled to right, bringing up the top of the lineup. Nelly reach on a fielder's choice. Dennis singled to center to put runners on the corners. Ramon then ripped a single to right center to score Nelly and make it 7-6. With two outs, runners on first and third and Hoffy slugger Scott "The Game" Logan coming to the plate, Malachy's played a hunch and intentionally walked Logan to load the bases for shortstop Bill Wysocki. Although Wysocki had been struggling at the plate earlier in the night, his longstanding penchant for delivering in the clutch came through as he drilled the second pitch he saw into the gap in left center scoring Dennis with the tying run and Ramon with the winning run.

The entire Hoffy team stormed the field in celebration before the QML Championship Trophy was brought over for its familiar annual photo session. It was another true team victory as every Hoffy batter reached safely at least once and stellar defense from Nelly, Tom Fratolillo, Ramon and catcher Greg Harper kept Malachy's at bay long enough for the comeback.

Jim Dennis turned in the greatest performance by a player-manager in the modern era. Pete Rose, Joe Torre, Frank Robinson, Hank Bauer? None of them won championships as player-managers. JD faced a daunting task in taking over for the beloved Hall of Fame Coach Murphy. Dennis quickly got the team to gel and play as a cohesive unit that never quit. Faced with the usual contenders in Big Times and Malachy's, plus solid newcomer Paddy Barrys, Hoffy won in a variety of ways enroute to the winningest season in league history.

As for the series Most Valuable Player, this was one of the toughest votes in the history of the team. Although there are many players who deserve it, the award ultimately goes to Glen Bosse. Bosse posted an other-worldly .769 batting average in the series, making only 3 outs and taking a team high five walks. If you polled the team and asked which stat Glenny would lead the team in for the series, walks would not make the top ten.

Including the post season, Hoffy is now 85-7 over the last three seasons, a .924 winning percentage.

As the champagne, Presidente and Dominican rum flowed, talk quickly turned to chasing a fifth consecutive title. Team Hoffy is well poised to do it with a number of veterans planning on returning and an impressive youth movement.

As a side note, although sidelined with yet another embarrasing late summer injury, Hoffy outfielder Joe Bosse, seen here dancing in celebration of another championship, was with the team in spirit during the playoff run.

Dailymotion US - Search results: Aerosmith Train

Dailymotion US - Search results: Aerosmith Train

The Next Dynasty

Roman Empire 27 BC - 395 AD

Ottoman Empire 1299-1923

Ming Dynasty 1368-1644

Hofbrau Softball 2004-

Team Hofbrau has done it again, winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive Quincy Merchant League title with, you guessed it, another comeback. Hoffy capped a 30-1* season with Bill Wysocki's 2-run single in the bottom of the seventh to beat arch-rival Malachy's 8-7 and take the series 4-1.

The full game report and stats will follow, along with pictures from the championship. I just want to take a second an reflect on this team and the season.

Hoffy went into the season truly feeling like the Evil Empire. We had scouts at our games to make sure our players had enough games played to qualify for the playoffs (an issue we have never complained about). Our bats were checked. You name it. But Hoffy persevered with, as The Game says, "believe it or not, maturity" (hey, we are the oldest team in the league, even with the Bosse youth movement).

Taking a closer look at the team:

Pitching: This is truly what sets Hofbrau apart. Most teams are lucky to have one solid pitcher. Hoffy boasts arguably the most formidable 1-2 combo the league has ever seen with fireballing Steve Lannan and knuckleball specialist Greg Harper. Gutsy performances throughout the season from these two. Stevie ordered new parts for his shoulder and elbow in the off season, which apparently came just in time. Word spread throughout the league of a surgical clean up of Steve's shoulder. Everyone nearly shit a brick when Stevie showed up in week 1 throwing his usual gas.

Harper pitched a complete game key victory in mid-season despite having an abcessed tooth that had him doubled over in pain (gotta chew those Doritos carefully) and was dominant throughout the year.

And this just in from The Rich Get Richer Department: newcomer Nick Escoto can pitch too! In addition to finally getting a pair of cleats, Escoto stepped up big time and gave Hoffy a key win in a shorthanded situation. He is still the only undefeated Hoffy pitcher (1-0).

Defense: Another area of distinction. While there are a lot of talented defensive players in the league (Mal, Nick, Charlie, Earler and Billy Mac from Malachy's, the shortstop from Paddy Barry's, etc), no team has the complete package that Hoffy does. Led by Nelly and T-Frat in the outfield and The Game (playing with a surgically repaired shoulder), Ramon, JD and Bill Wysocki in the infield, Hoffy featured the kind of defense that killed rallies and always gave them a chance to win. Just hearing opposing batters yell "fuck!" when they saw the ball they hit go anywhere near center field warms my heart to this day. Another entry from The Rich Get Richer Department: Glenny can play second base too!

Hitting: Anyone who has seen this team play knows there is not a single easy out in the entire lineup. From Nelly and Harper leading off, to .700+ hitters like Jimmy D and Steve and Mike Yocco, to sluggers like The Game, Glenny, Ramon and Wysocki, to the table-setters at the bottom of the lineup, Dave Brolin, Joe Bosse, Jon Bosse and Keith, Hoffy was a threat to put up runs every inning of every game.

Depth: Hoffy has a distinct advantage of having a great farm system in the Houghs Neck league. Having proven ball players like Kyle, Neil Plante, Kano and McNeice available is a luxury almost too good to be true.

Chemistry: Depsite replacing seven starters from the 2006 championship team, Hoffy always plays like a champion and (most of the time) has fun doing it. A lot of guys on the team have been playing on the same teams or in the same leagues for over 20 years and been friends for that long as well. It says a lot that we have guys who would rather be a DH, backup or role player on this team than start and/or bat higher in the lineup on another team.

All in all, this was an incredible season that this league will never forget. I'm already looking forward to next year when, you heard it here first, I WILL HIT A HOME RUN.

* The one loss came in game 3 of the championship series where Hoffy was forced to play with 9 guys (missing six starters) and only two guys playing their normal positions.

With Deepest Sympathy

Let's keep the Bosse family in our thoughts and prayers as they grieve the sudden loss of Glen and Doug's brother Roland. One of the things that makes our team great is that we're a family and when one of our brothers is hurting, we feel it too.

Roland J. "Butch" Bosse Jr.
BOSSE, Roland J. "Butch" Jr. age 58, of Medway, suddenly, September 20. Beloved husband of Lily (Pawlowski) Bosse. Father of Keith Bosse and his wife Dawn of Medway, Edward Bosse and his wife Kate of Medway. Son of Beverly (Hazelton) Bosse-Howland of N. Weymouth and the late Roland J. Bosse. Brother of Wayne of Milton, David of Woonsocket RI, Douglas of Dorchester, Glenn of Whitman and the late Kenneth and Greggary Bosse. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Ginley Crowley Funeral Home 3 Barber St., MEDWAY, Wednesday at 9:15, followed by a funeral mass in St. Joseph Church at 10:00. Relatives and friends invited Calling hours Tuesday 4-8. Interment St. Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made in his honor to the DAV State House, Room 546, Boston MA 02133 or the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham Ma 01701. Ginley Crowley Funeral Home Medway www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com

Hoffy Back In The Saddle With Game 4 Win

Team Hoffy took another giant step toward a 4th consecutive QML title last night with a 13-8 win over Malachy's.

Big Green was brimming with optimism before the game. Rumblings about winning four straight and taking Hoffy down in six games peppered the pregame warmups.

Hofbrau quickly silenced such banter as the first six batters reached and scored in the first inning. True to the team's veteran form, the Hoffy batters were patient, taking advantage of control problems by Malachy's starting pitcher, who walked four in the first and eight throughout the game.

Hoffy put up three more runs in the second on key hits from Jim Dennis and Steve Yocco to take a 9-1 lead. The game almost took a disastrous turn in the third inning when fireballing Hoffy pitcher Steve Lannan got hit in the shin with a scorching line drive by Malachy's Billy MacDougal. Lannan stayed in and completed the game to add yet another in a long list of post season victories.

Malachy's rallied back in the middle innings, posting 5 runs in the fourth inning and 2 more in the fifth to pull within one run at 9-8. Web Gem specialist Nellie Feliciano helped stop the bleeding with an incredible all-out diving catch in the fifth.

The game was eerily looking like a repeat of game 3 with Hoffy slumping and Malachy's surging. But the three time defending champs put the game away for good in the sixth inning. Glen Bosse walked after Scott Logan's single to put runners on first and second. First baseman Jim Dennis, not shaken by the David Ortiz-style shift put on by the infield, fired a single to center to score Logan. With two on and two out, Yocco delivered the crucial blow for Hoffy with a 2-run double to make it 12-8. Logan drove in the final run for Hoffy in the seventh with two on. Catcher Greg Harper scored easily on the play.

In the bottom of the seventh, Hoffy's defense squashed any hope of a Malachy's comeback. Shortstop Bill Wysocki took the wind out of Malachy's sails snatching up a grounder and starting a 6-3 double play. Two batters later, Hoffy recorded the final out to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

"This was a total team win tonight," Logan said. "Everyone pitched in." The numbers bear that sentiment out as every Hoffy batter reached base at least once.

GAME 5 TUESDAY NIGHT, 8:00 AT KINCAIDE

Hoffy Less Than Perfect in Game 3

"Drago's cut!"

After an outstanding 29-game winning streak, Team Hoffy fell victim to a shorthanded lineup and timely hitting by Malachy's, losing 20-13 to cut its series lead to 2-1.

Hoffy started out on fire, posting five runs in the first inning on seven hits. The three time defending champs tacked on three more runs in the second led off by first baseman Jim Dennis beating out an infield hit showing the kind of speed that made him a Salem State legend in the late 80's. Hoffy led 8-2 after the 2nd.

Never a team that backs down, Malachy's launched a powerful offensive attack, scoring 18 runs over the next four innings. Team Hoffy got three runs back in the bottom of the 5th . Neil Plante complimented his stellar defense with a lead off single. Scott Logan then got the home team charged up by legging out a double and scored easily when Glen Bosse launched a triple down the right field line.

Despite missing six starters, Hofbrau made no excuses. "We had them on the ropes early, but they're a very good team and they executed when they had to," Keith McCray said. "We didn't have the answer tonight, but we'll be back to work in game 4."

GAME 4 FRIDAY NIGHT, 7:00 (What time Jon?) at KINCAIDE.

Game 3 washed out

"I'd keep playing. I don't think the hard stuff's gonna come down for quite a while"

Carl Spackler - Caddyshack

Yep. The rain held off all day Friday and came just in time to postpone game 3 of the QML championship series.

GAME 3 TUESDAY, 8:00 P.M. - KINCAIDE

STEELER FANS SUCK!

Loser:

/ˈluzər/ Pronunciation - [loo-zer] Pronunciation –noun
1. a person, team, nation, etc., that loses: The visiting team was the loser in the series.
2. a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or, esp., a felony: a two-time loser.
b. a person who has failed at a particular activity: a loser at marriage.
c. someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc.: Don't bother to see that film, it's a real loser.
3.
Slang. a misfit, esp. someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc.

I'm hoping this chant catches on and becomes ten times more popular than old favorite Yankees Suck.

Coming into the season, Steeler fans were only a couple of games behind Raider Nation on the douche-meter. Now they have swept the series and taken a commanding lead with this latest move.

Hey Bitchburgh, if you have to pray that the league MVP goes down with a horrifying injury to feel good about your chances, that's as lame as it gets. I got November 30 circled on my calendar. I've already told the wife she is on full time baby duty until the end of the game when Matt Cassel (or maybe Jeff Garcia) wipes his ass with one of those shirts at midfield celebrating yet another Patriots victory over the Steelers.

VOTE NO ON QUESTION 1

We interrupt this program for an important announcement....

Taking a quick break from the Hoffy Softball world to urge all within the sound of my voice to VOTE NO ON QUESTION 1.

Question 1 is a binding referedum that would eliminate the state income tax (instantly cutting 40% from the current state budget). While that may sound great for a second or two, the reality is that eliminating the state income tax only helps you if you own no property, do not own a car or use public transportation, or use any government services. Basically, hermits and shut-ins are all for it.

If passed, virtually every fee will go up (car registration, license renewal, inspection sticker, gun license, etc.) The average town will lose about $8 million is local aid (think closed fire stations, potholes not getting filled for years, no plows in the winter, having to pay for your fourth graders text books at a public school). I don't know about you, but my checkbook doesn't know the difference between a fee and a tax.

Still think Question 1 is a good idea? Call someone you know who lives in New Hampshire and compare real estate tax bills.

Lastly, Question 1 is being spearheaded by Carla Howell, a Libertarian who is probably independently wealthy and doesn't have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck like the rest of us.

Find out more at http://www.votenoquestion1.com/

Rules are rules....well....sort of.

By all means break the rules, and break them beautifully, deliberately and well. That is one of the ends for which they exist.
—Robert Bringhurst[1]

So it looks like Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00. Why 8:00 when a third of our team can't make it. Because the Greenies whined about it (just like they whined about our bats and about the fact that we don't have an all-caucasian team like they do). I guess the rules only apply when used to screw us.

As long as I can remember, the rule has been the higher seed picks the time of playoff games.

Message to Billy: Either enforce the rules, or write up the playoff schedule yourself.

And Now For My Next Trick

Harry Houdini

Stop me when this starts to get ridiculous.

Team Hoffy has done it again, staging yet another improbable comeback Friday night to beat Malachy's 13-11 and take a 2-0 lead in the best of 7 Quincy Merchant League championship.

Held to just four hits and two walks through the first five innings, Hofbrau faced a 6-2 deficit heading on the sixth. The Hoffy bats then woke up as the undefeated three time defending champs came alive with 7 of the first 8 batters reaching safely. Ramon led off with a hard hit single to left. Nelly followed with a base hit up the middle. After a Jim Dennis walk, Scott Logan drove in the first run of the inning with a deep sac fly to left. Glen Bosse, Bill Wysocki, Steve Yocco and Mike Yocco ripped consecutive base hits to erase the deficit and give Hoffy a 7-6 lead.

Malachy's answered the Hoffy onslaught with three runs of their own in the bottom of the 6th to retake the lead.

Trailing 9-7 after 6 innings, and inspired by friends and family, including fans from Stop and Shop's corporate office, Team Hoffy dug down one more time. A heads-up walk by Dave Brolin got things started. Hoffy then retook the lead for good with back to back doubles by Ramon and Nelly. Dennis started the insurance runs with a single to knock in Nelly, who toughed it out to score depsite injuring a hamstring in the second inning. Scott Logan kept the inning going with a single. Glen Bosse's third hit of the night, a line drive double to left center, and a sac fly by Wysocki gave Hofbrau a 13-9 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

Malachy's looked as if they might come back to win in the bottom of the seventh with the heart of the batting order coming up, but conservative base running left the bases loaded. Big green plated two runs in the inning, but stellar defense saved the day again for Hofbrau. With a man on first and the tying run at the plate, Ramon turned in the defensive play of the night when he snagged a hard grounder in the hole at second and fired to second for the second out. Wysocki almost turned it into a game ending double play, but the Malachy's batter just beat the throw. Hofbrau ace Steve Lannan put the final nail in the coffin as the next batter grounded to third to end the game and close the book on another Hofbrau comeback.

"Deep down I knew we were going to win," Jim Dennis said after the game, "but I can't believe what we just did." "This is what we do," Tom Fratalillo added, "it's another classic Hoffy comeback."

GAME 3 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 AT KINCAIDE. TIME TBA

Bosse's Bombs Deliver First Strike For Hoffy

Felix the Cat,
The wonderful, wonderful cat!
Whenever he gets in a fix,
He reaches into his bag of tricks!

Team Hoffy came from behind once again to win its 26th consecutive contest with a 19-5 win over arch-rival Malachy's to take the first game of the QML best of seven finals.

Playing without Nelly, Steve Yocco, Mike Yocco and Keith McCray, the three-time defending champs came out flat, mustering only 3 hits in the first three innings and trailing 5-2. But in true Hoffy style, they reached into their bag of tricks and came alive in the 4th inning, sending 14 batters to the plate, charged by a grand slam from Jon Bosse (wearing someone's #25 as opposed to his usual 17), the first of two home runs on the night for Bosse. After Bosse's slam, Dave Brolin, Greg Harper and Ramon hit consecutive singles before The Game knocked in 2 with a double. Glen Bosse kept the inning going with a walk, which set up a 2-run triple by Jim Dennis.

Ramon and The Game fought through injuries to provide the offensive and defensive stability that Hoffy relied as part of its arsenal.

Fireballing pitcher Steve Lannan shut Malachy's down the rest of the way. Hoffy put up 7 insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th on nine more hits, including a 2-run bomb from Jon Bosse. In all, five Hoffy starters had at least three hits, including a 4-4, 4 rbi night from Jim Dennis and a 3-4, 6 rbi performance from Jon Bosse.

"That's what this team is all about," McCray said. "The minute you think you have us...you don't."

NOTE: For those wondering, the Felix insignia above is the U.S. Navy insignia for the VF-31 Tomcatters squadron from 1948. The squadron motto is "We get ours at night".

GAME 2 FRIDAY NIGHT, 6:30 P.M. KINCAIDE FIELD

On to the finals

Talk is cheap, especially in the playoffs.

Team Hoffy endured a tough challenge from Paddy Barry's, needing 8 innings to post a 12-11 win to advance to their 4th consecutive Merhcant League finals.

Hofbrau was its own worst enemy in the early going as baserunning mistakes killed what might have been rallies. The three-time defending champs found themselves continaully in counter-punch mode. PB put up a 3-spot with some clutch hitting in the top of the seventh to put Hoffy on the ropes, 11-10. Scott Logan (4-4, 3 rbi) knocked in the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. Logan almost scored the winning run when Glen Bosse ripped a base hit to center field, but was gunned down by a good relay throw to the plate.

After letting up a run in the top of the 8th and having to endure the most trash talk in recent Merchant League history (most of it from the PB peanut gallery), Team Hoffy stepped up and took what was theirs again. A single from Tom Fratolillo sandwiched between walks by Jim Dennis and Mike Yocco loaded the bases for Greg "Hop Sing" Harper, who silenced the loadmouths with a solid base hit to left. A slight bobble by the PB left fielder was all T-Frat needed to cruise in with the winning run.

"The good news is we're going to the finals," second baseman Glen Bosse said, "But we're gonna need to play a lot better than this in the next series."

As for the finals, it's a rematch of last year's classic 7-game final between Hofbrau and Malachy's, which completed its sweep of Big Times in the other semi-final match up.

Hoffy just gets it done in game 2.

The bats were silent for most of the night, but team Hoffy showed just why all 7 innings count, coming from behind with a 6-run seventh inning to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the semifinal series.

Paddy Barry's put up a 5-spot in the third inning on well-placed drop shots. Hoffy got 3 runs back in the fourth inning before going hitless in both the fifth and sixth. Stellar defense from Nelly in centerfield and Glen "Chico Lind" Bosse at second base prevented the game from getting away.

Down 6-3 after six innings, Team Hoffy just put on the hard hats and went to work again. After base hits from T-Frat and Keith McCray, Dave Brolin launched a triple in the gap in left center to make it 6-5. Steve Lannan then tied the game with a single. A base hit from Jon Bosse and a heads-up walk from Nelly loaded the bases for Steve Yocco, who knocked in the go-ahead run in a close play at the plate that might have resulted in an out had PB's catcher been standing on the plate (as opposed to two feet in front of it and trying to put a tag on a force play). The Game and Glen Bosse cleaned things up by knocking in two more runs to give Hoffy a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, the two mainstays for Hoffy, solid pitching and good defense took control and shut PB down.

PB is a talented team that will be a contender in this league for years to come. But last night, one team played like they have been in the playoffs before and one team didn't. One PB outfielder said it best when he chirped "All night" to Stevie in the first inning. That's right PB, that's the difference between us, you guys talk all night and we play all night!

GAME 3 TUESDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 P.M. AT KINCAIDE FIELD!!

Team Hoffy survives tough test in semi-final opener

Things won't be easy from here on in. Team Hoffy wins game 1 of the QML semi-finals over Paddy Barry's, 9-6. I'll invite Scotty to post a comment to this post for the game report....because who better to provide a summary of the game than....The Game.

GAME 2 FRIDAY NIGHT AT 9:00. (RUBEN) KINCAIDE FIELD!!

Hoffy cruises to second round in a rout

Shortstop Bill Wysocki summed game 2 up best: "It was close for the first two batters". Team Hoffy posted a stunning 15 runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 29-1 thumping of Peddocks to win the series 2-0 and advance to the semi-finals.

Led by a 5-5, four-RBI hitting performace from The Game, several Hoffy players had their fellow drunks in mind as Keith and Jon Bosse struck out and Stevie hit in to a 6-4-3 double play.

T-Frat and Dave Brolin inspired the troops early by delivering their strikeout beers. Tommy had an impressive array of Bud Light, Bud, Pabst Blue Ribbon and O'Doul's and had the foresight to bring a cooler with ice, while Dave found the only 24-pack of cans left in Massachusetts. (we'll let the guys who don't drink slide a little).

Next up is Paddy Barry's, the team that likes to talk shit when they have absolutely no credentials to do so. Stay tuned...

Getting in playoff form

Once again, Joe Bosse comes up with a summer injury that jeapordizes his playoffs. At least we all know this injury came from his punching the ground at third base (as opposed to last year's naked wrestling incident in New York).

Don't worry Joe! If need be, Scotty will do his Mr. French impersonation and get you ready.

Hofbrau Vying for #4

The Hofbrau "El Hofmina-Rico" squad has started the Quincy Merchant League playoffs in search of an unprecedented 4th consecutive title. Game reports and stats to follow.