Hoffy cruises to victory amid "Batgate"

Team Hoffy improved to 14-0 with a 21-3 victory over Malachy's Bulldogs. The defending champs poured it on for 14 runs in the second inning behind a monster 2-run homer from Franklin after Nelly almost ran into an out in a run down where every Malachy's player except for the first baseman touched the ball.























Providing the comic relief of the night was some guy who wears #3 and catches part time. The unidentified player, sporting an old-school Hofbrau shirt struck out swinging in the 4th and dropped a foul ball down the third base line. At least one teammate grabbed his blackberry and googled David Ortiz's eye doctor. He did make amends by becoming the first player this season to immediately provide the strikeout beers.








The game was peppered by relentless jawing from the second place Southside Tavern club, who were noticeably absent for the post-game refreshments at the wall. Instead of being satisfied with their own position in the league, they cackled questions of Hoffy's bats after scorching hits from perennial sluggers Nelly, Franklin, Polanco and Glenny. Sad....kinda like the Lakers admitting their inferiority complex by pointing out that they are now 2 championships behind the Celtics.

Karate Man bleed on the inside!!

Get well wishes to Tommy Fratt as he recovers from a karate injury. Rumors are circulating that it was a chick who did it to him, but my money is on the sneaky-skilled kid from the Seinfeld episode. Let's just hope Cobra Kai doesn't enter a team next year.

Hoffy continued its run with a 23-4 win over Hancock Tavern Monday night. Bill Wysocki made QML history by hitting for the cycle in his first four at bats. Mike Yocco snapped out of a mini-slump with three hits and 3 rbi. Every Hoffy starter recorded at least one hit.

We got a lotta drinkin' to do!!

Hits and beer...that's why I'm here.

Like Mark Twain said.."reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Team Hoffy is making a bid toward an unprecedented 5th straight QML title with an 11-0 start. It hasn't been easy, but El Hoffy has done it with an interesting mix of salty veterans (Glenny, Stevie, Harper, JD), new blood (Franklin, Joe C., Joey Butts, Mark) and returning icons (Polanco).

I'm working on getting updated stats posted. The only problem is the piss poor book keeping in the games I missed. Apparently no one on the team paid attention during the "for those of you scoring at home" moments from Ned Martin and Bob Montgomery. I'm not asking for perfection, but at least put down HOW the guy got on base.

Anyway, with that whine off my chest, one stat I noticed on a steady increase is strikeouts. What's more, the 30-pack donations are coming from names like T-Frat and The Game. For those of you who still owe the beer, a few pointers:

1. A beer ball counts for 2 strikeouts (provided of course that Solo cups are included)

2. You are not allowed to bring any strikeout beers home with you. (The 'Mark' rule from a couple of years ago)

3. Any chick beer such as Bud Light Lime or Mich Ultra will result in a 2 30-pack penalty. The same penalty goes for any beer that our fathers drank (Schlitz, Moosehead, Ballantine).

Until the next post, remember the words of Van Earl Wright....."Whatever you do. Keep it smooth".

CORRECTED HOFBRAU SOFTBALL 2009 SCHEDULE

4/28 Hancock Tavern 25-4
5/1 Swingers
5/7 Shockers
5/8 Malachy's
5/11 Team Awesome
5/18 Game Time Cuts
5/19 Big Times
5/26 Southside Tavern
5/29 Paddy Barry's
6/5 Above Ground Pools
6/11 Fallon Ambulance O'Rourke 6:15
6/15 Hancock Tavern Perkins 6:15
6/16 Swingers 7:45
6/19 Shockers 9:00
6/26 Malachy's 9:00
6/30 Team Awesome 7:45
7/6 Game Time Cuts O'Rourke 6:15
7/10 Big Times 7:30
7/14 Southside Tavern 7:45
7/17 Paddy Barry's 7:30
7/21 Above Ground Pools O'Rourke 6:15
7/31 Fallon Ambulance 9:00

ALL GAMES AT KINCAIDE UNLESS NOTED IN RED

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.