Leading the League in Wrapping Up 2012 Membership in the "B" Division Before the Halfway Point of the 2011 Season!
It's not uncommon in baseball for the ace of the staff to have his own personal catcher. If more times than not he can deliver a win, it makes sense to make him as comfortable as possible. Then why, pray tell, does Corral, by all accounts a well below average pitcher, have up to five Cakes who claim to be his personal catcher? To find the answer, one must think like your average Cake. His catcher rarely, if ever, needs to actually catch the ball as displayed by Coach's Armando Benitez like performance vs. Jamaica. Corral steadfastly refused to warm-up, "No sense in wasting the magic", he was telling anyone who'd listen. The muttered response was, "Yeah, go make another softball disappear". Now I know what your thinking. If the ball is slapped all over the place, surely there must be some plays at the plate. No fear there sports fans. The Cakes collectively as a team haven't hit the relay man since the Bush administration (H, not W). There is some downside to catching for Corral, however. There is a distinct possibility of slipping behind the plate as puddles have been known to form as Coach takes the mound. The source of the moisture is the drool from the opposing batters as they await their turn for the steady course of white canvassed meatballs from the Coach. Next game when you see a Cake pulling on a pair of galoshes, you just found that day's personal catcher. To the game!
Highlights:

1. Jerry Sullivan making a huge catch in right on Petie Fitz's well hit ball. Describe it? With the ball quickly closing in, Jerry looked about as sturdy and sure footed as the Scarecrow when Dorothy cut him down from his post. Clearly surprised by all the fuss from his elated teammates, he declared "I had it all along!"
2. Durante, the hitting machine. Coach spent the whole game trying to figure out how he could send a pinch runner in for Stinky so he could get right back up again. All those pesky Jamaicans paying close attention to the game were the primary deterrent of this plan.
3. Tom Hammill back in his contracted 6th inning set-up role. Jamaica's lack of success vs. the Hammer might have had to do with the news sweeping their bench that Corral was pitching the next inning.
4. The turnout, though that could have been the result of many of the Cakes not reading their email that Frozen Drink Sunday had been postponed.

Lowlights:

1. Base running blunders by Blinky (who looked like he was playing some crazy adult version of ring-a-levio) and Showtime (who looked like Kevin Bacon in "Footloose" putting the moves on while stuck in the pickle between 3rd and home).
2. Showtime and Corral co-managing the game. The usual organized chaos turned into outright anarchy as the players now had two people they had to tell "Hell no!" to. Putting a defensive team on the field by waiting to see who would actually go out there and then beg someone, anyone to fill in the empty positions is not a winning formula.

Now that this grueling 4 game road trip has mercifully come to an end, the Cakes kick-off a 5 game home stand against Fulton this week. The addition of Bobby Ryan seems to have inspired the Floppers, so 0 - 5 seems well within reach.
This Saturday night, the Cakes will participate in a charity night of softball with the Nerd Herd, the Chowderheads, the woman's softball league and the All-Stars from the Walk League. All proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior, Corporal Tony Mullis who graced the cover of this paper two weeks ago. Games kick-off at 7. Come by and show your support through a 50/50 or a donation for this hero who gave so much for all of us.
Remember, Sunday is Funday.
Paulie Walnuts.
Answer - The laws of probability say, "Yes", life experience screams, "No!"
Question - Will the Cakes win a game this year?