Michigan Town Ball

[stevem810]

Zing's Z's had a month of May to remember as they came within an eyelash of going a perfect 12-0. Only a one run loss on May 30th prevented the achievement.

It was the champs of last season the Copper Harbor Miners who have struggled mightily coming into the contest (2-9) who spoiled the party. In front of their home field fans they followed the lead of SP 32 y/o Ryan Olson.

Olson didn't K anyone in 8 IP. He gave up two long balls but still hung tough enough to get the 6-5 win. Ryan had a double with 2 RBI's, committed an error, had a SAC, and got his first W to raise his record to 1-2. Olson was 11-6 and lead the U.P. in Wins last year.

[stevem810]

A very entertaining game to watch being played. The White Pines looked like they were about to be shutout until they erupted for 4 in the 8th. One big inning often makes the difference. The teams are now tied for first in their UP division.

[stevem810]

Here is the game by game log for McCarter.

[stevem810]

Phil Stoke may hold a record that will never be eclipsed in the Town Ball League. Twenty Wins in a row is rare but Phil achieved it over the 1980 and 1981 season.

Now, in 1982, he's 37 years old and the magic seemingly has left his right arm as his arsenal doesn't have enough in it to fool the batters.

Yes, 0-5 is the glaring stat that tells you something is off but it's the peripheral ones that really jump out. 1.1 K's per 9 IP is quite possibly the most profound clearly indicating the batters are digging in and waiting for something they can put wood to and drive. And, his .354 BABIP might mean that there are quite a few clotheslines leaving home plate.

The Grand Haven Waveriders are 2 for 2 regarding the post season but mired in 3rd place this year, but....only 2 games out of first place.

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The Gulls are riding a 9 game win streak thanks in part to Rickey Ulraine's 10 homers and 31 ribbies. Just 19, Rickey has an OPS north of 1.000

[stevem810]

The Whitefish Bay Kingfishers are not having the year they hoped they would experience. In last place, they are 4-9 in one run games and 1-4 in extra inning affairs.

Brian Waslewski is generally considered the ace of the Kingfishers and he is appropriately slotted into the first spot in the rotation. But, when your ace has lost 5 straight you look for reasons. Certainly, the Scouting Report on Brian supports his #1 status as he carries 4 pitches, induces ground balls, and tops the radar at 99 mph.

The Clawson, Mi. native hopes to help right the ship this coming weekend and will take the hill on Saturday evening hoping to put a stop to the 5 game Saturday night losing streak for the team.

[stevem810]

The best four teams won't be in the post season, notably the Zing's Z's, affectionately known as the 'Baker Boys', who came up one game short of the Ann Arbor Barn Owls. Still, the Z's had a fine season going 30-24,

In the other Lower Peninsula division the Grand Haven Waveriders missed the playoffs for the first time in the 3 year history of the league as they lost to Traverse City Bears 3-1 in the 55th (1 extra game) contest of the season. The two teams were at it neck and neck but it was the Bears who shook off a two game skid to prevail.

Honorable mention is shouted out at Fricano's Pizzetta's, the laughing stock of the league last year (17-38), as they narrowly missed the playoffs. The Pizzetta's were in the mix with Grand Haven (crosstown rival) and Traverse City until the final week. A gruesome streak at the end where they lost 8 of 9 was there undoing.

[stevem810]

Here are the two series match ups. The players ask for, and are always granted, vacation time for the up to two weeks of continual play that may be required. Forsaking only weekend ball, the depth of the teams may become a larger issue than during the regular season.

Rosters, like the regular season, are capped at 20 players.

Last years finalists, the Copper Harbor Miners (champs) and the Grand Haven Waveriders will not be in the competition.

The 1980 champs, Iron River Gulls, are the favorites heading into play.

[stevem810]

It's a long project that I let rest and then return to resume play.

It's all about the Uppers. The lads know how to play ball in the North.

Seriously, the Gulls in last place??? How long will that last?

[stevem810]

He's off to an impressive start to extend his home run domination.

Some complain that it's more the 1.085 Home Run factor but Steve responds with a convincing retort, "Look 7 of the 10 have been hit on the road so not sure you guys have any idea what you are talking about."

UPDATE: He did not win 3 in a row!

[stevem810]

I have kept this project on the back burner for several years and love to bring it back to life periodically.

The Upper Peninsula powerhouse and all-time wins leader, Sea Gulls, went out in the first round, losing to the Eclipse, a pretty good team, too.

In the Lower Peninsula, the Pizzeta's prevailed despite barely being over .500. Do they have a chance to best the Eclipse? Not much of a one, as they lost their closer and cleanup hitter to injury.

As you can see in the graphic, John Hurst led the league in batting with an astounding .394 BA. Clearly, the 22 y/o Kingfisher upped his game significantly this season.

note: The Town Ball league features players as young as 16 and as senior as 40ish.

[stevem810]

[stevem810]

The Pizzeta's were on the verge of a 3-1 stranglehold of the series until the Eclipse slammed two solo homers in the 8th and then poured it on in the 9th. They had bases juiced in the top half with zero outs, but couldn't add any more runs. They didn't need to as the Pizzeta's went down one, two, three in the 9th.
Fricano's might have put this game out of reach in the middle innings, but 12 LOB ended up haunting them.
The Eclipse is a heavy favorite, as they have advantages at 7 positions, with just one position player (1 tie) leaning toward Fricano's.
Game 5 looms big for both teams. One thing we know is that we are headed back to the Island to finish the series.

[stevem810]

The Eclipse started 23-year-old seven-game winner (7-6) Don Brown, who was matched up against the Pizzetas' 20-year-old Jason Brown, winner of 4 games.
Fricano's have only two post season homers but they are pounding out hits and this game was no exception.

[stevem810]

How a 28-26 team that loses its best player for the postseason becomes the Town Ball Champion is beyond me. Well, the porous infield of the Eclipse (6 unearned runs in game 6) might have had something to do with the outcome.
All credit to the pizza-making Fricano's Pizzeta who turned the tables on the Upper Peninsula because for the first time in 5 seasons, the Lower Peninsula prevailed.

The Town Ball structure will likely feature two leagues, each with only one division, next season. Old School style.

[stevem810]

Going old school with Town Ball. Eight teams in two leagues, and the two at the top will have a seven-game series.

[stevem810]

As a 22 year old McCarter began the season on fire winning his first 7 games (see thread below)
https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...=313427&page=4 (3rd post down from the top)

How has he done since that impressive streak?

He cooled off a bit in 1982 but returned on a mission in 1983 and won the league Win and ERA titles.

[stevem810]

As a refresher from page 1, there are no trades in Michigan Town Ball, and there isn't an annual draft (a few may have been caught up in the A.I.'s web along the way).

Players retire and get replaced by younger players. Sometimes I'll retire a player who is relegated to the Reserve Roster.

If a player changes jobs and cities, he might end up on a new team. I haven't experienced that yet, but it might be fun to have a guy return to his hometown.

[stevem810]

Josh Hurst put the pedal to the metal in the final games of the season and almost became the league's first .400 hitter. The Detroit native hit .314 the year before and just .257 as a rookie.


Does Josh have any competition when it comes to reaching .400. Here is one guy that looks mighty dangerous at the plate.

He's a transplant from Florida.

[stevem810]

It's early, and the sampling is small. But Town Ball only has a 56-game schedule (54 prior to divisional realignment), so even two weekends of baseball are significant.

The Saugatuck Joes, without a winning season, lead the Lower Peninsula with a 5-1 record. A team with an abundance of +30 years old or older is feeding off 21-year-old Jon Ortega, who led the league with a .377 average last year.

The Mackinaw Island Eclipse, finalists in the Town Ball Cup last year, are 0-6. They trail the 5-1 Iron River Gulls, who have a historical winning percentage of .656 to go with their four playoff appearances. The Gulls lead all other teams in win percentage by at least 10%.