Softball: The Byzantine Levers of Regulatory Modification
Dear People,
Chris Fure's team rallied late and ruthless to beat my own, but it was Alan Miller's sensually hurled eephustic sliders that brought my contingent to its scruffy little kneees, 17-15. Indeed, the Millmeister shut us out clean for the last five innings straight, and I specifically mention this because many players may have failed to notice his burgeoning dominance in light of the somewhat turbulent social ether that emerged at midgame. The point is that there's no justification for the release of my curiously neurotic inner bitch-child, no matter how frustrated or even pre-menstrual I happened to have been (and apparently I was both).
In any case, rather than dwell on the aftermath of Mary's heroic yet failed attempt to catch a sky-high 6th-inning pop-up to 2nd, I'll use my post-brouhaha inspiration to soon codify the various rules that are arguably unique to our particular community (all of which are subject to revision by popular demand, although not in the middle of a game). For now though, and to clarify, our policy for the last several years has been that there is no infield-fly rule, and there are no double-plays when such a rule would have been triggered in other leagues. Call me a psychotic nutjob if you must, but as of this missive, that basic rule still stands.
However, in the ensuing post-game discussion on the fine points of softballian jurisprudence, good 'ol Eephus-Head correctly pointed out that the rule as now construed still leaves open the possibility of grave recreational injustices. For example, after an initial force-out, a lead runner at 2nd could theoretically exploit a dropped infield fly by darting past 3rd and on to home, secure in the knowledge that they could not be tagged out under the double-play ban. To be sure, such a runner would not only be engaged in an egregious act of raw moral hazard, but if it were me, I'd likely be giggling all the way down the baseline.
The mere potential for such a state of affairs is obviously not worthy of an honorable folk.
So, with Alan's sagacious tutelage and by virtue of my shameless tendency to seize breathtaking executive power, I'm immediately tweaking the law in question to say that there are no double plays that the original infield fly rule is designed to prevent (i.e.…force-outs). Perhaps such a brazen fiat seems almost perverse when juxtaposed against the majestic dignity seen in tonight's exercise in NewHamsherian democracy, and yet I think we can all agree that sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do. And therefore there will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11, IF I get enough commits by this Friday morning…Raymond
PS: Steve Seskin, community catcher, slugger and beloved singer-songwriter extraordinaire, is returning to the Freight and Salvage this Friday night!...
http://www.thefreight.org/steve-seskin-craig-carothers-don-henry-0
Over the next couple weeks, he'll also be playing at various other venues in the greater Bay Area…
http://www.steveseskin.com/calendar/upcoming
1/11/11
Softball: A Connoisseur of the Reds
Dear People,
There will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11AM, and as of now it is full. As always, please let me know ASAP if you committed and need to cancel, and if you still want in, feel free to get on the wait list or contact me later for news of reopened slots.
This week's field fee is just $4, and that includes a complimentary post-game stein of 1976 Volnay, Clos de Chateau des Ducs, lovingly served over nutmeg and ice…Raymond 845-7552
A PS Reminder: Steves Seskin, Friday night at the Freight and Salvage!; Why would you go anywhere else?....