Opening Day 2013

At long last, the 2013 Team Scotch season is set to begin.  The first pitch of the much anticipated season is tonight at 9:00pm.  First game will be against long time rival Head Bussas, or as we like to refer to them, Bus Boys, and not the cool R&B group that performed during the 80s and had a cameo in the Eddie Murphy/Nick Nolte hit film 48 Hours.  No we're simply referring to a bunch of clowns who pick up our pocket change left behind at the diner counter. 

Team Scotch is out for revenge this season, like Kentucky basketball will be during 2013-14, the gentlemen of Scotch look to rebound from a disappointing 2012 campaign.  The goal is to return to the playoffs and hopefully finally realize the potential of this lineup.  Team Scotch has added some newcomers in hopes of bolstering the roster and in hopes of solidifying a nightly lineup now that somehow 1/3 of the team from two seasons ago resides in Connecticut. 

If you have some time, and a sixer, you should head down to DeWitt Clinton Park tonight and catch the first game.  New uniforms will be revealed.  If you can't make it don't sweat it, there are 12 games on the docket throughout the summer and we will be providing live updates through our twitter feed, @Team_Scotch. 

For those of you who are new to Scotch or who haven't followed in years past, we have a couple of special statistics that we keep track of.  The first is SOB (Safe on Base).  This refers to your base running percentage when trying to stretch a single to a double, double to triple, or tagging up from second to third and attempting to go home as well.  Basically, if you make it you're 1 for 1 and if not you're 0 for 1.  So when you see references to SOB this is what we're talking about.  The second stat is DAG, pronounced Dawg, this stat refers to Drinks After Game.  We will be keeping track of all of this and more in the coming weeks. 

Remember to check out our Twitter (@Team_Scotch) feed for live updates, photos, and more.  Let's Go Scotch!

Rumor Has It

Rumor has it that Team Scotch held a bit of spring training, bit of Sceaster (Scotch Easter), and a bit of a Final Four viewing all in one last weekend.  However, there has been no confirmation since it was held at an undisclosed location outside of the city.  Rumor has it they took the event out to Connecticut, but their are no lease or permit records to indicate this is true.  In other offseason news Team Scotch has made some new acquisitions to bolster its lineup this year.  After an underachieving 2012 campaign Team Scotch seems poised to return to the playoffs and make an effort to bring home the 'Ship.  Newcomers include some familiar last names, but again no one has seen them play as all spring practices were closed to the public.  If you want to see them debut and all the rest of your favorite gentlemen from Team Scotch you will need to come to the season opener at DeWitt Clinton park this evening.  First pitch is scheduled for 9:00pm. 

Scotchmas is Coming! Scotchmas is Coming!

Scotch,

Location and time is set for a very Merry ScotchMAS. Thanks to Scotch 3rd baseman, better known as Scut Farkus' Little Toadie, Grover Dill, we are headed to Sammy's Steakhouse down on 157 Chrystie Street at 7:30 (7:15 according to Randy). Right now we have a reservation for 20 based on responses so if you were out and are now in let everyone know and we can up it.

DO NOT FORGET TO BRING A SECRET SANTA GIFT (THIS APPLIES TO BOTH SCOTCH AND ANY WOMEN OF SCOTCH IN ATTENDANCE). IT BETTER BE FUNNY!

Looking forward to it. Christmas sweaters, ties and other holiday gear optional

And the Award Goes to...Wait for it, Wait for it

The Awards Ceremony concluded last Thursday evening among many buckets of Corona and an array of Margarita Pitchers.  Throughout the night a variety of awards were handed out, Team Scotch, as one player put it, is definitely taking home more trophies than any other YSL team.  See all the awards and their respective recipients below.  Check in here for upcoming Team Scotch events, such as Scotch Christmas, Sceaster, and more.  Wait til' next year!

Panty Pisser Player of the Year Award for Going to Great Lengths to Disappoint

Goes to Leif Nelson

Jim Wiederholder Hoser Award for Most Likely to Become Canadian

Goes to Nathan Easter

Upper Decker Subway Eat Fresh Player of the Game Award

Goes to Joe Walsh

Best Conversion Percentage for Crushing Beers After the Game

Goes to Jay Nielsen

Worst Dugout Conversationalist

Goes to Brian Byrne

Lazy Eyed Ump Award for Wishing You Could Be at Every Game But You Can't

Goes to Mike Hume

Sexiest Legs Award

Goes to Mike Lamberg

Flat Brim Award

Goes to Joe Walsh

Uglies Hookup Award

Goes to Paul Liubicich

Nathan Shook Award for Striking Out Twice as a Lead Off Batter

Goes to Pete Zoob

Nathan Easter Award for Not Really Striking Out

Goes to Jim Kernan

Slowest Man Award

Goes to Brian Montgomery

Rookie of the Year Award

Goes to Brett McGlaughlin

Banquet Details

Scoth,

Banquet is scheduled for this Thursday night August 16 at 730 pm (according to Nate that is 715).   Link to the spot below.  It comes highly recommended by Brock and although I could not find the quote on the website apparently you can blow off M80s in the private room, so that sounds like it works for this crew.  

http://www.tequilachitos.com/photo-gallery

No special menu or drink specials, just going to be off the menu food and drinks and splitting the bill (also must bring your own fireworks if you want to) but will have our own space to scotch it up.

I will leave wardrobe choices to your personal tastes but I you can never go wrong with any scotch jersey vintage.

So you have three options In, In + 1 (unless you role differently then + whatever) or retirement.

See you all Thursday.

Banquet

The second annual Team Scotch Banquet is coming.  Full details to be released soon with regards to time and location but the date has been set for Thursday, August 16th.  What's better than drinks and awards?  Come correct my friends, and remember, drink lots of water the day before, its the best way to hydrate.


Here is a look at some of the candidates for this years awards.

  
This shot might be some foreshadowing at a new award, Flat Hat?  Possible winner?
 

Out With a Bang!

One thing seemed certain for Team Scotch in their season finale on Monday night, post game drinks.  Well six innings later the 2012 campaign came to an end, after Hard Balls delivered a final blow to Team Scotch, sending them to the bar.  The biggest bang of the night came in the fourth, when Hard Balls shortstop hit a ball that is still traveling north bound on the West Side Highway/Henry Hudson Parkway.  The ball traveled roughly ten stories high, soaring down the left field line, and landing near the third baseline on the other field.

That shot, seen only by anxious pickup soccer players waiting to use the field, was a bad omen.  It solidified one final defeat for Team Scotch.  The team battled and scrapped to cut into the deficit, but in the end Hard Balls delivered softball's version of being tea-bagged while you're both sober and awake, they won on the old walk off slaughter rule.  

To the bar!  The season, always fun and enjoyable ended with one last gathering for beers.  Stories, awards, and more to be shared among friends and teammates at the second annual awards banquet.  Details to be revealed here soon.  

Lightning Crashes

No, we're not talking about Live's 1994 album Throwing Copper, we're talking about skies like the Wizard of Oz opening up and crashing the party, the playoff party.  The Team Scotch playoff hopes came to a crashing halt in a frantic final two innings simultaneous to the skies of New York City unleashing monsoon like rain.  The storm sent Team Scotch players scattering through East Harlem for shelter, shelter from the rain and from the disappointment of missing the playoffs.

The game, played at Thomas Jefferson Park, adjacent to Hoops on the River, and its free dj concert, a la the former And 1 Mix Tape Tour (see attached video), was played in desperation of beating the rain, though, it was also desperation for Team Scotch.  Needing to win its last two games, and then requiring some help, Scotch never quite got going.  Trailing 6-0, Scotch rallied for a pair of runs in the fifth, but that would be all.  The 6th and 7th innings were played at a rapid pace, the seventh inning actually had to be negotiated in order to give Scotch one more chance to have a magical run.  The run was cut short, the lights were turned out on Team Scotch's playoff hopes just as the light disappeared from the sky.  There's always next year, and Monday for the season finale.