7/26 - Where has the offense gone? Baseball 365 comes up with only 4 hits over 9 innings against the Patriots in Game 1, losing 4-3. Nate Cousins started and threw 6 scoreless to start the game, leading 2-0 after 6. But with little in relief options, Cousins started to tire in the 7th, surrendering 1 in the 7th, 2 in the 8th, and 1 in the 9th. Only real offensive highlight was provided by the brothers Welckle, who each contributed a big double. Baseball 365 has chosen a bad time to lose 6 straight and have the bats go cold. We need someone to step up. Who's it going to be? Do or die tomorrow, win or season over. Let's go fellas!
7/12 - On a day that was so hot,even Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez wouldn't have wanted to play ball, the Base Ball Three-Sixtyfiver's drove up to Blaine, and drove away a couple hours later with a 6-3 win over the Fusion. Jack Deutsch, with the support of his Wendy Peffercorn-esque girlfriend, pitched brilliantly. (Although Domenic Dandrea may beg to differ.) I don't think he gave up an earned run and only allowed five hits in seven innings pitched. Jackson Goplen was the offensive hero, with two triples among his three hits. Not much going on in the dugout, as people were generally just trying to stay cool and not bother each other. A nice win, albeit a physical draining one. Tommorrow, Parade @ 8:30 against the Cobras.
7/10 - The Base Ball Three-Sixtyfiver's finally got back on the right track with a 7-0 win over the Merchants tonight at Parade Stadium. Store co-owner and legally binding team owner Nate Cousins was the story. Complete game shut out while allowing two hits, and striking out, like, a billion. Ryan Haggstrom was the offensive hero with a couple hits, RBI's, yada, yada, yada. Now, I don't particularly care what you wear, as long as you show up and play ball. Haggs, well, he shows up and he plays ball. He's one of our better hitters and an elite defensive player, but the yellow or maroon undershirts have to go. 'Round here we wear the black, red and blue! And for crying out loud, give me your uniform and I'll wash it for you. Jack Deutsch hits whenever his girlfriend is around, which may lead to the first time in history an amateur team pays for a fan to show up. Domenic Dandrea and Isaiah Welckle were in a hotly, unspoken, contest to see who could hit a ball harder at a fielder without recording a hit. Dom finally said "Nuts to that" and didn't hit a ball all that hard and got a hit. Baseball is a funny game. In the post-game festivies...we are going to have a "Which Off". Welckle works for "Milio's" (off 44th and France)...teammate Brandon Schmal works for Jimmy John's...a blind taste test is coming up. I will tell you the results as soon as I know. Finally, we have a chiropractor in training (David Sell), so we are feeling pretty good about our future. At least physically. We also have #5 Kyle Schnickels. Kid has an arm, but he also has a brain. While he and Sell were talking medical terminology, I was thinking about the "Which Off" and how Schincel rhymes with "nickel" and the coincidence that he wears number 5. Edit: Sometime I will figure out technology and post the picture of Quinlan Milne-Rojek and his terrible haircut. He is missing a chunk of his head...
6/29 - Base Ball Three-Sixtyfive wins a league game tonight over Lyon's Pub Warrior's 8-4. Not a lot to say..Quinlan Milne-Rojek just continues to get wins. Hitters hit well, the baserunning was aggressive, the defense was good. Nice win guys. Thursday we have the River Rats at Parade at 6:15. The Rats are sneaky good, as they showed us in the playoffs last year. We can't sleep on them, and have to come out and play solid again. The Rats aren't sneaky good at the postgame cookout...they are elite. We need to bring our "A" game there! Tonight, the weather was an adequate excuse for people leaving, but I got the sense people were just going to take off anyway. Well plan on staying after on Thursday...I don't want to go all Clark Griswald "Christmas Vacation" on people!!!(language warning)
6/24 - Nate Cousins throws 147 pitches and 99 STRIKES in a losing effort to Victoria 6-3.
6/22 - When it comes to the fightin' Base Ball Three-Sixtyfiver's there's only one thing left to say: It's Quinlan Milne-Rojek's world, and the rest of us are just living in it. Quin was in charge (again) on the mound in a 2-1 Park National win over the Minneapolis Patriots. Quin has stepped up every time we have given him the ball, and he did it again leaving the game with a shutout and runner at first for 365 rookie and multiple nicknamed Doug Lewis to come in and relieve him. After a little bout with control issues, and with the help from a huge defensive play by Jack Piram, "Dougy Fresh" settled in to strike out a batter and induce a fly out with the tying run at third to earn the save. Huge win for us. Also a big win for Doug, as his roommate was the opposing starter, so he wins house bragging rights. Obviously not a lot of offense, but hitting hero was Jackson Goplen who had a booming double and a run scored. In the dugout, Jack Deutsch showed us his bat that he presumably got from a cereal box. Obviously, some things go on with any team that don't get talked about publicly, but we didn't even have anything in that regard to elude to tonight. Nobody is chewing the "Blue Razz" flavor of Dubble Bubble, which is mildly disconcerting, but I'm not going to lead by example. So that's that. Anyway, back at it tomorrow in Victoria. 7:30 against the Vic's.
6/19 - Bats and hearts were breaking tonight at Parade as the Baseball 365ers beat a much improved Blue Sox team 7-1. Star of the game is team co-owner and Park National stalwart Nate Cousins, who pitched a complete game, surrendering zero earned runs, and striking out eight while somehow managing to walk two with an ump that had a very generous (but very consistent, and that's all we ask) strike zone. I'm not sure how many hits he gave up, because I became disinterested in counting after the first one. Hitting stars were numerous, fielding stars were few. Abe Welckle, Jackson Goplen both had booming back to back doubles in a four run sixth, but the most impressive hitting performance of the night was "Dirty" David Sell who broke a seemingly 0 for -since he got back from vacation last June-slump with two hard hits. I'd also like to welcome back his brother, "Dangerous" Donny Sell, an integral part of the team, from a weeks vacation. Isaiah Welckle was the glove man at the hot corner tonight, making a beautiful barehanded play and throw that I couldn't have done better myself. Or that I couldn't have done period. But let's not get nitpicky...He continues to raise eyebrows with his solid play all around. About six bats were broken tonight, which is kind of an anomaly. If only there were a store (around 98th and Lyndale) that sold bats...Good win fellas. Now to the heartbreak: Prior to the game, a young lad that shall remain nameless found himself in Quite the Quandary over a coed "Q-T" he met playing a game of Tinder. Seems the inQuisitive fella made arrangements to have a gal meet him at the game before deciding that maybe it wasn't the best idea. This unmentioned guy is pure Quality, so he handled it well. She didn't think so, and called him a "skeezy azz". Which my younger teammates tell me that in "girl speak" means she "Totes doesn't, like, like him anymore." So a public/private shaming to this unnamed player for finding himself in this predicament. Also, a public shaming to Jack Deutsch who apparently needs his mother to dress him before games. Props to Ryan Haggstrom who was willing to play tonight through a case of pink eye, before he was wisely told to stay home. Our next scheduled game was Sunday in Austin, but that has been cancelled. Been there done that, but more importantly, it's Father's Day. There are many reasons why so many love the game of baseball, and no reason is more valid than the next.
6/10 - The Base Ball Three-Sixtyfiver's took another important league game tonight, 4-0 over the Merchants. Pitching hero is long time Park National stud Nate Cousins, who threw a complete game shut out while never even finding himself remotely in trouble. On top of his game, he's as tough as anyone. Offensively, hands down Park National MVP favorite (if there were, you know, an MVP Award) Brandon Schmal continues to amaze with a three run blast, his third of the year. Parade is not an easy place to hit a homerun, his would have been out of every park in Major League Baseball. The kid is a joy to watch. As is any game at Parade (see picture). Jackson Goplen , Jack Piram and the very gregarious Domenic Dandrea all raked. In the brothers fight, Abe Welckle and Isaiah Welckle,,,,sooooweeee, it's a real slobberknocker: Abe's the "more responsible one", so we expect more. But Isaiah "should know better" so we expect him to learn from Abe. I think they each had a hit. I do these all from memory, so I don't know. I have to hand out a "Public Shaming" to...myself. In sports, as in life, everyone plays a role. My role tonight was defined well. I failed on the field..which I can handle. Failure is part of the game (and oftentimes hilarious). My off the field failure...brutal. I will be better. Grillmaster David Sell saved it for everyone. "And that's all I got to say bout that".
6/9 - Biggest win of the year for the Base Ball Three-Sixtyfive squad over league foe Minneapolis Angels, 8-7 in eight innings. Quinlan Milne-Rojek battled against a very smart, adjusting, veteran team but only was able to earn a no-decision.The most noticeable play of the game was Brandon Schmahl scoring from first on a dropped flyball off the bat of Ryan Haggstrom to win it, but there was so much more, that I can't even do it justice. So I'll sum it up this way: Quin was solid, but Jack Piram got the win, giving a gutsy relief performance as well as knocking two hits. Abe Welckle and Dom Dandrea also had two hits, so did Jack Deutsch,impressing his sweetie as well as his teammates. Nice to see the offense get it going to help the pitchers. It should also be noted here that Isaiah Welckle had a HUGE, HUGE two out, two RBI single, in a four run third. Game time temperature on the field was recorded at 168 degrees, based on my best guess by licking my finger and sticking it in the air. Huge win, but tiring. Back at it tomorrow @ 6:15 against the Merchants at Parade.
6/7 - I usually don't like to post after a loss, of which we've had too many that we shouldn't have this year, but the Base Ball Three-Sixtyfive squad put up a valiant effort in the New Prague Tournament today, losing 4-3 to the Hampton Cardinals. The game ended on a bizarre interference call against the 365ers. Apparently if an infielder runs into a runner it's interference. Jackson Goplen was a running back. If he's going to run into a guy, it's not going to be ambiguous. So what would have been a tie game, with the winning run at second and Nate Behlen coming to the plate with as he stated "dreams of being carried off the field just like in the movie "Rudy""...shattered. Sad. The good news is that we might have found a gem, with Doug Lewis on the hill throwing well all game. He's a ballplayer, and that's what we like. Domenic Dandrea mashed with a couple hits. I think I saw him smile once too, turns out he has teeth. Jack Deutsch continues to hit when he's the lineup, but likes to stand at home plate and pimp doubles like Barry Bonds used to do with homeruns. We found out on Friday that Jeffrey Jerez is a salsa dancer, but has yet to show us his "skillz". As was discussed before the game, Quinlan made it 18 games without telling anyone about how he hit for the cycle in T-Ball or something. Abe Welckle, while the teams biggest power threat, doesn't care much for doing laundry and the cost involved. His brother Isaiah Welckle has a super weird soccer profile picture, but had a hit and RBI winning the "Favorite Child of the Day" award from his parents. In the dugout we found out Jack Piram is 75% Irish, and 25% a little from every other country in the world. It also needs to be mentioned here that David Sell forgot his glove at the game Friday. David, you have the hat trick! In the same year!!!!! Unfortunately, a lot of guys had life events going on this weekend, and we weren't close to a full strength squad..again. Starting to miss some of the guys from our expansion season that went to other teams. Much appreciation to the guys that made the effort. This week on Tuesday we have the Angels at Parade @ 8:30, the Merchants at Parade on Wednesday@6:15, and down in St. Peter for an 8:00 tilt against the Saints. All winnable games with a full squad. Let's go!!!
6/5 - Baseball 365 drops a heartbreaker to the Lakers 2-1. 365 had their chances, with 5 innings of runners in scoring position, but couldn't get that big hit we needed, and ended up squandering a very good pitching performance by Nate Cousins, who threw yet another complete game, which at his advanced age is impressive in itself! Nate Behlen led the offense going 2-2 with a 2B and a walk. Tough loss, but well played game by both teams.
5/28 - America's favorite amateur team, the Base Ball Three-Sixtyfivers were back in action tonight, making the long, treacherous journey through the heart of rush hour to play the White Bear Township (Townshippers? Townies? Shippers?) and coming out victorious, 7-1. Geoff Fisher -aka "Fish"-lowered his ERA to White Bear Lake like levels by throwing 6 innings of one-hit, no run ball in earning the win. Granted, his WHIP levels were Rocky Mountain High, but that's not important if no one scores. Thatta boy Geoff! Brandon Schmahl was the hitting hero recording a couple knocks, with a ball that would have only seemed lively in the dead ball era of the 1920's. (Seriously, the balls were junk and probably came from a big box store, and not the friendly, family owned and locally operated [98th and Lyndale] Baseball 365, LLC, where all decent folk go for all their baseball/softball needs.) Schmahl also pulled off the rare 9-3 putout, taking away a basehit by gunning someone out at first from right field. David Sell came in to pitch the final inning and immediately sent out a statewide warning that he owns the plate, and he doesn't suffer fools that don't understand this, drilling the first batter before closing..nay.. SLAMMING the door shut. Nice win all around. After a couple days off to relax, the squad is back in action with a game Sunday at 2:00 in Austin against the Greyhounds (which is a much nicer drive for the ol' blood pressure than to White Bear Lake during rush hour).
5/27 - The Baseball 365ers had the "fightin" removed before this league game against the Patriots, coming out completely flat and outside of Brandon Schmahl's 2 hits, went 0 for 19 as a team. Poor defense also plagued 365, as several balls were misplayed resulting in a 5-1 loss where we made the Patriots pitcher look like Greg Maddux.
5/22 - The fightin' Base Ball Three-Sixtyfiver 's stomped the Hopkin Berries (see what I did there?) 7-1 in a non-league game. Quinlan Milne-Rojek, or should we just call him "Winlan"?, threw six strong innings striking out five and walking only one to earn the W in another impressive performance. Ladies, ladies, ladies...if you saw the way he was throwing this year, you'd swipe right. Pitchers like this don't stay free agents too long if you know what I'm sayin'...Hitting hero of the night was Tom Cruise Doppelganger "Dangerous" Donny Sell who found his groove with two missile hits. The squad relaxed after the game in Lyon's Pub territory, "Lone Spur Grill and Bar". As of press time, no Warriors were sighted, thus avoiding a "West Side Story" 2015 re-make. (Or more than likely, a lot of complimentary beers.) Next game: Sunday, 5:00 @ Blaine Fusion (Blaine sports complex). Keep on rolling fellas...
5/21 - The Fightin' Base Ball Three-Sixtyfiver's had a dominating win tonight over the (admittedly short staffed) Blue Sox 13-1. Jack Deutsch gets the win despite walking three in the first inning while trying to impress his girlfriend in the stands (that's the only explanation I can come up with, and the one I'm sticking with). Abe Welckle hit a ball that literally would have been out of 28 of 30 Major League Parks, but becomes a triple in the acreage of the Parade Stadium National Park. The defense didn't commit an error, which I'm discovering usually correlates with wins...hmmm...Finally, this all coincides with the return of Jackson Goplen, who neatly brings our lineup and defense together. Welcome back Jax!!! Every starter had at least one hit. Good job by all. Let's get rolling fellas!!!!! We don't have kangaroo court, so public shamings must be handed out to Quinlan Milne-Rojek for forgetting his jersey (he should buy his Mom flowers) and David Sell for leaving a glove FOR THE SECOND TIME (he should buy the team beer for eternity) Tomorrow night against the Hopkins Berries at Big Willow.
5/18 - Baseball 365 dropped the 1st league game of the season to the Cobras 9-2 in what can only be described as November weather. 365 came out cold and flat and gave the Cobras 6 outs the 1st inning, and 5 outs in the 3rd. Giving good teams that many free outs will almost always spell disaster, and sure enough the Cobras took advantage of Baseball 365's sloppy defense. Hats off to the Cobras, they played a solid game, and hit some balls very hard, but the score was not a proper indicator of pitcher Nate Cousins' performance. He threw well enough for the score to be a lot closer. Baseball 365 loaded the bases in the 1st, left 2 on in the 2nd and 3rd, so the chances were there, but we couldn't come up with a big hit when we needed one. Tough loss, just one of those games where the breaks don't go your way. We need to come out sharper,and warmer, next time when facing a tough league opponent.
5/16 -
5/13 - Embarrasing loss to Elko. Pitchers couldn't throw strikes, and when that happens, 14-1 is the result pretty much every time. We'll just write this one off, and focus on re-grouping on Friday.
5/11 - Baseball 365 beat Sport & Spine 2-0 on a cold drizzley evening. Jack Deutsch was the story. Jack threw a 4 hit shutout against several of his Hamline coaches who play for S&S. Jack scattered 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. 365 got their offense from a couple of solo homeruns from Abe Welckle and Brandon Schmahl.
5/9 - Baseball 365 picked up a win against Carver on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Finally getting some of our college guys back, we were able to put a solid team on the field for once. Nate Cousins threw all 9 innings and 180 pitches, as no other pitchers showed up. Cousins was solid, allowing 9 hits, 1 walk, while recording 6 strikeouts. The offense was led by the debut of Abe Welckle. Abe went 3-3 with a HR and 2 walks. Solid W for the 365 squad. Next up; Sport & Spine.
5/1 - Let's just say we're very excited to get our normal team back soon. Trying to play with everyone out of position and 4 pitchers in the lineup isn't fun anymore.
4/25 - Champlin ran into a much different team in this rematch. Nate Cousins threw 5 shutout innings, and Nate Behlen led the offense by going 3-5. 365 led 3-0 until the 7th, when the bullpen ran into trouble and Champlin ended up tying the score in the 9th, and eventually winning in the 10th.
4/19 - Picked up our first win of the year against a solid Hamburg Hawks squad. Nate Cousins with the win. Billy Diaz with the save.
4/12 - Pitchers hadn't even thrown off a mound yet, hitters hadn't seen live pitching. First game of the year against a Champlin team that had been practicing as a team twice a week since the new year. What do you think the outcome was? It was ugly. 15-4 debacle.