Post by The Jack on Jun 17, 2011 17:45:18 GMT 10
A weekend off to charge the batteries for some and a few games (both of baseball and other types) played for others. Well done Geelong on the champs, build on it again for next year.
I am looking forward to this week with some very good match ups that could really shape the ladder and the team I am playing against always put up a good show.
A Grade
Interesting ladder with Croydon and Heathmont showing the way. How long will NB hang in there for? I think they will finish mid pack. Has anyone seen Monty? MIA!
Forest Hill vs Melbourne University - If FH can limit Uni to 2 - 3 runs, they win this game. The problem that they have is who is going to take the mound first? At their park, with a solid defense, FH can take it to most of the teams in A Grade. Last game they managed a draw against Ringwood where last year they struggled against their B Grade side. Uni still just don't score enough runs. Teams in A Grade should be able to average 5 runs per game. Uni average just under 3 at the moment. They may have missed their window.
GMBC vs Heathmont Blackcats - You know what, I am not picking Monty until they win 3 in a row! They 'were' the best team we have seen for such a long time and now they are struggling with only 2 wins!! Heathmont on the other hand have put aside a first up loss to be arguably the best team going around. They have hitting power that other teams dream of. Get through a couple of hitters and you have no relief, they bat all the way down. They made the previously undefeated Croydon look second rate when they won 24 - nil. they were unlucky in last years finals, I think they will push for top two this year.
Research vs North Balwyn - Tough one here. Both teams with 4 wins, NB going well, but how long can they keep it up? As the season progresses and arms get tired/sore, who will pick up the slack? Research always tough at their own park. Big risk letting anything drift over the plate to these guys, so you pound them in right? Wrong, most of them can put a ball over the cage anyway.
Ringwood vs Watsonia - Ringwood are setting themselves up for the next few years and if they can keep some of these guys around the club will challenge soon. New coach seems to be doing well and the club should be happy with where all their teams sit. Watsonia are struggling to score runs as well (see comment about Uni), but not giving up any more than Ringwood, so may be a close one.
Match of the Round Croydon vs Greensborough - Croydon still on top even after the pasting Heathmont gave them. Why is this M.O.T.R? Top vs 4th. Greens need to win this otherwise they will be out of the top four. Both teams have good hitting line ups and guys who can throw, so expect a close one for the majority of the game. Then Croydon will hit 2 HR's in the one inning and before you realise Greens will be chasing. Unless the one man show does it again. Set them up, strike them out and stick the ball out 2 times himself. If he does this, others will follow and Croydon may suffer their 2nd blowout defeat at home.
B Grade
A couple of big games this week as the ladder will start to take shape nicely at the half way point of the season. Should it go to plan, we will have another season where fighting for that last spot in finals is tight and where any of the teams are capable of having a say in who will get that last spot.
Knox vs Mitchell Majors - Heard that Pujols is currently leading the 1B voting with Ayres close behind, come on boys get on line and vote!! Knox are doing it pretty easy at the moment, no disrespect to any other team, but it seems to me that the only way they lose the GF is if they lose interest themselves. Maybe ATDT should swing a couple of changes just to keep some of the guys in the top grade on their toes? But why mess with the winning formula! This will be a danger game for Knox. Why? Because Mitchell has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. MM have been in C Grade for a while and have been pretty good there, they have challenged the club by moving into B Grade and now they face a team that would probably not be sitting on the bottom of the current A Grade ladder. I would love to see a close game, as this will provide Knox with the rocket they will need to keep pressing and MM a belief that they can knock off any of the other teams.
La Trobe Uni. vs Diamond Creek - DC have the potential to win this game, but they just haven't scored the runs to suggest that they will knock off La Trobe. La Trobe were close last season, battling out for the top 2 positions right down to the wire. They have some guys who can play. I am somewhat surprised to see that they have only won 4 games, I thought they may be sitting with 6 wins by now. If DC can win this one, maybe they will hit a purple patch that see them win a few on the trot. If they were to make it to the finals, I think that their unknown factor would worry the other three teams.
North Coburg Rebels vs Bundoora - Rebels to bounce back this week. They just had a bad day against Knox. It happens (ask Croydon). Hey Authentic, how is the feeling around the place? It sounds like the club is in a good place and ready to take the next step. Bundoora have been close on a number of occasions and would love to have been at their last game (might have a week off to watch them at some stage). From all reports they still have some work to do. If they can get their situational hitting right, they have guys who hit the ball and a couple of guys who can throw and keep the opposition honest.
Match of the Round Waverley Blackcats vs Monash University - Going for an upset here. Waverley have won close games this year and not really put teams away like they would have wanted to coming back down from A Grade. Waverley need this win with games coming up against Westgarth and Ringwood in the next two weeks. They would need to win at least 2 out of 3 I would think. Monash stepped it up last week with a great win against one of last year's top sides. They win this week and they are right in the Hunt (gets me every time ;D
Westgarth vs Ringwood - tough one here as well. 3 vs 4. Ringwood beat Monash two weeks ago by 5+ and Westgarth lost last week to Monash by 1. This is the only thing I can think of to separate the sides. They had good battles last year. Both teams can hit, both teams can defend, in fact this will be like a finals game somewhat. Westgarth were unlucky that they lost their stars last year near finals and Ringwood were unlucky to miss finals after a washout somewhere I think. Both will need this win as both play other tops teams over the next 3-4 weeks.
Good luck, don't forget your thermals.
I am looking forward to this week with some very good match ups that could really shape the ladder and the team I am playing against always put up a good show.
A Grade
Interesting ladder with Croydon and Heathmont showing the way. How long will NB hang in there for? I think they will finish mid pack. Has anyone seen Monty? MIA!
Forest Hill vs Melbourne University - If FH can limit Uni to 2 - 3 runs, they win this game. The problem that they have is who is going to take the mound first? At their park, with a solid defense, FH can take it to most of the teams in A Grade. Last game they managed a draw against Ringwood where last year they struggled against their B Grade side. Uni still just don't score enough runs. Teams in A Grade should be able to average 5 runs per game. Uni average just under 3 at the moment. They may have missed their window.
GMBC vs Heathmont Blackcats - You know what, I am not picking Monty until they win 3 in a row! They 'were' the best team we have seen for such a long time and now they are struggling with only 2 wins!! Heathmont on the other hand have put aside a first up loss to be arguably the best team going around. They have hitting power that other teams dream of. Get through a couple of hitters and you have no relief, they bat all the way down. They made the previously undefeated Croydon look second rate when they won 24 - nil. they were unlucky in last years finals, I think they will push for top two this year.
Research vs North Balwyn - Tough one here. Both teams with 4 wins, NB going well, but how long can they keep it up? As the season progresses and arms get tired/sore, who will pick up the slack? Research always tough at their own park. Big risk letting anything drift over the plate to these guys, so you pound them in right? Wrong, most of them can put a ball over the cage anyway.
Ringwood vs Watsonia - Ringwood are setting themselves up for the next few years and if they can keep some of these guys around the club will challenge soon. New coach seems to be doing well and the club should be happy with where all their teams sit. Watsonia are struggling to score runs as well (see comment about Uni), but not giving up any more than Ringwood, so may be a close one.
Match of the Round Croydon vs Greensborough - Croydon still on top even after the pasting Heathmont gave them. Why is this M.O.T.R? Top vs 4th. Greens need to win this otherwise they will be out of the top four. Both teams have good hitting line ups and guys who can throw, so expect a close one for the majority of the game. Then Croydon will hit 2 HR's in the one inning and before you realise Greens will be chasing. Unless the one man show does it again. Set them up, strike them out and stick the ball out 2 times himself. If he does this, others will follow and Croydon may suffer their 2nd blowout defeat at home.
B Grade
A couple of big games this week as the ladder will start to take shape nicely at the half way point of the season. Should it go to plan, we will have another season where fighting for that last spot in finals is tight and where any of the teams are capable of having a say in who will get that last spot.
Knox vs Mitchell Majors - Heard that Pujols is currently leading the 1B voting with Ayres close behind, come on boys get on line and vote!! Knox are doing it pretty easy at the moment, no disrespect to any other team, but it seems to me that the only way they lose the GF is if they lose interest themselves. Maybe ATDT should swing a couple of changes just to keep some of the guys in the top grade on their toes? But why mess with the winning formula! This will be a danger game for Knox. Why? Because Mitchell has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. MM have been in C Grade for a while and have been pretty good there, they have challenged the club by moving into B Grade and now they face a team that would probably not be sitting on the bottom of the current A Grade ladder. I would love to see a close game, as this will provide Knox with the rocket they will need to keep pressing and MM a belief that they can knock off any of the other teams.
La Trobe Uni. vs Diamond Creek - DC have the potential to win this game, but they just haven't scored the runs to suggest that they will knock off La Trobe. La Trobe were close last season, battling out for the top 2 positions right down to the wire. They have some guys who can play. I am somewhat surprised to see that they have only won 4 games, I thought they may be sitting with 6 wins by now. If DC can win this one, maybe they will hit a purple patch that see them win a few on the trot. If they were to make it to the finals, I think that their unknown factor would worry the other three teams.
North Coburg Rebels vs Bundoora - Rebels to bounce back this week. They just had a bad day against Knox. It happens (ask Croydon). Hey Authentic, how is the feeling around the place? It sounds like the club is in a good place and ready to take the next step. Bundoora have been close on a number of occasions and would love to have been at their last game (might have a week off to watch them at some stage). From all reports they still have some work to do. If they can get their situational hitting right, they have guys who hit the ball and a couple of guys who can throw and keep the opposition honest.
Match of the Round Waverley Blackcats vs Monash University - Going for an upset here. Waverley have won close games this year and not really put teams away like they would have wanted to coming back down from A Grade. Waverley need this win with games coming up against Westgarth and Ringwood in the next two weeks. They would need to win at least 2 out of 3 I would think. Monash stepped it up last week with a great win against one of last year's top sides. They win this week and they are right in the Hunt (gets me every time ;D
Westgarth vs Ringwood - tough one here as well. 3 vs 4. Ringwood beat Monash two weeks ago by 5+ and Westgarth lost last week to Monash by 1. This is the only thing I can think of to separate the sides. They had good battles last year. Both teams can hit, both teams can defend, in fact this will be like a finals game somewhat. Westgarth were unlucky that they lost their stars last year near finals and Ringwood were unlucky to miss finals after a washout somewhere I think. Both will need this win as both play other tops teams over the next 3-4 weeks.
Good luck, don't forget your thermals.
, young Errol started well for them, Lando finished it off. Lando said I could mention that I got a few hits and knocked the winning run in off him. And yes Lando we agree it was a strike during that last at bat. Mike Deeble was good on the lines with some very close calls to make. He did not miss one.
