Historical Cardinals Team

I have another historical fantasy baseball team headed for the playoffs.

This team is in a National League only franchise league. You select one franchise from the NL and draft your team from players that played for that franchise. We played in a "Pitchers Era" league which means the offense is slightly diminished and pitching is given an edge by the algorithm (or logarithm, I forget which one) they use. We had a high salary cap 200 million (twice a standard league) and I selected the St Louis Cardinals.

My Cardinals finished first in the Central 5 games ahead of the Braves with a record of 93-69.

Musial carried a big bat in a pitchers era game. He hit .272, drove in 100 runs, hit 24 HRs and 30 doubles. He hit in the 3 hole and played a very respectable left field.


Rogers Hornsby was my other offensive stud. Hornsby hit .282, drove in 69 runs, scored 98 runs, hit 24 HRs and 29 doubles hitting in the 2 hole and playing second base.

Big Mac hit 36 home runs in only 324 at bats! He hit clean-up after I had the $ to acquire him later in the season.
Jim Edmonds had a nice year despite going down for 33 games with an injury. He hit 28 home runs, drove in 53 and owned center field.
No surprise who answered the call everyday at third base. Sabo. He was a stud with the glove but facing the best arms in the history of the game everyday ate him up at the plate.

The Wizard out at SS and hitting leadoff. Ozzie had a .299 OBP and stole 44 bases. He also led the league in RF at SS.

Maris in RF and protecting Mac. Maris hit 15 Home runs and had a cannon in RF gunning down 9 baserunners!

Ted Simmons caught most games for the season. Simmons hit .255 and threw out 35 baserunners for a .407 CS%, well done.

I had a solid bench for pinch hitting. The big contributors were Jimmy Sheckard and ...Enos "County" Slaughter.

In a pitchers era game the arms are very important. The rotation:

Cy Young. Cy was the #1 until Breechen went on a tear and took over as the stopper. Young threw 293.2 innings and struck out 252 with a 2.62 ERA and opposing batters hit just .210 off him.

Bob Gibson. The intimidator threw 245 innings, struck out 203 and hit 9 batters.....ouch.

Harry Breechen. Breechen came out of nowhere (#4 in the rotation) to take over the #1 spot. Check out these stats: 18-8, 2.31 ERA, and opponents hit just .188 against him. He is the #1 for the pennant chase and the Series.

Dizzy Dean was the #5 starter with 210 innings pitched and 201 K's....not bad.

The pen was "lights out"with some real great seasons.

Max Lanier threw long relief in blowouts and held to a 1.93 ERA.

Al Hrabowsky had 18 saves.

Tom Henke went 11-3 as a long reliever with a 2.08 ERA and 90Ks in 81 innings!Dan Quisenberry had 22 saves with a 1.99 ERA,
We play the Giants for the Pennant, I will keep you posted.

Friday night

Waiting for spring by tying a fly or two.

Below, a first run at a "Rick's Caddis nymph" size 14.

Below, a dry-fly called a "Cow Hair Caddis" size 12.

The Lebowski Experience 2009

This weekend was one of my favorite weekends of the year. The 2009 Lebowski Experience in Springfield.Each year fans of The Big Lebowski gather in costume and cause mayhem at our local bowling alley Strike and Spare West. They deserve a big "thank you" for closing down the whole place for all the local Achievers.
We started with the traditional gathering at our home.


Below, Dirk enjoying the pre-experience antics.Cindy and Dirk won the prize for traveling the furthest for the Lebowski Experience. All the way from Kansas CityKhara and Marc at our home.Remember the Nihilists from the film? If not, here is a shot and yes that is Flea. And here are our Nihilists. Cindy, Khara and Cruddy.Eric as Walter Sobchak.Apparently all Nihilists want to be The Jesus. Here is Cindy doing her impression.And Christy doing The Jesus dance.And some Nihilists like to flash lame gang signs.Amanda as our Bunny Lebowski!

Andy as our Donny...can't you just hear the "Whoo!".
The MacMurray crew at the Lebowski Experience: Emily, Eric, Khara and Cori. Well Done MacMurray!

Check out that last frame on the video monitor!

Walter with the Kahlua Girls as they wander the Lebowski Experience.

Our crew getting something to eat.

A happy Nihilist.

Walter with the Pomeranian....it has papers.

Walter about to call "OVER THE LINE!" The Nihilist is calm because she observes no rules.
Walter winning a cool door prize. He also took home the grand prize for best costume.

Nihilist Khara and her marmot.

The traditional spreading of Donny's ashes.

Well done.

A short gallery of other Achievers from the Springfield area.

The Dude, Donny in a can, the grocery checker and the Pomeranian's owners in Hawaii.


Maud as the Viking Woman from the dream sequence.
The Jesus!

Another Walter.And for the last shot...of course there was toe cake!

The Springfield version was very well attended this year and seems to grow every year.

Winter

Means snow.....but not enough to get a snow day.

Cardinals.....but not the Baseball version.
And "puzzle season" at our home.

The Springfield Junior Blues

Last night we went to the Springfield Junior Blues minor league hockey game!
Some of the action below.


The Junior Blues lost 4-2.


Not all was lost.....two good fights. Here is a shot of the first fight, just 1:36 into the first period. #10 left the game with a broken nose.


I went to the game with Khara, Marc and Kevin.


Zambonie!

My favorite shot. The final fight and the boys are squaring off at mid-ice.