League Talk: Making do with what you’ve got

Sometimes you got to make do…

I met with my friend John Brandeberry for our first nine-game series of the year in the Illowa APBA League.  We met at a local coffee shop and in my rush to leave the house, I had left my dice shakers at home. 

The people at the coffee shop were nice and gave me a to-go cup to use.  I just couldn’t bring myself to roll with my hands (sorry, that’s just a good-natured dig at the hand rollers out there). 

It didn’t help that all my white dice were somehow left at home too.  Do you know how hard it is to read a red die and a green die when your brain is conditioned to the red and white dice combination?  I found out today.  Lesson learned.  Always make sure you have everything before you leave.  

Thankfully, I did remember my team cards but to be honest, the Thunderchicken’s hitters really didn’t show up till about game 6 or 7.  How did my team do today?  Well, my “playoff-bound team” lost the first five games against Brando’s Rising Bamm Beanos.  Not only that, we didn’t have a lead in the first four.  I can’t really complain about our pitching.  Our intrepid hurlers let up only 16 runs in those five losses.  How many did we score in those five games?  Try six runs. 

The single low point was when Albert Pujols was up with a runner on second and I rolled a 13.  That would be a welcome sight in any other year but this year he has a 37 there.  With the Beanos’ fielding one defense, that becomes a double play.  I sensed that even Brando was a little disappointed in that. 

We eventually rallied to win three of the last four games to make it a 3-6 series.  I haven’t done stats yet but rookie outfielder Justin Maxwell (who’s having a great year for the Thunderchickens so far) and newly acquired veteran Vernon Wells (thanks, Don S!) both figured greatly in a couple of the wins. 

Now my Twin City Thunderchickens are 16-23 and have a lot of work to get ourselves to get back into the hunt.