West Coast Fantasy Baseball Association

2006 BASEBALL LEAGUE

FROM THE STANDS
Albert Park, San Rafael

October 15, 2006

by Jim Realini

             Another fantabulous season finally ended with Terry Lee singing the National Anthem and a great post-game party at Bruce Gilliat’s (for the A’s) and the Giants at the redoubtable Flat Iron.  The morning game saw the A’s using major league rules from the 4th inning on with no appreciable, noticeable difference except maybe they were all bearing down a little more...no steals.  The afternoon tussle played under WCFBA rules was also a taut last inning thriller because both teams were pulling out all stops to wring out a last victory before the hot stove league.  We’ll meet again on November 18th at Bruce’s house to remember through the fog of time about our thrilling stranglehold on youth over the past season and debate what is a hit versus an error in the old score book.  It has been fun remembering these weekly struggles and I hope to keep tellin’ stories from the stands, but now it’s time to finish up and get to them chores we’ve all been neglectin’.

GAME #1

 Oakland A’s (Mello) 6    Philadelphia A’s (Luis) 4

            The Oakland A’s woke up from their late-season foibles and pounced on their league rival Philadelphia A’s to finish over .500 for this season.  Wagner, Gamson, and Hooper stymied the Philly team and used Russ Greenfield’s acrobatic, diving catch to win the game.  Oakland parlayed three doubles by Yost, Wagner, and Bennett with singles by Dennis and Greenfield to push six runs across to master the A’s.

            Gayner, Krevocheza, and Byron pitched stalwart games each but the 10-hit attack by their mates could only squeeze four insufficient runs for the day.  Gayner’s triple and single along with Byron and Luis, Jr. two hit days led Philly on the day.  Contreras, Alexander, Gilliat, and Don Luis, Sr. each ended the day with a hit-a-piece.

 

GAME #2

 

Fresno Giants (Realini-Terra) 7    San Francisco Giants (Bennett-Lee) 6

            Despite their record, the Fresno Giants showed that they weren’t ready to go quietly into the foggy bay today.  Behind the steady 17-hit, too many LOB pitching of Joe Gagliardo and Dave (what time is the game?) Chilcote and some nifty fielding behind them, the scrappy Fresno boys hung in there until a dramatic bottom of the ninth when Joe Gagliardo singled home Dave DeCruz (running for Todd West who had singled to lead-off) for the GWH!  The San Francisco men threw a crafty quartet of veteran slingers led by Carl Vargas, Dennis McCroskey, Randy Wallace, and Bob Hartkop who limited Fresno to only seven hits.
            Todd West led Fresno with a big triple and the last inning single, while Joe Gagliardo (GWH!), Craig Nelson, Greg Terra, Dave Chilcote, and Elmer Studer each slapped singles.
            The San Francisco Giants certainly had a great day at the plate led by Hardtop’s booming home run and double followed by Carl Vargas’ double-single day.  Steve Bennett, Matt Schmuck, and Terry (Oh Say Can You See) Lee blasted two singles each to keep up the SF fire.  John Riley smacked a double to go with bingles by John Haines, Randy Wallace, JC Penney, Todd Hudson, Dennis McCroskey, and Dennis Horn.

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