The script reads the same, but this is a different team. Last year North City put together two perfect games, caught the Rebels a little flat, and squeaked out the championship. Today, if Carlsbad plays the best baseball of their young lives, and catches the Blue Rays asleep, it still won't be enough. Last year, a ball hit through the infield got to the wall, and fly balls, more often than not, found their way to the ground. The Rebels were incredible, absolutely. But they were so young, and, quite understandably, nervous.
This morning, as I attempted to ascertain Jack's feelings about tonight's game, he told me I am fatter than Bartolo Colón. Jack is not nervous. Tony might be a little tense, and Mike's house-money nonchalance will be tested today, but I suspect the boys are in fine shape. This does not bode well for the Crushers.
PREDICTIONS:
- The Blue Rays will win the 2013 Pinto Machine Pitch World Series, and it will be accomplished in the first game.
- Kaige will hit several balls off the shins of the left fielder.
- Luke will set a record for putouts, as Carlsbad is powerless to hit away from the shortstop position.
- Tucker will catch a foul ball over the left-field fence.
- Beacham will make a stretch at first base that would make Wally Joiner proud, and his father will get a perfect picture of it.
- Cooper will hit me in the forehead with a juice box, and it will be wholly my fault.
- Brent will record every out in at least one inning.
- Austin will go 4 for 4, and no one will understand why he wasn't hitting.
- Anthony will hit his first over-the-fence home run.
- The outfield will throw out at least two runners, though will be limited by Luke not letting anything through.
- Matt will prompt the scoreboard operator to put Bradley's run on the board before he even crosses the plate.
- Snapping photos beyond the outfield fence, Megan Biehl will be in perfect position to catch Beacham's home run, will fail to do so, and will hear about it from Max.
- Bradley and Luke will combine for three double plays, one of which will end the game.
- Gracey and Tiffany will order two drinks from Starbucks that they've never heard of and will wonder why they don't like them.
- Ned and Brian will not be able to stand the "It's C-bad time," chant, and will make it to Party City and back between innings bearing air horns.
- Brent Predmore will celebrate the big win by smiling broadly.
- Margie, fighting her every motherly impulse, will not fix Luke's hair during the post-game photo session (don't bet on it).
- The people from North City who saw fit to taunt us on this blog, after last year's finals, will reemerge to congratulate our boys for their effort and character (don't bet on this either).
- Late in the evening, as the Station party starts to dwindle, Coach Chris will convince Darin to invite everyone back to the casa de Williams'.
- Jack Occhionero, who deserves to go hitless for the Barlolo Colón comment, will hit a ball off the umpire, the pitching machine and Kolby Kiesling today.
- Ian Robertson will have an inside-the-park home run when his speed takes this team that has faced us some 20 times by surprise and they throw the ball into the outfield.
- Brett will tag Anderson, #24, Carlsbad's 2nd baseman, out and hit a ball through his legs in a single five-minute stretch.
- Max Methot will meet a nice girl named Birgitta on his trip, and will convince her family to come to California to watch the 2014 Rays play in the World Series rather than running off to Sweden again.
- Cindy will choke on her Caesar salad when Mike unexpectedly thanks her during the trophy presentation.
- And, finally, it will take the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team the greater part of a decade to recover from the damage done to their image recently by the following:
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Who are we..? BLUE RAYS!
