Results after Mercy Rule Day are below. Of the 21 games played, there were 7 Mercies, or a low 33%. We rescheduled some games a couple of times over the weekend and on the fly, as some teams couldn't make it. Those changes affected the schedule and probably the outcome. Still, 9 of the 12 Favorites - Never Scared, The New Frontiersmen, Bacon Bits, Dream Team, P. Diddy's White Party, Zeus Beard, Majesty, Brooklyn United, Crucial Taunt, all collectively yielded 5 runs. Their performances prove they are at least decent to exceptional fielding squads, and they don't fuck up too much.
At least 2 games came within 2 runs of a Mercy.
For those that thought Mercy Rule Day came too early, know it was necessary. Despite the weather, most teams did want to come and play, though few if any wanted to wait. It was a tad chilly. The schedule had more teams than usual, and so the more Mercies, the more games. Plus, I had to throw the Underdogs into the deep end of the pool, giving them a chance to buck up and rage against the dying of their confidence. They now know how to be a better team, and are a little tougher.
These games were difficult to schedule, and the day was made more trying by last minute no-shows, and a crappy local color. I made two columns: one for Favorites and the other for the Underdogs. I seeded both sets of teams, and that's as much of a feel as a number. While the Bacon Bits are the Champs, they do not mercy teams. So I placed them 5th on my list as teams with killer instincts. Knowing their outcomes (they scored 5 runs in 2 games), I should have ranked them 7th or 8th. Then I considered recent past history between two teams, and planned accordingly. For instance, in the case of Never Scared versus The Divine Sisterhood, Never Scared was the 2 seed, with the Sisterhood emerging as the top Underdog. Then, Never Scared mercied the Divine Sisterhood in the Playoffs, and I believe Never Scared is better than last year. I didn't know if the Sisterhood improved. The result: Never Scared wins 5-2. Perhaps the Sisterhood is better (or at least played better yesterday), or Never Scared didn't live up to its potential. Time will show.
I had to set these kooky rules for Mercy Rule Day, because yesterday was supposed to be anomalous. The Underdogs needed a fighting chance, while the Favorites were forced to be at their best. But with these results, the League may have gotten stronger overall. Most teams have returned, so hopefully they've gotten better with time. Now that we've passed Mercy Rule Day, we have the rest of the regular season to determine where everyone should be in these standings. Any one of 6 teams can grab the regular season title, methinks:
1) Never Scared (they seem to be rolling in phat city right now, we'll see how they do against the Mellencamps)
2) The JCMs (along with Prison) lay claim to best regular season record over the last 2 seasons
3) P. Diddy's White Party featuring Fat Kid Histle is no joke
4) The Dream Team could be champs if they get a righty 3rd baseman, and stick their current one, Brad, to the outfield.
5) Hardly no one scores on the Bits, but they could use sommma what Manny's got.
6) The New Frontiersmen are a superb bunch if they get their act together
(speaking of which, check out how the Pirates have the same record as the New Frontiersmen):
At least 2 games came within 2 runs of a Mercy.
For those that thought Mercy Rule Day came too early, know it was necessary. Despite the weather, most teams did want to come and play, though few if any wanted to wait. It was a tad chilly. The schedule had more teams than usual, and so the more Mercies, the more games. Plus, I had to throw the Underdogs into the deep end of the pool, giving them a chance to buck up and rage against the dying of their confidence. They now know how to be a better team, and are a little tougher.
These games were difficult to schedule, and the day was made more trying by last minute no-shows, and a crappy local color. I made two columns: one for Favorites and the other for the Underdogs. I seeded both sets of teams, and that's as much of a feel as a number. While the Bacon Bits are the Champs, they do not mercy teams. So I placed them 5th on my list as teams with killer instincts. Knowing their outcomes (they scored 5 runs in 2 games), I should have ranked them 7th or 8th. Then I considered recent past history between two teams, and planned accordingly. For instance, in the case of Never Scared versus The Divine Sisterhood, Never Scared was the 2 seed, with the Sisterhood emerging as the top Underdog. Then, Never Scared mercied the Divine Sisterhood in the Playoffs, and I believe Never Scared is better than last year. I didn't know if the Sisterhood improved. The result: Never Scared wins 5-2. Perhaps the Sisterhood is better (or at least played better yesterday), or Never Scared didn't live up to its potential. Time will show.
I had to set these kooky rules for Mercy Rule Day, because yesterday was supposed to be anomalous. The Underdogs needed a fighting chance, while the Favorites were forced to be at their best. But with these results, the League may have gotten stronger overall. Most teams have returned, so hopefully they've gotten better with time. Now that we've passed Mercy Rule Day, we have the rest of the regular season to determine where everyone should be in these standings. Any one of 6 teams can grab the regular season title, methinks:
1) Never Scared (they seem to be rolling in phat city right now, we'll see how they do against the Mellencamps)
2) The JCMs (along with Prison) lay claim to best regular season record over the last 2 seasons
3) P. Diddy's White Party featuring Fat Kid Histle is no joke
4) The Dream Team could be champs if they get a righty 3rd baseman, and stick their current one, Brad, to the outfield.
5) Hardly no one scores on the Bits, but they could use sommma what Manny's got.
6) The New Frontiersmen are a superb bunch if they get their act together
(speaking of which, check out how the Pirates have the same record as the New Frontiersmen):
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Here's something to help you, lifted from the Kickbacks' website:
