YSA: Playoffs? You Want to Talk About Playoffs!??

A question I've been getting a lot recently is where we stand with regards to the playoffs. It's kind of surprising to me that some Hounds would have playoffs on their minds after some of the stink bombs we've laid this season. The answer is that while we are not mathematically eliminated, it would take a miracle for us to qualify. Take a look at the standings (does not yet reflect our latest victory). The way I see it, the only way we can make the playoffs is if we win our last game AND any two out of these three teams lose all of their remaining games: Chico's, Paragon, and Fish. These are all pretty good teams, so them having a total collapse is unlikely. Still, it can't hurt to say some prayers..?

Top Six Make It

On a side note, here is a little video which I can relate to.

Hounds All-Star Voting

Hounds All-Stars (Vote for at least one male and one female)
	Alan
	Amy
	Cindy
	Dave
	George
	Iain
	Jane
	Jay B.
	Jason C.
	Jason T.
	Karim
	Margaret
	Marguerite
	Mike
	Pat
	Push
	Wink
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YSA: Vote for Your Hounds All-Stars

The Yorkville League All-Star Game will be taking place July 26th (make up date July 28th) at DeWitt Clinton Park. The game will be at either 6 or 7 PM. Each team will have two representatives, 1 male, 1 female. Please take a moment to vote for your Hounds All-Stars. Voting closes Friday, July 1st.

YSA: All-Star Nominees (1 male, 1 female)
	Amy
	Camille
	Cindy
	Dave
	Diana
	George
	Iain
	Jane
	Jason T.
	Jessie
	Juiena
	Karim
	Mano
	Mike
	Pat
	Push
	Wink
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Hounds Officially Registered with Yorkville Sports Association

Zog: Team MVPs

The voting is closed, congratulations to the worthy winners.

And now, your 2010 Zog Fall League MVPs:

Gotham City: Team MVPs Announced

The voting is closed and the MVPs for the Gotham City Sports League have been selected. The winners are very deserving of the honor. So without further ado, here are the winners:

Zog: Team MVPs

The voting is closed and the people have spoken. The Hounds MVPs for the Zog 2010 Spring/Summer league have been chosen. The winners are definitely worthy of the honor. So without further adieu, the winners are:

Zog: Hounds now playing for Doctors Without Borders

After three seasons of playing for the Make-A-Wish foundation, the Hounds new charity for the 2010 season is Doctors Without Borders. The reasons for this are several: 1st, Make-A-Wish has received a total of $550 from the Hounds, and I felt it was time to spread the wealth. 2nd, after the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the need for medical care in disaster-ravaged countries has never been more apparent. 3rd, Doctors Without Borders has an excellent track record of maximizing their charitable donations, ensuring as much money as possible goes to helping people.

Doctors Without Borders Website

Hounds Officially Registered for Zog Spring League 2010

Hounds Win $350 for Make-A-Wish Foundation

By virtue of our championship season, we were awarded a check in the amount of $350 on our behalf to the Make-A-Wish foundation of America. That money should go a long way in making a kid's dream come true. Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children that are facing life-threatening illness.

If feels great to know that just by playing good softball we are able to make a difference. It's all the more important when you consider the effect the lousy economy has had on charitable giving as a whole. Well done, team.

Team MVPs

Time to announce the team MVPs for Fall 2009. It was a close vote and in the end there ended up being ties on both the guys and the gals side. First, the ladies:

Camille - Camille had subbed for us before, but only until this season was she a full-time Hound. And what an addition she was. She came through with clutch hits coupled with solid fielding mostly behind the plate, but also at 2B and RF. Who will ever forget her huge RBI triple at the end of the final to seal our victory.

Margaret - What can we say about our Cy Young winner that hasn't already been said. Whenever she is pitching, we have a very good chance to win. Solid fielding, timely hitting, and overall leadership round it all out. She is a complete player. Went 3 for 3 in the championship and sparked the game-winning rally.

And now, the guys:

Iain - Mr. Clutch as I like to call him was a stellar performer all season long and through the playoffs. He looked like he was hurtin' at times out there, all the more reason to respect what he was doing. His batting average was an unbelievable .846.

Jason - This guy was our silent assassin, our T-1000. Whether at the top of the order or the middle, he did tons of damage to opposing pitching. None of his hits were cheap. In the field he was a shutdown outfielder who you didn't want to hit it anywhere near to. Led the team in hits(tied), home runs, RBIs, and runs scored.

So there you have your MVPs, team. However there were also other Hounds receiving votes:

Amelia - Due to scheduling conflicts Schimmy didn't really get going for us until the 2nd half of the season. When she did finally play, she brought an added dimension to our lineup. It's no coincidence that after she started showing up, we became an offensive juggernaut.

Cindy - All C-Rod did was come to every single game and play solid fundamental ball for us. She was our most disciplined hitter, I don't recall her swinging at a bad pitch all season. Hit a solid .438 in the regular season.

Diana - D.Lo made huge strides this season and distinguished herself at Catcher and 2nd base. She is a prospect to watch in upcoming seasons. She also supported the team loudly and unconditionally.

Juiena - Juice emerged as a reliable No.2 starter for us in the 2nd half of the season. She seemed to perform better with each start, and we were victorious in every game she pitched. She is also one to watch for next season.

Mega - Our reigning MVP's numbers weren't quite what they were last season, but Mega's hits always seemed to come at critical moments. He really elevated his game in the playoffs, capped by his 2 home run performance in the final. He has my vote for World Series MVP.

MAJA: Margaret & Iain Win Team M.V.P. awards

Congratulations to Margaret & Iain for being voted team M.V.P.s in our MAJA Sports 2009 Central Park Softball Summer League campaign. Thanks to everyone that voted, it's a great reflection on our team that 9 different Hounds received votes, showing we are a balanced team that does not rely on just one or two players to carry us.

Margaret was our ace pitcher all season long. She dominated the league with a record of 7 and 0 and an outstanding ERA of 2.86. It was because of her great pitching that we were able to often jump out to big leads on our opponents, and her impeccable control on the mound(no walks all season) made sure our opponents were never able to score any cheap runs. She also contributed with the bat, hitting a respectable .391 and driving in 6 runs.

Iain was a new addition to our ballclub but he stepped in right away like he always belonged. He led the team with a torrid .750 batting average, and it seemed like every time he was up to bat he was driving in critical runs. His play at third base was also outstanding. He fielded everything that was hit his way, and he demoralized our opponents with his glove & arm. How can we ever forget his dramatic solo home run in the quarter final that carried us to victory and the showdown with Double D's.

I would be remiss if I did not talk about a couple of Hounds that I believe deserve honorable mentions:

Dave– The big fella was a critical part of our offense. He led the team in home runs, RBIs, runs scored, and hits(tied). He also displayed cat–like reflexes at first base. I know he saved me from at least 3 or 4 throwing errors. He was also able to infiltrate the enemy camps through flirtation.

Jason T.– This guy brought a quiet intensity to our team that was much needed. He hit at a .700 clip, mostly in the leadoff spot. He also covered tons of ground in the outfield. Along with Jason C. they were a formidable combination in left field.

Pushpita– Push was a steady presence for us all season long. Her contributions weren't always visible in the scorebook, but she was no less important to our success. She was responsible for the most clutch hit by any Hound in the regular season, that two-out game-tying hit vs SCN. She also did some fine work with her glove.

All in all, it was a great season with many memorable moments. Thanks to all of you for participating!

Zog: Hounds Win Best Team Spirit Award & $100 for Make-A-Wish

Just got word from Zog that our team won the Best Team Spirit Award for the Spring/Summer Season. The award was voted on by all participating teams. This marks the 2nd season in a row that we win the award. Anyone that has been in our dugout knows that we always support one another and never, ever get down on each other. It also doesn't hurt to have some of the comedians we have on the team to lighten the mood.

Best of all, the award includes a $100 check on our behalf to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Sometimes we can lose sight of the fact that we are representing a great charity, but this award reminds us that we are making a difference just by participating.

Zog: M&M win Team M.V.P. awards

Congratulations to Margaret and Mega for being voted team M.V.P.s for the 2009 Zog Spring/Summer Season. The awards were voted on by their fellow Hounds.

Margaret was indispensable to our team with her outstanding pitching, solid fielding, heads-up play, and overall leadership. She was by far the leading vote-getter among the females.

Mega was also an integral part of our success this season. He was a steady presence in the lineup throughout the season, and he led the team in numerous important offensive categories, including hits and RBIs. He also contributed with good pitching when we needed someone to step up.

Cheers to you, Margaret & Mega, you have a drink on me at the next team get together!

Hounds Officially Registered for MAJA Sports Central Park Summer League

Looks like opening day will be Saturday, June 20th.

Hounds Overcome Protest of Game 2

I am happy to report that a ruling came down from the league on Game 2. Thankfully, the league has sided with us and found no validity to the Rams' protest. The victory officially goes to us, we are now 3 and 0 and tied for first place.

Hounds Victory Under Protest

The Hounds' most recent victory on April 14th is under protest. Seems the other team is whining about the conditions of the field and the umpire. Needless to say Hounds management is fighting this protest tooth and nail.

We eagerly anticipate the league's ruling...

Hounds Officially Registered for Zog Spring League 2009

Danny & Margaret Voted Team MVPs

Congratulations to Margaret and Danny for being voted 2008 Fall Season MVPs.

Hounds Win Best Team Spirit Award and $100.00 for Make-A-Wish

(click to enlarge)

The league recently informed me that our team won the Best Team Spirit Award for this season, along with a $100.00 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

Anyone that was in our dugout this season knows that our team is certainly deserving of this award. We always supported each other and never got too down. The awards were voted on by all the teams in the league so someone else must have taken notice.

So cheers to you Hounds for having that great team spirit and for helping out Make-A-Wish!

(click to enlarge)