The 2006 Lutherville Orioles
Aurelio Antuna - Rookie
Steve Hanson
Andrew Hudak - P.P.
Keith Beck
Richard DeGroot
Chris Helmers
Mark Combs
Angel Mata
Michael Bronakoski - P.P.
Josh Taylor
Tony Johnson
Brian Perrone
Jason Cooper
Steve Sullivan
John Getz
January 2007
Nice write up on one of the best season's I've had in LTRC Over 30 Baseball:
Cleaning up e-mail I came across this conversation I was having a while back with a couple of baseball fan friends that strayed on to a discussion of the "Greatest year in baseball history." Ah, memories! Happy New Year boys. Sully #44
P.S.- Pain is temporary, glory lasts forever!
______________________________________________
I'd have to go with 2006. O's finish the regular season 15-1 after playing a lot of 1 and 2-run games. Take care of the Indians easily in the first round of a double elimination tournament to determine the American League champion. O's face arch rival Athletics in round two of the tournament. A's jump out to an early lead with four runs in the top of the first inning and control the game, up by five going into the bottom of the last inning. When all seems lost with two out, two in, and two on, 51 year old Angel Mata, grizzly veteran and team leader, hits his first homerun of the season, over the left field fence to put the game into extra innings. The A's come right back with two in the top of the ninth (typically 8-inning games). In the bottom of the inning the O's have one in and one out, with guys on second and third, and go for the suicide squeeze to tie it. The pitch is way high, but Mark Combs still manages to get on top of it and foul it down into the plate to protect the runner. With the bunt off Combs then coolly takes an outside pitch to right field, scoring both runs and winning the game for the O's. The following Saturday, after winning the losers bracket, the A's came back to seek their revenge, beating the O's in a 5-3 nail biter and forcing a winner-take-all championship game for the American league pennant the following day. With the game tied at two going into the bottom of the last inning and the heart of the Orioles line-up at bat, the A's get a quick out on a fairly deep fly ball to center field. Clean-up hitter extraordinaire Jason Cooper then comes up and drives a high fly ball to deep left. The A's left fielder backs up, looking like he has it measured, only to have it hit the top of his glove and pop over the fence (a la Pat Kelly). The ball never would have made it over the fence without the left fielder assistance. (It is not even certain that it would have even hit the fence in the air.) So just like that, it is all over for the A's and the O's go on to face the Longhorns for the overall championship series. Still stunned, and feeling almost guilty for winning that way.
http://www.over30baseball.com/americanleague.pdf
In the league championship, the O's take the first game fairly easily after a slow start with a 9-3 win. But the Longhorns fight back in game two of the double header with a gritty 9-8 win, forcing a third and deciding game the following day (and forcing Sullivan to cancel plans for a trip to Williamsburg ). Down 2-1 in the bottom of the third, Mata decides he has seen enough sloppy play and lack of commitment to get the job done, and he calls everyone together for an uncharacteristically pissed off pep talk. With one out and runners on second and third, Steve Hanson hits a well placed grounder between first and second, scoring two runs and advancing to second on the throw home. Then Sullivan hits a drive to right field that scores Hanson as the O's take charge of the game, never looking back and going on to win 10-2, capping back-to-back championships for the Lutherville Over-30 Orioles. What a season!
September 06
Fellaz…
I have decided to join the Longhorns next year.
This may surprise or disappoint some of you...and I'm sorry.
What I am not sorry for is the past 8 years of my baseball life…. it has truly been THE greatest time, I’ve spent on a diamond my entire life.
Soooo…. I’ll be pitching against you guys next year… don’t swing at junk… cuz that’s all you’ll see from this rag arm…but for me it will truly be FUN pitching against each of you next year (but I’ll still be going for the OUT).
Like Lito said… you guys are the ‘greatest’ and have been for all the years I’ve been an Oriole, I couldn’t ask for more out of any team… or friends. My main reason for trading teams is that my true passion in playing baseball is taking the mound (get your head out of the gutter MATA), and I just cant keep up with you (old) guys -- so I will join the Longhorns (where most of us.. still have friends)… and will most likely pitch … a lot, .... (each Monday will be an adventure). I appreciate all the time at short, but I’m due for a change.
It has truly been a pleasure playing with ALL of you … and I hope by letting you know my plans this soon, that you can work on getting another ballplayer to take my place on the O’s for the upcoming season.
Mata -- thanks for all the great parties at Casa de Mata!
Coop -- thanks for being a great manager and a helluva nice … barbarian.
The O’s blog should be there forever for us to enjoy -- as long as Goggle stays in business.
Until we meet again!
GoatGetz
#17
I rec'd 3 replies to my email... here they are:
Getzman,
I wish you the best of luck, and I can definitely understand where you are coming from. I would not want to be a pitcher on our team trying to find time to pitch. The Longhorns have a good team, and you will be a great addition. I look forward to our match-ups next year. Very classy of you to announce so early to the team, that's very cool.
Mark
P.S. Keep my pitches right down the middle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Goat,
I really hoped I was wrong, but detected the damn leak 2 days after our last big win (see below) from the chat site. Goat, You’re the best DP combo I've ever fed, or been fed!! I've called at least 6 of your HR's the last 3 years on the sides, just knowing your situations and having that "feeling" and "O'S Magic". Finally, I wish you the best and can't wait to face you too. Wow!!
God Bless
Hanson # 33
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey John- While I am saddened by your announcement , I can certainly understand where you are coming from. I can't say I haven't entertained similar thoughts about wanting to pitch a little more myself.
I will miss playing with you a lot and can't help but feel that my quality of life quotient just dropped a notch. Thank you for your friendship and enthusiasm, and for the support that your family showed for the team. We have so few fans, that it will be noticeable not seeing Pam and the kids at the games anymore.
Good luck. You're a great pick-up for the Longhorns! Sully
P.S.- You were one of my Dad's favorite players too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dam... lost our rookie to Philly...
Stay cool Lito...
Team,
I dropped by practice this evening to notify Cooper and all that were present that I will, unfortanetly, not be able to participate in the remaining games within the season. I also am being forced into early retirement from the Orioles to overwhelming cirumstances that will, regretfully, prohibit any further gameplay with the organization from this day forward.
I have accepted a job offer in Philadelphia with Siemens Medical, and my first day is Sept. 6. I had origianally plan to finish out the season, but after submitting my two weeks, my current company told me to finish out my last days at home. Not foreseeing this, this oppurtunity has allowed me the to go on vaction ealier than expected which has lead to this drastic decision, mostly influenced by my wife....blah..blah...blah, I'm sure you guys are interested in the details. Please remember that this is all very recent, and I did not want to say anything too "early" due to the uncertainty with getting the job and so forth.
Anyway, I wanted to thank the team and to let everyone know that you made it an enjoyable first and last season. The Orioles is made up with a tremendous coaching staff that can only be complimented by their talented players. I never played with a team, in any sport, that showed as much professionalism on the field as they did off the field. Playing with you guys made it easy for a "rookie" to fit in and feel like part of the team. My only regret is that I cannot continue playing with you guys.
Special thanks goes to Helmers and Hanson for drafting me into the team and giving me the opportunity to play with first rate ball-players. As I conclude my farewell e-mail, please let me finish off by leaving you guys this thought of encouragement..."eggshells".
Kick ass these next two weeks, I have no doubt that you guys will walk off with the championship.
Sincerest Regards,
Aurelio Antuña
19
Steve Hanson
Andrew Hudak - P.P.
Keith Beck
Richard DeGroot
Chris Helmers
Mark Combs
Angel Mata
Michael Bronakoski - P.P.
Josh Taylor
Tony Johnson
Brian Perrone
Jason Cooper
Steve Sullivan
John Getz
January 2007
Nice write up on one of the best season's I've had in LTRC Over 30 Baseball:
Cleaning up e-mail I came across this conversation I was having a while back with a couple of baseball fan friends that strayed on to a discussion of the "Greatest year in baseball history." Ah, memories! Happy New Year boys. Sully #44
P.S.- Pain is temporary, glory lasts forever!
______________________________________________
I'd have to go with 2006. O's finish the regular season 15-1 after playing a lot of 1 and 2-run games. Take care of the Indians easily in the first round of a double elimination tournament to determine the American League champion. O's face arch rival Athletics in round two of the tournament. A's jump out to an early lead with four runs in the top of the first inning and control the game, up by five going into the bottom of the last inning. When all seems lost with two out, two in, and two on, 51 year old Angel Mata, grizzly veteran and team leader, hits his first homerun of the season, over the left field fence to put the game into extra innings. The A's come right back with two in the top of the ninth (typically 8-inning games). In the bottom of the inning the O's have one in and one out, with guys on second and third, and go for the suicide squeeze to tie it. The pitch is way high, but Mark Combs still manages to get on top of it and foul it down into the plate to protect the runner. With the bunt off Combs then coolly takes an outside pitch to right field, scoring both runs and winning the game for the O's. The following Saturday, after winning the losers bracket, the A's came back to seek their revenge, beating the O's in a 5-3 nail biter and forcing a winner-take-all championship game for the American league pennant the following day. With the game tied at two going into the bottom of the last inning and the heart of the Orioles line-up at bat, the A's get a quick out on a fairly deep fly ball to center field. Clean-up hitter extraordinaire Jason Cooper then comes up and drives a high fly ball to deep left. The A's left fielder backs up, looking like he has it measured, only to have it hit the top of his glove and pop over the fence (a la Pat Kelly). The ball never would have made it over the fence without the left fielder assistance. (It is not even certain that it would have even hit the fence in the air.) So just like that, it is all over for the A's and the O's go on to face the Longhorns for the overall championship series. Still stunned, and feeling almost guilty for winning that way.
http://www.over30baseball.com/americanleague.pdf
In the league championship, the O's take the first game fairly easily after a slow start with a 9-3 win. But the Longhorns fight back in game two of the double header with a gritty 9-8 win, forcing a third and deciding game the following day (and forcing Sullivan to cancel plans for a trip to Williamsburg ). Down 2-1 in the bottom of the third, Mata decides he has seen enough sloppy play and lack of commitment to get the job done, and he calls everyone together for an uncharacteristically pissed off pep talk. With one out and runners on second and third, Steve Hanson hits a well placed grounder between first and second, scoring two runs and advancing to second on the throw home. Then Sullivan hits a drive to right field that scores Hanson as the O's take charge of the game, never looking back and going on to win 10-2, capping back-to-back championships for the Lutherville Over-30 Orioles. What a season!
September 06
Fellaz…
I have decided to join the Longhorns next year.
This may surprise or disappoint some of you...and I'm sorry.
What I am not sorry for is the past 8 years of my baseball life…. it has truly been THE greatest time, I’ve spent on a diamond my entire life.
Soooo…. I’ll be pitching against you guys next year… don’t swing at junk… cuz that’s all you’ll see from this rag arm…but for me it will truly be FUN pitching against each of you next year (but I’ll still be going for the OUT).
Like Lito said… you guys are the ‘greatest’ and have been for all the years I’ve been an Oriole, I couldn’t ask for more out of any team… or friends. My main reason for trading teams is that my true passion in playing baseball is taking the mound (get your head out of the gutter MATA), and I just cant keep up with you (old) guys -- so I will join the Longhorns (where most of us.. still have friends)… and will most likely pitch … a lot, .... (each Monday will be an adventure). I appreciate all the time at short, but I’m due for a change.
It has truly been a pleasure playing with ALL of you … and I hope by letting you know my plans this soon, that you can work on getting another ballplayer to take my place on the O’s for the upcoming season.
Mata -- thanks for all the great parties at Casa de Mata!
Coop -- thanks for being a great manager and a helluva nice … barbarian.
The O’s blog should be there forever for us to enjoy -- as long as Goggle stays in business.
Until we meet again!
GoatGetz
#17
I rec'd 3 replies to my email... here they are:
Getzman,
I wish you the best of luck, and I can definitely understand where you are coming from. I would not want to be a pitcher on our team trying to find time to pitch. The Longhorns have a good team, and you will be a great addition. I look forward to our match-ups next year. Very classy of you to announce so early to the team, that's very cool.
Mark
P.S. Keep my pitches right down the middle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Goat,
I really hoped I was wrong, but detected the damn leak 2 days after our last big win (see below) from the chat site. Goat, You’re the best DP combo I've ever fed, or been fed!! I've called at least 6 of your HR's the last 3 years on the sides, just knowing your situations and having that "feeling" and "O'S Magic". Finally, I wish you the best and can't wait to face you too. Wow!!
God Bless
Hanson # 33
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey John- While I am saddened by your announcement , I can certainly understand where you are coming from. I can't say I haven't entertained similar thoughts about wanting to pitch a little more myself.
I will miss playing with you a lot and can't help but feel that my quality of life quotient just dropped a notch. Thank you for your friendship and enthusiasm, and for the support that your family showed for the team. We have so few fans, that it will be noticeable not seeing Pam and the kids at the games anymore.
Good luck. You're a great pick-up for the Longhorns! Sully
P.S.- You were one of my Dad's favorite players too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dam... lost our rookie to Philly...
Stay cool Lito...
Team,
I dropped by practice this evening to notify Cooper and all that were present that I will, unfortanetly, not be able to participate in the remaining games within the season. I also am being forced into early retirement from the Orioles to overwhelming cirumstances that will, regretfully, prohibit any further gameplay with the organization from this day forward.
I have accepted a job offer in Philadelphia with Siemens Medical, and my first day is Sept. 6. I had origianally plan to finish out the season, but after submitting my two weeks, my current company told me to finish out my last days at home. Not foreseeing this, this oppurtunity has allowed me the to go on vaction ealier than expected which has lead to this drastic decision, mostly influenced by my wife....blah..blah...blah, I'm sure you guys are interested in the details. Please remember that this is all very recent, and I did not want to say anything too "early" due to the uncertainty with getting the job and so forth.
Anyway, I wanted to thank the team and to let everyone know that you made it an enjoyable first and last season. The Orioles is made up with a tremendous coaching staff that can only be complimented by their talented players. I never played with a team, in any sport, that showed as much professionalism on the field as they did off the field. Playing with you guys made it easy for a "rookie" to fit in and feel like part of the team. My only regret is that I cannot continue playing with you guys.
Special thanks goes to Helmers and Hanson for drafting me into the team and giving me the opportunity to play with first rate ball-players. As I conclude my farewell e-mail, please let me finish off by leaving you guys this thought of encouragement..."eggshells".
Kick ass these next two weeks, I have no doubt that you guys will walk off with the championship.
Sincerest Regards,
Aurelio Antuña
19
posted by John Getz at 9:44 PM
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