Wildcards Survive Late Blues Charge

Strong 9th inning rally falls short as Wildcards sweep season series.

It could have been a turn for the worse in an otherwise great season. Towards the end of last night's 11-10 triumph over the Down Home Blues, shadows of the second season began to emerge: late inning rallies, an inability to close out oppositions' innings, and a near-complete implosion.

But in the end, the Wildcards found a way to pull it all together, and ended up escaping Blues Field with the win.

Though all players were relieved to have secured the win, the experience took its toll on many players, including starting, and eventual winning pitcher, Ice ?ueen Reyes. After acknowledging the emotional roller-coaster, she was quick to point out that she never lost faith in her team's defence.

"It happened so quickly and was pretty unexpected. It got pretty damn stressful on the mound, though there's very little doubt when it comes to our defence. Our defensive strategies bring up my confidence and put me at ease."

Just like their previous too-close-for-comfort victory against the Colts, players stepped up. This time around, it was SS Sinbad Sinclair, 2-for-3 including an RBI, who brought his A game and seemed to be involved in nearly every big defensive play.






Sinbad Sinclair, seen here taking in the game from the Wildcards dugout, played a big part in the Wildcards victory.





"I feel my hitting's starting to come around. No more dribblers for me." he joked after the game, referring to a soft single he hit earlier in the year - one that he has acknowledged a humourous embarassment over. Certainly no dribblers this time around; he came within mere feet of clearing the fence for a homerun in the top of the 7th inning, an eventual double that scored OF Sixty Chan.

As strong as he was with the bat, he was equally impressive - possibly more so - with his defence. He had every single put-out in the 3rd inning, including one play where he, after making a terrific stab at a solid ground, tumbled, recovered and made the play from his back. In the sixth inning, he also doubled off a Blues runner caught sleeping. After a liner came towards him, Sinclair looked to first and saw the runner well off the bag. He fired a laser to first to double off the runner and end the inning. Ever the humble player, Sinclair was quick to give credit to his teammates on both plays.

"I took a tumble and thought I may have time to make a play. Geebs (Chang) must've been thinking the same because she got to the base quickly, so I had the chance to make the play." "(After the liner) I just took a look around and he (the runner) was sort of nonchalant about getting back to the base. Hollywood (Fernando) saw it too, and set himself at first nicely."







In addition to her defensive work, Geebs Chang contributed offensively, going 1-for-3 at the plate.




Though she was candid earlier in discussing the Blues' 9th-inning rally, Ice ?ueen Reyes chose to use few words to sum up this win.

"Three words: un-effing-defeated."


NOTES: The Wildcards surrendered just their second mercy inning of the season. El Saviour Bulos pitched two shutout innings for his sixth save of the year. OF r3z Salehoun returned after missing one game with a sore back. The Wildcards return home to host the Paddington Bears after the upcoming bye week.

Bidding War for Saks' Services

Stardom breeds interest, and Saks has garnered both.

The off-season acquisition of Chokolate Saks was a surprise, and yet, expected at the same time. After a second D Cup finish, Wildcards management openly spoke of their desire to acquire a big bat. That they were able to lure that of Steven "Chokolate" Saks, who had found substantial success with Who's Up, certainly raised eyebrows.

This time, it looks as if Saks, through no direct effort of his own, is raising eyebrows again.

Sources close to Wildcards management, speaking with reporters on the condition of anonymity, have indicated that they have received considerable offers for the services of their all-star third baseman.

Unconfirmed reports have cited the TD Waterhouse Warriors as the front-runners in the Saks sweepstakes. They are rumoured to be offering a package deal including two "notable players" and a 1st-round draftpick in exchange for Chokolate Saks and Hollywood Fernando.


Chokolate Saks may be calling his shots with the Warriors by the end of the season.

A source close to the negotiations reports that the trade was all but a done deal when a second suitor for Chokolate Saks came in - the Colts. Colts management reportedly offered a package deal of Meat and Ichibro along with 1st and 2nd-round draftpicks for the same package of Saks and Hollywood Fernando. With the price raised considerably, the Warriors had no choice but to sweeten their offer, supplementing their earlier proposal with a 2nd-round draft choice, cash considerations, and - this being Chokolate Saks' contract year - a considerable raise from his current contract of one pint per homerun: one pitcher per homerun.


If the Warriors have their way, Hollywood Fernando may be flying to his new home at TD Waterhouse West Field very soon.

Considering the circumstances of league standings and the Wildcards payroll position, the deal makes sense for all parties involved. Both suitors - the Warriors and Colts - are chasing the Wildcards for first place and are unlikely to catch them without a serious enhancement to their lineup. The Wildcards are near their payroll-cap, and thus, may not be able to sign Saks to a long-term deal by season's end, as he is surely due for a raise.

With an 8-0-1 record and only five games to go before playoffs, the Wildcards likely have enough space, and talent, to win a sufficient amount of games to stave off any end-of-the-season charges at first place that both teams will likely make.

When asked of such offers, Wildcards management offered the following statement:

"It is in Wildcards policy not to speculate on any unconfirmed rumours or reports. As the source is unknown, and therefore, not credible, we will treat this report as such. We value the interest of the media and of our fans in the team, and hope they continue to support the Wildcards as we move forward this season."

Savvy reporters, such as yours truly, have circumvented this attempt at hype diffusion by speaking with Chokolate Saks' agent, Mark Lukowitz.

"Yes, I can confirm that there has been considerable offers tendered to the Wildcards for the acquisition of my client, Mr. Saks, and his teammate, Mr. Al Fernando. Speaking on behalf of Mr. Saks, I assure Wildcards fans that these negotiations will have no detrimental effect on his focus and/or performance on any games he may have remaining with the team. He would like to assure his fans that as long as he is a Wildcard, he is dedicated to the team - for however long that may be."

Wildcards Dig Deep to Remain Undefeated

Last inning heroics come through again against the Colts, followed by a dominant performance against Dem Bums.

Another double header, another pair of teams fallen by the wayside.

The Wildcards capped off Week 7's double header by flexing their devastating offensive power against Dem Bums with a 26-10 victory. The run disparity was so large, in fact, that Bums players began accusing the Wildcards of showing unsportsmanlike behaviour in running up the score.

"They were up by a ton of runs, and yet they ran the bases aggressively and continually pounded the ball." said a Bums player, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "The game was out of reach at that point; it was unnecessary."






Ice ?ueen Reyes walks back to the dugout after scoring on Chokolate Saks' RBI-triple, further raising the ire of unidentified Bums players.






When asked if the 'Cards were in fact trying to embarass the Bums in front of their hometown fans, 3B Chokolate Saks was quick with the rebuttal. "No way, we don't play like that, man. We're in a tight race with the Colts and the Warriors for first place overall. If in the end there are identical records between the three of us, what's the tie breaker? Run differentials - it's going to separate first place and second place...and we have no intention of being second place." When pressed for further comment, Saks refused.







Chokolate Saks refused to speak further on the "running the score" issue against Dem Bums.







Captain OF Voodoo Redoblado reassured everyone that there was no animosity. "I spoke with certain players after the game; they didn't feel that way at all. I think it was just a select few."

But just like their last double-header, the real story of the day was the match against Colts. And like their last victory, the Wildcards needed 11th hour heroics to secure the 13-11 victory on enemy territory. In the previous matchup, it was Franchise Fernando hitting a walk-off RBI double to score r3z Salehoun.

This time around, it was El Saviour Bulos with the game-winning RBI - though he did get a lot of help. With two outs in the top of the 9th, nobody on base, and the Colts' bats looming, R Bubba Nisperos hit a big single through the gap between SS and 3B to keep the inning alive. And then the captains came up.

Bubba Nisperos, seen here batting against Dem Bums, was clutch against the Colts; she played a large role in the 9th inning heroics that won the game, scoring the game-winning run.

El Saviour Bulos described his thought process at the plate during that crucial moment. "When Bubba hit that single, I got pumped. She gave us a chance to win, and all I thought was 'Don't (expletive) up, otherwise her single is all for naught.' I was looking to hit a line drive that they may have trouble fielding."

That's exactly what he did. With the count 1-1, Bulos jumped all over an outside pitch that caught too much plate, driving it hard to the right-centre gap. The hit found its way through an outfield playing a four-across umbrella, allowing Nisperos to score from first, and giving Bulos what would go on to be a game-winning RBI triple. But they weren't done there.

"I felt slightly better when he (Bulos) got the hit, but I knew we needed the insurance run." said captain OF Voodoo Redoblado. "They had good bats coming up, and although I have faith in our defence, we needed as many runs as we could get." He would go on to hit an RBI-double that gave the 'Cards a little bit of breathing room.

With a two-run lead, and a full game against Dem Bums on the horizon, starting pitcher Ice ?ueen Reyes wisely decided to conserve her energy for the long haul, handing the ball over to El Saviour Bulos in the bottom of the 9th against the heart of the Colts' batting order - including Meat and Ichiro. With the help of their trademark shutdown D, Bulos pitched his best save performance of the season; a 1-2-3 9th inning for his fifth save of the year.







El Saviour was lights-out in the clutch, shutting down Meat and Ichiro in the 9th to secure the win.







Of particular interest was the circumstances under which the win was achieved. Midway through game one, CF r3z Salehoun suffered an unidentified injury, severely restricting his mobility. However, with 1B/OF Nocks Sunga, and OF Sixty Chan late scratches, the 'Cards simply did not have enough players to replace him, and he hung tough in his position.

"We're winning right now, and I didn't want to take myself out of that game." Salehoun said after the double-header. "Even if I couldn't field like I normally could, I just wanted to stay in there and help in any way." Again, the 9th inning heroes - Bubba Nisperos, Voodoo Redoblado, and El Saviour Bulos - came through, holding the outfield fort despite the situation.

NOTES: r3z Salehoun is questionable for next Sunday with an upper body injury. Chokolate Saks hit the first-ever over-the-fence HR in Wildcards history against Dem Bums. Nocks Sunga and Sixty Chan played the second game of the double header, each hitting multiple hits. The Wildcards end a three-game road trip this Sunday against the Down Home Blues.

Defence Against the Dark Arts

First place? May as well be a bulls-eye.

Being first overall in a competitive league certainly has its perks. For starters, your team gets noticed - see how the second game of Week 7's impromptu double-header, a case of worst vs. first - has been recognized as the game of the week. This despite the fact that the Bears vs. Blues matchup has, arguably, more dire consequences for both teams' playoff aspirations.

But forget about the worst vs. first matchup. That is, if you're even thinking about it. Surely, that isn't the first thing on the collective minds of the Wildcards. Given the difference in scores between their games against the Bums and the Colts, 23-12 and 13-12 respectively, you can't blame the Wildcards if their focus is mainly on game one against the Colts.

The Wildcards travel to Colts 45 Field to make up their earlier rainout this Sunday. The original game was called off in the bottom of the 3rd with the Colts leading the Wildcards 4-2. Now, with an exclusive hold on first place, and the dramatic 13-12 win earlier in the season (following Franchise Fernando's winning RBI double to score r3z Salehoun), the Wildcards surely have a target on their back.

"They're going to be looking to avenge that loss, no question." says captain OF Voodoo Redoblado. "But we're ready."

"Well, we left the last game trailing them, and they only had one out if I remember correctly. So we sure as hell better be." added C Kiddo Wong.

Though many believe the question will be whether or not the Wildcards defence can stop the powerful Colts offence, Franchise has a different view.

"I don't think we need to have to worry about it (defence). That is always there, and it's tops in the league - bar none. Whether we win or not will depend on if our bats show up."

Both offence and defence may be getting an upgrade over the last victory over the Colts. SS Sinbad Sinclair, who missed that game with a sore hamstring, will be in the lineup. His return against the Scorpions showed just what he can contribute: great defence, and hard line-drives that find their holes. The defence may be taking a slight hit, as 2B Geebs Chong, who has been stellar in her own right, will be missing the game.

Despite that, the Wildcards will be surely focused come Sunday. The implications of this matchup are not lost on them, especially 2B Blue San Luis.

"This game is crucial. A win will give us a little more breathing room from the teams behind us. A loss and they're right there with us."

NOTES: 3B Chokolate Saks suffered an unidentified injury in a tuneup game Thursday. He is expected to be in the lineup. Franchise Fernando and El Saviour Bulos participated in the game as a warmup for Sunday.

Wildcards sting Scorpions

In a win reminiscent of the first two games, the Wildcards maintained their hold on first overall.

Given that the media has been openly curious of the Wildcards flailing offence, last night's game can be viewed as an emphatic rebuttal, as the Wildcards defeated the Scorpions 23-7 in a game that, for the most part, was never in question.

After opening the game with back-to-back doubles and building a 2-0 lead in the first, the Scorpions once again put up a valiant effort against a much-heralded Wildcards defence. Through two innings, the game was tied 4-4, thanks to some excellent gap hitting on the visitors part. They would have had a 4-2 lead had it not been for Blue San Luis' clutch two out homerun in the bottom half of the 2nd. From that point forward, it was all Wildcards.






r3z Salehoun and Sixty Chan discuss the Scorpions early game gap hitting. The adjusted outfield strategery worked, as the Scorpions failed to score for four consecutive innings.









El Saviour Bulos came in the 3rd and pitched a shutout inning, thanks to solid infield defence. SS Sinbad Sinclair made two put-outs and, with runners in scoring position, 2B Geebs Chong made a great play on a hard grounder to end the inning. The Scorpions would not score another run until the 7th inning. In the bottom half of the 3rd, 3B Chokolate Saks had a 2-run triple to further increase his team-lead in RBI's, scoring C Unknown Laurendeau and IF Franchise Fernando. In the bottom half of the 4th, the home team ran up the score for the only 5-run mercy inning of the game. The inning included a 2-run sacrifice fly by 1B/OF Nocks Sunga that nearly left the park.







1B Hollywood Fernando speeds into second base safely in the 6th, as the Scorpions superstar 2B player (seen in white) looks on.



















The Wildcards' big guns head to the bench after another shutout inning, and prepare for assault.






Particularly promising for the Wildcards is that the Warriors, the only other undefeated team prior to Week 7, lost their first game of the season to the Paddington Bears.

"It got us all really pumped before the game." said captain OF Voodoo Redoblado. "The game became of bigger importance; it was our chance to make our first place position unquestionable. Now nobody can say that we're #1 just because we've played more games than everyone else. We're there because we deserve it."

Pitching was fantastic once again. P Ice ?ueen Reyes continued her dominance over opposing hitters, giving up just seven runs over seven innings. Teammates were in awe of this particular performance.

"She had some real dirty stuff out there. Her balls were just coming in real nicely - her 'dirty balls', if you will." noted 2B Geebs Chong. R Bubba Nisperos, agreed with her teammate.

"Yes, I think they were really throwing off the other team. They never saw them 'dirty balls' coming." The Ice ?ueen helped her own cause at the plate, with two singles and a triple.

El Saviour Bulos pitched two innings of shutout relief for his second save of the season. It was his first game having not surrendered a run. He was pleased, but lamented missing a chance to pitch to the Scorpions superstar 2B.

"I felt a lot better on the mound today, and the defence really came through for me on both innings. As great as it felt, I would've loved a chance to pitch to their best player. She's amazing and is clearly one of the best players in the league."

NOTES: The Wildcards boarded the team bus immediately following the game. They begin a three game roadtrip starting next Sunday. The Wildcards play an impromptu double-header that day, including a make-up game against the Colts, followed by a game against Dem Bums.

Finally First!

Nearly two and a half seasons in the making, the Wildcards finally stand alone atop the Willowdale League.

We all wondered if it would ever happen. Since the beginning of the 2007 season, the Wildcards have been winning and winning; when they weren't doing that, they were winning some more. And yet, first place was elusive, mainly because the frontrunners, the Warriors and Colts, maintained an iron-fisted grip on the highly coveted position with impressive win streaks of their own.

Until this week. Thanks to a victory against the Scorpions, a thrilling 13-12 win over the Colts, and a little help from Sister Scheduler, the Wildcards are finally first place overall - a distinction they no longer have to share with anyone else. The Warriors also won their game on Sunday against the Down Home Blues, but have less wins than the 'Cards by virtue of a lack of a double-header.

"It's a huge step for our team." notes captain OF Voodoo Redoblado. "We've gone from basement dwellers to elite in less than half a season. I believe it's the hard work and effort all of our players bring every time they step on the field. I'd say that's the biggest contributor to our success."

Another contrast to last season is the 'Cards ability to dictate games, rather than playing to opponents' style, an observation not unnoticed by C Kiddo Wong.

"Ultimately, we stick to our game. We play great defence, and our runs just come naturally. We used to fall into the trap of trying to beat teams at their own game, but now we just go at our own pace and let things happen."

The 'Cards have also showed that, despite their hot streak, they're also the coolest under pressure. Blue San Luis noted an admiration for the team's ability to keep leveled heads in crucial situations.

"Sometimes we're a bit shaken, but ultimately unstirred when things start to unravel. The team has shown the ability to pull itself together. It's essential that we keep things simple, because once you start trying to do too much, that's when you (expletive) up."

Sixty Chan agrees. "In the past few seasons, when things began to fall apart, we'd implode. On double-header weekend, we made teams strand runners in scoring position. Also, this season if one teammate gets down on themselves, we've all been really supportive of one another, picking up each others spirits."

While the defence has been sensational, there's much to be said about the pitching. Ice ?ueen Reyes has been dominant on the mound. Her ERA is comparable to many major league pitchers at 5.71 - unheard of in a league known for its power hitters.

"I've been feeling really confident on the mound this season. Entering spring training, everybody had high hopes and we all had positive expectations without all the pressure. I think that's helped a lot. And the defence has been stellar all season-long."






Ice ?ueen Reyes has been nothing short of spectacular for the Wildcards.






In addition, their past few games have been a real treat for fans. Although they displayed nothing short of complete domination of Who's Up and Dem Bums to the tune of 26-7 and 23-12 respectively, recent wins have not come without their share of drama and heroics. Last week's game against the Colts is a prime example; won on Franchise Fernando's walk-off RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

"We're winning games, but we're not demolishing teams." says brother 1B Hollywood Fernando. "But I think it's good for us; the satisfaction of our fans notwithstanding, it keeps us on our toes and prevents us from getting complacent."







Hollywood Fernando has words of advice for the Wildcards, if they wish to continue their newfound successes.




Wise words to live by if the Wildcards wish to continue revelling in their new found place at the top. From here on out, anything short of a total team effort could have them tumbling into all-too-familiar territory.

Double Kill!

After downing the Scorpions, the Wildcards defeat the Colts in dramatic fashion and go 2-0 on double-header weekend.

During one of the hottest days of 2007, the Wildcards proved that they're one of the hottest teams in the Willowdale League.

In game one of their double-header, the Wildcards soundly defeated the Scorpions 15-9 in an abbreviated 7-inning game. Despite a valiant effort on the Scorpions part, the game was never in question as the Wildcards jumped out to an early 5-0 lead to begin the game. 2B Blue San Luis noted that while their opponents had improved, they were still not without their old flaws.

"They're better than before. Offensively they're sharper, but we were able to take advantage of their defensive lapses."

The Wildcards also exploited the Scorpions weaknesses on the mound. At the end of 7 innings, the 'Cards had drawn seven walks, five of which scored.

But the real story of the day was the second leg of the double-header. In a game echoing the competitiveness of their earlier bout with the Warriors, the Wildcards pulled off a thrilling 13-12 victory against their old rivals the Colts in front of a capacity crowd.

"I think everybody wanted that game really badly, just because of the history we have with them." said R Bubba Nisperos. "Even during the game I sensed that there was a lot of tension between us."

Fans may recall that it was the Colts who ran up the score on the Wildcards last season, but the game ultimately ended in a forfeit due to use of illegal bats.

After the game was tied in the top of the 9th on an inside-the-park homerun by Meat, SS Franchise Fernando backed his self-proclamation. With OF r3z Salehoun at first base and two out, the Franchise hit a deep fly to the gap in right field. Most thought that the ball was gone, including Geebs Chong.

"My heart stopped when the ball was in the air. I thought it was a homerun, which would've been awesome. But when I saw that it wasn't caught, I knew it was over."

Outfielder Ray Mierins looked to have a beat on the ball, but seemed to have trouble once he neared the warning track.

"He looked like he was going to get it, but it looked like he sort of let up in the end." C Kiddo Wong noted. "I think he had trouble playing it off the wall."

After the game, the Franchise described what was going through his head as he was at the plate with two out and the game on the line. "I kept telling my self, 'Don't mess this up, don't mess this up.' I just saw my Mahkmuud (Salehoun) on first, and knew I needed to hit a ball hard to give him a chance to score. Honestly though, I would have been just as happy if anyone else hit that winning hit because I really just wanted to win the game." The Franchise also broke his streak of games without an extra base hit at four. He finished game two at 3-for-5 with a single, double, and triple, including the game-winning RBI.

The game marks the second time the Wildcards have held an offensive powerhouse to just 12 runs. It is exemplary of a defence that incited frustration all afternoon long, as seen on the faces of Mierins, Meat, and Ichiro.

Despite being a hard-fought contest, the Colts only led the game for half an inning. They scored three runs in the top of the 7th to take a 10-8 lead. However, the Wildcards have in the past displayed a propensity to respond quickly. In the bottom half of the inning the Wildcards answered to the tune of four runs.

"They're pitching was having trouble adjusting to our hitters." notes outfielder Sixty Chan. "They're good defensively but we got the pitches we wanted. And I don't know how they do it, but some of our hitters: Franchise, r3z, and Chokolate, placed their hits into those gaps." It's a feat Sixty himself accomplished, as he finished game two 1-for-2, including a triple and 2 RBI's.

And so, as the dust settles on double-header weekend, the Wildcards remain standing as one of the last undefeated teams in the league.

NOTES: My apologies for the lack of pictures; my source's camera battery was near dead. Stats will be updated later.
Not even halfway through the season, the Wildcards have now matched their all-time best win total, and have surpassed last year's abysmal mark of four. SS Sinbad Sinclair missed his second game in a row, while OF/1B Nocks Sunga missed his first game of the season with flu symptoms. The Wildcards continue their homestand next week against the Scorpions.

Double Header weekend

The Wildcards kick off week 6 with a double header, but will their offence show up?

This weekend the Wildcards take on the no-longer-pushovers Scorpions, and play host to the Colts immediately following as part of their first double-header of the season.

What is worrying as of late is the team's offence, which has gone AWOL in the past two games. After scoring 49 runs against Who's Up and Dem Bums, the Wildcards saw just 23 runners cross the plate against the Warriors and Down Home Blues. It can be argued that the latter two are defensively strong teams, but they're making no excuses.

"I'm not quite sure what to make of our recent troubles." says co-captain El Saviour Bulos. "I don't know if it's a slump or the team feeling a sense of complacency, but whatever it is we've got to shake it off. We've got two tough games on Sunday and we'll need everyone to contribute."







Hollywood Fernando will be one of many counted on to bolster the Wildcards offence.






It is a number of Wildcards that are experiencing slumps. El Saviour Bulos has only one hit for his last eight at-bats. Although Blue San Luis has been hitting well, he claims that he is not getting solid contact.

"I don't know, the pop off my bat just doesn't feel right. I'm glad to be contributing, but I've been feeling awkward at the plate lately."

Even the Franchise himself is mired in a small slump, as he has "been playing balls."

"I've been getting hits of course, I'm always going to do that. But I could be doing better. I need to step it up, I don't like that the team is winning with me hitting like this. They had better not be getting the idea that they could win without me."







Franchise Fernando will be looking to end a streak of three games without an extra base hit.






No question the 'Cards are riding their strong defence for wins at the moment. Their trademark triangle and umbrella formations, paired with aggressive shifting continues to successively shut down opposing offenses.


Most are expecting the second game of the double header to decide whether or not the 'Cards are successful on double header weekend, but outfielder r3z Salehoun stresses they cannot take any team lightly.

"I felt like we weren't taking the Blues seriously, and we nearly got burned for it. Right now we're really lucky to be undefeated. Hopefully it stays that way, but that can only happen if we take every team as a legitimate threat."

Despite the offensive woes, the Wildcards continue to win. They can take solace in the fact that their undefeated streak can remain intact by the final out of the Colts game. All they need to do is bring the offence back.