Frenchy's Desk

Notes from the Desk of... Chris "Frenchy" LaBreche

2008 Greatest Hits and Performances, Volume 1 (a.k.a. "Make It Pimpy for ol' Ren and Stimpy")

The 2008 baseball season has ended once and for all (at least for teams competing for the Wisconsin Baseball Association championship), and much to the chagrin of Messers LaBreche and Barabe, the River Rats did NOT end up with the state title. That honor was earned by the very team that eliminated our beloved River Rats from competition in the semi-finals, the Eau Claire Bears... It seems only fitting that Eau Claire's town team would have the firepower to knock out the Rats, who were led by several former Eau Claire players (i.e. Joel Schaffer and Jason Bast, who grew up in Eau Claire, along with Craig Jilek and Sean Parnell who played for the Cavaliers there.) Added to that, the only team that was a constant thorn in the side of the incoming Muppets while they played throughout high school was... Eau Claire. Cruel justice perhaps, or simply just a reminder that while the River Rats were very good in 2008, they were just a bit shy of being the best.

That stated, we can't forget the season that was 2008, nor can we forget the fun and games we had all year-- who, after all, would have predicted that:

1) Joel Schaffer would lead the team in stolen bases at age 32?

2) Brian Sparstad would post a 10-1 record in his rookie season?

3) Rob Barabe would go 2 for 3 against one of the league's best closers down in Plum City?

4) Sean Parnell would play for the Rats and hit the cork out of the ball nearly every time he put it in play?

5) Paul Johnson would put together a 7-0 record with a 1.34 ERA on the year?

6) Jason Bast would continue to thrive at age 38, posting a batting average well over .300 all season?

7) Brian Rudesill would hit three homers in a weekend at Ellsworth, extending his tourney dominance there?

8) Kirk Krumrei, Mitch Lewis, Chris Kein, and Russ Jiskra would be excellent Muppet additions to the River Rats?

9) Joel Carlson would not only earn several new nicknames, but would slide across the hood of a cop car at 2 AM in Menomonie, and then lead the team in saves for the season?

10) Andy LaBrosse would streak around the diamond before the Plum City Tournament championship game dressed only in tennis shoes and a pink thong provided by an unnamed Registered Nurse living in Minneapolis, Minnesota?

11) Craig Jilek would not only play with the Rats, but play regularly and solidly in the field?

12) Everyone would survive the whole season without major meltdowns, bench clearing brawls, or muppets crying because they were sternly scolded by a man with an intense fear of little people?

The fact that we were able to win 12 of 15 games in a competitive amateur baseball league in 2008 was a nice feather to put in one's cap, if one were so inclined to put feathers in caps. (We're usually doing other things with feathers, but I digress...) Adding to that was the excellent addition of several new team members, who we all hope can return to the fold in 2009-- you know who you are, so I won't bother with the details. When I say that it was an honor to have managed the team in 2008, I honestly mean that-- I've been blessed over the years to have worked with and watched many talented baseball players compete for the River Rats-- this season was a privilege. So many people put time and effort in to make it come together in a coherent shape, but I have to extend my gratitude to Rob Barabe for his managerial skills and prowess... Without the Barabe, none of this (or at least very little of it) would have been possible. Despite his constant griping about phone calls, e-mails, and a lack of managerial structure, his heart and desire for the team are in the right place... We all tip our caps to you, SCVBL General Manager of the Decade.

My admiration also goes out first to Joel Schaffer-- for bringing in Sean Parnell, for catching 30 plus games, and for keeping the ship sailing along when I was simply standing back and enjoying the view, thanks for 2008... Secondly, praise be to Brian Rudesill, who proves that year after year he can still play baseball without embarrassing himself (at least on most at bats) all the while pitching like a guy who's at least ten years younger than he his (insert your own joke about the exact age that is). Without Rudy, veteran insurrections would've occurred on a regular basis, and after all, it was Rudy who convinced both Jason Bast and Craig Jilek to play this year. Yes, I haven't put a new Rudy's Corner up this year, but I don't have any new photos that can be posted on a PG-13 website (do websites actually have ratings?)

Third, my appreciation goes out to Craig Jilek, whose presence and leadership made everything coalesce nicely on the field and in the dugout. Much like an excellent wine paired to a five star entree, Jilly's play turned a good effort into a great one nearly every game (OK, 60% of the time it worked every time...) Fourth, I wanted to thank Paul Johnson for coming back in 2008 to pitch for the Rats-- Paul is one of the most humble, disciplined, and kind young men I've met in over 15 years of baseball. He truly is a counter weight to the degenerate fools I've normally associated with for most of my adulthood. (That doesn't even include some of my best friends, mind you.) I'm simply proud to have managed him on a baseball team for a few years-- I can't imagine how proud his parents must be of him-- we hope his work out in Delaware is both professionally and personally fulfilling-- even if we can't see him for a year.

Special thanks and man love go out to all of the muppets-- I will miss you clowns as you head back to school this fall. It was a pleasure working with you guys and seeing you ply your talents on the field-- Sparsy, Mitch, Krumrei, Jiskra, and Cago-- you guys all kick ass... Just don't get too crazy down at school (excepting you, Pimpy-- you'll be over in Eagan, so if nothing else, I can always keep an eye on you.) Andy and Phildo-- thanks for the love and the memories-- you Stillwater guys are a little goofy, but I love how you play the game, even if it isn't always the easiest way to do it.

Lest I forget, thanks to Stellie, Bast, Schultzie, Ruppy, Dan Wahlman, Doug Howard, Ken Corbett, and all of our fans and family members for cheering on the River Rats this year. I hope the effort I put into managing paid off in some small way for all of you... I'll be adding more later on, but for now, thanks for visiting and partaking of my little corner of the web. Hope to see you soon, wherever that may be...

For the Benefit of Mr. Luebker (there will be a show tonight down at Dean's) (8/4/08)

Another year, another trip to the playoffs. The River Rats have been extremely fortunate in that regard over its 9 season existence, only failing to appear in the WBA playoffs twice-- the first time in 2001 with what had been a pretty good team (without pitching, of course), the second time in 2004 with what was just a god awful team that nobody wanted to play on in mid to late July of that year. 2008 truly has been great for the Rats, however, it hasn't been all smiles and giggles for other teams. We were reminded of that fact this past weekend when we went to Plum City to participate in the Gordy Luebker Benefit tournament.

While I was able to graciously accept the well wishes of several teams we wouldn't be seeing in the playoffs (at least not until the finals in a few cases), my presence really paled in light of the reason why we were all there-- to help out a guy who for the most part kept to himself and played baseball (and bear with me while I bring out the old standard here) "the way it was meant to be played." The Gordy I knew from my years of managing and coaching in and around the league from 1994 to 2008 was a low key infielder / pitcher who could be counted on like clockwork-- consistent, dependable, and sturdy. Like most farmers I'm aware of (granted, that number is small), he is and has been a self-reliant worker-- always willing to go the extra yard for his family and friends. After all, what other options does a farmer have? He is also a gracious man, soft spoken, yet surprisingly intense and demanding when necessary-- I'm sure his family and teammates would attest to that...

I was pleased to see so many people at the tournament, both for the games and for the benefit events that accompanied the baseball-- while I'm not sure how much money was raised, I can say for certain that the whole day was a first class operation, and we were all grateful to have participated in the event. We are also very thankful for the kind words and praise we received from everyone in Plum City, from fans, players, family, and Gordy himself. It was a reminder not only of the fun we have every Memorial Day weekend in Plum City, but of the all the connections we share to Gordy, to Plum City, and to the teams in our little baseball league... We couldn't have asked for or received a much better day to play and stay there!

As for playing, we participated in the third of a five game schedule against the Menomonie Eagles. In the interest of levity, I decided to forego any illusion of serious competition by giving both Joel Schaffer and Jason Bast an opportunity to show their respective man crushes for each other by allowing them to each throw an inning. Schaffer, taking the hill in the third inning, allowed 4 hits, including a double by Luke Schultz, although he was a dropped third strike away from leaving the inning without a run. Unfortunately, he proceeded to hit Joe Mohr on a 3-2 count, followed by an RBI single by Andy Lorenzen, and a further RBI single by Brandon O'Connell before retiring Ryan Stace on a fly out to left field.

Jason Bast's sixth inning was marred by an error in right field by Rat infielder Mitch Lewis, who was playing out of position to allow Schaffer to play second base-- the error allowed Tanner Vavra (son of Minnesota Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra) to move to second after leading off with a walk. Vavra would later score on Joe Mohr's RBI single... Bast was crafty, however, inducing Lorenzen to hit into a 6-4-3 double play turned by Andy LaBrosse and Joel Schaffer. Barring bizarre circumstances, however, it may be the last time the Schaff will play second base wearing a River Rat uniform (now the Shipwrecks are another situation altogether, but I digress.) Against popular appeal, the question of who is a better River Rat pitcher between Bast and Schaffer will be judged in favor of one Jason A. Bast, U.S. of A.

In the interests of time and good taste, I will refrain from discussing several events which occurred downtown later that evening and the next morning, but suffice it to say, there were some disturbing moments of decidedly homoerotic behavior that are normally only seen in adult entertainment videos. Leather and baby oil anyone?

Thanks to everyone for their attendance this weekend, and especially to the Blues for inviting us-- we only hope we were as gracious as guests as you have been as exceptional hosts year after year. I just pray we don't have to go up against Tony Garner and the Eagles in the WBA State Championship game on August 17th in Ashland. Heller and the Eagles, yes... Hoeft and the Eagles, sure... But not Tony... Hope to see you this weekend down in Osseo for our game against Bangor on Saturday night at 6 PM. Should be a standout game!

We Like Short Shorts (and winning two games in a weekend...) (July 27, 2008)

On behalf of the newly returned Sean Parnell, I would like to extend to everyone an invitation to a pants party next weekend down in Plum City. We currently know that Rob Barabe will be attending, even if he plans on leaving shortly after Saturday's benefit game to go up to Hayward. Be sure to bring plenty of refreshing beverages in any case... Yes, it has been two weeks since the last website update, but if you don't like that, then you can just go crawl in a hole and stab yourself incessantly with a dull plastic fork. Either that, or you can catch two games in a weekend between long drinking binges like our favorite captain, Joel Schaffer.

To start the weekend, Saturday's game against the vaunted Menomonie Eagles ended up in the win column for the Rats. The 3-2 battle was marked by solid pitching, sporadic offense, and critical errors. Paul Johnson (7-0) was his usual dominating self, earning his seventh win of the year, striking out 10 Beagles while only allowing 2 runs (1 earned) in 8 innings. Rizzle's ERA dropped to a scant 1.25, which is somewhere in the vicinity of Barabe and Schaffer's blood alcohol level following the game on Saturday evening... Andy LaBrosse, Sean Parnell, and Mitch Lewis scored for the Rats, who took advantage of the Beagles inability to shut down the running game... All in all, however, it was a good game and a great time playing our favorite rivals from the SCVBL. A special thanks go out to the Welch family for their camaraderie and support-- a better family you will be hard pressed to find (although the Hollars and Johnsons are fantastic post-game hosts as well!)

On Sunday, the Rats headed to Bay City to play the final game of their SCVBL season, and as previously indicated, emerged victorious, 5-2. Brian Sparstad (9-1) bounced back from a poor showing against Osceola on July 20th to earn his ninth win of the year against one loss-- Sparsy threw 7 innings, allowing only 2 hits (in the 7th), 2 unearned runs, and two walks while striking out 5 Bombers. Travis Borowicz also recovered nicely from some previously sketchy outings to pick up the two inning save, striking out 3 while allowing no walks or hits. Only Sean Parnell and Brian Rudesill collected multi hit games, while Andy LaBrosse and Kirk Krumrei scored two runs each-- Parnell and Jason Hollar doubled for the Rats, who stranded 8 runners and hit into two double plays (after also hitting into 2 double plays against Menomonie on Saturday.)

The River Rats (now 22-8 overall) finished the league season with an all time best win percentage (.800) and league wins (12), prompting general manager Rob Barabe to state that despite the team's success, it wasn't due to on-field strategy...

Sharpies, Shutouts, and Shameless Behavior (July 16, 2008)

One large party, two nice wins, and three great pitching performances (along with one inebriated River Rat) were the big stories from this past weekend. It had been a week of the usual in-fighting and complaining that has marked the interaction between general manager and manager about a lack of players, lack of commitment, and standard issue angst about the team's chances to compete for a state title. Compounding the problems would be a dearth of bodies for Saturday's game, brought on by a scheduling conflict with Brian Rudesill's annual July house party-- one for which he spends tens of thousands of dollars on a fireworks display for western Wisconsin... Additionally, the squad would need to wait until nearly game time for Joel Schaffer's arrival (as usual), and topping that, the only relievers available would be guys who hadn't pitched an inning for the team all season.

Fortunately, it worked out in the end. The winds howled, the baseball gods smiled, and the Rats emerged victorious, 2-0. Starter Paul Johnson threw eight innings of nasty baseball, earning not only a blister on the tip of his right index finger, but his sixth win of the year against no losses. Muppet Kirk "Beeker" Krumrei was as talkative as his namesake, but he let his performance speak volumes-- 2 for 5, 1 run, and 2 put outs in right field. Dr. Bunson Honeydew would be proud... Nate Stellrecht, that veteran of veterans, picked up the save for the Rats, throwing the ninth inning, allowing 1 hit, while striking out 1. Stellie also gave the anemic Rat offense a boost with his 2 for 3, 1 double, game winning RBI work at the plate. A tip of the cap to Nate's wife Lisa, who when told that Nate had to go in because Paul Johnson had "nothing left in the tank", by Dan Wahlman, responded: "and Nate does?"

Following the game, the team's management staff, friends of the manager, Joel Schaffer, and Bo Duke headed to downtown Osceola for post-game celebratory refreshments... Bo Duke made friends with one of the local townies, who thought he was a little "fruity"... Later that night, the group would head to Rudy's to enjoy his party, however Bo would end up in an awkward position upstairs, garnering some artistic flourishes to his noteworthy visage. I thought that writing "DORK" on his forehead was a little cruel, but it all washed off by the next game, thankfully...

Sunday's game against the Fighting Fish was another duel in the windy desert, as a sun baked and wind dried field made for a low-scoring affair. As has happened previously, Brian Sparstad took the mound after a pivotal performance by Paul Johnson, and he threw brilliantly. Utilizing the wind, Spars induced no less than 16 ground ball outs en route to his eighth win of the year (against no losses, mind you.) The win was his first complete game, nine inning shutout of the season (although Spars has thrown three other complete games this year, this was the first nine inning performance.) Offensively, the Rats only picked up 5 hits (which was also the total River Falls collected off Sparsy), but they were able to use their superior base running skills (or trick plays?) to rattle RF starter Rick Wells enough for three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The inning began with a walk to Joel Schaffer, followed by a foul pop up by Craig Jilek. Paul Ruppert walked, and Kirk Krumrei was hit by a pitch on an attempted squeeze play to load the bases.

When RF manager/catcher Josh Eidem forgot to check Schaffer at third and threw the ball back to Wells, Schaffer took off for home, scoring ahead of the relay from Wells... Ruppert and Krumrei moved up on that play, and moved up again when Wells fired a ball five feet over the head of batter Mitch Lewis to the backstop. Calling time, the Fish attempted to calm their starter down and regain their composure. Lewis, however, walked, and then executed a double steal with Krumrei, who came in ahead of the throw from Fish second baseman Sam Giliuson. Krumrei would score again in the bottom of the sixth on an Andy LaBrosse single to center field.

All in all, a good weekend of frivolity and baseball as the River Rats wind down the regular season. The squad will head to New Richmond (4-7 SCVBL) on Friday night for a 7:30 PM tilt, and then will play back at home against the Osceola Braves (4-6 SCVBL) on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 PM. While the Rats will be missing the services of Paul Johnson, Sean Parnell, and Mike Eicher, they plan to resume their winning ways with Brian Rudesill starting Friday's game and Brian Sparstad starting Sunday. Hope to see you at the yard-- and thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Hollar for their providing a post-game spread of cookies, chips, hamburgers, and refreshments to the team and fans after Sunday's River Falls game!!! Their hospitality and enthusiasm this year has been outstanding!

Tragedy of Errors In Ellsworth (July 11, 2008)

It's been a little while since the last update, so I should start off by apologizing to the handful of readers out there dialing (or typing, or clicking up this page.) The Rats dropped a league game in Ellsworth last Thursday night 11-10, and there weren't many positives to take from the game, despite: 1) keeping Brian Sparstad's record intact at 7-0 (while leaving him in long enough to drop a 6 run lead), 2) Craig Jilek hitting his first home run of the season, 3) Rudy throwing three innings of clutch shutout baseball. Kudos to the Hubbers for their efforts in coming back to win, particularly to Jeremiah Paulson, who led off the bottom of the ninth with a base hit to center which he stretched to a double when Jason Hollar didn't field it quickly enough... I hope the extended layoff for the team has paid off as we have two league games this weekend-- Osceola on Saturday afternoon, and River Falls on Sunday...

Ellsworth Tourney Tales (June 29, 2008)

Top Stories of the Ellsworth Tourney

1. Rudy's 3 homers in first two tourney games

2. Rudy's disdain for Frenchy's reaction to Rudy's homers on his rounding third

3. Discussion of Rudy's 3 homers, leading to speculation of career extension well into Rudy's sixties.

4. Schaffer's hard-boiled egg story (replete with full, gruesome details)

5. Andy LaBrosse's return to shortstop

6. Andy's new friend Brody, Brody's hair, Brody's girlfriend, and their former high school classmate / murderer.

7. Dugout commentary on Rudy's physique, prompting "bootylicious" and "ghettolicious" adjectives to describe his glutes.

8. Schaff's 3 base throwing error in Friday's game on a dropped third strike, leading to Plum City tying the game.

9. Craig Jilek and Jason Bast's hitting, prompting discussion of a recent strange alien artifact discovery in their neighborhood.

10. Whatever comes out in the dugout during this afternoon's game against New Richmond...

The Rainbow Connection and other Muppet Stories... (June 23, 2008)

Ah, summer has finally arrived... With it, we enjoy longer days, shorter nights, warmer weather, and growing confidence from our Muppet ballplayers. However, learning and experience know no boundaries. For example, last Thursday I learned that despite scheduling a game that is possibly the closest in proximity to Joel Schaffer's residence in Apple Valley (we were playing in Burnsville), he still arrived only minutes before game time... Of course, our starting pitcher only arrived about 20 minutes before game time as well, so I suppose that's the way we work.

Regarding the muppets though, the Schaff and company were proud as newborn dads with their efforts on Friday and Sunday, defeating the Menomonie Eagles on their field 5-3 Friday night, and the St. Croix River Bandits 3-1 at home on Sunday afternoon. Paul Johnson picked up his fourth win of the year over the Beagles, a squad who has learned to respectfully despise the diminutively pious hurler from Hudson. Johnson's 7 inning, 5 hit, 3 run gem of a game against a solid hitting Beagle lineup was workmanlike-- he admitted to not having his "best stuff" that night, but went on the recall a lovely meatloaf dish he'd prepared for his family earlier in the week. Paul and Joel Schaffer are working in the off days to put together a River Rat cookbook / calendar for interested groupies and family members before the season ends...

Muppets Kirk Krumrei, Brian Sparstad, and Mitch Lewis played well overall, even though Krumrei's baserunning snafu in the top of the fifth led to a line-out double play, quashing a 1 out, runners on the corners situation for the Rats. Nevertheless, the squad did well and partied like good 'ol boys later that evening in Menomonie... The only problem that arose Saturday morning was with a certain unnamed River Rat trying to do his best Luke Duke impression by sliding over the hood of a Menomonie PD squad car... Several hundred dollars later, the modern day Robin Hood would need his folks to post bail money. Again, a lesson learned-- even if you're over 21, you can't intoxicate yourself and then go sliding over cop cars while stumbling back to your buddy's house. I'd hate to think what would have happened if that incident occurred in a city like Minneapolis or Philadelphia (especially if the cops were in a bad mood!)

Sunday's matchup against the Bandits was a low scoring affair-- the Rats were filling in a lineup missing three of their top five hitters on the season (at least in terms of current batting average)-- Sean Parnell, Andy LaBrosse, and Kirk Krumrei. To make up for it, muppet Brian Sparstad did his best Dr. Bunson Honeydew impersonation and performed a few experiments on the opposition, striking out 13 Bandit hitters in 8 innings of work, picking up his sixth win of the year. Mr. Sunshine, Jason Bast, helped the Rat cause by going 2 for 5 with a run, while Chris "Gonzo" Kein scored the tying run of the game in the bottom of the third inning against Bandit starter Jay Gagner. Only Mitch "Fozzie Bear" Lewis was at fault among the muppets for racks, picking up a rack for being doubled off second base on a soft liner to short right field in the bottom of the fourth to end the inning.

Much thanks to Jason Hollar and Paul Johnson's families for their pre (and post) game spread of excellently prepared bratwurst, chips, and cookies for the team-- we will include a bratwurst recipe in the upcoming cookbook to accompany Sean Parnell's jello shot recipe. Kudos also to Ken Corbett for helping out with the book, Rob Barabe for his purchase of popsicles, and Dan Wahlman for his medical services before and after the games. Hope to see you all at the Ellsworth tournament next weekend when the lads take their 15-5 record into the Cheese Curd capital of the World!

NAF and a Half / New Richmond Tourney Gaffes (June 16, 2008)

Another week, another tourney, and another two wins for the River Rats... Despite lacking a good part of the squad (as we typically do on Father's Day weekend), the squad gamely battled through the New Richmond Invitational tournament for the first time, managing to win the consolation championship (i.e. 5th place) on Father's Day afternoon. On Friday night, the Rats took on the Minneapolis Cobras, losing a disappointing 3-0 game wherein the team managed a mere four hits against the goofy, yet talented Matt Germar, who had previously played with Joel Schaffer, Mike Eicher, and Brian Rudesill during their fall trip to Florida two years ago. Combined with stellar defense behind him, Germar earned a win, and the animosity of many Rat players who took his "in your face" antics personally before shaking hands.

On Saturday, the Rats played the Ellsworth Hubbers for the second time in 2008, three weeks to the day after defeating them in the Plum City tournament. Unlike the first game, the Hubbers were without the services of shortstop Lance Hove, centerfielder Nick Hove, and starting pitcher Jesse Winger (not to mention umpire Mike DeWyre.) Like the first game, the Hudson nine started Paul Johnson, and emerged victorious, winning 4-0 on the strength of Johnson's two hit, 2 walk shutout. Enhanced by our youthful Muppet lineup and the gracefully aging Mike Eicher, the Rats used Brian Sparstad's clutch 2 out, 2 RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to open the scoring against Hubber / NR Miller starting pitcher Cody Torkelson. Left / Right fielder Chris Kein also helped the cause with 2 runs, adding another pair of walks to his already impressive walk totals on the year...

After the game, Joel Schaffer and Mike Eicher discussed the finer points of Chilean Sea Bass preparation and the best places to dine on sushi in the Twin Cities with Jen and Garrett Birkel while watching the Cobras play the Exeland Braves... We're not sure if the Schaff will give up his career with Ecolab to follow his dream of becoming a chef for the Milwaukee Brewers, but until he does, he's more than happy to share his thoughts on grilling, seafood, and finding the appropriate wine for whatever you're putting on the table for your significant other(s).

On Sunday, the Rats played the NWS Redhawks, winning a tightly played 4-2 game. Brian Sparstad improved to 5-0 on the year with the complete game win, allowing five hits and 1 walk and striking out four Redhawk batters. Mitch Lewis delivered on his only hit of the weekend, a game winning 2 out single in the top of the seventh that scored the gimpy Jason Bast and equally gimpy Joel Schaffer. A tip of the cap goes to Sparstad, who avoided a 7th inning meltdown after he saw the third out pop out of the glove of first baseman Brian Rudesill after a high throw by Joel Carlson... The Redbirds then loaded the bases on two infield singles after that, but Sparstad induced a game ending soft liner to second baseman Paul Johnson to end the contest.

Special thanks goes out to New Richmond coach/player Ryan Stephens for running a nice tournament, Jason Hollar for his amusing "NAF and a half" quote (i.e. Non-Athletic Fellow) on Sunday, and all of the Rats who stuck around after the games for revelry and jokes on Friday and Saturday nights. The boys have a busy week ahead of them this time around, as Burnsville, Menomonie, and St. Croix Falls will not be the easiest three game set of the year... This will mark the first time in five years that Hudson has played Burnsville, and Menomonie will bring a league leading 6-0 record into the Friday showdown at Wakanda Park. Hope to see you at the yard!

Woodbury Rain / Elmwood Pain; Prescott Defeat / Division Wins Replete (June 9, 2008)

The last two weeks haven't been too busy with baseball, but they have been with work-- so I've refrained from my usual weekend recaps for a bit. I can tell you aren't interested in excuses, so I'll hold off with those for a while. On May 29th, we decided to head over to Woodbury for a cold and rainy exercise in "practice" baseball, playing a rain and darkness shortened game against the Legends, who despite their friendly demeanor, were legendary in no way. Sans uniforms and umpire, they opted to take on the Rats, losing 9-3 in four innings. The best part of the game was the ending, although Sean Parnell's shot to left field was impressive too. On May 31st, the Expos took their lumps en route to a 15-2 ass kicking delivered by the red and black-- not only did Parnell homer again, but Rudy doubled, and everyone in the starting lineup scored at least once. Not often you can say that... Then again, it's not often that you catch the Expos with their "B" squad on a Saturday. I'm starting to think we should save some of our runs for future games in case we need them...

For Sunday's game against the Pirates in Prescott, we tapped starter Paul Johnson, but his 8 strikeout, 1 walk, 8 hit performance in six innings of work in the hot sun was not enough to emerge victorious... The merciless Pirates forced reliever Joel Carlson to walk the plank en route to his first loss of the season-- Carlson couldn't find his control after playing in the field for over an hour (and working the grills and fryers earlier that morning I believe), surrendering 4 runs (2 earned), 4 hits, and 4 walks. The Rats victimized themselves uncharacteristically in the game as well, committing critical errors in the sixth and seventh innings-- Mitch Lewis' dropped ball at second turned what could have been a double play into an unearned run scored by Pirate manager Brady Randolph. Jason Hollar's drop of a Chris Terrazas shallow fly to right center field also cost the team at least one, if not two runs, although the Pirates did leave the bases loaded in both the seventh and eighth innings. The Rats did fight to the finish-- after leadoff walks to Carlson and DH Russ Jiskra, Brian Sparstad struck out, followed by a bloop single to right field by Lewis to load the bases. The rally ended promptly afterwards, as Jason Hollar's low opposite field liner was snared by Prescott shortstop Justin Tobias, who doubled up Jiskra off second base with a quick throw to Buck Hendrickson.

A sad end to the weekend, but the Rats took their 2-1 league record on the road the following Saturday to Osceola, for a matchup not against the hometown Braves, but against the nearby St. Croix Falls River Bandits. The Bandits made the mistake of scheduling us at the end of a three game set in four nights, lacking pitching depth, a few regular starters, and for all intents and purposes, hopes and prayers. The Rats showed patience at the plate, earning 10 walks while pounding out 10 hits in a 16-0 win. Starter Travis Borowicz pitched at least two innings with his fly down, but it didn't matter-- after five innings of perfect baseball, he allowed a leadoff single to shallow center field in the sixth. Bearing down, Tricked Out worked his way out of the inning after loading the bases with one out... Borowicz's shutout was his second of the season (his first was a 7 inning no decision start against the impressive La Crosse Athletics almost three weeks ago.) Offensively, the squad pumped out three doubles and a homer, with Sean Parnell and Joel Schaffer re-living their college glory days in Carson Park with the late, great Harv Tomter and Craig Jilek-- Parnell went 2 for 5 with 2 runs, 2 doubles and 3 RBI, and Schaffer went 1 for 3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Additionally impressive was Chris Kein's 5 walk, 3 run, 2 RBI performance in the leadoff spot...

On Sunday, I took my hobbled body over to Hudson to watch the squad play the New Richmond Millers. Despite an early 2-1 deficit, the Rats battled solid pitching by Miller starter TJ Wink, who threw six impressive innings, allowing only two runs, 8 hits, and 1 walk. In the seventh inning, though, the wheels came off for the Miller nine-- Cody Torkelson started the seventh and recorded two outs, but gave up a line shot double to the left center gap off the bat of Sean Parnell. The hit was so strong that it allowed Brian Rudesill to wheel his way home from first base-- a feat I honestly haven't seen since Rudy was playing in Spring Valley... With a 4-2 deficit and two outs, the Millers brought in veteran Tim Brown to face Joel Schaffer, who worked his way onto the open base with a walk. Phildo Carlson delivered yet again this year, blooping a 1-2 pitch down the left field line for a double, scoring Parnell and Schaffer. Kirk Krumrei's infield grounder to third led to a throwing error, scoring Carlson-- Rob Barabe ended the inning with a soft liner to third, but the Rats would take a commanding 7-2 lead into the eighth, whereupon Paul Johnson would throw the last inning of another great start-- Johnson's line-- 8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO, 81 pitches (59 strikes, 22 balls.) Ted Golberg closed up the game for the Rats, working 1 inning, allowing a 1 out double to Curt Kleinschmidt before ending with a fly out to Chris Kein in right field and a second strikeout for the final out.

The Rats will take its show on the road again next weekend to New Richmond for a late night appearance on Friday night against the Minneapolis Cobras at 9 PM. Following that, they will play at 8 PM on Saturday (win) or 4 PM Saturday (loss). Hope to see you all there!

PC Tourney Tales, Part II (June 9, 2008)

Lest we forget the tourney that was PC 2008, I should mention the last two games we managed to play that weekend-- the Sunday afternoon butt kicking we endured at the hands of the Prescott Pirates and heavy thumper Nick Johnson 9-1, and an 8-5 comeback win against the young and thriving River Falls Fighting Fish on Monday afternoon... In the Pirates game, we faced a very strong performance by Pirate starter Jon Holt, who threw 5 innings, allowing only 1 run, 4 walks, and 3 hits while mowing down 8 Rat hitters. Rat starter Brian Rudesill didn't fare as well, surrendering 9 hits in 6 innings, with 4 walks, 8 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts... Needless to say, the gang wasn't terribly fired up about the post game Sunday night bat races-- however, "The Schaff" and I decided it was best to participate instead of acting like sore losers, and we sent him to race with Nate Hendricks, Joel Carlson, and Craig Jilek. To cap a day of disappointment, the Rats lost the race, but were lucky in the sense that they only had to compete once. The Elmwood Expos and Menomonie Eagles battled it out for an agonizing span of three or four races before somebody had the decency to pull the plug on the game, and the inebriated banter from the press box speakers. What I learned that evening is that only a few well trained individuals can really pull off the method of comedy torture-- and those people weren't in Plum City that night. On the flip side, we did meander down to Dean's after all was said and done and held our standard court session with a number of the Beagles and River Rats, not to mention Fighting Fish great Nathan Brom...

With getaway day on the horizon, I'd made one critical mistake-- I had forgotten to tell the squad EXACTLY when we were playing on Monday afternoon. I'd instinctively told the team in the post game huddle Sunday night that we'd be playing at 3 PM, but mentioned that people should check the board before they leave. Of course, the game was actually played at 1:30 PM, which meant that at least two, if not three starters were late for the game. Stupid, yes, but with nineteen or twenty guys walking by the schedule on the wall, somebody should've caught the mistake... Not so much, though.

For the game itself, we managed to come back from two separate 1 run deficits in the third and fifth innings to hold onto the aforementioned 8-5 win. Lost in the shuffle for the Fish was a nice start by ex-New Richmond Miller Luke Meier, who threw four nice innings before Brandon Gilbertson came in to set a nice gasoline fire in the fifth, loading the bases for fireballing reliever Rick Wells, who had the unenviable task of facing a disgruntled Sean Parnell. With a 3-2 count after fouling off three pitches, Parnell roped a shot into the left-center gap, clearing the paths... Not wanting to be greedy, the Rats then went down in order afterwards, leaving Parnell at third after a balk. In the sixth, the Rats scored another three runs, this time with two outs-- "Phildo" Joel Carlson took an 0-2 hit by pitch, and moved up on an infield single by Jason Hollar. Rat ringer Mike Carrell worked a nice walk to load the satchels again, and Sean Parnell worked the count full yet again before hitting a ground shot to Fish third sacker Nate Brom, who overthrew Ryan Gilbertson at first base-- with the runners on the move, the speedy (yet gracefully aging) MC made his way home, giving the Rats another 3 spot and an 8-3 lead before Craig Jilek ended the inning on a hard hit grounder to Brom (who made the play this time around...)

The Fish made it interesting in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs off Tricked Out Travis Borowicz, who came in to relieve starter Brian Sparstad. The Fish plated Clint Kempf and Adam Steussel with one out, and had the tying run at the plate in the form of Fish DH Scott Warrington, who had only two days before powered his squad to a trouncing of the host Blues via an extra inning grand slam. Fortunately, Travis induced a grounder to Sean Parnell at first, who tossed the ball back to him to end the game...

With our mission completed, a majority of the team hung around to watch the championship game between Menomonie and Prescott, with Menomonie overcoming an early deficit to win 8-3... As usual, I'd like to thank the Plum City Blues for inviting us down again-- they've done a great job fixing up the park and the field, and were entertaining as always around the concession stand. I'd also like to specifically thank Chris Radle and Matt Sperger for their work and entertainment in the press box on Saturday and Sunday, and also Kurt Bechel for his tasty and energetic fretwork with his band on Saturday night at Molly's. Not quite as good as the Rush concert I'd seen two days before, but damn entertaining nevertheless...

Thanks are also due to all of the people who made it down to the tourney with the Rats this time around-- this includes the aforementioned players, fans, friends, and relatives who either camped out with us, or simply drove down to play. Shout outs to my favorite Beagle master, Qui Gon Welch, his lovely wife Angie, and their equally adorable son Owen... Also much thanks to the other Beagle standouts-- Luke Schultz, Rob Heller, Mike Schmidt, Erik Johnson, Andy Podmolik, Joe Mohr, Brad Stokke, and my all-time favorite rock star, Travis Welch. Additional tips of the cap go out to the Elmwood Expos and specifically Brent Blegen and Jonah Lansing, along with Expo fan Toby Roach who earned his $100 streaking during our game with Prescott on Sunday afternoon... For Brady, Buck, Nick, and the rest of the Prescott nine, I offer a hearty congratulations and tip of the cap for their performance over the weekend, despite coming up short on Monday-- there was no shame losing to the Beagles this time around-- both of your squads are pretty nice this season. A last mention of thanks goes out to the great guys on the Ellsworth Hubbers-- Darren Maxwell, Brian Amundson, Lance Hove, and Garrett Birkel to mention only a few-- I've always admired their style and their baseball, even if we didn't always win. Keep up the good work, your bats should keep you in competition for the playoffs this year! Thanks and congrats also to Bay City and River Falls for filling out the tourney (Bay City at least)-- it seemed as though everyone enjoyed themselves and played some decent baseball, even if I wasn't always there to watch!

We look forward to our next trip to PC, to play in the Gordy Luebker benefit tourney-- keep Gordy in your thoughts and prayers as he continues his recovery-- it was great to see him out at the yard! Lastly, and finally, thanks to Shaun Miley and Mark Luebker for dealing with our grumpy and sometimes disagreeable bunch again-- it's always a blast...

Plum City Tournament Tales, Part I (May 30, 2008)

Despite repeated efforts to the contrary, yours truly managed not only an amateur baseball team through yet another Memorial Day Weekend tournament in Plum City, but also managed infrequent sobriety and respiratory health for nearly three days straight. What follows is my closest recollection of events from last weekend, beginning on Friday afternoon in Lakeland to Monday night back in Minnesota... This season's trip to Plum City marked my third as a father, meaning that I would be shirking my paternal responsibilities and leaving my parental role for my ever patient wife (and also partially to my pregnant sister-in-law)-- for that, I cannot begin to properly express my gratitude and praise... That stated, my journey began with a seemingly desultory road trip down to PC on Friday afternoon with Andy "Gizmo" LaBrosse, R. Dallas Hickory, and Rat Hall of Famer Jeffrey P. Schultz-- aided by Jeff's "100% Disco" compilation CD and some cold refreshments.

After we quickly discovered that Gizmo was a far better shortstop than a road trip bartender, we were already on the other side of Ellsworth, driving a safe 55 miles an hour on US Highway 10-- fortunately for us, that only left around 20 miles to navigate to our eventual 72 hour campsite! Upon arrival, we set up camp and greeted our eventual camp mates, including "the Fan" Nate Hendricks, my brother in law Dan Wahlman, surrogate "groupie" Angie Thissen, and a nearly all of our Rat Muppets / FNG's. Sean Parnell and Brian Rudesill also arrived on the scene with RV's in tow, and after all was set up, the crew sat around the campfire and proceeded to tell scary stories of ghosts and goblins... The Rats also greeted fellow campers from River Falls (at their Aquarium), Menomonie (sans Beagle Dome), and Elmwood before briefly stopping at the concession stand for a quick beverage prior to the traditional trip downtown.

J. Schaffer arrived shortly thereafter in his GMC Cartoon Mobile, and the night was officially called to order at Main Street Junction downtown... Despite numerous warnings to avoid parlor games, GM R. Dallas Barabe challenged several veteran Beagles to a game of 7-14-21, and not surprisingly ended up out in the street later, ritualistically praying to the altar of lost lunches shortly before midnight. We would later make our way to Molly's and Dean's down the street, heading back to camp just before closing. Several Rats were puzzled by the copious amount of saliva produced by one R. Dallas, not knowing that the old "drool-off" was a favorite game played by Plum City catcher Shaun Miley, PC infielder / manager Mark Luebker, and anyone else who wanted to just gross out other onlookers at exotic locations such as Maiden Rock, Spring Valley, or Exile.

After getting back to the RV at 3 AM, yours truly and R. Dallas were only slightly surprised and dismayed by the presence of Gizmo and Phildo sleeping together on one of the beds, with Doritos crumbs coating nearly every horizontal surface from the door to the refrigerator. Tucking them both gently into their beds, I shut off the light and went to sleep, hoping to catch at least a few hours of slumber before the crack of noon... Sadly, somebody woke up the sleeping Bear at 7:45 AM, and after a five minute round of random yells, I opted to get up-- head throbbing and sleep deprivation notwithstanding.

For the rest of the morning and early afternoon, I would nurse my relatively minor hangover in the company of the dynamic Durand Duo, Chris Radle and Matt Sperger, helping out in the press box with the day's scorebook and announcing duties. In game one, Elmwood faced off against Menomonie, playing decently for a while until the wheels came off en route to a 13-1 defeat in five innings. The Beagles took full advantage of several Expo miscues and kept up the beating until it was over... In game two, the River Falls Fighting Fish battled the home town Blues, with the Fish posting an extra inning touchdown and field goal in the top of the ninth to win 12-3. The squads traded leads throughout the game, with an early 1-0 lead for the Blues followed by a 2-1 response in the 2nd inning by the Fish... Shaun Miley's solo shot tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the third, and Tony Garner would later give the Blues another lead in the 5th, scoring on a two out Miley single. Trevor Gutting tied the game again at 3 on a two out single by Clint Kempf, but couldn't get the lead run across. Both squads went down in order in their next inning, but the Blues looked to be on the verge of victory when Tony Garner and Bjorn Kadlec took one-out walks to put Zach Watkins at the plate. On a 1-0 pitch, Watkins hit a sharp grounder to Ryan Gilbertson, who turned a 3-6-3 double play to end the threat and send the game into extra innings. Neither team managed more than three hitters in the 8th inning, but the ninth was another story altogether...

PC's Cory Briedan ran out of steam in the ninth (having followed Zach Watkins), allowing back to back Fish doubles with one out to make the score 4-3 Fish. After a Brian Giebel walk and a Nathan Brom out, it briefly appeared that the Blues could escape with minimal damage-- however, Ryan Gilbertson walked the bases loaded and then trotted home after DH Scott Warrington took a first pitch fastball out of the park for a grand slam homer-- 8-3 Fish. After Gutting walked, Joe Behnke was hit by a pitch, and Sam Giliuson singled to load the bases, Clint Kempf stepped up and delivered yet another grand slam homer, this time on a 3-2 pitch. Josh Bauer would soon relieve Briedan, retiring Nathan Brom on a fly out to deep left, and like that, the game was more or less complete...

Not wishing to watch the Bay City - Prescott matchup, I opted to return to the campsite for a short respite and a leisurely lunch in the privacy of my RV... Within an hour or so, I was happy to see the arrival of our St. Olaf graduates for their first appearance in 2008-- Paul Johnson and Jason Hollar... Before I knew it, we were all getting ready for our first matchup of the tourney, the Ellsworth Hubbers. Two hours, 13 runs, and countless bad calls by the home plate umpire later, the Rats emerged with a 13-4 victory, complements of our St. Olaf baseball connection and the efforts of Paul Ruppert, Sean Parnell, and nearly every other member of the River Rat offense. The amusing comment of the game came from Joel Schaffer, who asked longtime SCVBL fixture and former Ellsworth Hubber Mike Dewyre (the home plate umpire) if his view was being blocked... Anyone else would have promptly removed Mr. Schaffer from the game.

For Saturday's post-game festivities, the squad retreated to the campsite, enjoying tales of yore and various refreshments with friends, wives, and family. Special kudos to our friends who provided additional campfire refreshment that evening!

Before I continue, allow me to post two lists that came to mind...

Top 10 Favorite Plum City Campfire Beverages

1. Miller Lite

2. Michelob Golden Light

3. Gatorade Screamers (vodka mixed with Fruit Punch Gatorade)

4. Apple Pie (moonshine) / Jell-o shots

5. Boone's Farm (various flavors)

6. Jag Bombs (in honor of Nick Noack's 2005 performance in Ashland)

7. Southern Comfort and Diet Coke / Schwepp's Ginger Ale

8. Goldschlager

9. Bottled water

10. Fresh urine consumed from the side of a paper plate (Menomonie Beagles only)

Please note that nearly all of the above listed beverages are / were to be consumed only after 11 PM, with the exception of the beverages sold by our gracious hosts, the Plum City Blues.

Top 10 Rackable Offenses From the Weekend

1. Failure to provide correct time for Monday's game versus River Falls

2. Inability of nearly all Rat FNG's to score with Plum City slump buster(s) from Friday night until Monday afternoon

3. Passing out in front of the campfire and being tied to one's chair with athletic tape

4. Incoherent white boy suburban rapping around the campfire (a double rack)

5. Missing three steal signs in a row without calling time out to figure why they were given

6. Flashing three steal signs in an indirect and confusing manner (a triple rack)

7. Leaving no less than 12 beers half drank both in and around the manager's RV

8. Failure to field a team of FNG racers for Sunday's bat race contest because of extreme emotional instability

9. Failure to provide a screening schedule of movies / cartoons in Schaffer's van for all River Rat players and fans

10. Voluntarily mentioning any personal batting or pitching statistics during a casual conversation

(More to follow later...)

Plum City Preludes (May 19, 2008)

Before I launch into another long dissertation on the nature of the Plum City Memorial Day tournament and why it's so wonderful, uplifting, enervating, engaging, and downright mystical, I should get a few things out of the way here about the last week or so. The squad played three non-league games this past week-- the first was a slogging of the Mudhens last Wednesday down at Rich Valley Athletic Complex #9-- an 11-1 ass kicking that featured the River Rat debuts of both Russ Jiskra and Kirk Krumrei (not to mention the theoretical debut of fill-in Nathan Brom, but no matter...) Despite your author's game time arrival, the squad posted a five spot in the top of the first inning and never looked back... Also returning to the fold on the hill was Mike Ratz, who gave up a walk and induced a double play pitching in the sixth inning. Brian "Sparzy" Sparstad picked up the win with five crafty innings of work, allowing only a run on five hits while walking five and striking out one Mudhen batter. Bully to GM / hitting professional Rob Barabe for his gutty pinch hitting performance in the seventh inning-- after taking a pitch in the elbow to earn a spot at first, he was promptly hit in the back by an errant throw as he nimbly jogged to second on a fielder's choice. After a Jiskra shot to right center, the Bear made his way home-- sparkplug, manager, master thespian.

On Sunday afternoon, the Rats hosted the young and talented La Crosse Athletics for a pair of games at Grandview Park in Hudson. Sadly the squad had to make do without the services of one Joel Schaffer, who was placed on the 15 day DL following a bizarre golf cart accident at St. Croix National GC on Friday. Bringing a new definition to the term abrasion, Schaff was quick to display his numerous wounds to anyone and everyone on the team... In his absence, however, the squad picked up the pieces (not the scabs or pus mind you) en route to a split-- a 1-0 extra inning win in game #1, and a 3-1 loss in game #2. For game 1, Travis Borowicz threw masterfully for a second year starter, pitching seven innings of four hit baseball, earning 2 strikeouts while hitting 2 batsmen and walking 1 A's batter. Newly acquired lefty Ted Golberg vultured the win with two innings of work, pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the eighth. Golberg struck out 2, walked 2, and allowed one hit. Debuting for the Rats in game #1 were two of our newest FNG's-- outfielder Chris "Raising" Kein, and infielder Mitch "Jerry Lee" Lewis. Both played well defensively...

In game #2, the Rats shook up the lineup slightly to play some of the FNG's who weren't in game #1 to start-- after a leadoff out, the Rats loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and appeared to be on the verge of yet another quick start. However, after two successive outs, the fire was squelched, and the team struggled to get another rally going in the remainder of the contest. LaCrosse scored all three of its runs in the top of the fourth inning, taking advantage of small defensive miscues and the elderly battery's inability to stop a stolen base. On the positive side, Mike Eicher drove in yet another run while catching all sixteen innings-- yeoman's work if nothing else! Craig Jilek looked natural playing third base, and the infield defense of Sean Parnell was both confusing and athletic all at once.

On the technological side, I was finally catching up with the modern age in using my Palm T|X to keep the score-- a little program that's been around for the better part of two decades, TurboStats, was keeping me occupied in the dugout... Once Travis Borowicz scores an amplifier and some speakers for me, I could even play between inning tunes to annoy the majority of my players, the fans in the stands, and the opposition! Anybody have an mp3 of "Ride A Cowboy" or the William Hung's greatest hits?

Now where the hell was I? Ah yes, preparing for my ninth trip down to Plum City as manager of the Hudson River Rats. It seems a little odd to consider that two of our youngest players this season were only ten years old when the River Rats first came down to represent Hudson in 2000-- as I'd pointed out last year, so much has changed between now and then, yet the tourney remains. Whole, but certainly not wholesome. Entertaining, but not earth shattering. Old codgers and young bucks. Beer, brats, babes, and plenty of bullshit. RV's and tents. Respectful townsfolk and indecent interlopers. A small town festival of baseball extremes. Yin and yang in other words, to summarize in the most simplistic of ways. I'd asked a while back (of myself, mind you-- I talk to myself quite a bit, which is one of the first signs of madness, but anyway, was I writing here?) what made the Plum City tournament special. Why, pray tell, do you treat this extended weekend like a religious holiday? Why is the trout pond almost like a holy shrine? How many groupie chicks are going there from Stout? Who the hell is passed out in my RV? Why is Schaffer running around in a pink thong talking about an ice run? Why are you the Italian Ambassador?

There are no true answers for every person-- Plum City means only what you believe it should mean. It can be an excuse to spend several days away from your cramped apartment among friends and attractive (and plenty of NOT so attractive) members of the opposite sex. It can be showcase for your talents that can propel you into a starting position and a folk lore following in the league. It can be just another little cow pasture on the side of the road where you climb out of the jalopy and play baseball for a few hours before heading back to work, or family, or school, or meditation on the meaning of life. It can be a celebration of the people you've played with or against for so many years, only to see them tragically injured, yet battling through with grace and dignity. Or it can put you on a course that will alter the remainder of your life, for better (we hope!) or worse (let's not hope for that.)

What I do know is that the River Rats will play the Ellsworth Hubbers at 5:30 PM (or thereabouts) on Saturday, May 24th. After that, we'll see if we play Prescott or Bay City on Sunday... Whether it is the last journey or the first of another string of majestic trips remains to be seen. However it goes, it will be memorable and unique, like all of the players on the River Rats squad-- again, for better or worse... See you there!

Mother's Day In River Falls (May 12, 2008)

The River Rats played their first league game of the 2008 campaign yesterday against the River Falls Fighting Fish, winning an 8-2 decision in front of an announced crowd of 35 people. It was the first game ever played by the Fish in RF, and was marked by the notable absence of longtime umpire Dan Hoffman, who we hope is ok-- it was strange to see him miss a game he'd agreed to umpire... After a late start, the Rats jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first off RF starter Dan Morgan, scoring Andy LaBrosse, Craig Jilek, and Sean Parnell. The Rats tacked on two more runs in the 2nd inning from Devin Rasmussen and Andy LaBrosse, and then two more in the 4th inning when Joel Schaffer and Sean Parnell came home. A LaBrosse run in the top of the eighth rounded out the scoring for the early season version of the Rats, who took advantage of several RF fielding miscues.

Defensively, Rats starter Travis Borowicz threw very well against his home town team, throwing six innings for the win, allowing five hits, one walk, and one hit batsman while striking out 2 Fighting Fish batters. Brian Rudesill picked up an old-fashioned three inning save, allowing 1 hit, one unearned run, and one walk, while striking out one...

The River Rats will travel to St. Paul this Wednesday night (May 14th) to play the second half of a home and home series against the St. Paul Mudhens-- the squad hopes to see the debuts of new Rat players this week, including Chris Kein, Mitch Lewis, and Kirk Krumrei... Only 12 days away from another journey down to Plum City!

Viva Las Vegas (April 26, 2008)

Hello to the multitude (or rather, fifteen or so) of visitors checking out my web page this week-- while the River Rats started the 2008 season in early fashion last Saturday with a game against the St. Paul Mudhens (an 8-4 victory which was nicely done), I was visiting the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon (or at least, I was en route to the Grand Canyon-- I didn't get there until the game had ended.) I would like to give you greater details about the trip, but you can't describe how amazing these places are until you experience them in person. No, I'm not talking about Schaffer's junk, or Rudy's back wig-- I'm talking about Las Vegas... If you have the time and especially the money, it's worth the investment. Just don't stay too long... It's tough doling out $20 to $100 for every meal, no matter how much of a high roller you might be.

As for the squad, we had several positive River Rat debuts, including Sean Parnell and Brian Sparstad... With new hats due this week, and a several pairs of new pants for the newbies, we might even look like a legitimate team by the time we open the league season on May 11th at River Falls. By the way, I'm sorry for those of you hoping to catch the team for an early start on Sunday, April 27th-- the rain and snow have postponed our opener... In the meantime, we hope to get things ready for the Fighting Fish, and also hope to reschedule the Blues for a make-up date later in the summer. Special thanks to Barabe and Schaffer for handling the team in my absence... See you kids at the yard!

April Update (April 9, 2008)

Thanks (again) to everyone who has visited the website over the winter months-- we're on the verge of another season of River Rat baseball in Hudson, and despite any other outward appearances, we're all looking forward to being back on the fields of Western Wisconsin. I have heard little beyond the usual off-season rumble in terms of information on other teams from our league, so I'm not entirely certain as to how we'll stack up against the competition, other than the obvious change to our league-- the St. Croix River Bandits are now part of the SCVBL and will play in the "North" division, against River Falls, Osceola, New Richmond, Menomonie, and of course, Hudson...

On a more somber note, the River Rats were saddened to hear about the father of "General Manager" Rob Barabe, who suffered a heart attack after completing his usual weekend bicycling workout last Saturday. From last reports, however, Mr. Barabe is recovering at United Hospital in St. Paul, and is expected to make a full recovery-- we all have the Barabes in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time...

Otherwise, it has been business as usual with the Rats, although a snafu with hat ordering has put back the timetable on completion of our 2008 uniforms... We have ordered 30 new fitted caps (in basic red), and also have ordered two sets of new t-shirts for players (and fans) for 2008-- with 30 red tees and 30 black tees featuring our beloved Brian Rudesill designed mascot circled by "River Rat Baseball", crisp looks will not be out of style... Expected costs for Rat fans will be $20 for caps, and $25 for t-shirts. (Discounts may be available for SCVBL members.) Long time fans will receive complimentary Rat swag as it is available... No word yet on River Rat jackets, although a few throwback jackets might be in the works by late May for the Plum City tournament.

For folks interested in perusing our upcoming schedule, please check out the 2008 schedule page located at: http://www.hudsonriverrats.org/2008_Schedule.htm.

As noted before, I'm looking forward to meeting the new players joining the team in 2008, and once again seeing the returning veterans from 2000-2007. Individuals interested in possibly joining the Rats as a player in 2008 are encouraged to contact me, Chris LaBreche, at: c.a.labreche@comcast.net for information regarding tryouts and upcoming practices. It is highly recommended that you have a minimum experience level of high school varsity baseball (two seasons preferred), with college playing experience recommended. If we are unable to find a roster spot for you, we may be able to recommend another team in the area with whom to play.

Hope to see you at the park!