Bleu Ballers Softball

It’s been weeks since the Ballers were able to flash their leather gloves, swing their bats, and play with balls, but tonight the Bleu Ballers showed us all why they excelled this season.  Yes the Ballers may have lost in the Southeastern divison West Northern Championship game, and missed out on their chances at the Lord Larry Lombardi Commissioners Cup, but they didn’t go down easy.

Erik Green has become a pivotal player in the Bleu Ballers roster.  After holding for the beginning of the season, and sporadically showing up to games towards the end, Green has come to terms with the Bleu Ballers management and has signed a one year contract agreement, which both parties involved are relieved to have out of the way.  In classic Erik Green fashion, betting 4th in the lineup, Erik went 3 for 3 today including 2 home runs a single and a total of 5 RBIs.

Green’s power though, was not enough to ward off the determined and destined S&V Construction.  After falling behind in the top of the first, by 3 runs, S&V bounced back with 1 run of their own, followed by a 1-2-3 defensive 2nd inning.  Adding another run in each of the next two innings, S&V had completed their mid-game comeback, bringing themselves and their fans back into the belief that they would win this game.  The Bleu Ballers were up to the challenge, adding a 4th inning run, off of a Joe Cleary single that scored Frank Green from 2nd.

Members from the Scorgasms, were on hand today, cheering on the Bleu Ballers.  They were quickly quieted in the 5th inning when the heart of the S&V order drove in 2 runs to take their first lead of the game 5-4.  A single by Renee Basile, a clutch double by player/coach Danny Migliorisi, and a second moonshot of the day by Erik Green, accounted for 3 more runs and the games 5th lead change.  Fans went wild, roosters were crowing, and the cows were spinning circles in the pastures, Bleu Ballers were leading by 2 heading into the bottom of the 6th which is where it all went down hill.  A defensive change brought Kara Scandaglia into right field and Ant Arcuri to first, replacing Michele Williams and AJ Basile respectively.  With this change, the Bleu Ballers defense failed Ice Box and lead to a heartbreaking, unearned, walk-off error.

Every fairytale must come to an end, and although this Cinderella story didn’t end with a glass slipper mystery solved and a ‘Happily Ever After’, the Bleu Ballers wont let this disappointment negatively effect them in the upcoming Labor Day Tournament, or the following Fall Season.  Instead, this will leave them hungry next season for the title.

As a Bleu Ballers tradition, the following awards will be presented in the form of praise and honor from manager Danny Migliorisi.

• Cy Young Award – Renee Basile – As the Bleu Ballers progressed through the season, Basile played an important role atop the coveted pitchers mound.  Renee worked this team from the bottom of barrel to the highest possible plateau.  With Renee in the organization, the Ballers will never be taken lightly again…not to mention shes got a great behind.
• Gold Glove Award – Frank Arcuri – Although Arcuri has been known for some wild tosses to first, at shortstop Frank has beenthe most defensively sound player on the squad all season long.  Frank has some room for improvements in the batters box but expect him to explode in the coming seasons…all over your face.
• Silver Slugger Award – Frank Green – Green had a difficult time at the plate in the Southeastern Division West Northern Championship game, but he has attributed his strength to the team in many past plate appearances.  Frank has knocked in, a team leading, 22 RBIs this season.  Frankie “The Wolf” Green plans to work on his fielding abilities and add more power to the lineup next season.
• Conn Smythe Award – Erik Green – The Conn Smythe award is given to the player showing the most value to a single team throughout the playoffs. Having gone 3-3 with 5 RBIs and 2 home runs, there is no doubt that Erik Green is deserving of the award.  Having put his differences aside, Erik has agreed to terms with the Bleu Ballers for a 1 year extension and will join the 12-man roster for the fall season.

Congratulations to the above winners, and thank you to all who made it out to the games this season.  Stay tuned on BleuBallers.com for updates on Applebees Team Trivia Challenge, tournament results, and the Fall Season warmup reports.

August 15th marked the first day of the playoffs in the Fun Leagues Bay Divison Softball.  The Bleu Ballers, expectedly, advanced to the semis by way of forfeit. Due to potential “rust” heading into the semis, player/manager Danny Migliorisi, and sidekick Frank Arcuri (Boy Wonder), arranged for a friendly scrimmage against the powerhouse of the College division, Los Ardillas.  In what turned out to be a sloppy display of defense, the Bleu Ballers committed a plethora of errors in the first two innings, ultimately handing the game to the Spanish Squirrels.

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As you may have already known, the Bleu Ballers are the most brilliant Fun Leagues softball team in history.  On a normal game day, Frank Arcuri, Frank Green, Danny Migliorisi, Natalie Ross, Joe Cleary, and AJ Basile are compared to baseball greats such as Derek Jeter, Sammy Sosa, Robin Ventura, Roberto Alomar Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., and Mo Vaughn (respectively), but at the trivia table, it’s a different story.

Names like John Adams, Albert Einstein, Socrates, and so on, were more relevant to the brains that took part in the Bleu Ballers second Applebees trivia night victory.  This weeks prize was kind of weak, a $50 Apple-cash card, which made it a lot more affordable to drink, eat, and celebrate AJ’s birthday.

If there are any trivia experts out there, wishing to dethrone the Bleu Ballers as champions, we welcome the competition.  Bring your team down and try your luck.  Every Sunday at the Staten Island Mall Applebees, 7:00 sharp!

Who says winning ‘aint easy?  The Bleu Ballers have collected 3 consecutive wins having played only 1 inning! If that’s not easy, I don’t know what is.  The Lost Angels failed to show up for the game this Sunday, bringing the Bleu Ballers to a final season record of 10-3.  Dependant on the outcome of the SNV Construction game, the Ballers may have finished off in 2nd place in their inaugural season.  The team has high hopes heading into the playoffs, especially Renee Basile.  ”I just finally got back into the groove of things, ‘aint nobody touching me now! ” – R. Basile

Following a team practice this Sunday, there was some confrontation between the Bleu Ballers and two unknown teams.  It seemed as though the Ballers batting practice was far too explosive for the likings of the lesser athletes at the other end of the field.  When asked about this weeks post game brawl, heres what Renee had to say “softball brings out the best in people..50 steroid abusers/old men vs 7 bleu ballers, we couldve done real damage, we let them off easy.”  The whole scuffle was started when centerfielder, Michael Clark Duncan, attacked Joe Egan in a fit of roid-rage, claiming that Egan summoned the flying softballs upon the centerfielders skull. In the post game conference, with a smile on his face, Joe Egan proclaimed “I love getting into softball fights”.

More importantly, the playoffs will begin next Sunday, and hopefully the Bleu Ballers will be able to finally get back onto the field and show the island why they are the favorites to win this summers Fun Leagues Championship!

Check back later this week for more information on the playoff game.

It’s been a long grueling season for the grinders of the Bleu Ballers, and the final game of the season may prove to be pinnacle to the playoff seedings.  The way things look as of now, S&V Construction may be one game ahead of the Ballers going into the final week having beaten the top ranked team in the Bay divison, Deuces Wild.

Captain and acting player/manager of the Ballers, Danny Migliorisi, guarantees victory this weekend as well as throughout the playoffs.  “It will take more than my pep talks and guarantees.  We’ll need a strong showing from [Joe] Cleary, as well as Frank Arcuri and Frank Green” – Migliorisi.  Aside from the aforementioned key players, the Bleu Ballers will need Anthony Arcuri to make some big plays at first, something he hasn’t been able to do all season.

First pitch is scheduled for 12:30pm, Sunday August 8th.  Renee Basile will be making her 6th consecutive start, on the mound for the Ballers, seeking out her 7th win of the season.

It takes more than good looks, and great athletic ability to be a true Bleu Baller.  This was proven Sunday night following a forfeit win against Pal Steve’s Tavern when select members of the Bleu Ballers visited Applebees to compete in the Team Trivia competition.

Scoring a grand total of 117 points of a possible 125, Frank Green, Frank Arcuri, Natalie Ross, and DannyMigliorisi represented the Ballers in grand fashion, finishing in first place of the 12 teams competing.  As a result of this victory, they were awarded a sweet New York Yankees fold-up tailgate chair/cooler set.

If you are interested in partaking in future trivia nights, join the rest of the team at the Staten Island Mall Applebees location every Sunday at 7:00pm.

Congratulations team!

Nelson Cruz brought it to an end in the bottom of the 10th inning with a long home run into the left-field bleachers, but Michael Young was succinct in summing up Tuesday night at the Ballpark in Arlington.

“That game was all Cliff Lee,” Young said. “You can’t say enough about the job he did. Their starting pitcher threw the ball really well, but Cliff dealt for nine innings.”

The Rangers just needed 10 innings to pull it out as Cruz’s home run off Athletics reliever Michael Wuertz gave Texas a 3-1 victory before 28,124 fans at the Ballpark. The Rangers have now won nine of 12 games since the All-Star break.

“That one was great, considering the way we were playing and the way Cliff is throwing the ball,” Cruz said. “He didn’t get the win, but we got on top — that’s the most important thing.”

Lee didn’t get the victory. Closer Neftali Feliz picked it up with a scoreless 10th, but Lee still had a night to remember in allowing just one unearned run on five hits over nine innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out 13.