Woody Ball Write-UP

July 13th

   Sloan Barber

           AP Correspondent

Attention SSWBL:

In trying to keep up with our updates, we will be temporally switching to a new on beat reporter while Tom Jalana is out. The SSWBL would like to welcome our new reporter – Sloan Barber. Sloan is a Communications/Journalism major at Columbia College and need some experience writing columns as well as some requirements for a summer class. He will/is attending games or sending colleagues to gather information for his weekly report. Please welcome him to our League.

Look at past articles at Sloan's Slate here: go to slate

Glad to be back, with some hard hitting beat reporting. Had to take the July 4th Holiday off, even this reporter needed a little break.



Flyers Be-Deviled, Come Back to Spilt
Burr Ridge, IL

Deals with the "Devil" are not uncommon, selling one's soul to the Prince of Darkness has been the storyline of many movies and books, but when you are "The Devils" it takes on a whole new meaning. The West Lawn Devils appear to be investing in themselves by this wicked pact helping them climb closer to a playoff spot by beating the Flyers in Game 1 by a score of 8-5. The Devils Bat's came out of hell, and the fireballs that the pitching provided kept the Flyers in a tailspin all game. The Flyers tried a barrel roll, but couldn't dodge the fire from the bogies on the field. Game Two saw the Flyers hit mach speed, with their bats and fastballs as they crop dusted the Devils 13-5. The Flyers got back to their correct altitude and made a perfect landing to close out the spilt. The Devils had a hard time keeping up with the tight maneuvers of the Flyers and costly errors proved to be the pitchfork stuck to them in the end. Scout says - The Devils deal is a win-win for them souls for baseball games, although it seem like they are only breaking even with a split against the Naturals last week. Maybe Al Pachino can be the "Advocate" for this Devils team. The Flyers are showing their toughness in the League but have to "Aim High" in future games if they want to be the "Top Gun", after splitting this week and getting a "Royal" pain after splitting last week with the Royals.

Some Times you Feel Like a Nut....
Homewood, IL

They say "Sometimes you feel like a nut, Sometimes you don't" For the Lansing Nuts feeling like a nut was just fine as they salted the Peotone Pirates 13-4 in Game 1 of the double-header. The Nuts pitching came out throwing hard which proved to be an "All mound Joy" by striking out 7, while their bats kept pounding away at the Jolly Roger. The Pirates mounted a mutiny, but couldn't raise the mast high enough to overtake the Nuts as errors proved to sink any comeback. Game 2 saw the Nuts come down from the sugar high, only to not feel like a Nut and costly errors proved to make things half-shelled for them the rest of the game. The Pirates seized the opportunity and began swabbing the deck of the Nuts by moving the runners and putting the ball in play, while the pitching fired cannonballs past the batters. Scout says - The Nuts are a team that can be hard as peanut brittle, as they showed against the Diamondbacks last week but when the can is only half full, it makes Mr. Peanut into butter. The Pirates continue to look for treasure, but a split is only half a pence, and after getting swept against the Seadogs last week, Doubloons may be too expensive for them now.


Orbitz Leave Royals Feeling Spacey
Oak Forest, IL

Ground control to Major Tom, the Orbitz are back. After feeling the broom of the Legends last week the Orbitz turned on the afterburners by pitching and slugging their way past the Royals 12-8 in Game 1 and 10-0 in Game 2. The Orbitz came off the launch pad in game 1 with solid pitching and just enough hitting to keep from sacrificing the mission as the Royals tried to catapult themselves to a come from behind win. In game 2 it was all Orbitz, using all they had to put the Royals in a black hole. No chances in this one for your majesty as the Royals were shut out like a peasant to the Kings castle. Scout says – The Orbitz are at even power captain, but I don’t know if she’s got anymore in her. They have a good chance every week and play decent ball, but to move forward they may need Scotty to “Beam them up””. The Royals looked like they may had found Excalibur after a win over the Flyers last week, but after getting jousted by the Orbitz they may need a week in the maidens chambers to get them going again.

Legendary Sweep Keeps Indians Pow Wowing
Oak Forest, IL

The “Trail of Tears” continued Sunday for the Indians as they dropped another two games against the Legends 9-1 and 11-0. Coming off of a sweep by the A’s last week the tribe looked to get something going against the Legends in hopes of turning the season around. Unfortunately it turned out to be a trip to the reservation not once, but twice for the Indians. The Legends continued to show great pitching and decent hitting as the Indians looked tired and shorthanded. Game 2 was just all Legends as they took no time in closing this one out, cruising to another victory as it was in last weeks sweep over the Orbitz. Scout says - The Indians may have pitched their last tepee, but like Sitting Bull said – “When in doubt, the roulette wheel at Ho-Chunk always has an answer and a payout”. The Legends prove to be a team to beat although more important games still are in the future. Last time I checked Swagger was part of the White Sox motto. Reminds me of an old wise mans advise I got from a fortune cookie after some great take out “He who talks a Big Game, Often Loses It”.

Seadogs take a bite out of A’s
Bradley, IL

Who let the Dogs out? Well it seems the pound gate has swung open for these canines as they barked their way to a sweep of the Intercon A’s 5-2 and 7-1 in Sunday’s game. Coming off a sweep of the Pirates last week, the Seadogs are making some paw prints in their division. As usual the Seadogs pitching was dominant with the bats following up to secure the win. Game 2 saw more of the same as they doggie-paddled to an easy victory. Intercon is a recycling company, and the A’s definitely looked like a salvaged team. Not too many starters present as it seemed something, some people were missing. Not like last week with a sweep of the Indians. Like aluminum cans, the A’s chances were crushed as they tried to keep in the games. I had to see this match-up myself, thinking it was going to be the best of the week. The Seadogs have set sail again, but too many bones can land them at the vet. The A’s have shown that glass can be shattered and metal bent when not at full strength. Keep the day shift in the rest of the season, and it’s a well oiled machine. Let the night shift in and it could be the scrap heap for them.



“Woolly” Weekend Leaves Mammoths on Ice
Chicago, IL

They say the dinosaurs went extinct because a lack of the sun, well the same could be said about the Mammoths only a lack of hitting doomed the beast to a shelling of 6-0 and 18-0 in games this Sunday. The Mammoths gave the Naturals the dose of Metamucil they need to get their regularity back after splitting with the Devils last week. It was batting practice in Game 2 as the Naturals came out with big bats and solid pitching to shut out the Mammoths in both games. Scout says –The Mammoths can create a rumble when possible, but taking a wrong turn can lead them into the Tar Pits. The Naturals are striving to be a name brand in the SSWBL, but too much irregularity may keep them on the shelves.