Master Batters Wipe The Green Team Clean

 

New Lenox, IL - On a very pleasant evening at the Lions Den, the Master Batters squared off against The Green Team, whom they shut out in the season opener.  On this occasion, TGT put up a better fight by scoring double-digit runs.  Master Batters answered the bell by scoring 10 runs in the first inning and 6 more in the second to cruise to a time-shortened 21-13 victory.  The game was never in doubt as MB kept their foe at arm's distance.  Kerty, Stapes, and Koz all homered. Every member of MB got a hit and all but one recorded two hits so it was truly a team effort tonight.  MB pushes their record to 4-4 while The Green Team remains winless in their inaugural season in the Tuesday league.  Game time next week is at 6:30PM against Hammered, whom MB beat in their first match earlier this year.

Notables:

Where's the Old Man? - The question that was asked of me by young Tom Stapes.....referencing Ken.

Round The Bags - The Green Team player resembling Jeff Bezos with the Alsip Nursery shirt, banged a rare home run for his team and decided to "touch them all" as he savored the moment.

Come On Gary! - Also from the mouth of Tom Stapes aka Squints on the crafty pitcher being thrown out at first after his ground ball eluded the third baseman and the SS picked up the ball to kill the play but noticed the speedy runner was still chugging halfway to first base and thus threw out our favorite Uncle.

Hamming It Up - Bags was a victim of his own power by driving three balls into the gap and legging out 2 doubles and a triple.  Each time holding the back of his leg to not break down due to the strained hamstring.

You Are Not In Kansas Anymore - Jeff Bezos dude with the Alsip Nursery shirt struck out in his next at bat after the triumphant homerun.

Flintstones - Zlogar, our featured player tonight, jinxed himself by being thrown out at 3rd on a play where he had to make a prat fall to elude the tag, which was waiting for him.  With MB up by double-digit runs, the ump automatically called Zlogar out................he actually looked safe.

1-2-3 - MB went out quietly in the third inning by gifting The Green Team pitcher a rare three-up three-down effort.

Bags-dad Corner- Sorry Bags, this one is about your dad.  As you read last week in the Ken tribute, Mr. Jimmy Wingfield aka Bags-dad, unexpectedly had to take over the helm of 8 year-old Blue Jays team.  This was still "Coach Pitch" if the pitcher threw more than three balls, as there were no walks in this age group.  Bags-dad holds the Rebel season and all-time strikeout record for fanning his own players.  Ken threw batting practice and pitched brisk balls to the kids, who were accustomed to the timing.  Bags-dad, as the manager, would come in during the games and throw lollypops for which his team had no answer.

Cycling - Greco was a homerun away from the cycle last night as he knocked out three hits in four at-bats.

Gone Fishin' - Tonight's win marks the first time that MB has won a game without the Schoenhofen Three who are on their annual fishing excursion.  

Recruiting - Uncle Gary felt that the average team age was in jeopardy of dropping without Ken so he's seen here trying to recruit The Guy Named Stan.  Bags is along on the mission perhaps as MB's third oldest player, to sweet talk the visitor.

Hans Solo -  Koz lined an opposite field home run with nobody on base for the third and final MB homerun.  After taking a rash of trash talk from his teammates, Koz was quoted; "I knew we had one home run left and I was just trying to line one to the opposite field and got into it better than I thought I would".

Where Did That Come From? - Gazette only knew about the first MB win without Kenny and his boys because Cap'n Jack phoned in the stat from his outrigger.

Recruiting II - Note the "Really?" look on Bags face when Uncle Gary tells The Guy Named Stan that he gets free beer and limo service to the games as a perk for being a member of MB.

Player Profile

Today’s player profile is Mike Zlogar.  I bet that most of you didn’t know his first name until now.  Like Bono or Madonna, he is only known by one name; Zlogar.  Since joining the team in the fall of 2019, Zlogar has become a steady fixture on the Master Batters, and has added a good amount of base hits to the lineup.  In just 17 games played for MB, Zlogs is 22^nd on the all-time hit list.  Among those who qualify with enough at-bats, Zlogar is 9^th highest all-time with a .581 batting average.  The Gazette sat down with the quiet outfielder and part-time catcher to chat.

Gazette: You came to the team in the Fall of 2019.  Who gave you the call to invite you on to the team and what is your connection to that person?

Zlogar:  Koz slid in my DM’s asking if I could sub one night. I remember it was probably my best night of my MB career, I went 5-5 with 9RBI’s. I’m not sure what happened after that, must have been first game luck.  

Gazette: Tell us about your one home run as a Master Batter?

Zlogar: My one homerun was last season, it came directly after Koz hit one to put us at our cap for the game.  So of course my only one did not count.

 

                   Mike Zlogar

Gazette: In your brief time as a member of MB, what is your favorite memory?

Zlogar: I don’t think I have one memory in particular. I have always seemed to mess up some way, weather its running down the baseline too far, being in a rundown, or just flat falling on my face. But somehow I can usually do some sort of oddly athletic maneuver to be safe somehow. Just hope my luck doesn’t run out.

Gazette: Do you have any goals for the season?  If yes, what goals have you set?

Zlogar:  My goal is to hit a homerun that actually counts.

Gazette: What are your long-term goals playing for MB?

Zlogar: I think I tell Captain Jack a few times every year that Tuesday night softball is literally one of the highlights of my year. My goal is to play until I can age as gracefully as uncle Gary or Ken and still come out here and play this awesome game.   

Gazette: You are the 2nd person profiled to graduate from Lincoln-Way West.  What was it like being in the first full 4 year graduating class?

Zlogar: I loved my time at west, the first year was very odd because there was no senior class so the school seemed empty, our sports teams were also horrible due to this. We were able to accomplish some pretty cool things over the course or the 4 years however.

Gazette: You  played baseball for West, what position did you play?   

Zlogar: I was a pitcher only when I was on varsity. It was awesome because you literally just got to run, do PFP, and shag fly balls in the outfield for BP. 

Gazette: What was your most impactful game as a Warrior?

Zlogar: My most impactful game is when I got to start against Oak Forrest. It was impactful because we played against Kyle Funkhouser who was one of the best pitchers in the area at the time and ultimately got drafted by the tigers.  We won 1-0 and gave us some momentum headed into the playoffs. ( He struck me out 3 times that game).

Gazette: Back tracking a little, you played ball for the Rebels.  Did you remember playing with or against any of your current teammates?

Zlogar: I do not, I am younger than most of the guys on the team so did not have the chance to.

Gazette: Rumor is that you have a story about Canada.  What happened there?

Zlogar: Family vacation gone wrong… We decided to go the Niagara Falls one year. (USA SIDE) We ended up making a wrong turn that led us onto the bridge to Canada. Once you are on this bridge, there is no turning around so you just have to follow the crowd. We pulled up to the border crossing without passports, we had to be searched for illegal substances, our luggage and car had to be checked. And because we didn’t have passports we legally had to be deported from Canada.  

Gazette: If the Master Batters travel to Canada, would you be able to make the trip?

Zlogar: I would be able to make the trip, however I would have to stop at the immigration office and get my picture and thumbprints taken when I enter and leave.

Gazette: You are one of the most quiet members of MB.  Were you always quiet at home growing up?

Zlogar: I think playing with this group has really gotten my out of my shell. When you play the out field with Arik with an A for a few years you either start talking crap or you become the next victim… I chose the latter.

Gazette: You’ve recently made a new purchase.  Tell us about your acquisition.

Zlogar: My girlfriend and I just moved into our house in the beginning of May. We had it custom built and it took around 6 months to complete. It was such an awesome experience being able to build our first house. Need to have a MB party after we win the Championship later this year.

Gazette: What’s it like being a home owner?

Zlogar: Expensive. Starting to notice every little thing add up.

Gazette: We asked Koz this question earlier this year.  What do you think about Jeff Bezos taking the inaugural blast on Blue Origin coming up in July?

Zlogar: I have worked at Amazon for about 6 years now. We call him uncle Jeff. The guy started one of the biggest companies in the world in his garage as a librarian. If he can accomplish everything he has done starting there, I don’t put anything past him.  

Gazette: You went to JJC and tried out for the baseball team there.  Any good stories about legendary Coach King?

Zlogar: During my time at JJC coach King was a man of few words. However the words he did speak were usually 4 letters, and directed at someone in a very direct manor.