Sarah Joestl shows the savage spirit of Express women.
Silver Spring, Md. | Beset by absences and no-shows, a makeshift 20-Minutemen lineup managed to stay out the slaughter rule zone Saturday, falling to Fox 5, 14-8 and ABC News, 17-6. With only eight players to start with, Express displayed some major grit to make the day respectable.
“The women of Express were in a league of their own today: base knocks, solid D and super effort,” interim coach Chip Porter said. “Props to Darona [Williams] for not only making her Minutemen debut, but also for getting a single in her very first at bat.”
James “McCarthy Who?” Romoser handled left field effectively on his own, tracking down balls all over the outfield after biking eight miles to the field just to play. “In hindsight, I should have brought my bike with me [on the field], because it would have come in handy when chasing down line drives,” he said.
With an assist from Fox, Jen Sumnick volunteered to play with the 20-MM, filling in nicely at third base.
Continued …
FOX5 14, Express 8
ABC 17, Express 6
The camera ate its memory card and I was unable to download any of today’s meager photo crop to my computer. My TV, however, was able to read the card. Click the picture of Endy on my TV to have your mind BLOWN.
Why is Chip Porter holding a pencil in his right hand when he bats left?
With head coach Matt Swenson off gallivanting in Canada, dad/right fielder/wrestling geek Chip Porter has stepped in as the 20-Minutemen manager for two weeks. We sat down with him this week to discuss the temporary arrangement.
Any opening thoughts on the gig?
It was a honor to wear the ill-fitting uniform of a manager, even if for just one day. I tried to model my dress on those elderly men dressed as children who have come before me. Super-fit men such as Whitey Herzog, Davey Johnson and anybody else who used his uniform shirt like a girdle.
If Express manages a sweep this week, that will put you at 3-1. Do you think it would be time for a legit change at the top at that point?
I don’t think so. I would never want to Wally Pipp our real coach just because he’s out buying flowers and taking dance classes when he should be on the field, leading the Minutemen like a Revolutionary War general — but that’s just me.
Continued …
Dust from Capital View/Homewood halted all international air travel to and from Europe.
A cloud of red dust from parched softball fields snarled proceedings on and off the 20-Minutemen’s bench Saturday, causing the temporary cancellation of dozens of gossip-filled conversations and forcing players to chase after toppled water bottles.
The plumes forced benchwarming authorities to keep a close eye on refreshments that were baked specifically to fuel the players. “We had to close the Tupperware containers of cookies to keep dust out of them,” said Aimee Goodwin, who brought a Ziplock bag full of chocolate chip cookie bars. “I think fewer people ate them because of this.”
Coupled with relatively low temperatures, airspace around the Capital View/Homewood fields might as well have been closed to all spectators except the teams’ benchwarmers themselves; the only non-team members able to make a brief visit were those in Chip Porter’s family.
Continued …
James “Scott McCarthy” Romoser and Chip Porter share the secret Express handshake.
Silver Spring, Md. | With winds howling and temperatures dipping into the 50s, Express (2-2) earned a split in its first round of division games, beating National Press Club 7-3 and falling to Associated Press 6-5.
A tinkering of the lineup produced solid results in the heart of the order, while temporary coach Chip Porter led the 20-Minutemen with 5 RBI and 2 homers on the day. “I’m so glad I started him in my MMSL fantasy league today,” Nathan Martin said.
Newcomer James Romoser steadied the outfield with a strong performance in centerfield. “James’ outfield play saved us probably 4 or 5 runs alone,” Andy Bonior said. “The rest of the outfield came up huge as well in those insane winds.”
Continued …
AP 6, Express 5
Express 7, National Press Club 3
Several factors have contributed to the dearth of photos so far this season. One: My camera isn’t working that great. Two: I would like to spend some games kicking it with Endy and Auden, and gossiping.
Auden, however, has stepped forward and offered to shoot. Click his shot above to see the rest of the day’s photos.
The bag waits patiently.
One critical 20-Minutemen mainstay didn’t make it to Opening Day — the first time this founding member hasn’t attended a game since the team debuted in 2007.
It was the emergency bag, and it was missed.
No sunscreen. No bug spray. No baby wipes. No trash bags. No pencils. No hair-elastics. No Kleenex.
No ineffective squeeze-activated “cold” packs to provide empty comfort in the event of debilitating injury.
No potassium iodide pills to protect team members’ thyroids in the event of a nuclear reactor accident or dirty bomb detonation.
NO HAND SANITIZER.
This year the bag, which returned April 17, has a new look and some exciting new options.
The well-known yellow duffel has been replaced by one of those cheap nylon things we give to interns a jaunty Express-emblazoned drawstring pack.
New to the bag are Ace-style elastic bandages. A promising 2009 draftee, five Zyrtec antihistamine pills, hopes to get off the bench this year.
Continued …
It was not so long ago that the 20-Minutemen struggled to field a team, let alone be as competitive as we desired.
I’m proud to report those days seem long gone.
If the first week of the season is any indication, Express has a deep lineup that can compete with just about anybody.
Case in point: Nathan Martin hit a home run to spark the 20-Minutemen’s comeback victory over ABC News, and then took a seat on the bench.
In his place stepped in newcomer James Romoser, who delivered spectacular fielding and timely hitting.
Also making key contributions late in the opening victory were Rachel Kaufman, Darren Favello and Mark Giannotto, all of whom started on the bench.
Because Express has so much depth, some good players are going to have to sit for a while.
The team’s attitude has been terrific about this so far, and I expect to remain so throughout the season.
Who figured a company as small as Express would produce a team with such interchangeable parts?
It just shows how far we’ve come.
Micah Pearson makes a preemptive bid for Most Grievously Wounded.
Though there were many who proudly warmed the 20 Minutemen’s benches during the Opening Day games, Auden Porter was the MVP of the bench. Not only did the two-year-old with curls to die for bring a handsome T-ball kit for behind-the-scenes practicing, he also performed a killer rendition of “A, B, C” and completely tilled the soil beneath the Minutemen’s bench — by hand! (Guess it’s time to plant a garden.)
By the end of the game, the young Porter was covered in the fruits of his labor, and it looked as if he had slid into more bases than all of the Minutemen combined. Sources say he went on to take a long bubble bath later that day to unwind.
Micah Pearson made a longer-than-expected appearance on the bench after he tweaked his ACL running out a hit. Without his glove, his Excalibur, he was vulnerable — as his story just days ago had unfortunately foreshadowed.
Luckily, by Monday, Pearson was walking without a limp and seemed poised to make a full recovery. “I’m taking it easy this week, avoiding stairs and getting a knee brace,” he said. “If that doesn’t work: Cybernetic Implants.”
A guest appearance was made by super-mom Andrea Bonior, along with the Minutemen’s minor league affiliate team member Vance, and the Minutemen’s Most Photographed Female In Diapers (’08, ‘09), Alina.
On their brief visit, the Boniors brought a new topic of conversation to the bench, by answering the question “Andrea, when are you due?” again and again and again. (Answer: June)
With Darren Favello
Express 5, ABC 4
Fox5 12, Express 8
Click picture to see this round of photos.