JCC Softball Cincinnati

*TEAM GUTTMAN continued their winning ways with a 13-3 win over a banged up TEAM WEISBROT…….hitting stars were……RON “THE ROCKET” NASSIF, who went 3 for 4 and was a double shy of the cycle with two runs scored and three RBI’s……..JOEL “LIL E” ELLISON, 3 for 4 with a double and run scored……JEFF “BRICK HAUS” NASH, 4 for 4 with a triple, three runs scored and two RBI’s…….BRANDON “B LE B” LEBEAU, 2 FOR 3 with a run scord, three RBI and a triple…….BRIAN  “BT” GOLDBERG, 3 for 3 and a run scored and finally, TODD “THE MACHINE” WASSERMAN, 3 for 3 with an RBI……JASON “BIG HAUS” FAUST gave up two runs in the first inning, but settled down to stymy the opposition bats…..next up for TEAM GUTTMAN is TEAM WAGNER, while TEAM WEISBROT will battle TEAM LEFTON……

FYI…… ROGER “ROGZILLA” ROSENTHAL, had to leave the game and is out indefinitely with a dislocated left pinky and stiches…….finger is in a splint (might help his hitting?)….SPECIAL THANKS  to teammate JACK “CAJUN” RUBIN for taking him to the hospital…….

**TEAM WAGNER captain BRAD WAGNER reports in that his team suffered a 11-9 loss to TEAM LEADER……key hits were provided by ANTON LOOOOOOOOOOOON with a homerun, JOHNNY BUBLICK and RYAN SILVERMAN…….veteran pitcher BARRY KAPLAN pitched well and got help from a solid defense…..WILLY WAXLER was called up from AAA DAYTON JCC to pitch in the absence of MARK WEISSER and did an admirable job…..the struggling WAGNERIFICS offense had some bright spots as BRAD WAGNER, JOHNNY BERG DAN STEINBERG and JORDAN COHEN all contributed…….TEAM LEADER plays TEAM GREFER next week and the game can be heard on 700 WLW with CHUCK and DAN handling the broadcast, while TEAM WAGNER will be “heavy” underdogs against TEAM GUTTMAN…….the game to be on tape delay following the 11:00 p.m. news with NORMAN and JERRY…….

***GARY ASKIN of TEAM CRONSTEIN reports in that TEAM LEFTON was victorious in their hard fought entertaining game, 11-9……starting with only nine players for the first three innings, TEAM CRONSTEIN was able to recruit/bribe? MR. BILLY KAHN, a former all-star in the league, to play, with the promise to pay him in chicken wings…….kudos go to out to a well pitched game by STU WEINSTEIN and nice defense from MIKE SMALL, MICHAEL ASKIN and RICK SILVERMAN……hitting star was GARY “THE GOPHER” ASKIN, going a perfect 4 for 4 with three RBI’s……afterwards, acting captain JOEL KAHN commented, “Never have I seen so many hard hit balls directly to the fielder.”…………

***ALEX LEFTON of TEAM LEFTON reported in and added that key hits came off the bats of father JIMMY LEFTON and DAVID SNYDER, however everyone on the team contributed on the offensive end…..great defensive performances came from RYAN KIRZNER and UNCLE BEN “WEEZE” LEFTON……BEREL COHEN had a nice game as well……

FYI……..JIMMY LEFTON sprained his wrist, but is expected back for next week’s game…….

COMMENTS/QUESTIONS can be sent to me at r.rosenthal@fuse.net or r.rosenthal1955@yahoo.com……..

TEAM WEISBROT resembles a MASH televison series cast at this time……captain JEFF WEISBROT, DANNY “BOBCAT” SCHAAFF and JOSH FRANKEL are all injury ridden and hope to be ready for  the second half opener……BEN RODRIGUEZ and CO. are trying to hold the fort down, but it hasn’t been easy as the bats have been quiet the last few games……MIKE GRAY and DAVID WEIL have been  solid as battery mates…..ZAC HIUDT has been golden in the outfield…..ROGER ROSENTHAL has been his usual self…….yelling up a storm to try to ignite the team……NORM FRANKEL is trying to use his senior leadership….newcomers JACK RUBIN and MITCH BALSAM are trying to make a first year impression and finally the wily veteran TED KANTOR is trying to show the youngsters the ropes…..STAY TUNED!!!!!

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE SENT TO r.rosenthal1955@yahoo.com or r.rosenthal@fuse.net……

BEFORE GETTING INTO THE SUMMARY FROM LAST NIGHT’S ACTION……THE BLOG WANTS TO KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE SOFTBALL LEAGUE ACTUALLY READ THE BLOG……THE REASON BEING…..ONE MATT STEINBERG AND ONE ROGER ROSENTHAL WERE DEBATING IN THE PARKING LOT HOW MANY PEOPLE READ IT…..PLEASE CONFIRM BY E-MAILING ME AT ONE OF THE BELOW E-MAIL ADDRESS’……A SIMPLE YES OR NO IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED UNLESS YOU WANT TO ADD A COMMENT OR TWO…………A $1000.00 BET RIDES ON THIS/…….THANK YOU……..

*First to report in on the games last night was losing captain BRAD WAGNER, as he reports in that TEAM WAGNER fell to first half champion, TEAM GUTTMAN, 11-8,……falling behind early, 2-0, the victors came storming back and took command before holding off a late comeback……key hits for the victorious team came off the bats of BRANDON GUTTMAN, TODD WASSERMAN and BRANDON LEBEAU……JASON FAUST battled control problems early, but settled down to get the victory……key hits for the losers were provided by MATT STEINBERG, “little” brother DAN STEINBERG and JOHNNY BERG…..next week, the start of the second half, TEAM GUTTMAN plays the slumping and banged up TEAM WEISBROT, in a game to be aired on TBS, while TEAM WAGNER tries to get back on the winning track with a contest against TEAM LEADER, to be televised on TNT……

*TEAM GUTTMAN captain BRANDON GUTTMAN reports that DANNY “DOC” GLASSMAN did a fantastic job behind home plate with the bright sun shining into his eyes all game long on field #1…….hitting stars and stats for the victors…..FAUST……2 FOR 3, two doubles, one run scored……GUTTMAN….4 for 4, homerun, triple, three runs scored and three RBI’s…..LEBEAU….3 for 4, one run scored and one RBI……JEFF “BRICK HAUS” NASH……3 for 4, one run scored and two RBI’s……..BG also wanted to thank DAN CRONSTEIN for subbing…..he WILL get a share of the winners take come the post-season banquet……

COMMENT/QUESTIONS to directed to me at r.rosenthal@fuse.net or r.rosenthal1955@yahoo.com

First to report in from Sunday morning games is GREG LEADER as TEAM LEADER eeked out a 6-5 victory over TEAM ROTHSTEIN…..stellar defense and a well pitched game by BARRY KAPLAN were the keys to the victory…..ANTON LOOOOOOOON, now playing shortstop, provided some offensive punch with a homerun and BRIAN MONK got a key bases loaded hit…….for the losing team, captain MIKE ROTHSTEIN continued his hitting prowless with a three run homerun, while STEVE “THE DONUT MAN” EPPSTEIN pitched a solid game….

Other games hadn’t been reported by the deadline, but this blogger does know that TEAM GUTTMAN was victorious over TEAM CRONSTEIN, to clinch the first half championship…….CONGRATS TO THEM…….and that MATT STEINBERG played one hell of a game which included a shot over the centerfield fence on field #4…….keep eating those tacos MATT!!!!!!

ANY COMMENTS/QUESTIONS CAN BE SENT TO ME AT r.rosenthal@fuse.net or r.rosenthal1955@yahoo.com

*TEAM SCHWARTZ, 4-2, notched another win as they defeated the slump ridden TEAM LEFTON, 9-6, (is this the right score ALEX LEFTON?)….hitting star for the victors was the ageless wonder RON ROSE as he connected on two key base knocks with a ball hit over the left fielder’s head and then followed that up with a line drive to left field and beat the throw to first base by a step…….after building a lead, TEAM LEFTON showed some character by coming back thanks to a BEN “WEEZIE” LEFTON double and a JIMMY LEFTON homerun……ON A SIDE NOTE……MAZEL TOV to JIMMY LEFTON and family on the Bat Mitzvah of his daughter this past weekend which produced a throng of families and friends to the game…..

**ADD ON from ace cub reporter ALEX LEFTON, celebrating his birthday tomorrow……ALEX had a single, triple and a walk and A FYI…….the LEFTON family hit for the cycle……NOT THAT HARD WITH HOW MANY LEFTONS ON THE TEAM??????????…..afterwards, ALEX warned the rest of the league that TEAM LEFTON is the team to beat in the second half as he said, “We are going to come together. Watch out 2nd half!!!!!”…….strong words from a rookie, eh?

***TEAM GUTTMAN clinched the first half championship with a 10-1 victory over TEAM CRONSTEIN as JASON ‘BIG HAUS” FAUST dazzled once again on the mound……hitting stars included……DANNY “DOC” GLASSMAN, 2 for 2 with a double, walk, stolen base, one run scored and one RBI, RON “THE ROCKET” NASSIF, 2 for 3 with a run, RBI and two stolen bases, BRANDON Bkgutt31″ GUTTMAN, 3 for 4 with two doubles, three runs scored and two stolen bases and BRANDON “B Le B” LEBEAU, 2 for 2 with one run scored, two RBI’s and one stolen base…..GUTTMAN is now 31-12 as a captain in his third year as a captain, however this is his first title………..
After the game, the captain said, “Winning a JCC Men’s Modified Fastpitch League title is an honor and a privilege. No matter how good you look on paper, you never know when you’ll have a chance to bring home the hardware.” He added, “To emerge as a  champion among so may spectacular athletes and Men’s Modified Fastpitch minds is truly humbling.”
Guffman went onto praise his team, “This group of guys we have assembled really know what it takes to win ballgames. They play hard. They play selflessly. They are gentlemen on and off the field and we should be poised for another run this summer.”

****TEAM WAGNER defeated TEAM WEISBROT, 8-6, as MATT STEINBERG played one of his better games so far in his young career…..not only did he play a flawless shortstop making tough plays seem routine, but he belted a homerun over the centerfield fence on field #4…..the former Walnut Hills standout was also issued two intentional walks….TEAM WAGNER behind three double plays (WAGNER-STEINBERG-WAXLER), STEINBERG-WAGNER-WAXLER and BERG-WAGNER-WAXLER) won the game on defense and timely pitching from MARK WEISSER….also getting key hits were BRAD WAGNER, WILLY WAXLER, JOHNNY BERG, DAN STEINBERG and JORDAN “HOOSIER” COHEN……as for TEAM WEISBROT, they’re a banged up team with a few injuries that need to heal to make a run in the second half……next up for TEAM WAGNER is a date with first half champions TEAM GUTTMAN in a game to be televised on the MSG NETWORK, while TEAM WEISBROT faces TEAM LEFTON in a game on CBS SPORTS following 60 Minutes (except on the West coast)…….

STAR SIGHTINGS……STEVE ‘DONUT MAN” EPPSTEIN was spotted yesterday doing lawn work. If you need a hedge trimmer…….give him a call!

EDITOR’S NOTE…….THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BRANDON GUTTMAN BOOK WILL BE COMING TO YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE SOON WITH AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS TO BE ARRANGED……

****Captain MICHAEL ROTHSTEIN reported in about his team’s tough loss to TEAM LEADER as they lost their third game of the year by a combined four runs….they were missing several players and encountered some additional issues upon arrival to the park…..MIKE CREEMER came out of retirement to play and contributed on both sides of the field……

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE SENT TO ME AT r.rosenthal@fuse.net or r.rosenthal1955@yahoo.com