Beaver Times 2010 - Edition I

Welcome to the 2010 Beaver Times. It has been a long winter, but now softball is right around the corner. The Beavers are back at Shaw Park in Clayton for a 3rd straight season. This year, trying to make amends for a tough championship loss to the Team USA. It looks like most of the Clayton teams are back; Team USA, Bi-State Meat, Golden Sombreros, CJC Transportation, Cousin Hugo's and Dogs in a Bathtub are all on the schedule again. New teams like The Bucks, Ivey-Selkirk, Bottom of the Fifth and FDPD replace the old Sportsman's Park and Scared Hitless. There are also more teams this year since it appears that Clayton has decided to put lights up on fields #1 & #2. This means 2X the fun of playing back to back with another diamond. It also means 2X the chance for an outfield collision - stay tuned!

Just as the Beavers did last year, they will open the season against Team USA. The Beavers handled them somewhat effortlessly in the opening week of the season last year, but Team USA grew stronger throughout the season and met the Beavers for the Championship game early last August. Team USA ended up victorious in an 18-12 game. The Beavers will be seeking revenge on Apr 28.

Only time will tell how these new teams fare. It appears to bode well for the Beavers in the pre-season polls as the Beavers were 1-2 against Sportsman's Park and Scared Hitless combined. They were 13-1-1 against those teams returning. I am expecting the FDPD team to be a worthy opponent and can't imagine Ivey-Selkirk is much with the bat. No predictions for the team naming themselves after the Wisconsin NBA franchise or the team whose name may refer more to downing hard liquor than it does coming through in the clutch late in the game.

Sabo enters the game as the reigning 2009 MVB. He will have a couple of past MVBs gunning for the trophy this year. Dupper, Kid and Big John all had off years in 2009. Mobilly also a past recipient strung together some impressive numbers, but not enough to beat out the third sacker. Still need to come up with a penalty for Sabo not posing for the "Annual MVB Photo" with the wait staff at Beavers N Hooters.

First game starts at 6pm on April 28 on field #1. Come on out for opening day - there is nothing like it in St. Louis.

_rake