King County Baseball Conference

[Honorable_Pawn]

After a 1-2-3 top of the 1st inning the Admasville Woodcutters took SP Dean Chopper to the Woodshed in the bottom half of the frame.

It began innocently enough when CF Ryan Lilly singled and went to 2B on a fielding error. He advanced to 3rd on a ground-out that brought up power-hitting RF Todd Shelton who walked to put runners at 1st and 3rd. Clean-up hitter DH John Humphrey popped out to third for the second out of the inning. The next batter, 1B Don Brooks, singled home Lilly for a 1-0 lead putting runners at 1st and 2nd with two outs.

The next batter CF Fletcher Carroll walked to load the bases for C Junk Hunter.



On a 1-1 count Junk Hunter pulled a ball down the left field line for a bases clearing 3-run double giving the Woodcutters a 4-0 lead.

The next batter, 2B Bill Hawkins doubled home Hunter for a 5-0 lead.

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After a a quiet top half of the 2nd inning the Woodcutters struck again in the bottom of the 2nd inning blowing the game wide open.

After a walk, a fly-out and another walk 1B Don Brooks



picked up his 2nd RBI single of the game putting the Woodcutter up 6-0 with runners at 1st and 3rd for CF Fletcher Carroll who singled home another run for a 7-0 lead while chasing SP Dean Chopper from the game with his worst start of the season.

The next batter, 2B Bill Hawkins (.571 0 4)



continued his blistering season with a 2-run single putting the Woodcutters up 9-0. Moments later a WP scored another and KCBL was beginning to consider the merits of a mercy rule.

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It got even uglier in the 3rd inning:

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A lot of people changed the channel or fell asleep at this point. In the morning after the dust was cleared:

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07/02/12
Monday Morning
Updated Standings

[Honorable_Pawn]

***The contents of the CEO meeting were held privately and not made public. The actual individual voting record of each CEO and the official opinion of each CEO was not released. Only the official release on Monday morning was made available to the media. Luckily for you...you are a fly on the wall. Stick around for the inside scoop***

[Honorable_Pawn]

Paco Wolves vote: Nay


Official Opinion
I do not think it sends the right message to the communities that support our product. Families and children are the life-blood of our success. The children in our communities look up to our players as role-models and heros. To me, this is of utmost importance. I liken it to Santa Claus, in so far, as how a child full of innocence believes in miracles, believes that good triumphs over evil, and that by being good and working hard that dreams can come true. That good is rewarded.

As far as adults are concerned they are the ones that are spending the money. I can speak for my blue-collar fanbase in Paco that it is often troubling to them that working hard, being loyal, and doing the right-thing is not always rewarded like it should be. Lots of people are disillusioned, distressed, and disturbed by the aloofness of upper-management in the corporate enviornment. Do we really want to send the message that all we care about is homeruns and selling tickets?

What we do now in the formative stages of our league will be the foundation upon which it is built. I urge you, Mr Commissioner, to cancel the vote and rule against instating Tony Bustamonte. Regardless of what he says, he has been convicted of a felony by a jury of his peers.

No, now is not the time to send the wrong message to our fans.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Federal District Coal Raiders Vote: Yea


Official Opinion
First off, I am a very busy man. I got a team to run so I am going to be brief. My job as a CEO is to maximize the return on investment for the investor. I understand that as a business that we do have social responsibilites but its not like giving this kid a second chance is dumping toxic waste in the water supply.

As far as kids...Come on already with all the bleeding heart bull-crap. Kids are kids. They don't know anything about felonies, about bills, about the real-world. They are going to love the players that they love and they are blind to the real-world.

As far as the adults are concerned...Well, first off, let me be blunt. I run the Federal Team. Let's face it, our team isn't for the working class. The living conditions in our coal-mining town are substandard for Federal CEO's. This team is for them. We spend money so that our leaders have some...some...reason not to take their talents elsewhere.

Anyway, like I was saying about adults. Adults understand that life is short and that they spend almost all of their best hours...year over year over year at work. When they have some free time to go out to a ballgame for a little fun they like to drink beer, and they like to eat hotdogs, and they like to see homeruns. Period.

No problem. Let him in.

Better get ready to pony-up boys 'cause when he gets in...I'm signing him.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Farmingdale Plowboys Vote: Nay


Official Opinion
My daddy's grand-daddy worked his tail on the farm from sun-up to sun-down. He saved every penny he got and he taught my daddy the same. And my daddy taught me. Since I ain't got no kids of my own I kinda adopted "The Kid". I kinda mentored him and taught him the value of hard-work. I meant what I taught Joel Ryan. Besides, his family works on my farm...everyday...they work hard. They ain't never stole nothing from nobody. If they don't gotta steal then there ain't no excuse for that bum.

No, my reputation won't be tarnished. My name is on the stadium sign for cripes sake. My name is on the food that people eat in the whole county.

Ain't no way in hell that punk should be in this league.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Adamsville Woodcutter Vote: Nay


Official Opinion
Kids are going to make mistakes. It happens. But the thing that bothers me is that you have to learn from your mistakes. You have to man-up to your mistakes but, most importantly, you have to be remorseful.

This young man comes across to me a spoiled big-city brat that got in over his head. He got mixed up with the wrong crowd and turned his back on responsibility.

I want to help him turn it around but, apparently, he still hasn't learned his lesson. I say let's give it some time. Let's see how he does. Make him prove that he has changed. Make him fight for something to believe in.

As it stands right now...no. Maybe oine day in the future.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Brown Town Powers Vote: Yea


Official Opinion
The way I see it he made a mistake when he was young. He paid his dues to society. He doesn't owe anyone a dime. As far as I'm concerned, the bank robbery conviction is the only crime he committed. Remember, there was no conviction in the strong-arm robbery case. There wasn't enough evidence to prove that he did anything wrong. I believe in our system. I believe in those jurors and I put all of my faith in the fact that the system may be flawed but it gets it right most of the time.

With that said...Not only do I believe in the people but I also believe in forgiveness. People deserve second chances. Incarceration is not...It is not...about punishment. It's supposed to be about rehabilitation and redemption. If we turn on backs on Tony Bustamonte now then we only have ourselves to blame for what that disappointment and despair will bring to his heart.

Be selfish for a moment...Do you really want to be the person walking back to your car in the parking lot with a hurt and angry Tony Bustamonte on the loose. Now, now...

Really now...together we have a real opportunity here. We can lift up a young man and show him that he is still loved. That no matter how bad he may have been there is still something to fight for. That anyone one of us can turn around a tradegy and raise our heads in pride. Let's give this young man a chance. Let's not judge him for how he talks, for his lack of vocabularly, for his street talk. What sounds as callous and rude to you is culturally acceptable where he was raised. Don't let your predjudices judge this young man on how he talks. Don't kick a man when he is down. Give him a hand and raise him up!

One last thing...As far as the fans are concerned...look at it like this: The people love a Cinderella story. You want a role-model for young kids? Show them that no matter how bad life gets that there is hope.

Yes, absolutely. No questions asked. It's time to mentor him. If you can do that then you have done everything. No one gets left behind.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Tidewater Beach Castaways Vote: Yea


Official Opinion
As my fanbase would say, "Whoa, Dude. That was totally inspiring."

No work or love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

Let's live this life and let's let Tony Bustamonte live his. Do we dare punish him and therefore ourselves? Are we all not one?

**** happens. Let him in.

[Honorable_Pawn]

District Thirteen Blackjacks Vote: Yea


Official Opinion
Unbelievable, some of you people. You act like you never did nuthing. Don't forget, I got eyes and ears everywhere. I know what what you people did. Maybe you should step back and take a look in the mirror. There's a freaking reason why everyone is charging the same price for a bushel of wheat around here. Sometimes...you people.

I can remember when Tony was a kid. He was a good kid. He did what he was told, he kept his mouth shut, and he always was good to his mother. I knew the kid's old man before he got put away. He used to beat him when he got drunk. It's a freaking miracle that kid didn't kill somebody.

Forget about it. Kids in.

[Honorable_Pawn]

With the vote at 4-3 it all hinges on Zulu. How's that turn out?

Find out next time...

[Honorable_Pawn]

Zulu Blacklegs Vote: Yea


Official Opinion
It's a tough call. We have to balance out our desire to give people a second chance with teaching people that there are consequences to our actions. I've listened to all of you very closely and have taken everything that you all have said and considered it carefully.

But for me, I have to vote based upon the character of my fanbase. Ultimately, the Zulu Blacklegs are here to entertain the citizens of Zulu. Generally speaking, the people of Zulu are still a little...how shall we say...a little frustrated at being incorporated by force. My customers feel like the underdogs, like they have been set-up for failure, that they have lost a degree of individuality in our esteemed corporate enviornment.

Zulu feels like they have been treated like "the bad guy" so they relate to the bad guy. They need to see the "bad-guy" succeed. It gives them hope.

I say yes. Tony Bustamonte is in!

[Honorable_Pawn]

Results

Zulu/Adamsville (down 1,000cr)

Zulu did their part scoring just 1 run but nothing I do about Adamsville. Geez, that team can really hit. Remind me to never take the under with adamsville again.


Paco to win (up 2,100cr)

To the dog at +105 and finally won! I only netted 100 but that's better than nothing. My luck is finally about to change. I'm going to get all my kids' college money back and put it back in the bank. Then, I'm going to buy my wife a new ring.

It's really a good day. It could have been better but I'll take it.




Balance: 20,100cr
Debt: 30,000cr
Losses: 9,900cr

[Honorable_Pawn]

07/02/12
Monday
Daily Match-ups

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Player of the Week

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Breaking News



Brown Town--The rumors have been swirling for several days now about the troubled 1B Tony Bustamonte and his checkered past. The controversy has dominated the sports talk circuit and opinions have been fiercely debated. But all of that is irrelevant now. The commissioner of the KCBL announced in a press release this morning that 1B Tony Bustamonte has been cleared by the Commissioner's Office to enter the league as a free-agent.

A one-time can't-miss prospect, Tony was convicted of bank robbery in 2008 and seemed to have lost any hope of a career in the Federal Major League. But when it was annouced that a local league would be forming in King County Tony Bustamonte began to work-out. According to friends and relatives he turned his life around and and was determined to put the past behind him.

Others were not so convinced. They noted that he never took responsibility for his first crime and that he continues to deny that he was guilty. He looked forward to the inaugural draft and continued to work hard at getting in shape hoping that someone would give him a second chance. All of that was put on hold, however, when Tony Bustamonte was not a member of the 2012 KCBL inaugural draft. Instead, he was incarcerated in the King County Correctional Facility awaiting a trial on charges of strong-arm robbery.

This time, however, things were different. An anonymous benefactor paid for his defense hiring the famous Ask Dick & Harry Law Firm. The trial resulted in a hung jury and it is expected that the DA will not be trying the case again.

A smiling Tony Bustamonte was seen hugging his attorney but waved off all requests for comment before slipping into a black executive sedan and speeding off down towards District Thirteen.

We were unable to get a comment from Tony Bustamonte about his trial or about his thoughts about being allowed to play baseball in the KCBL for this story. With so many uncertainities swirling one thing is certain--that his entrance into the league will be a media circus.

The only thing the people love more than a Cinderella Story is to see a giant fall.

[Honorable_Pawn]

07/02/12
Monday
Official D13 Odds