With the Spring 2021 Season around the corner, spring training has begun! The first game was played on March 7 at St. Patrick’s park near Mid City Yacht Club. The remaining Spring Training pickup games are scheduled for March 14 and 21 also at St. Patrick’s Field. New players without a team should show up to these games to meet the teams and managers and potentially find a match. All new players are also required to sign the waiver (returning players who have already signed do not need to do so). Additionally ALL PLAYERS should PAY DUES for the Spring 2021 season if you have not already done so.

We also issue a warm welcome to the newest addition to the PBL, the Beef Sliders!

People’s Baseball League 2020 is in the books. Congratulations to the Parleaux Beer Labs for securing their 4th consecutive championship title. They proved they can win without Chris Shinaberry, as Kelton Castillo carried the game through 6 innings, and Brad Rosenblat makes his longest appearance to date to close it out.

Rougarou (looking mighty fine in their brand new jerseys) put up a hard-fought battle behind the pitching of Ben Hickey, Marc Oddo and Zach Stockton, and certainly kept this championship game interesting by fighting back to get within 1-run with key batting from the middle and bottom of the lineup. But once Parleaux takes an early lead, they do everything they can to hold on to it. Rougarou’s rally fell short, and the final shook out to 4-3.

So we leave our 2020 season with one question on our minds? Will anyone ever beat Parleaux again? But we also walk off the diamond grateful that we even had the chance to play baseball at all. For many, this was the one aspect of our lives that remained constant, and served as a respite from the turmoil of the real world. Thank you to all the players, the managers, PBL front office, commish, the fans, the fans’ dogs, the significant others. We appreciate the time put in to make all of this happen, collecting dues, reserving fields, diving to make the catch (even if you shatter your elbow in the process), practicing that new pitch for your arsenal, watching the kids so your SO has a chance to hit a double, grilling hot dogs for friends and complete strangers alike. As far as we know, we had no reported cases of Covid-19 among our league-members, so thank you everyone for taking the necessary precautions to prevent that happening. We want to thank all y’all for making our community baseball league what it is: the people’s league.

Stay tuned for a recap of our first ever Gala-ween game (which was a ton of fun), and maybe further updates for continuing baseball through the winter.

Pictures available here

The People’s Baseball League Fall 2020 Championship game is this Sunday, Oct. 25 at 3:00 PM at Gormley Field in City Park.
Parleaux vs. Rougarou.

Reigning champions Parleaux will host Rougarou, who are making their first championship appearance since pre-website/pre-documented records PBL back in 2017. It’s a Green vs. Red affair, a Christmas Cup, if you will. In lieu of milk and cookies, each team is offering the other backwards Ks and RBI doubles.

Come on out and cheer on your favorite team! It’s 2020. What else do you have going on honestly?

Shortly following the conclusion of the PBL 2020 season, we will be moving the party over to Harrison Field, under the lights, to play out our annual Gala game; only this time… with a spooky twist.

As opposed to our standard tradition of formal wear requirements at this event, this year we’re getting festive and hosting our own GALA-WEEN. Come play low-stakes pick-up ball with your baseball friends. Party like a pagan, it’s crop and soul harvesting time.

6:30 @ Harrison Field
HALLOWEEN COSTUME* REQUIRED.

There might be beer, there might be treats, there might be center-cut juicy meatballs to help erase the memory of your backwards K-ing when it mattered most. There might be a broken bat bonfire where 2nd base should be. There might be majestically rabid police horses trying to trample Q out in right field. These are all very real possibilities.

*If you dress up as the Baseball Furies, all your plate appearances start with an 0-1 count.

Sunday, Oct. 18, four teams walked on to the baseball diamond hopeful of a chance to play in the PBL Championship, and only two walk off with that dream realized. The victors: Rougarou and Parleaux.

Championship Game is Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 PM at Gormley Field in City Park. Rou @ Par.
Followed immediately by the PBL GALA-WEEN at 6:30 PM at Harrison Field (costume required) all PBL players welcome to play.

Playoff Recap
Oct. 18
12:00
Rougarou capitalize on a late arrival of the Pels ace pitcher and jump ahead early in the top of the 1st on the back of some questionable Pels defense with a 5-run rally. The Pels try to answer in the bottom of the 1st, but end up stranding runners on, and are left trying to chip away the rest of the game. The Pels succeed at chipping, closing the gap to a 2-run game, but can’t do enough against the enigmatic pitching of Ben Hickey and Marc Oddo and stellar Rougarou defense. Pels (5) – Rou (7)

3:00
Parleaux find their stride again after a late-season loss with the consistent “I’m gonna let the defense work” pitching of Chris Shinaberry. Blues starter Shane Vitrano is unable to stifle the Parleaux bats (is anyone?), and despite solid Blues outfielders, Parleaux pokes holes and finds a way into yet another Championship. Par (7) – Blues (4)

Disregarding Parleaux, we’ve seen four different teams advance to the PBL Championship in the past four seasons, and two of those didn’t make the playoffs this season. So hopefully that convinces you the state of the league is strong, and stokes your ire to defeat Parleaux.

Photos & Video Available Here

Welcome to the post-season baseballites! Thank you to everyone who had a part in making our Summer/Fall 2020 Season what it was. Through four schedule revisions, field conflicts, teams combining and fracturing we persevered and had our most successful (and longest) season to date. Lets not forget we had beautiful days of baseball with great fans, glizzies, a broken elbow diving play, giant strike zones, games played just for fun, a new field, home runs, suicide bunts, and newcomers and veterans alike all coming together because we love baseball.

For now, we say goodbye to S9, CSR, and 5WW. And our single-elimination playoff schedule is set:

Sunday, October 18
12:00 (3@2)
Rougarou @ Pels

3:00 (4@1)
Blues @ Parleaux

I heard talk that the playoffs and championship game may be played over at the beautiful City Park Quadruplex, but if not, we’re over at Gormley. One way or another it’s City Park.

Here’s a recap of what happened in week 15 and 15.5:

Oct. 11
12:00 – Gormley Field
Most of S9 skip out on the last game of the season, allowing a bunch of randos to megatron together to lose to the Blues one last time. Blues (8) – S9 (2)-Forfeit

3:00 – Gormley Field
Marc Oddo returns from a 650 mile kayak race to pitch 9 innings and lead the Rougarou to the rare win over Parleaux in this close and exciting game. Rou (5) – Par (4)

6:00 – Harrison Field
Two old pals get together for a good old-fashioned, high-scoring PBL game with some exciting twists and turns. Lead-changes, about 10 different pitchers, and a loose horse galloping majestically in the outfield (I’m not making this up). CSR (11) – 5WW (13)

Oct. 13
6:00 – Harrison Field?
Rou and CSR play a high-scoring makeup game that results in a last-minute standings change, pushing Rougarou to the 3-seed. CSR (11) – Rou (17)

7:30 PM – St. Roch Park
The Weebies sing their swan song “Let Me Find Out” and play a competitive and fun game against the offensively-geared Pelicans. Pels (7) – 5WW (4)

Pictures available here.

Wed, Sep. 30, 7:30 PM, St. Roch Park – The Blues and S9 square off in a pivotal game between the residing 4-seeds. The game stayed close through 4 innings, but eventually The Blues blast through a platoon of S9 pitchers with their powerful bats. Secret 9 (5) – Blues (15)

Thursday, Oct. 1, 6:00 PM, Harrison Field, City Park – Once teammates on the Fractured, now mortal foes on the diamond competing for the Fractured Cup. Crete Street Riot show up, and earn their first win of the season (as CSR).
Rougarou (6) – Crete Street Riot (9)

Sunday, Oct. 4, City Park Quadruplex
The shit show that is field scheduling in 2020 continues, as a double-booking by City Park forces them to concede the pristine and well-lit Quadruplex baseball field to the PBL.
Baseball-sized cutout ✔️
Pitcher’s mound ✔️
Foul Poles ✔️
No fence overhanging home plate ✔️
Home run porch ✔️
Ivy on the outfield fence ✔️
The biggest light bank this side of the Mississippi ✔️
What a joy it was to play on a field of this quality.

9:00 AM – The Pelicans come at Rougarou with a vengeance after two earlier losses, and put up runs in nearly every inning of play while mostly shutting down the Rougarou. Despite the Pels momentum, Rougarou do manage to put one over the left-field fence, and it may have killed a nutria—Swamp Rat on Swamp Rat crime. Pelicans (12) – Rougarou (5)

4:00 PM- The Blues continue their comeback kid story against the beleaguered Weebies, and proceed to hang around the field and get wasted while poaching beers off of everyone in sight. What’s not to love? Fifth Ward Weebies (1) – Blues (6)

7:00 PM – An exciting game with some really fantastic pitching between S9 and Par, but errors and expert Parleaux baserunning cost S9 the game. Parleaux (7) – Secret 9 (3)

Photos and Videos Available Here.

After last week’s 3-game rainout, everyone was rarin’ to get back on the baseball diamond this week. What a gorgeous day it was. Great to see all you baseballers out there!

9 AM, Harrison Field – First game of the season at “Harrison Field” aka “ Field 18” and S9 ain’t giving up on that playoff seed, roster moves and all. S9 (8) – 5WW (1)

Noon, Gormley Field – A pretty tight game turned into more of a loosey goosey affair after the 4th inning. Dan April pitches his second career 3-pitch inning, Kronenberg pops out on an Eephus pitch from his protegé Murph, Pels run away with it. CSR (5) – Pels (12)

3 PM, Gormley Field – Who ever heard of a 5-inning double-header? I hadn’t until Sunday, when Parleaux and the Blues engaged in one to play their regularly scheduled game and resolve an earlier season rainout. And in 10 pitching and defense dominant innings, Parleaux gain two wins and the Blues gain two losses. Par (1) – Blues (0), Par (3) – Blues (0)

Thank you to Rougarou for umping like champs.

Photos and videos available here.

A wacky schedule this weekend due to something called football. Rain attempts to mire several games but fails.

Saturday
3:00ish, St. Roch Park – Rain washes out Gormley Field, so the Blues and CSR regroup at the grassier SRP. The Blues beat Crete Street Riot. CSR (5) – Blues (10).

Sunday
Noon, Gormley Field – The Weebies give Rougarou a run for their money by taking them into an extra inning, but Rougarou wins it. Rou (6) – 5WW (5).

Also Noon, St. Roch Park – The Pels become the first team to beat Parleaux this season in a defensive game. Par (2) – Pels (4)

Nobody took any pictures. That’s how much we all love baseball.

You couldn’t have asked for a better day of matchups in the People’s Baseball League this last Sunday on a gorgeous Labor Day Weekend afternoon with barbecue smoke from not one, but two barbecue pits wafting through the Louisiana summer. Thanks to Weebie Mike and Mary friend of Rougarou for all the delicious grilled victuals.

12:00 The Weebies finally put together a win against the late-rallying Crete Street Riot. They couldn’t rally enough, though, and the Weebies knock one in the win column. 5WW (6) – CSR (4)

2:30 A close match between the Pelicans and Secret 9. S9 got an early 1-0 lead, but Dan April changed the momentum of the game with a 3-run home run that rolled onto Roosevelt Mall and superb pitching through 9 innings. Pels (4) – S9 (3)

5:00 The game of the week between the first (Parleaux) and second (Rougarou) place teams met with much anticipation. The Green Machine continues to grind its opponents to a pulp. They do it with a shutout this time. Undefeated they are; lose they do not. Par (7) – Rou (0)

We would also like to acknowledge the three guys from the Blues who umpired all three games. That may be the first time one person has called balls and strikes for all three games in the same day–commendations to Bryn Stole. We don’t know your names, other guys from the Blues, but we appreciate you. #umpirelove

Pictures and Videos available here.