Let’s begin with what I wrote way back in 2016 on the first day of Hooverville:
Once yearly, the Robber Barons of Vanderbilt dust off their monocles, travel to an Alabama Hooverville, and see how the other half lives.
Not well. The other half does not live well.
Since arriving last night, I’ve witnessed some Okies drug an old man, wrap him up in a tarp, and stuff him in the back of a jalopy; seen wages cut from 5c a bushel to 2.5c a bushel (though prices of meat and bread continue to rise at the company store); and been told to act “Bull Simple” in front of the umpires, lest they think I’m some sort of Red agitator.
There have been some good times, too, mind you, like when we tricked them all into coming with vague promises of work printed on orange fliers, cut their wages, got hired thugs to bust strikes, and set our excess produce on fire in front of their starving children (because who would buy our goods if they could have them for free?).
But let’s not worry about all of that. We’ve got baseball happening.
Man, I was so much more confident then than I am now. This year, we’ve likely got to win three games to snipe a Bubble Bid to the NCAA Tournament. Though I somewhat like our draw, that’s a lot to ask from a team that recently lost a series to Missourah (spits).
Still, today, we give the ball to The Spice. Coach Chuck Mangione will counter by throwing his bouquet to Jaxon Jelkin. It’s an Ace-Off in Hooverville, and Lexington has the one who already has a chicken in his pot. What will The Spice have to say about that? He will have murder in his eyes, fire running through his veins, and he’s got a hunger that won’t be sated until he’s stuffed to the gills with Lexington Wedding Cake.
The road to the postseason starts today. Gas up your damned jalopies.
On the Mound
Tuesday @ 1:00pm on SEC Network
Vanderbilt #39 Jr. RHP Connor “The Spice” Fennell (4-2; 4.80 ERA; 10.82 K/9)
vs. Wedding Jerseys #0 Jr. RHP Jaxon “4th School” Jelkin (8-2; 3.59 ERA; 10.23 K/9)
The Lineup
See you in the comments.