Baseball Journal MLB Rewind 11-17-12

8-11-12

Since Fox Sports has for no reason decided to take a two-week vacation from baseball coverage, I've been getting fix via ESPN radio. One game featured the Braves abusing Johann Santana of the Mets. According to the commentary, Johann's no-hitter this year has likely ruined his arm for the rest of the season. I'm sure he's not having fun and would like to be playing on a team that is contending, and his arm and career may even be over. But hey, you're rich (or you should be unless you're really bad with money), and instead of being remembered as a good pitcher, you're the guy that finally gave the Mets a no-hitter (especially considering all the great Mets pitchers there have been). I'm thinking, it was worth it.

Even better, I got to hear the Ranger/Tiger game. One, I got to hear the warm friendly tones of Eric Nadel along with the energetic, impassioned call of Matt Hicks on the Ranger broadcast. [You really can't undersell the importance of a great voice doing a baseball radio broadcast. The best are almost like having a friend who's at the game telling you what's going on.] Two, the Verlander and Derek Holland locked up in a tight pitcher's duel. Ranger rookie, Mike Olt drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs no less.


8-18-12

Another week, another perfect game. Nice job by King Felix of the Mariners. I got to see a replay of the final inning. He was dealing, throwing anything on any count. It was the second perfect game at Safeco Field this year and the third no-hitter (that a combined one by multiple Mariner pitchers, the final one was unaware of what was going on until he jumped by his exuberant catcher). It was also the third freaking perfect game against the Rays in four years! These same Rays in tonight's game against the Angels, went down eight runs, only to end up winning 10 - 8. Who can figure this game out?


8-19-12

You know you're not playing well when the other team spots you three errors and you still lose. Not to mention, the Reds are a pretty good team. Yeah, the Cubs had their chances, but it never panned out. They went into the bottom of the ninth tied. Pitch #1, triple into the corner. Pitch #2, single into center. Ball game. Just like that. The Cubs' perspective of the game could best be summed up by the shot of catcher, Steve Clevenger in the dugout afterward, shell-shocked, shaking his head, and talking to himself.


8-20-12

The story of Sunday's ballgames was the epic 19-inning marathon between the Cardinals and the Pirates. Both teams were under a powerful compulsion to fight and scrap for every win. The Cardinals have the pride of being the current champions being on the outside, looking in on the playoffs. The Pirates are in only slightly better shape and any extended losing streak now, and there are plenty of teams ready to pass them by.

If the Pirates had an edge in this game in finally coming away with the win, I'd say it was their experience last year. There they were, a winning record and a share of the division lead. Then they had that extra-inning game with the Braves and lost it on a bad call by the ump. The wheels came off and they finished with a losing record again. If anything is motivating this year's team, I think it was last year. [At this point in the season, I really did think that the Pirates were going to at least finish with a winning record. We now clearly know that once again, an extra-long game did them in. The lesson? Just lose these games in the 10th, they're team-killers. 20 freaking years of futility. An entire lost generation of baseball fans in Pittsburgh.]