Baseball Journal MLB Rewind 11-6-12

5-26-12

Meanwhile, I got to listen to the NMSU Aggies in the WAC tournament over Thursday and Friday. In the second inning of their first game, they gave up 10 runs, 8 unearned. I'd never seen a team self-destruct so efficiently. I swear those first 8 unearned runs took 10 minutes to score. It was so quick the coach hardly had enough time to take the starting pitcher out. The next game was an equal drubbing. After the game I told a co-worker, "Like a bad bowel movement, the Aggies have been eliminated." Chuckling, he reached for a sheet of paper, "Gotta write that one down so I can remember to use it later."

The White Sox and the Indians were going at this afternoon. 21 runs scored with the Sox taking it 14 to 7. Far more shocking, the game clocked in at under three hours. When pitchers work quickly and batters don't waste time, the game moves well regardless of the score.

5-28-12

"Welcome to the laser show," said Len Kasper. A hot day at Wrigley with a hard wind blowing out equals eight home runs. Even two teams having as futile offenses as the Cubs and Padres had a batting practice-like day at the ballpark. The lead changed hands a few times before the Cubs took it. Raise the `W' flag and sing the victory song. When a team with a 12-game losing streak hosts a team that's currently 1 for 7, something had to give and somebody had to win.

While a couple of homers going out onto Waveland Avenue is cool (as was yesterday's game in Pittsburgh when a couple of balls went into the Allegheny, but I'm trying to forget that game), it was the non-playing events that proved most memorable.

A bird landed next to the third baseline between home and third and didn't want to leave in spite of repeated attempts to shoo him off. Cubs third baseman, Ian Stewart, left him there and ended up throwing out a run at home. Thank you, Rally Bird.

"They don't pay me to sing or nude scenes in movies," said 7th inning stretch singer actor Brian Dennehy. "Well we're not paying you to do a nude scene here either," replied Len. Brian actually had a swell singing voice, though I think the usual press box singing jitters may have rushed the delivery. It literally happens to the best of them, and always to the worst of them.

6-4-12

I actually got to see Barry Zito (nearly) earn his (extravagant) pay. I take back (almost) every bad thing I've ever said about him. Anyway, for 8 1/3 innings Z really pitched well, wait, against the Cubs. Hmmm. Suddenly I'm not quite as impressed. [See these are the kind of cracks I can no longer get off against Zito, without him waving his World Series ring in my face and saying, "Remember how I earned this, J?"] But really, he pitched well. Travis Wood did well for the Cubs too, wait, against the Giants. Well, somebody had to win. Len and Bob were in jovial form, in spite of the Cubs atrocious losing streak. It was a beautiful day by the Bay in San Francisco with a large, happy, and enthusiastic crowd, including an accidental shot of two guys sharing a joint outside the stadium.

6-11-12

"You really should be pinch-hitting here!" a drunken, unpaid Twins bench couch shouted to Ron Gardenhire from the stands. WGN really should consider turning down those crowd mics at the same time that the stadium cuts off beer sales. (I'm still convinced Gardenhire is actually Santa Claus in the off-season. It just makes so much sense.)

This interleague game between the Cubs and Twins had two specific highlights. Runner on second, Starlin Castro took his eye off a ball hit right to him and let it get behind him. Starlin recovered and threw out the runner from second, trying to take home. Easy to appreciate that kind of effort. The other highlight you have to thank the director for. In the first inning, a cameraman noticed a gorgeous, tank-topped Cubs fan sitting behind the visitors dugout, and then kept going back to her during the game. I found myself rooting on a 9th inning Twins rally, as they honey-shotted her twice, standing and clapping for the final out. Player's wife? Just a fan? Wife of a crew member? Whatever, this is why baseball is great.