Memorial Day Weekend Sports Journal Part 6

Monday, 5-27-2013 Continued

It’s a great crowd at the “Cell” in Chicago, where the Cubs and the White Sox renewed their cross-town rivalry. It’s a happy crowd, obviously mostly Sox fans, though basically every good play by either side is getting loud cheers. The between innings bumpers showed rival Cubs and Sox fans together acrimoniously.

The broadcast is going around the ballpark during the game and showing off the amenities there, probably a dig at Wrigley Field as much as a marketing effort. The party deck in the outfield is quite impressive, especially with the massive food spread. They were also showing off some exotic food items from the concession. The radio games mentioned the camouflaged hats and uniforms for Memorial Day. They look sharp.

The game only took two and half hours. Threatening weather and Samardzija pitching an almost effortless shutout shortened the game considerably. The White Sox actually made the Cubs look good. Bad enough that the Cubs were hitting and pitching well, the Sox essentially self-destructed on top of it. 7-0 Cubs, final. I must mention White Sox reliever Brian Omogrosso, who entered the game in the 8th. I hope this guy does well, because I love the name. His name could be used in any number of clever ways depending on the situation. If he ever plays for the Yankees, I’m sure John Sterling will have a field day with it.

I join the second game of the Rangers-Diamondbacks doubleheader in the 4th and hear Lance Berkman score on an error, tying the game up at 2-2. The roof is open for this game, so I assume it’s a pleasant night. Davish pitches well, though he nearly took out Elvis Andrus with a foul ball on a bad swing. 14 K’s, but Yu comes out in the 8th after giving up a game typing home run, 4-4.

Good news from the Los Angles comes in during the game. “Big Game” CJ Wilson blows a five-run lead and the otherwise useless Dodgers beat the Angels, 8-7.

Unfortunately, that’s the last good news of the evening, as the Diamondbacks have a walk off win in the 9th, 5-4 final in a brisk two hours and 43 minutes. You can probably blame this loss on a depleted bullpen. Wash seemed downright dejected after the game. At least they didn’t go into extra innings and lose. As was noted in the post game, the Rangers played 10 hours and one minute of baseball over the last two days and had nothing to show for it. Sigh.

And so ends Sports-a-poolza 2013. (“Yay,” J mutters weakly.) The tally (keeping in mind I didn’t watch or listen to everything in totality) is 11 ballgames, five races, and dos futbol matches. (What the hell was I thinking there?)

Highlight? Indy. Could there be any doubt?

Lowlight? The Rangers going on a three game losing streak over the course of two days. Also, typing out all of this crap from crummy, scribbled, handwritten notes.

What have we learned? I need to seriously pare back on watching stuff I’m not enjoying. NASCAR, I’m looking at you. Also, baseball games are for most part, too damn long. Two and half to three hours is the happy zone for a ballgame. Beyond that, they start wearing out their welcome. MLB needs to be figuring out how to speed up games, not slowing them down with replay.

That’s all for now. Let’s do it again next weekend.