Baseball Journal August 16-18, 2018

8-16-18

This has just not been my week for baseball.  I’m glad the Chihuahuas are winning at least.  Once again, I was too busy or didn’t have access to the station to listen.  A storm blew through town here tonight that caused a problem at work.  Unlike previous years, where strong rains would flood through our back door (thankfully, finally fixed), now the A/C cooling the computer room keeps going out during storms.  This requires a repairman to fix and a couple other co-workers had to come in.  It was fixed and the rain never got near the ballpark in El Paso, but it was really hard to listen to the game with all this stuff going on.

The Chihuahuas returned home to face the Las Vegas 51’s tonight.  Francisco Mejia got things started by driving in a run in the first to make it 1-0.  I did get to hear the big play of the game in the sixth, well event of the game.  A Vegas player was hit to put two on with no outs to start the inning.  A player in the Vegas dugout thought it was intentional.  He started shouting and said the wrong thing and the umps tossed him.  He then went out on field to continue complaining and then confronted the El Paso dugout.  With the crowd booing the player’s one-man show, there was nearly large confrontation, but it was diffused.  Bronswell Patrick, the Chihuahuas’ pitching coach, was also ejected.  And the net result was a double play that ended the inning without Las Vegas scoring.

In the bottom of the sixth, it was Mejia again with a double to bring in Luis Urias.  Shane Peterson then drove in Mejia to make it 3-0.  Las Vegas would score off of solo home runs in the seventh and the ninth.  El Paso really shone on defense in the ninth with two great fielding plays, including Dusty Coleman diving flat out to catch the final out of the game.  Chihuahuas won 3-2.  They’re still on a roll.

The MLB.TV free game should have started earlier in the evening, but rain in Kansas City delayed the game between the Royals and the Blue Jays.  The delay must have been at least two hours, because the game was still on after the Chihuahuas had finished.  I joined the game late and the stadium there was pretty empty.  They did a shot of some kids cheering for the camera.  The announcers were wondering why they were there so late on a school night and chastised their parents.  I was busy at this time with the air conditioner.  All I caught was the announcers mentioning something about the Royals having a consecutive game streak without an error.  The announcers were also tired and started rooting for a double play to quickly end the inning.  They got their wish on a slick-looking DP and didn’t jinx the streak by mentioning it.  The Royals won 6-2.

8-17-18

It was the Indians versus the Orioles for the MLB.TV free game.  The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the first on Jose Ramirez two-run homer.  He’s actually leading the AL in that category.  In the third, the Indians loaded the bases with two outs, but ended the inning with a strikeout.  In the fourth, the O’s did exactly the same thing.  Strange. 

Jim Thome was being honored in Cleveland this weekend after his Hall of Fame induction.  The announcers talked to his manager, Mike Hargrove, one inning.  Then they talked to Thome.  He was just beaming.  It’s pretty easy to be happy for him; he seems like a good guy.  He remembered once getting a special home run ball from a couple of ladies, who were big fans.  The team gave them a bunch of stuff for the ball.  Thome was pleased they took care of the fans.  They must love him in Cleveland.  There was already a statue of him at the stadium.     

I missed most of the game, but came in at the end.  In the ninth, it was 2-1 Indians, a low-scoring game.  The Orioles got a runner to second, but Cody Allen got a strikeout to get the save.

I tuned in for the Chihuahuas’ game with the 51’s and unexpectedly heard Adam Young, the voice of Aggie Baseball.  I was actually disoriented for a moment and was sorry I missed the pregame.  I didn’t find out why Tim Hagerty wasn’t there for the evening, but was assured he’d back.  In any case, it was great to hear Adam, and he must have been thrilled to be doing a Triple-A game.  That’s a big time call up.  Adam was talking about the team in enough detail that I wonder if he listens to their games too.  He must have at least been listening to their last game, since he knew all about it.

Being another busy night, I had some trouble listening.  Mostly, I just got the scoring.  The Chihuahuas loaded the bases in the first.  Allen Craig drove in a run with a sacrifice to give them a 1-0 lead.  In the second, Las Vegas loaded the bases with two outs.  Logan Allen struck out their pitcher to end the inning.  In the bottom, Javy Guerra hit a no-doubter homer.  Logan Allen then hit a blooper that had two fielders colliding trying to get it.  Carlos Asuaje, down from the Padres, hit a two-run homer to make it 4-0.

In the fourth, Vegas hit back-to-back homers.  One went clean out of the park.  Their rally may have been cut short with catcher Francisco Mejia throwing out the lead runner on a bunt attempt.  In the bottom, Luis Urias singled in a run to make it 5-2.  In the fifth, the pups piled on some more.  Ty France doubled.  Allen Craig drove him in, and then Javy doubled him in, 7-2. 

In the seventh, reliever Carter Capps, who was guarding El Paso’s bullpen mound made a play on a foul ball.  He was all smiles from making a good fielding play, as he tossed it into the crowd.  Asuaje drove in a run that inning to make it 8-2 Chihuahuas, which was the final.  I’m out of superlatives for this team.      

8-18-18

While I waited to go to the Aggie Volleyball Scrimmage, I tuned into the MLB game on Mexican TV, featuring the Yankees and the Blue Jays.  They started off the broadcast by looking at the standings.  The Yankees are playing .600+ ball and are 10 games behind the Red Sox in the East, who are playing .700+ ball.  The Indians are up by 12 in the Central.  The Astros were one game up on the A’s, until today, when they lost, so now they’re tied.  The A’s are red hot.  The NL is closer all around.  The Braves and Phillies are about tied in the East with the Nationals seven games back.  The Cubs are up by four on the resurgent Cardinals.  The Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Rockies are knotted up in the West.

The YES TV coverage was featuring the twentieth anniversary of the 2018 Championship Yankee team.  Oh wait, I mean 1998 Championship team.  Don’t want to get ahead of myself, like the Yankees’ marketing staff might have.  For the anniversary, the players came back and were honored on field.  Derek Jeter appeared via a video.  They also had some players in the booth, Andy Pettitte and Paul O’Neill.  I think the Mexican announcers were mostly ignoring them and just trying to call the game.

They Yankees won 11-6 (like they’d lose on a day like today?).  It was 8-1 when I left in the sixth, so I didn’t miss much.  It was kind of a sloppy game.  On one play, the Jays’ catcher turned around three times trying to find a wild pitch that was right behind him.  Him and Austin Romine, both took hard shots from fouls.  Romine had to come out, though they waited until the next inning to do it, even though he was clearly disoriented.  We’ll see if this has any lasting ill effects.  (Gary Sanchez is still out.)  Speaking of disoriented, Brett Gardner looked lost on a long single.  He mishandled the ball twice and the batter got to third.  That was highlight of the game for me.

When I got back from the Scrimmage, I later tuned into the Rangers’ game.  They were doing Rain Delay Theater.  They played an interview with Joey Gallo that I admittedly enjoyed while I was waiting for the Chihuahuas’ game.  Gallo is a big taco fan.  He has some kind of sponsorship with Chipotle’s, who gave him a year’s pass to the restaurant.  After six months, they stopped accepting his card.  When he called about it, they told him he’d used it up.  Him and some other players are big video game players, including Fortnight.  Gallo hopes to meet Derek Jeter someday, since he’s a fan.  And Gallo loves cookies and was asked the eternal question: Are oatmeal raisin cookies healthy?  So much for my Ranger coverage.           

I flipped stations to the Chihuahuas’ game.  The warm, friendly tones of Tim Hagerty were still absent.  (He’s out for the weekend to go to a wedding.)  Instead, Steve Kaplowitz was doing the call, and his call was that the game was in a rain delay.  Suddenly, I didn’t feel so bad about not going to the game, which I could have via tickets from work.  However, this was a dreaded double rain-out situation for my night’s entertainment.  I starting watching something, but kept checking the radio.  After an hour, I fortunately started the game with the first batter. 

The reception was really poor with a lot of crackling, which meant there were still storms in the area.  If I’d gone, it would have been with somebody.  Even with fireworks afterward, I wonder if I’d been able to stay for the whole game, especially if there’d been another delay.  Kappy was clearly loving doing play-by-play.  I’d guess his daily duties keep him from doing this on a regular basis.  Kappy was joined by fellow El Pasoan and former big leaguer, Butch Henry, doing color commentary. 

Celebrating the Year of the Dog, the Chihuahuas were wearing special Asian-themed jerseys with their name written in Mandarin Chinese.  Vegas started off the game with a two-run homer, but Francisco Mejia answered back with a two-run homer in the bottom.  Butch was asked about the pitch clock.  He didn’t like it and chuckled, saying that he was pretty sure that Players’ Union won’t allow it.  Between the owners and fans wanting it, and it not costing the players any money, don’t be so sure.

 

In the third, Ty France doubled in a run.  Allen Craig would be thrown out at the plate, trying to score on a single.  The call was apparently wrong on replay, but it was 3-2 dogs.  Kappy asked Butch about comebackers to the mound.  Butch remembered getting hit by one hard enough to break his cup.  Kappy was aghast and kept asking him about it. 

In the fifth, Chihuahuas’ starter, Cal Quantrill gave up a homer to Jose Lobaton that went over the Big Dog House to make it 3-3.  In the bottom, Kappy reported seeing lightning in the distance.  I was hearing some thunder, but it couldn’t have been the same storm.  It got close enough that I turned off my computer and I went to my laptop to keep writing.

 

In the seventh, Luis Urias tripled off the wall.  It was nearly a home run.  France singled him in to give the pups the lead, 4-3.  Kappy was worried that the lightning show in the sky would be overshadowing the fireworks show after the game.  (I’m not sure if they shot off the fireworks or not.)  By the next inning, there was a light rain at the park (and here in Las Cruces too). 

In the ninth, Vegas loaded the bases with two outs.  Rowan Wick ended it on a strikeout.  That’s a 4-3 Chihuahuas’ win and 12 in a row at home from the team that couldn't win at home earlier in the season.  The game finished around 10:45.  I’m pretty sure if I’d gone with somebody, they would have left before the end, even with the close game and fireworks afterward.  I think the city was also shutting down I-10 this weekend, so who knows what traffic was like getting back.  I think I’m okay with having just gone to see volleyball and listening to the ball game on the radio.