9-16-18
No sports
today. If only somebody would invent an
American sport for these boring fall Sundays.
The closest I came was tuning into Stadium
for a college soccer match. Then I found
out it was a guy’s match and immediately lost interest. Speaking of sports that end in a tie, I
noticed here in Week 2 of the NFL,
there was another tie. Ha, ha, ha! Some ESPN
Radio pricks the next day blamed the players, instead of more properly
blaming the rules. For that, I add
another derisive laugh. Ha ha, ha! Actually, out of sheer boredom, I did listen
to some of the Cowboys’ game on the
radio. (For their players’ stand on the
Anthem, I exempt Cowboy games from my ban.)
Congratulations to Brad Sham
for 40 years of broadcasting and having the press box named after him tonight.
Rangers’
baseball on the radio was preempted for an NFL game in the afternoon. Hopefully that game didn’t end in a tie
too. Ha, ha, ha! I watched the TV Azteca Pasion Depotiva show to see what Yvette Hernandez had to say about the Canelo/Glovokin fight. I
didn’t understand what she said, but I sure liked the way she looked when she said
it.
9-17-18
The MLB.TV free game was the Mariners and the Astros, but it was audio-only, since the Astros are in my “local” area.
I couldn’t get into this game just
listening. The M’s won 4-1.
It was sellout in Houston thanks to another championship ring giveaway.
9-18-18
I did not like
the MLB.TV free game matchup between
the A’s and the Angels, but ended up watching and enjoying it anyway. The fans in Oakland turned out to be part of
the game, but unfortunately they weren’t helping their team. Two different fans interfered with A’s players going after foul balls. As few fans as were there, you wouldn’t think this would be a problem. The one in the sixth may have cost them the
lead, as the Angels capped off a six-run inning with a grand slam to make it 7-4.
The crowd was all
bundled up as you’d expect in Oakland on an early fall at
night. There was some guy behind home plate
dressed as the Marlins Man. The fans did contribute an interesting drum
rhythm section during play. And you
could hear those soccer horns going occasionally, the hallmark of a low
attendance baseball game.
Down 9-4 in
eighth, the A’s did get tying run on base in a
three-run inning, but 9-7 Angels
would be the final. Shohei Ohtani was in as a DH.
His off-season arm surgery will not keep him from being in the lineup
next year. While being an Oakland with
football lines visible on the field, I found it interesting that the network
broadcasting the game did a promo for 49’ers football. “We’re your bay area home for all things 49’er!”
They’ve already mentally said “Goodbye” to the Oakland Raiders.
From the MLB’s daily e-mail, I couldn’t
resist clicking on a video (actually this happens just about daily, it’s a fun e-mail). Padre Travis Jankowski was asked by a
fan which minor league mascot he preferred, the Sea Dogs or the Chihuahuas,
since he’d played for both teams. He didn’t pick the Chihuahuas. I think I’ve
just about confirmed what the players think about the team name, though they
like the facilities in El Paso and the fans.
9-19-18
This was probably
my last Rangers’ radio game of the season. They faced the Rays in Arlington in the afternoon.
The game was delayed on my local affiliate as they switched over between
FOX Sports Radio and the game. At least I got to hear an interview with Charlie Blackmon in the meantime. He sounded a bit down. The Rockies
have lost their last two games to the Dodgers
and may have lost Trevor Story to
injury, but Chuck Nazty was still interesting and insightful.
They were already
in the second inning when coverage started.
Eric Nadel was again not
calling the game. He’s taken a lot of time off this season. I know he’s
been doing this a long time and the Rangers are rebuilding and probably won’t be good for a while, but surely he wants to hang around
and broadcast in the new stadium in 2020.
Certainly the fans can’t wait for the new stadium. They had deserted the lower bowl today to
hide in shadow of the upper deck, away from the sun.
The Rays were using
their opening pitcher/primary pitcher strategy.
Their second pitcher in the game was technically a reliever, but with a
14-5 win/loss record. The Rays are also
playing for something. Though the
remaining schedule is working against them, they have a shot at catching the A’s for the second Wild Card slot. They played with motivation today and won 9-3.
The Rangers only
highlight was Adrian Beltre homering
in the fourth. His future with the team
or continuing to play altogether will be decided in the offseason. Matt
Hicks and Jared Sandler told the
fans to cherish the Captain’s possibly final moments with the
team. The game ended suddenly in the
ninth with the Rangers going down with a nary a whimper.
9-20-18
No baseball today. After getting to work after watching Aggie Soccer, I was later able to
watch Aggie Volleyball versus the Cal Baptist Lancers over the
Internet. This was the Lancers’ first WAC match. They’ve just entered Division 1 sports, but
their volleyball team has already racked up a very good record, including
beating Mississippi State on
the road. They play in a small gym which
is dedicated to volleyball (or can converted to a pair of small basketball
courts). They also have some students
with mops cleaning the court during breaks.
That’s a great idea.
I was really
impressed with their announcer. Whoever
he is, he scouted our team like a coach.
Like an opposing player once said about Vin Scully’s call of his play, “I was learning things about myself I didn’t even know.”
It was like that. I had no idea Megan Hart had been recruited by Arizona. No wonder she played so well against them.
Halle Razo
started at libero for the Aggies. “Who’s the libero this set?” is becoming the game day question for the team. In Set 1, the Aggies went down big early, but
come back and tied it at 20. But, CBU took
it 25-23. Set 2 was much closer, as the teams traded
lead back and forth all set. 21-19 was
an epic diving point for both teams. CBU
won it and the set 25-23. The Aggies came back out fired up and took Set
3 25-19. Jordan Pleasants became the libero for Set 4. The team went on a 6-0 run on Briana Ainsworth’s serve and took it 25-20. The announcer credited
Tatyana Battle with 15 kills to that
point.
Tied at 2 sets
each, we went to a fifth and decisive set.
The lead went back-and-forth for most of the set and they were tied at
10. CBU started going on a run. The coach called a timeout. The Lancer mascot ran across both sides of the
court to hype up the crowd. CBU ended up
finishing the match with a five-point run to win it 15-11 and 3-2 for the
match. After this loss and Aggie Soccer’s loss, I was too depressed to write down the final
stats. Taty led the way in the kills and
digs. The announcer was really impressed
with her.
9-21-18
The MLB.TV free game featured a marquee
matchup between the Indians and the Red Sox with Trevor Baur facing Chris
Sale. Sort of. Baur was rehabbing and came out in the second. He was the opening pitcher then in the modern parlance. The Red Sox took an early
1-0 lead. In the third, Jose Ramirez came up with runners on the
corners. Sale got a groundout to end the
inning.
My personal
highlight of the game came right after.
They showed a commercial with Ice-T. I think it was for an energy bar. I didn’t get the name, but had no trouble
remembering his lines. “They offered to pay me in product or money,” pause, “I picked the money.” The company’s tagline is “No BS.” I’ll try to get their name next time to
properly credit them.
In the fourth, Josh Donaldson hit a solo home run to tie
it at 1-1. Between getting Josh and Edwin Encarnacion, I wonder which Blue Jay the Indians will acquire
next. Sale was chased from the game
after a Yan Gomes two-run homer made
it 3-1. In the fifth, Francisco Lindor doubled, and Michael Brantley got on with a perfect infield
bunt hit. Ramirez hit a sac fly to bring
in Lindor and Brantley hustled to second, 4-1.
By the eighth,
the Red Sox were up 6-5 after a four-run seventh. I was away from my desk during that time and
didn’t see it. Indians loaded the bases in the bottom after
an intentional walk to Lindor. Brantley
popped out to end the inning. That was
the Indians’ last threat. 7-5 Red
Sox was the final.
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