Pre-Memorial Day Baseball Blog

I usually wait until the All-Star Game to say something about the baseball season in general, but how can you not comment on this current season?  Let’s look at the standings real quick.

 

Didn’t I call the Rays a bunch of frauds?  They have the best record in baseball.  They refused to lose in April.  The entire AL East is playing above .500 ball.  The Orioles are in second and have the second best record in baseball.  The AL Central is led by the Twins.  The rest of the division is sub .500 (and the Twins are just a couple games over). 

 

The Rays have the best differential in runs allowed versus runs scored.  Second in that category is the Texas Rangers, who are leading the AL West, in spite of predicted injuries occurring to their star players.  The rest of their division has a winning record, except for the A’s.  Their threatened move next year, which they’ve already bungled multiple times since announcing it, has destroyed the franchise and their attendance.

 

In the NL, the Braves are awesome.  The Mets, who’ve been hobbled by injuries too, are still looking good.  The Pirates were leading the NL Central through April.  How?  No really, how?  It may have more to do with the division they’re play in than how they’re playing.  They lost the lead to the Brewers, but are still within a couple of games. 

 

The Dodgers are great and leading the West, but are in a dogfight with the . . . Arizona Diamondbacks?  They’re legit.  Wait.  Where are the Padres and the Cardinals?  They suck!  Neither team seems to want to win.  They were just expecting their divisions to be handed to them.  (Myself and every other baseball commentator are to blame for that.)  With all that talent, how is this possible? 

 

I feel like some of the screwy-ness of the standings has to do with the more balanced schedule with everyone playing everyone else (which obviously hasn’t completely happened yet).  Most of the teams have only played one series against their divisional rivals to this point.  Later in the season, it will be mostly all divisional.  I’m not expecting my preseason picks to get any better, though. 

 

I’ve taken a few random notes during the season up to this point from games I’ve seen or heard or heard about.   

 

4-4-23 El Paso Chihuahuas’, Taylor Kohlwey, hit a two-run homer, but Sacramento right fielder, Heliot Ramos, made like he caught the ball at the wall.  Taylor nearly jogged back to the dugout, before Ramos had to admit he didn’t have it.  If Taylor had stepped over the baseline, he would have been an out.

 

4-8-23 The Rocket City Trash Pandas lost a 7-inning no-hitter that was part of a double header, 7-5, to the Chattanooga Lookouts.  So, the Trash Pandas got a no-hitter, but gave up 7 runs and lost.  All 7 runs came in the last inning.  Explanation: It’s Baseball.  The Trash Pandas did come back and win the second game.

 

4-9-23 During a Chihuahuas game, Manager of the year, Dave Brundage of the Sacramento Rivercats, came out a couple of times to argue with the ump.  But accidentally made second mound visit in the process, which forced him to relieve his pitcher with no one warming up.  He had to bring in an outfielder, Clint Coulter.  Coulter made one pitch and got a fly out.  He doffed his hat to the crowd.  It was his first pitching appearance. 

4-13-23 Fernando Tatis Jr. gave El Paso fans a thrill against the Isotopes.  He went 5 for 6 with 8 RBI’s and 3 home runs.  All the homers went right into the Green Seats in the outfield.  Voice of the Chihuahuas, Tim Hagerty, was nearly out of words in disbelief.  Awesome new Margaritas jerseys were debuted in the game.

 

4-26-23 Drew Maggi takes an MLB at bat after 13 years in the minors.  He was called up because Bryan Reynolds was on bereavement leave.  Reynolds had demanded a trade in the offseason, but then signed an 8-year contract as the Pirates, who were leading their division and the NL in wins.

 

4-27-23 Former Aggie, Joey Ortiz, was called up with Orioles for a series.  He had 3 RBI’s in his first game.  Unfortunately, he was sent back down after a couple days, just missing playing with his old Aggie teammate, Kyle Bradish.

 

4-28-23 The Chihuahuas get their second walkoff win in a row over Salt Lake.

 

5-3-23 Jay Groome pitched 6 hitless innings against the OKC Dodgers and left with a 2-0 Chihuahuas lead.  The first Dodgers’ hit happened in the seventh.  Then in the ninth, they batted around to take 5-2 win.  There are still no no-no’s in Chihuahuas history for or against.

 

5-12-23 Free Weekend on MLB.TV.  I had a good time watching a bunch of games for three days.  Friday, the Orioles were playing the Pirates with Kyle Bradish pitching.  He had 1 unearned run.  He didn’t get a decision, but had a good outing.  The O’s are a fun team to watch and their TV coverage reflects it.  They showed the debut of the “Birdbath section,” where Mr. Splash sprays the crowd with a hose when the O’s get an extra base hit.  Their dugout does a spit take.  Guys hitting homers take a shot from a beer bong.  Cedric Mullins hit for the cycle in the O’s win.

 

5-14-23 The Rays won and beat Yankees, splitting their 4-game series.  The Rays should have won all four, but Yankees came back from being down big twice.  Rays’ reliever, Jason Adam, thought he’d given up a tying home run to Aaron Judge in the ninth.  He had a classic reaction to it. 

 

5-15-23 I watched the Dodgers playing the Twins and enjoyed it.  I’m not a fan of either team and came in late in the game.  The Twins came back from down 5-1 and tied it in the ninth.  The teams traded runs in the 10-th.  Finally in the bottom of the 12-th, the Dodgers won after two intentional walks and then an unintentional walk with the bases loaded to bring in the winning run.  That was a fun game.  The LA fans were into it.  Dieter Ruehle was excellent on the organ, as always.

 

5-17-23 It was a banner day for Aggie Baseball.  Joey Ortiz and Kyle Bradish started today for the Baltimore Orioles in their 3-1 win over the Angels.  Joey had a tough day at the plate, but was defensively solid at short.  Kyle went into the seventh inning, walked no one, and only gave up one run.  That run was a homer by Mike Trout.  Someday, he’ll tell his kids about it.

5-24-23 I finally got to see the Springfield Cardinals, where my Aunt Judy lives.  It was a beautiful night at lovely and homey, Hammons Field.  During the pregame, two little girls came out to say, “Play Ball,” but littlest one got stage fright and hid behind her daddy.    

 

Though the Cardinals got crushed, their announcer was having fun calling the action in the crowd and there were lots of happy shots of kids having fun in the stands.  After the game, the announcer did say, "The Wind Surge blows back and wins tonight 13-1.”

 

I finally figured out why Minor League teams don’t usually use the parent team names.  Most everyone in the stands wearing was St. Louis Cardinals gear.  On that note, I had to check out their team twitter the next day for their debut of their new alternative identity: the Cashew Chickens.  I made a joke a couple of years ago about the San Antonio Chicken Strips (not a real team name).  Reality has outdone me. 

5-25-23 El Paso Chihuahuas fans got creative tonight.  In the ninth, they started chanting “0 for 4” at a Reno Aces player.

On to Memorial Day Weekend.