Baseball Notebook for September 9 to 14, 2016

9-6-16
I was watching the MLB Free game with the Tigers vs White Sox at work, neither myself, nor the Tigers, really showed up for that game (2-0 White Sox).  Checking the scoreboard, I saw the Rangers and Mariners were at 4 all in the 5th.  The next time score I got was when I arrived home and flipped on the radio.  It was bad reception, but in the 7th, it was 8-4 Rangers as Elvis Andrus just hit a solo home run.  Matt Hicks was very impressed with the shot as it flew into the second deck.  Elvis made a slow trot around the bases, as he’d hit it off of a pitcher who’d drilled him last week.

In the bottom of the 7th, the M’s loaded the bases.  Eric Nadel was uncharacteristically chomping at the bit to be calling the inning, as he chipped in on every pitch.  (Matt calls the 3rd, 4th, and 7th.  You can just about tell the inning by who’s calling it.  This is what happens when you have two great play-by-play guys without a color guy.)  Ranger relief pitching couldn’t find the strike zone in a terrifying display of ineffectiveness.  Amazingly, they only give up two runs.  Thankfully, the Mariner relievers weren’t much better.  The next inning, Elvis doubled in Rougie for his third double of the day, along with his home run.  Sam Dyson restored order in the 9th with a drama-free finish.  10-7 Rangers.

 9-7-16
Umm . . .  Erm . . . Well, this is a bit embarrassing.  Here was likely the most exciting, dramatic El Paso Chihuahuas game to date, and I don’t have a recap.  I was having trouble with the Internet connection at work and kept losing the game.  I sort of gave up after about a half hour.  The Rangers were playing the Mariners on the ESPN late game, so I thought I’d enjoy that instead.  One inning later, it’s 5-0 M’s.  AJ Griffin’s weakness to left-handed hitting was completely exposed by a line up composed almost entirely of left-handed hitters.  (The worse of it was, I’d walked out of the room right before Adam Lind’s grand slam.  You may as well see the damage being done.)  Work kept me from watching more of the game other than strolling in to get scoring updates.  (It didn’t get any better for the Rangers.  8-3 Mariners.)

I tried it again with the Chihuahuas’ game and got it this time.  By this point, it was late in the game and the dogs were losing.  I mentally gave up on writing anything and didn’t take any notes.  That was a mistake, because Chihuahuas did not give up.  They’d gone down by three early to the Rainiers.  While Tacoma tacked on a couple more runs, the Chihuahuas chipped away for the rest of the game.  This lead to a 9th inning where, instead of a double play ending the game, a hard, but legal, slide by Hunter Renfroe, resulted in an error and the tying run scoring, five all.

From here the game went into extras. The crowd was a diminished one because of earlier heavy rain and a forecast for more, not to mention it was a school night.  But, they were enthusiastic and got more than their money’s worth.  Announcer Tim Hagerty actually had to excuse himself at one point to get a drink.  His impassioned call of the 9th had left him a little hoarse.  Finally in the 12th, the Rainiers pushed a run across.  At that point, I ended up leaving for home.  It was late, and I’d had a hard day at work, and I wanted to go home.  I was willing to stay to hear a win, but not a loss.  At home, I caught the post-game, 6-5 Tacoma, and the end of the Rangers’ game.  Ugh.  I’m not sure whether to berate myself for not persevering and taking notes, or questioning why I’m doing this at all.  I may have been enjoying the game more just listening.

9-8-16
The MLB.tv free game featured the Indians and the Astros.  An hour rain delay allowed me some extra listening time.  Not viewing time, unfortunately, again the game was blacked out in my area, even though I don’t know where I’d get an Astros game anywhere other than online.  That was okay though.  I never caught the Indians’ announcers’ name, but I liked his theatrics.  He was calling a good, even game, but he’d punctuate those strike outs and hits with a relish.  There was a dramatic inflection on those decisive plays that was great to listen to.  The Indians won 10-7.  My pre-season Astros pick is rapidly fading, but I did call the Indians “the chosen ones” (or “team of destiny,” whatever) around mid-season.  They’re starting to sell me on the possibility.  They’ve got four good starting pitchers.  That’s plenty for the playoffs.

This time I was at least trying to take notes on game two of the PCL playoffs with the Chihuahuas and the Rainiers.  Tonight, these guys looked like the Chihuahuas from earlier in the season.  They were relentless in scoring and punished the opposing team’s errors.  Especially those errors.  In the 5th, a run scored off a bad pickoff throw by the Rainiers’ catcher, and in the 6th, Jose Rondon scored on a wild pitch.  On the defensive side, Walter Locket went 6 1/3 dominant innings, only giving up one run.  Chihuahuas walk over Tacoma, 7-1.

However, it was again a disappointing crowd, about half capacity.  Weather wasn’t an issue.  It was again a school night, but I’m not sure how much of a problem that is, since there was an earlier start time.  There have even been rally towel giveaways the last two nights.  Tim Hagerty gave a shoutout to Rainier fans getting the MiLB feed, mentioning a Tacoma sports bar by name that had the game on.  (I’m thinking they also had the NFL’s season premiere game on too.)  His favorite play of the game was in the 8th, with a bare hand fielding by the first baseman, feeding the pitcher covering first, who also made the catch barehanded.  On to Tacoma.

9-9-16
I only got to hear a little of the game Friday, owing to KROD’s high school football coverage online, but I was delighted by the result, 7-0 El Paso Chihuahuas over the Tacoma Rainiers.  They didn’t have a very big crowd there either, but they were loud and into it, even in a lopsided, late, losing score.  My Rangers’ radio station is usually doing high school football too.  I heard a tantalizing snippet of Matt Hicks speaking, but I could never get the station to come in.  The last update I’d seen of the game was zero all in the 6th.  Sunday morning I get the score in the paper of 2-1 Rangers.  Yeah, that’s some Old School news gathering.

9-10-16
Fox unexpectedly broadcast a Saturday morning game.  Even better, it was a good matchup between the Astros and the Cubs.  Not unexpectedly, it was a full house in Houston.  Of course half the crowd was the rooting the visitors, but somebody paid for all those seats.  Evan Gattis and Carlos Correa were out today for the Astros and I’m disappointed not to see them.  While the announcers were talking about Astros’ phenom call up Alex Bregman in the 3rd, he hit a home run on cue.  1-0 Astros and an Astros’ fan with a mitt made a great catch in the stands to rob a Cubs fan.  Later, Jose Altuve, in a small hitting slump, bunts his way on and is brought home from 3rd with a squeeze play, right out of Cubs manager, Joe Maddon’s, playbook.

The Cubs would score a run to make it 2-1 Astros.  In the 7th, the Cubs make the defensive play of the game with Javier Baez receiving a cut off throw and throwing to catcher, Willson Contreras, who tags a diving George Springer’s foot at the plate.  In the 9th, the Cubs’ tying run is left at third and the Astros win 2-1.  What was up with those bizarre Hyundai commercials during the game?  People choosing other companies’ cars were threatened with a deathtrap?  What the hell?

I tried to get scoring updates on the Chihuahuas’ game after the NMSU football game.  The Chihuahuas were down, then they were up by a run late.  By the time I get home and get the game tuned in, it is literally the bottom of the 9th with two outs.  The first batter I hear is hit by a pitch.  The tying run is on.  Next batter, there’s a batted ball that hits the pitcher.  He picks it up and throws the batter out at first.  Tim Hagerty is barely able to hold back his emotions calling this last out.  The Chihuahuas win 5-4 and will be playing in the PCL championship.  Tim was so happy he didn’t seem to want the post-game show to end.  He pronounced Sal Montes’ jinx over.  I was happy he’d reported that the Rangers had beaten the Angels again.  The next two games will be in El Paso next week.  I can hardly wait.

9-12-16
I saw that the Rangers and Astros were in extras on Gameday, but decided to leave work rather than stay for the end.  Once home, I flipped on the radio and got the post-game.  The Rangers won 4-3 in 12.  Rougie hit the game-winning homer.  Jake Diekman rediscovered the strikezone and got the save.

I flipped over to the Rockies game.  My last update was 6-3 Diamondbacks in the 5th.  When I start listening, the Rockies are up 9-6.  Unfortunately just after that, the D-Backs load the bases and Yasmani Tomas hits a grand slam.  It all happened on five straight hits in a row with two outs.  It is a depressing 12-9 loss for the Rockies.

9-13-16
We start the PCL championship series in El Paso with the Chihuahuas versus the OKC Dodgers.  I finally found out who their opponent is.  They’re the guys who swept the dogs in four games earlier this year in Oklahoma City.  At the start of the game, the Chihuahuas players carry out a banner, which says, “Thank you El Paso.”  That’s a nice touch.  

Walter Locket gets off to a shaky start for the Chihuahuas, yielding four runs off three doubles, a walk, and a hit batsman.  After giving up another run in the 2nd, it’s 5-0 Dodgers.  In the 3rd, the pups have two on and Locket comes up to bat.  A strange defensive alignment is called with one of the outfielders coming into the infield.  It doesn’t help, as the pitcher hits against the shift and drives in a run.  With the bases loaded, Carlos Asuaje clears them with a double.  5-4 Dodgers.

A little interlude here, I notice the Rangers/Astros game is in the 9th, so I put up Gameday.  I like the tracker, but really it’s too nerve-wracking to watch for very long.  The Astros are up 2-1.  Roughned Odor strikes out on a wild pitch, but takes first.  Elvis Andrus triples him in with two outs to tie it.  Jurickson Profar then singles in Elvis for the go-ahead run.  Tanner Scheppers comes out to close.  3-2 Rangers.

Back in El Paso in the 5th, Manuel Margot hits a triple, but is tagged out at the plate on a contact play with the next batter.  Manager Rod Barajas takes the blame for that one.  In the 7th, Nick Torres hits a double, but is eliminated afterward on a baserunning error.  Margot gets on and takes second, but a fly out ends the inning.

In the 8th, an error puts two runners on and Diego Goris singles home the tying run.  The crowd serenades the departing Dodgers pitcher.  With the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly to swallow center by Nick Noonan brings in a speedy Patrick Kivlehan to give the Chihuahuas the lead.  Tim Hagerty is shouting out the play-by-play here.  Goris then scores on a wild pitch.  The dogs do it.  7-5 is the final.  Tim credits the large crowd for helping in the victory.  They were making enough noise to disrupt the opposing pitchers.  Ultimately, the OKC Dodgers were done in by three unearned runs in the game.

Back at home for me, its 11-4 in 6th between the Rockies and the D-Backs.  That’s also the final.  Those last three innings were about a depressing as you’d think.

9-14-16
A bit out of order, as this was actually the last game I listened to last night, but to follow up on that last statement, the Rockies lost again to the Diamondbacks 11-6.  That’s a sweep to a really bad team, giving up double digit runs in all three.  Ugh.  This is more depressing than the drive into El Paso to see the Chihuahuas on Labor Day, specifically seeing the local TV news billboards still advertising the departed (and dearly missed) Breana Pitts on their nightly broadcasts.

And the Astros finally beat the Rangers, 8-4.  They’d gotten out to a good lead, but the Rangers started chipping away at it before the Astros pulled away late.  Derek Holland and Tanner Scheppers didn’t have good games.  I hope that violently drunk guy from last night, who was taken away in cuffs screaming obscenities at the Rangers, feels better now.

When I got to work I was able to listen to Jon Miller calling the Giants versus the Padres.  Once again, MLB.tv is blocking the video, citing broadcasting conflicts.  Yahoo was less discriminating and showed the TV feed, but I really wanted to hear Miller’s pleasant, avuncular voice, so I stuck with just the audio.  Regardless, the Giants lost 3-1 with Bumgarner starting.  That’s also a sweep by a lousy team.

My co-worker, Mike, was listening, “Boy, Michael Savage sounds really mellow today, and I didn’t think he liked baseball.”  Yes, that’s the same Mike who thinks Bob Uecker has passed away, even while listening to him call a game live.  Mike was really impressed with Miller though.  When the Giants changed pitchers, he effortlessly segued into an ad for changing your vehicle’s oil.  Of course, he had to do this a couple more times during the inning, because of Bochy/September call ups, somewhat diminishing the effect, but Mike really respects a good product placement plug.

Okay, on to the important game of the day, the El Paso Chihuahuas versus the Oklahoma City Dodgers for the PCL championship.  In the 1st, Manuel Margot led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch.  Austin Hedges would later drive in Carlos Asuaje to give the dogs a 2-0 lead right off the bat.  In the 2nd, with the bases loaded with Dodgers, Frank Graces got two strikeouts to end the inning without a run.  The Dodgers would score a run in the 3rd, 2-1 Chihuahuas at this point.

Then it turned into a Hilary Clinton public appearance.  The entire defense had a seizure in the 4th.  Two errors on the same play allowed two runners on.  A third error scored a run.  Finally, on a fourth error, a runner attempted to take home and was thrown out, ironically it was part of a double play that ended the inning.  Amazingly, after four errors in one inning, the pups only give up one run to tie the score.  They must be living right.

In the 5th, the tie is broken by an Asuaje home run.  In the 6th, Margot hits his second triple and Hedges hits a home run.  Our score is now suddenly 9-2.  Did the Chihuahuas take the 4th inning off?  Did they put a bunch of guys from the stands in uniforms and put them out on the field?  In the 7th, the impostors were back out on the field and a Dodger run scored after an error, 9-3 Chihuahuas.

Thankfully, the real Chihuahuas took the field for the rest of the game.  In the 8th, OKC loaded the bases, but another double play ended the inning.  In the 9th, the game ends on a DP.  How inappropriate.  Our final is 10-4 Chihuahuas, up two in this best of five series. 

It was the last game of the year at Southwest University Park.  The players saluted the fans coming off the field.  It was a great crowd tonight cheering them on.  Respecting the streak, the Chihuahuas’ staff was told to wear the same shirt as the night before.  Much like the game, it might have been a bit smelly and messy, but it worked for a win.  Onto OKC, where I will not be able to hear Friday night’s game due to KROD carrying high school football.  I’ll make the supreme sacrifice and still root for the Chihuahuas to win, rather than lose so that I can hear them on Saturday.    
   
Hey!  I just checked the schedules.  None of my baseball teams are playing Thursday.  What am I going to do?  

NMSU Aggies vs UNM Lobos Football 9-10-16 Part 2

Part 1

Halftime
Earlier, Ron had seen the drunkest man in the stadium.  He literally all wobbled and weaved by on the concourse.  I missed him, but did meet the second drunkest man standing in the long line to the bathroom.  He was way too friendly and happy to be there.  The third drunkest guy was just outside the bathroom, puking into a trash barrel.  I may have seen that gorgeous girl again briefly, but she went over to the student side.  I looked over the team gear tent by the entrance, but didn’t see anything compelling.  On the way back, I thought I’d get some popcorn.  Apparently, so had half the stadium.  The line into the concessions was longer than the bathroom line (if that makes sense).  The line went out to the entrance of the stadium.  The roving vendors never came around the upper section either.  I missed the halftime show again.  I did hear the Lobo band play their team back onto the field as I got back to my seat.


3rd Quarter
This half is already starting off well.  Half of the cheerleading squad came over to our end of the stadium.  It just wasn’t the same without them.  The Aggie team didn’t start off as well as they go three and out.  Worse, there’s a bad snap on the punt.  The kicker rolls out in the endzone, being chased by Lobo linemen, and has to kick on the run.

I notice that there are kids playing on the steep grass hill on the south end of the stadium, in front of the luxury boxes and next to the cannon, which the ROTC fires on Aggie scores.  They were rolling down the hill.  Ron decides to get up and take a walk.  He returns later and reports, “We’re sitting in the wrong section.”  We’re on the 30.  We should be about on the 40.  On the other hand, he notes, “If we’d been in the right section, we wouldn’t have been sitting by our favorite little Aggie fan.”  View-wise, the seats were about the same.  Price-wise, Ron overpaid, so I’m glad he was okay with it.    

The Lobos start on the Aggie 45.  The Lobos score another touchdown, mostly rushing it.  24-15 Lobos.  The Aggies go three and out again on their possession.  There’s a double-clutch on the punt, but the punter gets it downfield.  

The NM State Softball team is honored on the field for winning the regular season title.  It’s good to see the girls after a few months away.  I think I saw Kayla pass below us.  The PA reports that members of the baseball team are going around the stadium selling tickets.  I may have seen one of them pass below us, but nobody in our section.

A couple goes by wearing hunting camo/team gear that looks interesting.  There’s a fellow wearing an Albuquerque Dukes hat.  Meanwhile, the game must be getting interesting as one of the cheerleaders down below us, forgets to join the others cheering as she watches the game.

The Lobos get a first down, but have to punt.  The Aggies get it back and nearly lose it on an interception that was called off for pass interference.  With a second chance, the Aggies make the most of it.  They methodically move the ball downfield (I’m not using the word “matriculate,” as that is actually an incorrect usage no matter how many sportswriters use it) and score a touchdown.  24-22 Lobos.

There’s a big kickoff return for the Lobos and a personal foul penalty on top of it.  They are well in the Red Zone when the quarter ends.  The Sundancers run out and perform in the vacated endzone.  I’m really wishing for binoculars.  Our squad of cheerleaders also leaves us to return to the other end of the stadium.    

4th Quarter
Okay, here we go.  Get ready for the big finish.  The Lobos go for it on a 4th and 1 and come away with another touchdown.  31-22 Lobos.  With the ball back, the Aggies make a good drive.  They get two 10+ yard passes and a roughing the passer penalty to move into Lobo territory.  Then there was a sack which brought up a 3rd and 18.  Rodgers finally caught a receiver in stride and brought the team into field goal range.  31-25 Lobos with a successful kick.  On the video board, the Women’s volleyball and soccer teams are promoted.  The pictures of the girls they’re using are rather enticing.  This is how to sell women’s sports: sex appeal.

The Lobos get the ball back and here we have the key play of the game.  The Aggies get an interception off a long 3rd down.  At this point, there’s about five minutes left in the game.  The crowd is standing (and I’m standing) for the rest of the game.  The Aggies lose their good field position on a chopblock penalty, going from the 15 to the 35 yard line.  But, the Aggies keep plowing forward after that to inside the 10.  Three Lobo players stop play for cramps on the drive.  Chicanery is suspected, but it doesn’t matter.  An over the shoulder catch in the corner of the endzone by Greg Hogan makes the score 32-31.  The Aggies finally have the lead.

Below us in the lower section, I’m chuckling at a little kid with his shirt off, cheering on top of his dad’s shoulders.  The little girl sitting below us left with her grandparents just after the 3rd quarter.  I nudge Ron and tell him that I’m sorry she left.  She’d lend a heck of a voice to the cheering.  Ron had to spoken to her grandmother.  The little girl was very knowledgeable about the game.  I think he’d like to part-time adopt her.  Meanwhile, there’s a lady sitting next to us that was corralling two rambunctious little boys for most of the second half.  I don’t know how much of the game she’s seen of this half.  Across the stadium, the full student section is still standing.  They’ve been that way the whole game.

The Lobos get the ball back inside of the three minutes left in the game.  They try a deep pass downfield that’s broken up.  The Lobos have to go for it on a 4th down and just make it on a slant pass.  The Aggie defense comes up big with a sack and a dropped interception.  Its 4th and 15, and the radio color commentator, Preston Williams, sums it up, “We need one play from the defense.”  The Lobos get 13 and a penalty called against them on top of it.  Turnover on downs with a 1:23 left.

The Aggies rush for a first down.  I pull out my earplugs and take in the deafening roar of the crowd.  This is really a great moment as the Aggies take a knee while the clock runs down to triple zero.  Aggies over the Lobos 32-31.  The players and the cheerleaders go over to the student side of the stadium and salute them.  The Lobo band plays their team off the field.  Me and Ron are extremely pleased with our evening.  I’m not nominating a player of the game, because I’m just not that football knowledgeable.  I’d hate to be so self-serving to give it to the 10th man in the stands, but I think all of the players on both teams appreciated playing to an enthusiastic full house.  I’ll say it was a real team effort by the Aggies, down the whole game, but never giving up or letting the game get out of hand so that they could have a chance at the end.

Travelling across the stands I picked up a couple of different discarded programs.  One of them turns out to be from last year.  The other one is missing pages at the front.  I wish I could have found where they were giving these out on the way in.  Ron finds his lost earplugs sitting on the trunk of his car.  We go over to a nearby convenience store with an ice cream bar and have shakes.  A bunch of other people from the game also come by, including Lobo fans.  One of them was mad about losing, since he’d come down from Albuquerque, but even he thought it was a good game to have seen.  That’s gives you a good idea of how entertaining the game was.        

NMSU Aggies vs UNM Lobos Football 9-10-16 Part 1

It’s the 107th edition of the Battle of the Rio Grande between Albuquerque and Las Cruces.  It’s literally north versus south here.  It’s also man versus parking space.  As Ron and I drove in, it was apparent all of the football and even Pan Am Center parking was taken.  We were going to Schlotzsky’s anyway for dinner across the street and parked there.  (We had the pretzel bread bacon cheese sandwich with the tomato/basil soup side.  This combo has the same effect on everybody who has it: they want another.  It’s awesome.)

Ron’s in his Aggie shirt.  I’m in my crimson and camo with my Aggie t-shirt and a long-sleeve camo undershirt.  Ron smuggled in a water bottle in his pants.  It’s not that he’s against buying concessions, but he must have thought ahead about what the lines were going to be like.  Speaking of that, yikes!  I was planning on getting a slice of pizza from the tent at the entrance later.  $4 a slice!  Yeah, its Papa John’s, but still.

There are two Lobo tractor trailers prominently on display inside the stadium, one at the entrance.  Greeters are handing out Aggie football cards of great former players at the gate.  I always love the cards.  I look for a program, but I don’t see anyone handing them out or selling them.  Football programs aren’t all that useful, since you’re not keeping a scorecard, but it’s a keepsake.  (Does anyone, other than the broadcasters, do such a thing?)  There’s a drone flying over the stadium.  The PA gives a five-minute explanation of the device, the upshot of which is: we’re not spying on you and don’t bring your own.

Our seats were on the south west side in the upper section.  I have my mom’s old stadium seat and Ron brings his seat cushions, which I put on top of the seat.  I’m sitting pretty for the whole game with a commanding view of the field.  The temperature is in the 80’s with a light breeze.  It’s all very comfortable.  

There were a lot of people around.  The official attendance was just under 18,000.  People kept filing in in an endless stream during the first quarter.  From our seats in the upper section, we could see huge numbers of people passing below us.  We saw a few people from work and any number of pretty young women going by.  This was a constant distraction from the game.  If I wasn’t looking, Ron was.  I’m not complaining, just stating.  The hottest girl in the stadium (or at least the most exotic) walked by at the end of the first quarter.  I spent the rest of the game looking for her.    

Amazingly, the little girl from the softball game, who had the biggest cheer in the stadium, sat down in front of us after we got settled.  Ron is thrilled, as he really got a kick out her.  What were the odds of being randomly seated next to someone you know in a big stadium full of people?  I saw the kid that was shagging balls at the Aggie baseball games on the concourse later, whom I’m still convinced I saw up in Denver at the baseball game there.  Now that’s really long odds.

There were two sections of the Lobo fans in the north-east end of the stadium, with the Lobo band on their right.  Next to the Lobo fans was a packed student section.  They all appeared to be standing.  In the front row was the usual group of shirt-less guys with letters painted on their chests.  I think it said “Go Aggies.”  Maybe.  How embarrassing.  You go to all the trouble of painting yourselves up and the people you’re facing can’t read it.  On the students’ left was the Aggie Pride band and in front of them were the Sundancers.  It might be worth getting deafened to sit in front of the band to watch the girls, but this isn’t an option for the fans.  On our side of the stadium is the pressbox.  Whoopee.  I’m missing the Aggies’ large cheerleading squad.  They’re on our side, but on the other end.  It’s just not the same without human pyramids in front of us.  I’m wishing for binoculars at this point.  

The crowd stands as the PA asks for a moment of silence for 9/11, a Lobo player who recently died, and for Lori Paulsen, the Aggies’ honorary team captain who died last season.  In a stadium full of people, it was literally quiet enough to hear the flags on the other side of the stadium flapping.  The Aggie Pride band played the Star Spangled Banner.  Afterward, with the music still playing, the PA read the preamble to the Constitution.  The band then formed two, facing lines, and played the Aggie fight song, as the team charged out onto the field.  The team went to the endzone and knelt in prayer.  The Lobos came out afterward, lead by a player carrying the Zia, New Mexico’s state flag, with the Lobo band playing.    

The Aggies’ new Underarmor uniforms rate a mention.  They look about the same as before, but I’d say that’s a good thing.  As long as they keep that crimson, black, and white color scheme, you really can’t go wrong.  Ron and I both fiddled with our radios to get the game call.  Ron discovered his main earplugs were missing and speculated that he lost them taking out his wallet, paying for his tickets.  Thankfully, he had a backup pair.  So, the familiar, pleasant voice of Las Cruces sports, Jack Nixon, joined us for the game.  (Note that 99.5 FM’s Internet feed plays music, not the game.)  Unlike the baseball posts, where I separate describing the experience and the game play, that isn’t going to work here.  So, things will be mixed together here.


1st Quarter
The Lobos receive the opening kickoff.  Striking the Wonder Dog retrieves the tee to a round of applause.  (He’s going to get a workout today.)  They march down the field, pretty much all rushing, and score a touchdown.  7-0 Lobos.  The net behind the goal posts catches the ball on the PAT, so there’s one stadium improvement from last year.

The Aggies get the ball and move down the field, mostly in the air.  They go for it and make it on a 4th and short on the Lobo 48.  The Lobo band plays, for some reason, as the Aggies kick a field goal.  7-3 Lobos.  With the ball back, the Lobos move downfield again.  They face a 3rd and long at one point and make it, along with a roughing the passer penalty.  The next play is a keeper for a touchdown.  14-3 Lobos.  Over the Lobos fans’ section, a giant banner is unfurled.  It takes some effort to read, but I finally figure it out: “Pistol Pete shot Hamrambi.”  They’re referring to that gorilla that was shot at the zoo and the NMSU’s mascot.  It’s taken down soon after.

With the ball returned, Aggie quarterback, Tyler Rogers, makes a big 20 yard rush on a broken play.  I admit, he’s the only name I was catching during game and that’s only because it was getting called on every offensive play.  Our star running back, Larry Rose, is out right now.  He’s the only other name I know on the team.  The first quarter ends.

The Aggie Women’s Basketball team is honored on the field as last season’s regular season champions.  Later, the PA calls everyone’s attention to the south end of the stadium.  There are some fans sitting on a couch behind the endzone.  This is “The best seat in the house” promotion by a furniture company.  I’m waiting for the “Be the Sundancers towel boy for a game” promotion.  Speaking of promotion, the Las Cruces Comi-Con was this weekend.  I was apparently the only one who didn’t know about it.  There at Schlotsky’s there were some people in comic book themed attire, amongst the football fans.  On field, the two main guests of the show were honored: an actor from the Walking Dead and the star of Starship Troopers.  I’m not enticed to attend.    


2nd Quarter
The Aggies are able to continue driving downfield, mostly on the strength of Roger’s legs, for another field goal.  14-6 Lobos.  The Aggies are able to hold the Lobos on their possession and force a punt.  There was an exceedingly strange play before the punt, where half the Lobo line didn’t move.  The Aggies across from them didn’t either.  It was like it was a blown dead play for just half the field.  The other half of the line did move and the quarterback did a little shot-put to a receiver.  The radio call gave no indication of how weird that play was.

I get a Pistol Pete sighting finally.  He’s down below on the field getting the crowd into it.  At about this time, the sun is starting to set.  The windows on the luxury box across from us on top of the east (student) side of the stadium start reflecting blinding sunlight onto the other side of the stadium.  This goes on for about 15 accursed minutes.  Gosh darn that stupid bank that sponsored this ill-conceived promotion.  Ooops.  Wait.  That’s me and Ron’s employer.  Meanwhile, the other big bank in town was the primary sponsor of today’s game without blinding anybody.

The Aggie drive goes backwards on a sack and a penalty.  They do get off a good punt that sets the Lobos well back.  On their first play, the Aggies force a fumble.  They takeover on the Lobo 20, though this does take a lengthy review.  The Aggies have to settle for a field goal though.  14-9 Lobos.  

The breeze is getting colder, but I’m not freezing, just wishing for a jacket.  The radio calls my attention to a gentleman in a red hat standing on field at the 20 yard line.  He’s the guy who tells the officials when the game is in or out of commercial.  Nothing happens until he leaves the field.  If you look carefully on the sidelines of an NFL game, there’s a guy wearing big orange oven mitts, who serves the same function.  On the concourse, I have multiple sightings of Albuquerque Isotopes’ hats.  No El Paso Chihuahuas though.  

UNM gets the ball back.  Late in the drive, the Lobo quarterback is shaken up on an option and taken out.  There’s two timeouts, some unexplained dead time, and something like three penalties.  I turn to Ron, “Yeah this is why I hate baseball.  It’s so boring and nothing happens.  It’s not like football where there’s constant excitement.”  The crowd gets up four times to cheer on the defense, but it all ends on a Lobo field goal.  17-9 Lobos.

The Aggies get a good return on the kickoff.  A deep shot downfield works and a penalty leads to a passing TD.  That was a good two-minute drill.  The PAT is missed however.  As per last year, our kicker is inexplicably not good on these, but doesn’t have problems further out.  17-15 Lobos at the half.

Part 2

El Paso Chihuahuas vs Albuquerque Isotopes 9-5-16

Ron and I both missed the company outing to see the Chihuahuas on Friday.  My backup wasn’t available to sit in for me that night at work, and I had some interpersonal reasons for not really wanting to go.  Ron’s wife also didn’t want him to go out that night.  When I mentioned to him last week that the dogs would be playing on Labor Day Monday afternoon, I asked what his plans were.  By happy coincidence, Ron was already planning a trip to El Paso.  His wife had no problem with going then, so off we went. 

The highlight of our short trip between Las Cruces and El Paso was seeing a Ferrari just as we pulled out of my parking lot.  It was quite glamorous in person and sported a license plate that read, “Top Gun.”  Otherwise, traffic was light on what is usually a very heavily travelled corridor.  Ron’s errand in El Paso involved visiting DXL for some shirts.  I was happy to be along, because the store is at the Shoppes at Farrah complex, which I’d wanted to go to since seeing them during Christmas last year.  The good news is that I got to see the Barnes and Noble there, my main target, and it was very nice.  The bad news is that that was the only place I got to see.  I wasn’t able to see any of the restaurants (one of which I could smell their hamburger product and it must have been delicious) or the other stores.

Outside the B&N, I ran into a guy with an Albuquerque Dukes hat.  That was previous franchise in town, before they became the Isotopes, the Chihuahuas’ opponent today.  I wonder if he was at the game today.  I’d think that he likely feels the same way about the name-change that I do.  I’d rather have the Diablos name back too.  Given that I was wearing my team’s hat and shirt, I probably could have struck up a conversation, but I needed to rendezvous with Ron, and this guy had his family with him.  

 

We arrived at the ballpark without any trouble and an hour and half before game time.  There were a few fans milling around.  At the ticket window, my first choice of seats was unavailable.  I was confident they hadn’t sold out a day game, but that didn’t mean that good seats were still available.  The closest seats to the field were in the Fiesta Patio section.  This didn’t sound like a regular section, but I went with it.  Ron and I spent about a half-hour underneath an incinerating cosmic death ray, also called the Sun, waiting to enter the ballpark.  Some shade out there wouldn’t hurt.  Lines formed up behind us.  There were two guys at the front of the line wearing jerseys and carrying a bag of souvenirs with them, probably looking for signatures.  At Coors Field, everybody at the front of the line (including myself) looked like that.        

Inside, we were immediately greeted with a succulent savor from the barbeque stand.  Food would wait for a minute, as we went to the teamshop.  Santa Claus was in the house nearby, receiving visitors.  I didn’t know he was a fan.  After two trips to the stadium, Ron wanted some team gear and bought the brand new Chihuahuas division winners t-shirt.  I found a 2016 Chihuahuas team set of baseball cards.  I still couldn’t decide about PCL All Star cards.  I really want a Trevor Story card.  There was a very cool San Diego (being the Chihuahuas’ parent club) hat in blue and gold there, but I don’t need another hat.  There were some cool Chihuahuas’ souvenir baseballs in various colors, but I couldn’t find a price on them.  Outside the shop, I saw a woman with a big, pretty service dog.  One of the ladies at work mentioned a friend who went to games all the time with such a dog.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember which co-worker, so I could introduce myself (and pet the dog). 

For food, we went to Monchi’s.  Their service was polite and quick.  For $9 each, we got a burger and fries.  I also got a large drink in souvenir cup.  (I learned my lesson from last time: order a large drink because it’s warm there.)  Once again, I didn’t get the souvenir dog bowl with chili cheese fries.  Maybe next year.    

The Fiesta Patio is a picnic-like area along the first base line.  The seats are swivel chairs around tables.  I’d suggest buying seats for this section if you have four people, otherwise you may end up sharing the table with strangers, like we did.  We were in line for foul balls to that side.  Unfortunately, there’s no shade here during the day.  I was starving, since I’d skipped breakfast, so we quickly unpacked our meals.  I would have even eaten McDonalds gratefully.  This was much better than that.  It was a good, thick burger with natural cut fries, all very tasty.  Right after, I got a cherry Slushie, though it quickly started melting in the hot sun. 

It was a good crowd, but there were plenty of empty seats, good ones.  Somebody paid for them, but they weren’t there.  Tellingly, those seats were in the sun.  The ones in the shade were full.  The Pavilions, where the company outing was, were empty.  Next door to them, the three levels of Big Dog House bar and grill were full.  That’s another place I need to get into.  I’d also like to see what the game is like from the second deck of the stadium, preferably in the Westar Club.  I could see a couple of fans talking to the Isotopes players by dugout.  I found myself wanting to sit by the dugouts too.  All of this seat-envy may have been brought on by the heat.  Our temperature was in the mid-90’s.    

The new 2016 Division banner was already up on the wall across the stadium, along with last year’s banner.  Players came out on the field to warm up.  I recognized one of the Isotopes players, maybe.  The tall, lanky pitcher with the distinctive grooming, I think I’d seen at the Rockies game earlier this year, Miguel Castro, though he wasn’t listed on the program.  A middle school band played a couple of songs before game.  They were good.  I yelled, “Play Tusk!”  Later in the game, that did get played later during an intermission over the PA.  Ron nudged me, “They heard you.”

There were no planes overhead this time, but several helicopters made passes.  There was a sudden dramatic rumbling and whistling right before the game.  Here’s something I didn’t get sitting on other sides of the stadium.  Freight trains pass by, below field level, along the first base side.  You don’t see them (unless you’re by the entrance gates), but you really feel them.  Trains came by off and on all during the game.  It was cool, but startled everybody at first before we all identified the sound.

There was a great anthem singer today, a young lady.  Everyone was standing and seemed to relish the moment of patriotism here on Military Monday, where soldiers get in with a discount.  In the 7^th, she came back out to do a stirring rendition of God Bless America.  You could just use her everyday she’s available.  This was followed by Take Me Out to the Ballgame and a Mariachi dance.  Unfortunately, it was too hot to dance. 

I learned things as the game started.  Foul balls are frightening without a net in front of you.  But, yes damn it, I still want to catch one!  Later, I did notice one indifferent guy sitting next to the wall by the foul line with his back to the game for a whole inning.  That wasn’t brave, it was dumb.  As the game went on, the heat became more and more a factor.  I reapplied sunblock about halfway through the game.  Clouds occasionally passed overhead, along with a cool breeze.  It was heaven for a few seconds.  It could have been worse.  We could have been out on the mound pitching or wearing a giant mascot suit in the heat.  It happened several times where I took out my earplugs to talk to Ron for a minute.  When I re-inserted them, Yow!  It was hot at the park today.  

I have to be honest, this game recap isn’t going to be much, but I learned something else.  From just listening to the radio call of these games, I was getting something wrong.  It’s Franchy Cordero, not Frenchy.    Something else I got from the bottom of the 1^st after Carlos Asuaje’s double.  The first hit of the game had a sponsor.  At least that was the only one I heard.  Some of the other teams in the PCL are super-obnoxious with sponsored soundbites.  Sitting through that would be teeth-gritting. 

I hate to say it, but the players had terrible walk up music.  It was the same thing at Aggie games.  At least the Rockies at the major league level mostly picked decent tunes.  The music between innings was good.  With pace-of-play rules and between innings entertainment, I’d say things were pretty lively at the ballpark.  Even if you weren’t a big baseball fan, you wouldn’t be bored.  On the radio, Tim Hagerty was mostly talking about the upcoming playoff games.

A 4th inning line drive, two-run homer by the Isotopes’ Dustin Garneau got the scoring started as it just over the line in left field.  A good throw by Nick Torres on a shallow single kept another run from scoring later in the inning.  With the bases loaded, a clutch double play ended the inning without further damage.  2-0 Isotopes. 

It was Fan Appreciation Day at the park.  Andy Imfeld, the field emcee, went around the stadium handing out supermarket gift certificates between innings.  For my money, I more enjoyed the video messages from the players where they were thanking the fans for their support.  I hear these guys’ names called all season, but don’t really get to hear from them.  One of the field promotions involved a kid hitting a ball off a tee from the outfield trying to get it over the upper lawn fence.  He had no trouble doing that three times.  Everyone in that section got free hockey pucks, and he got a team autographed souvenir.  That was nice.   

The Chihuahuas starting pitcher, Carlos Pimentel, got in trouble again in the 6^th with a walk and a couple of hits, giving up two runs.  I wondered why he was being left in, given the heat.  Nobody was even warming up.  It may have been because yesterday was a bullpen day and they needed to save arms.  4-0 Isotopes at this point. 

In the mid-6^th, Rod Barajas got serenaded by the stadium for his birthday and a huge bunch of balloons.  While Ron had had a burger like I did, his appetite was only whetted.  We’d both smelled the barbeque from the stand on our way in.  He’d already decided to try a sandwich, even before the hamburger.  Ron reported it as delicious.  He brought me back a lemonade.  I’d planned on buying one from one of the wandering vendors, but I never saw one in my section.  Maybe they stayed in the shade.  I spilled some on my scorecard and watch out for the seeds, but I otherwise greatly enjoyed it. 

By this time, I noted by the clock that the Rangers’ afternoon game against Seattle had started, so I switched my radio over to it.  Yes, I know I’m cheating on my local broadcaster, but you can’t expect a baseball fan such as myself to just be satisfied with one game.  You knew I was player.  Cole Hamels of the Rangers started off badly, giving up five runs in the 1^st.  Matt Hicks, who rejoined the broadcast after being away for the weekend, said, “I’m going back to Chicago.”  The 2^nd didn’t go any better.  Hamels is chased from the game at 60+ pitches, seven runs, and less than two innings.  I was going to turn it back to the Chihuahuas since it seemed like a blowout was in progress, but Eric Nadel and Matt, thinking the same way, had loosened up and were having fun with it.  During the long inning, Eric started reading the other scores and said, “Oh, you want me to do National League scores too?”  He’s well known as an American League snob.  (Eric’s only fault as a broadcaster.)   

The Kiss-Cam was also something of a fail at first.  Nobody really wanted to kiss and there weren’t any attractive candidates.  I hadn’t mentioned this before, but there really weren’t many pretty girls in the park that I saw.  I feel like I missed out on one of the best parts of the ballpark experience.  But at the end of the Kiss-Cam segment, we cut to Chico.  He’s totally macking on woman, his giant head slobbering all over her.  Afterward, Andy gives her a gift certificate to avoid a lawsuit.  What was Chico thinking?       

I couldn’t believe this in the 8^th.  The crowd had arrived on time and was staying late.  “Are there fireworks after the game?” I asked.  Carlos Asauje, PCL Rookie of the year, rewarded the fans with a two-run homer just over the line to center.  The dogs finally started a rally.  I even actually saw the guy who shouts out, “Let’s go Chihuahuas” and gets the crowd going.  He was big guy in a large cowboy hat by the foul wall in front of us.  Unfortunately, that was it for the frame, as Isoptes’ reliever, Shane Carle, came in to shut the door.   He started by splintering Patrick Kievelhan’s bat on a foul tip, check swing, before striking him out. 

Back in Arlington, Normar Mazara hit a three-run homer as part of a five-run inning off Felix Hernandez.  Suddenly, the Rangers were back in it, 7-5 Mariners.  Back in El Paso, they’re playing the Chicken Dance on the video board, but it’s still too hot to dance.  The 9^th proves to be uneventful, except for a foul ball that comes into our section.  I was head down in my scorecard at the time, so thankfully it didn’t come to me.  A girl recovered it, but dropped and shattered her smart phone.  That wasn’t a good trade.  On the other side of the stadium, another fan with a mitt in the upper deck, dropped a foul ball in to the lower deck to the derision of the crowd.   

I missed a few plays during the game.  This is what I get for listening to another game and screwing with my scorecard.  Ron tried listening to the Internet feed, but it was a full minute behind the action, so that isn’t a good option at the ballpark.  This was the Chihuahuas’ fifth loss in a row going into the playoffs.  That’s not promising.  I blame Ron.  They lost the last time I was here with him and won the two times I wasn’t here with him.  Worse, this was my last live baseball game of the year.  Waaah! 

For my player of the game, I’m not even looking at the scorecards.  It’s Chihuahuas’ pitcher, Carlos Pimentel.  In that heat, with no run support, he did a pretty good job only giving up four runs in eight innings.  This is why they don’t play day games here.  We went back to the teamshop so Ron could look at the floppy hats there ($30).  I saw women’s shirt that read, “Only in your fantasy league.”  I went to the bathroom afterward and this is amazing news.  I used the urinals three times today, without whacking my head on the low shelf over the bowl.  That’s a first. 

If driving into the stadium was easy, getting out was terrible.  We entered the maze of garbage that is downtown El Paso.  I’m not seeing the ballpark revitalization.  This is a 100% worse than downtown Denver at likely half the size.    The only good news was how light the traffic was on I-10 at 4:30 when we finally made it on to the freeway.  We were listening to the Rangers’ game on the way back and I finished it at home.  It was 8-6 in 6^th after Roughned Odor hit a home run.  He’s been hitting the ball like its Jose Bautista.  Unfortunately, the M’s answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame.  14-6 Mariners was the final.  And for irony, after grilling for a couple of hours, Ron and I got smoothies back in Las Cruces, we both ended up freezing.  Never a bad day at the ballpark.  Even with the losses, it was still a great day. 

Baseball Notebook for September 2, 3, 4, 2016

9-2-16

I wasn’t into the free game and the Chihuahuas were bumped off Internet radio for high school football.  Several of my co-workers would be attending the game in El Paso for a company outing.  I’m at work, but I’m not bitter.  (The dogs lost 7-2.  It wasn’t a meaningful game and it rained right afterward.  Besides, I already got a Cody Decker bobblehead, which everyone is jealous of.)  My boss was going to go, but his wife vetoed it for some reason.  She did approve us going to the Chihuahuas’ final regular season game on Monday and there’s a Rockies game on TV, so I’m happy. 

Well technically, it was a Diamondbacks’ game where they were playing the Rockies.  I don’t like their game broadcasts.  As much as I enjoyed Bob Brenly doing Cubs games, he’s a total homer here.  I used to listen to D-Backs games on the radio all the time when they were carried on an El Paso station, and I’ve seen previous TV broadcast crews.  Apparently, it’s a management decision on how the game is called.  Rod Allen, who was on their radio broadcast, has had a way different in tone since I’ve seen him doing Tigers’ broadcasts.  I should define my terms here.  A homer announcer basically cheers on and uncritically builds up his team, while denigrating the opposing team.  Even if I’m rooting for the homer’s team, it gets on my nerves.  By contrast, on Rangers’ radio broadcasts, Eric is pretty hard on the guys when they do a bad job.  Then you have Vin Scully, who calls the game pretty straight, if not poetically.  These two guys being Hall of Famers likely also gives them quite a bit of leeway.

 

I do like that the Diamondbacks have a pre-game, post-game, and even a weekly show to support the team.  The pre-game tonight featured an anniversary of sorts, Mark Grace’s first and only pitching outing for the team 15 years ago.  It was a tight game against the Dodgers as he came in in the 9^th with the score 18-0 Dodgers.  He gave up a home run to David Ross, his first homer as a rookie, but that was all.  So, one inning, one run, 9.00 ERA for Gracie’s pitching career. 

The game in Denver begins.  The guys are comparing the uncanny likeness between the Rockies’ Stephen Cardullo and D-Back Paul Goldschmidt.  The ticker shows that the Astros have gone up 2-0 over the Rangers early.  I had to leave for 10 minutes.  When I came back, it was 5-0 Arizona.  I don’t know what happened.  Meanwhile, the Rangers have evened the score thanks to an error.  Nolan Arenado makes an error at third.  This is news.  Later, he makes a great play, throwing out a runner while falling down.  We’re back to business as usual.

In the 5^th, the Rockies get five straight hits and tie the game on a throwing error (Yasmany Tomas lobbing the ball back to infield after a hit).  They score another run to take the lead.  Back in Arlington, the Rangers put seven runs in the 4^th with three home runs.  The score is 10-2 Rangers.  The D-Backs and Rockies trade a few more runs, before the Rockies have their own seven-run inning in the 8^th including a grand slam by Nick Hundley.  I’m still pissed about that.  They’d just loaded the bases and the D-Backs sent for a reliever.  I ran out of the break room to finish something, sensing what was about to occur, and came back to see him celebrating in the dugout.  Timing issues. 

The Rockies end up winning handily, 14-7.  Unlike that last game against the Dodgers, the Rox have no last inning collapse.  Adam Ottavio finished off the game.  I mention this because I noticed his player number: #0.  I don’t know if I’ve seen that before.  The Colorado crowd was surprisingly quiet for much of the game, but really got into it before the end.

I almost cough up my dinner when I check back on the Rangers game.  It was 10 to 8!  They end up winning, but clearly not after a bad scare.  I go back and check the box score.  Yeah, sure enough, trying to save the bullpen, they got some guy out of the stands wearing a Nolan Ryan jersey to pitch.  His “best” pitch was listed an underhand lob.  The Rangers end up having to spend the bullpen to get the final outs.  I hope this doesn’t come back and haunt them this weekend.        

9-3-16

I’m lucky.  My El Paso Rangers’ station also carries Texas Tech football (I don’t know why).  Thankfully, the football wasn’t on at the same time, so I got to listen to the ball game.  Matt Hicks was not in today to help Eric call the game in Arlington between the Rangers and Astros.  Dave Raymond is up in relief.  Unfortunately, a loud-mouthed Astros’ fan was there.  He was hard to miss, bravely yelling for his team in enemy territory and giving Carlos Gomez the business every time he came up.  By the 5^th inning, Eric is reporting that they’ve turned off the crowd mic, but the guy is still coming in via their headsets.  There was a great crowd present, even with a college football game going on next door.  Presumably most of the crowd was rooting for the Rangers.

Derek Holland was on the mound.  In the 3^rd, he allows three straight hits, which scores a run.  It’s hard not to notice he’s pitching a lot slower with men on.  Pitching coach, Doug Brocail, gives him a good talk and Holland limits the damage.  Adrian Beltre (who else?) steps up in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to tie it.  In the 4^th, Mitch Moreland drives in two for his second hit of the day.  In the 5^th, after a hit by Robinson Chirinos (his second of the day in a scratch start for an ailing Jonathan Lucroy), Nomar Mazara hits a two-run homer.  Carlos Beltran later gets thrown out at the plate by Jake Marisnick to end the inning.  I didn’t catch the name of the Astros reliever who came in, but he also slowed down the pace of the game. 

In the 6^th, Evan Gattis belted a solo home run.  Holland got in further trouble and was throwing slow and missing.  He was at about 100 pitches.  Brocail came out again for good chat.  Derek gritted his teeth and got the last out.  Holland acknowledged the ump as he left after a very hard 6^th inning and clearly out of gas.

In the 7^th, Ranger reliever, Keone Kela, loaded the bases and caught a hard liner with his bare pitching hand.  Manager Jeff Bannister came out to talk to him, instead of Brocail.  Perhaps Doug was tired.  More likely Banney told him that because of yesterday’s bullpen-depleting game, he was going to finish this inning.  Seemingly an hour later (more pace of play issues), he got out of the jam without giving up a run.  In the bottom of the inning, Beltran knocked in Maz and on a double steal, Ian Desmond took home.  7-2 Rangers. 

And we go to the 8^th.  We hit the top of the hour.  And then we go to Red Raider football.  Crap!  Thank you pitchers for working so slowly.  Okay, I can be nice.  It might have been pretty hot and sweaty for an afternoon game there.      

From the ridiculous to the sublime or vice versa.  I start listening to the Chihuahuas versus the Isotopes two hours later.  Hunter Renfroe hits his 30^th home run of the season to give the dogs a 1-0 lead.  The game continues and Albuquerque takes a 2-1 lead on a home run in the 5^th.  I glance at the clock.  The game has been going on for 45 minutes.  You read that right.  We’re halfway through the game in less than an hour.  The El Paso pitcher had a no-hitter through four innings. 

Being after dark, I check in on the Rockies.  Thankfully, the CU/CSU football game was last night.  I join them in the 6^th with the D-Backs up 7-3.  The Rockies threaten and get a run.  Unfortunately in the 7^th, Goldschmidt knocks in AJ Pollack.  I’d noticed AJ was back with the team last night after missing most of the season.  He was one of the reasons I was picking the Diamondbacks to win the division before the season.  In retrospect, he probably wouldn’t have made a difference. 

I flip back to the Chihuahuas.  They’re now losing 4-2 and, oh my God, they’re actually in the 8^th inning.  In spite of starting an hour later than the Rockies, this game finishes first.  The final ends up being 6-2 Isotopes.  The dogs have dropped three in a row since clinching.  This all isn’t boding well for a good game on Monday.  I flip back to the Rockies.  They lose 9-4, but I finally get a final on the Rangers game, 12-4 Rangers.  I feel better now.

9-4-16

Here may be my last Sunday report until October.  The Chihuahuas may be done, or moving ahead in the playoffs.  The NFL will be preempting my Sunday Ranger games.  For now, we have the Rangers vs. the Astros.  Yu Darvish was a bit shaky today.  In the 1^st, he allowed two runs, threw 30+ pitches, and finished the inning with the bases loaded.  Pitching coach, Doug Brocail, and catcher, Jonathan Lucroy each made a visit during the inning.  In the 4^th, the Astros scored three more and chased Darvish from the game.  Eric Nadel was commenting on the pace of play again, mentioning that the Japanese pitchers in particular were among the slowest workers in the league.  The Arlington afternoon heat may have also been slowing the down the pitchers.

Not to fear, Roughned Odor belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the 4^th, to put the Rangers back in it.  Gattis got a solo homer in the 5^th for Astros, but the Rangers answered right back with three in the bottom.  6-5 Astros.  Eric mentions twice, and is obviously annoyed by, a spin and throw pickoff move, which he said used to be a balk.  I think any of those time-wasting fake out moves by the pitcher should be a balk, but that’s a longer discussion. 

Later, Rougie drops a ball on a possible double play, which leads to another run scoring.  In the 9^th, down by two, the crowd is literally screaming as Ian Desmond leads off with a triple.  Beltre (who else?) grounds him in, but the rally comes up short.  7-6 Astros, a rare one-run loss for the Rangers this year.  Still, the Rangers go 8-2 over this homestand against some highly-competitive AL teams.

El Paso Chihuahuas vs Albuquerque Isotopes.  Tim Hagerty started off the game with a bit of low-energy, as he announced that this was going to be a bullpen day in preparation for the playoffs.  He perked up as Frenchy Cordero got his first Triple-A hit.  How about that?  A Chihuahuas player actually named Frenchy, though I suspect that might not be his given name.  I didn’t get his position.  Is he playing in the Jeff Francoeur’s Frenchy’s Corner? 

Later, Tim has a guest in the booth, a college scholarship winner.  The young man also threw out the first pitch.  He’d never thrown a baseball before (what’s wrong with this country?) and practiced for an hour before the game.  He said it was very nerve-wracking, as he was sure his family and friends in attendance wouldn’t let him live down a bad throw. 

In the 3^rd, we get some comedy on the basepads.  It was a hit-and-run and Manuel Margot, who was on base, may not have seen the hit and was running back and nearly met the batter at second.  No harm done.  With the bases loaded, Jose Rondon hit a blooper to bring in two runs.  2-0 Pups.

In the 5^th, Tim has some more guests.  This time it’s a little girl, who’s part of Chico’s club, and she brought in her sisters.  It was a short top of the inning and Tim clearly liked the precocious first grader, Morgan, and brought her back.  From their conversation, we learn that there’s a ballpark next to the border in Mexico where a batter actually can hit the ball out of the country.  Fascinating.  Morgan gets to provide color commentary on a two-run homer.  “It hit a truck!”  Chihuahuas up 4-0.  Tim definitely enjoyed himself this inning, as were we all.

Oh my goodness, the revolving door to the pressbox has let in another person.  Garrett Mansfield (I think I got the name), the Chihuahuas’ PR guy, comes in to call a couple of innings.  Garrett called a couple of innings in Albuquerque earlier in the season and his experience is from calling games in the Alaskan League.  In the bizarre coincidences department, it turns out that Mike Tipton, the radio station board op, had actually been at a “Midnight baseball” game that Garrett was at before they ever knew each other.  What are the odds?

In the 6^th, Frenchy drops a ball in outfield and Sandy and Rizzo score on the error.  4-2 dogs.  (Yeah, I know its dumb joke.)  In the 7^th, Jose Rondon puts a ball on the upper lawn for his first Triple-A home run.  5-2 Chihuahuas.  It’s all looking good until the 8^th when a three-run homer suddenly ties the game.  Apparently there were several Isotopes fans in attendance, as you could hear them.  In the 9^th, a misplay by Rondon prolongs an inning.  Two runs score off a Ben Paulsen double.  Another run makes the score 8-5 Isotopes, which is the final.            

In the post-game show, we get a replay of Morgan’s home run call.  Tim dubs her “his analyst,” and chuckles for a moment before regaining his composure to finish the game recap.  Okay, that’s four losses in a row.  Chihuahuas, I will hopefully be there tomorrow and the playoffs start later this week.  It is time to stop losing.  

Baseball Notebook for September 1, 2016

Giants vs. Cubs.  It was the MLB.tv free game.  The Cubs are not suffering for a lack of exposure, especially at Wrigley, this year.  It’s almost like I’m still able to watch them on WGN America.  I’m a Giants fan, but I was really more interested in hearing the dulcet tones of Jon Miller calling the game this time.  I was glad for the choice of the TV and radio calls of the game, since Jon Miller gets passed between both.

It was a nippy night in Chicago at about 50 degrees with the stiff 20 mph wind chill.  The stadium and bleachers were packed, as has been all year.  There were plenty of Giants fans there.  The game started with Denard Span leading off and having an animated conversation with Cubs’ catcher, David Ross.  You have to wonder what they were talking about.  Span would get on and Hunter Pence would drive him in with a two-run bleacher shot homer into the wind.  The ball went out at 110 mph.  Jeff Samardzija had a long bottom of the 1st, starting with a dozen pitch at-bat to Dexter Fowler.  Nine batters come to the plate and three scored.  3-2 Cubs after one.

Miller started off an inning talking about Giants’ ticket plans.  Season tickets are sold out, but there’s a $500 non-refundable deposit for the division series tickets.  That seems optimistic, but it would certainly make you cheer harder.  (For $500, I could get into the Westar Club all season with the El Paso Chihuahuas, or have a lifetime personal seat at the Aggies’ Presley-Askew Field, or have a section named after me at the Aggie softball field and a date with my favorite player, with a chaperon of course.)  In the 2nd, Joe Panik got on via a hit by pitch and advanced to third on a very wild pitch.  Samardzija sacrificed him in.  In the 3rd, Buster Posey scored on a fielder’s choice.  4-3 Giants.

Samardzija somehow made it through four innings.  The wind knocked down a couple of Cubs’s balls that would have cleared the fence.  In the 7th, the Cubs loaded the bases, two of which were thanks to Hunter Strickland.  I’m reliably informed that he’s a much better pitcher when I’m not watching.  Sorry, Hunter.  Even using four pitchers for the inning, thanks to September callup rules (which really need to be amended, talk about “pace of play” issues), a blooper by Addison Russell drove in two.  Carl Edwards Jr. closed the game (no NASCAR jokes, too easy, and where’s Chapman?) and the Cubs won 5-4.

I’m not liking the Giants’ chances this year.  As this game showed, the team has starting and relief pitching issues.  Apart from the Hunter Pence, they also looked kind of lethargic on offense.  I don’t like or think much of the Dodgers, but they’re winning more than the Giants, which isn’t very hard.  It is really a pity that the Rockies don’t have just a little better pitching and Trevor Story in the lineup with David Dahl.  This division could be had this year.  Next year, the Dodgers and Giants will upgrade and it will be a lot harder.

The Texas Rangers were idle tonight.  I checked out a couple of websites.  I finally got to hear Eric Nadel’s call of Roughned Odor’s game-winning home run from Tuesday.  I’d heard other people rave about it.  Of course it was Hall of Fame quality.  They’re having a Baseball 101 at the ballpark on Friday, The Joy of Scorekeeping.  The picture shows some attractive young women keeping scorecards in their seats.  Again, where are these women?        

I meant to listen to the Chihuahuas’ broadcast, but missed the beginning, which was what I really wanted to hear.  Unfortunately, I came in at the anthem, which in contrast to the others I’ve heard lately, made me go back to the Giants and Cubs.  Unlike NFL spokesman, Colin Kapernick, I’d still stand for it, but I’d be tempted to stick my fingers in my ears.  

I did tune back in later after the game.  It ended up being a 5-1 loss to the Las Vegas 51’s.  I did hear the play of game.  A ball with extreme spin went way foul, but ended up fair and turned into an out.  It seemed so foul, the batter didn’t even move out of the box.  Tim Hagerty talked about it for about five minutes.  He was amazed.  Hey, Hunter Renfroe was named the PCL MVP, another Major award for the Chihuahuas.

Baseball Notebook for August 31, 2016

Rangers vs. Mariners.  Martin Perez vs. Felix Hernandez looked like a mismatch on paper.  And indeed it was on the field, just opposite of expectations.  Perez goes six innings and gives up nothing.  King Felix goes four innings and gives up six runs.  When I was listening to the first three innings at home, before going to work, the Rangers had managed to score the first run of the game without a hit and it looked like another tight game was in order.  Congrats to Eric Nadel for calling that steal of second from the booth.  Perhaps he’s actually the secret manager of the club.

When I got to work, things had changed dramatically.  I’d wondered if Carlos Gomez had broken his slump yesterday, and he had with two hits.  Today, he followed that up with a grand slam.  Not to be outdone, his teammates piled on.  Ryan Rua, Adrian Beltre, and Roughned Odor (twice) all homered.  (When I got to work, I also got to see Rougie’s game winning homer yesterday.  Manager Jeff Banister was jumping up and down like a little kid.  Odor must be a heck of a golfer to have hit that low pitch.)  Our final was 14-1 Rangers.  As Lonestar Ball put it, “Rangers tramp dirt on freshly buried Mariners.”

Serious Tim Hagerty was in the booth again this evening as the Chihuahuas took on the 51’s.  This time a possible division clinching was on tap, as the Isotopes were playing a double header tonight.  The dogs needed a win and an Albuquerque loss to do it.  The Chihuahuas did what they could.  In the 2nd, call up Austin Bousfield hit his first Triple-A home run.  Tim mentioned during the game that the Padres organization had brought up some promising lower level players to the help the Chihuahuas in their playoff run.  (I wonder if there are some Padres who wouldn’t mind going back for a couple of weeks to help too.  It’s not like they’re doing anything important.)  In the 3rd, Hunter Renfroe hit a two-run homer, and in the 6th, the pups added two more runs.  As the 51’s hadn’t answered, Tim pronounced, “Things are starting to get real.”

Meanwhile in Denver, the Rockies and Dodgers were playing their own double header.  Stephen Cardullo hit his first major league home run in game one.  He followed that up with a grand slam in game two.  These games did have an impact in the minors.  The Rockies would have been able to call up an extra player for these two games.  But, the Isotopes were also playing a double header tonight.  I suspect this may have ended up hurting both teams.  The Rockies and Isotopes won game one.  In game two, the Rockies coughed up five runs, including a grand slam, to lose game two.

By the 8th, I’ve got the Albuquerque game on Gameday.  The Isotopes were well behind in their second game.  The Chihuahuas have things well in hand and would win their game 5-0.  After the game, many fans would be sticking around and the players would be hanging out in the dugout.  The Isotopes game feed was put on the video board at the stadium.  Tim and the board op would be vamping a bit after the game, hoping to get in the final before the end of the broadcast.  The Isotopes put a furious charge in the 9th, but came up short, 5-3 Salt Lake.  You could hear the cheers in the stadium as the final out in that game was recorded.  The Chihuahuas win the division and are going to the playoffs!  Tim and the crew there were tried to work some interviews before the broadcast ended, but they’d delivered the important news.  Now we look forward to another PCL Championship run.