Baseball Journal July 7-8, 2018

7-7-18

There was some stiff competition for the Cubs and Reds game on a Mexican channel this Saturday morning.  Umm, there were a couple of really good-looking anchors reading the news on another Mexican station.  One of the girls looked like she’d just walked off the set of a music video where she was a hot, dancing chick.  The other woman had the most luxurious head of hair imaginable.  You could get lost in it.  Somehow, I managed to keep up with the game anyway.

I’d already had a busy morning.  I went over to the Mall and bought an Archie trade paperback: Jughead’s Time Police.  It looks fun and silly.  I said “No,” to a couple of other things though.  I’ve just about completely cleared out my reading pile.  I’m curious what I’ll do when I’m out. 

However, the real reason for the trip was so I could get lunch.  I’d been hearing Raising Canes commercials during Chihuahuas baseball all week and was going crazy.  Friday night, I actually dreamed about eating there.  Usually the only time I’m dreaming about food is when I’ve got a bellyache and it’s not a dream.  Well, there was the restaurant, just across the street.  Unfortunately, it was one of the busiest streets in town.  I was walking at the time and discovered there wasn’t a crosswalk on my side of the street at the intersection.  Undaunted (and hungry), I scampered across with the light.  It was my bravest act of the day.  Finally, I got my chicken fingers, fries, and Texas toast.  Oh, my.  It was even better than I’d dreamed.  I feel like there’s some sort of addictive chemical agent in their food.  I may need more samples.

Back to the game, there was a tremendous crowd at Wrigley and even across the street on the rooftops.  A section of the bleachers was filled with fans wearing yellow.  I never found out what that was about.  Tyler Chatwood loaded the bases full of Reds in the first.  He spiked two successive pitches into the ground that scored two runs, 2-0 Reds.  Matt Harvey started for the Reds and did a reasonable job.  (I don’t have his final line.)

This was the Reds’ broadcast.  Tom Browning was sent up to chat with some Reds fans on a rooftop.  They showed some flashbacks of him doing that as a player during a game.  That just cracks me up.  He was still in the stands later, signing autographs.

Eugenio Suarez hit a three-run homer to make it 5-0 in the fifth.  The Cubs would score two in the fourth to make it 5-2.  Newly slimmed down Kyle Schwarber is still in left field.  He made a good diving catch earlier, but in the fifth, he misplayed a Joey Votto hit off the wall.  Votto later scored, 6-2 Reds.

The broadcast showed video of a Rays player punching a water cooler in the dugout yesterday.  Today, he was smiling and had a sign up on the cooler that read, “I hope we can be friends.”  In the sixth inning, it was finally demonstrated to me that Billy Hamilton is very fast.  I know I’m a little late in that revelation.  This may have been the first time I’ve really gotten to see him play.  He was just a blur around the bases.  Votto drove him in to make it 7-2.  In the bottom, a Reds infielder, with sunglasses on, completely lost a popup which led to a run, 7-3.  A couple plays later, their left fielder lost a ball too.  It must have been a tough sky there today.  Hamilton ran in front of him and just made the catch.

Javier Baez homered in the seventh to make it 7-4.  The Cubs then loaded the bases.  With the crowd standing, the Cubs then tied it on a double and an infield hit.  Anthony Rizzo sacrificed in the winning run.  8-7 Cubs in a typical Wrigley game.  This game took forever to play out.  The Reds changed out pitchers constantly after Harvey left, and nearly ran out of mound visits.  The umps had to huddle and confirm the count at one point.  Still, this was a great game.  

Before the end of the Cubs’ game, I started listening to the Rangers and Tigers.  Unfortunately, it was over in the first.  Cole Hamels lasted 2/3 of an inning and gave up 7 runs, 3 unearned.  Normally sure-handed, Delino Deshields made an error in center that cleared the bases.  The Rangers never recovered. 

Eric Nadel talked about being a tennis ball boy (presumably at the US Open).  There was a trivia question that I didn’t understand (poor reception) that took the guys several innings to answer.  The Rangers lost 7-2.  Matt Moore and Alex Claudio did good jobs in long relief and Roughned Odor hit a home run. 

This was kind of annoying in the evening.  FOX’s Saturday Night baseball was on at the same time as NBC’s NASCAR coverage of the Coke 400.  Given that I don’t like the Dodgers or the Angels, who were playing, I should have watched the race more.  Also, the Chihuahuas started playing an hour later, and I had to listen to them.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on NBC’s broadcast as their new color commentator.  I like his energy, though I wasn’t able to listen much.  I may have seen him smile more on this broadcast than in his entire racing career.  That plaid jacket has to go though, without a doubt. 

As I kept flipping back and forth, I couldn’t help but notice that I wasn’t running into commercials like I usually do when half-watching a race.  Hopefully, there will be a race on soon that I can watch and give more attention to.  (And I got to see Kelli Stavast   

a couple of times.  Squee!)

Like I said, I wasn’t rooting for either the Dodgers or the Angels.  I did cheer in the first as Joc Pederson robbed Albert Pujols with a diving catch with two on.  There was no score through four.  I missed “The Big One” at Daytona for that.  Justin Turner doubled in two in the fifth.  By crowd noise and shirt color, I can tell there were plenty of Dodger fans in attendance there in Anaheim.  I flipped back in time to see another big wreck at the race.  I think leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was blamed for the wrecks, but he stayed up front.  In the sixth, Mike Trout hit a solo home run, going 3 for 3 to this point.  He has Dodger starter Ross Stripling’s number.  I think they said Trout had never made an out facing him.    

Joe Buck and John Smoltz were calling the game, so I had the mute button on most of the time.  They seemed to mostly be talking about the other regional game with the Nationals.  They were wondering if the Nats might trade a poorly-performing Bryce Harper if the team starts to fall out of contention.  I guess the players figured that out and that’s what caused their team meeting a couple of days ago.  As Smoltz said, “If you’re having a team meeting, always do it right before your ace pitches.”  In this case, do it right before you play a terrible team.  Tonight, Mark Reynolds single-handedly beat the Marlins with 10 RBI’s.  (Why did the Rockies let this guy go again?)  After the Marlins, the Nats next play the fading Pirates and Mets.  It looks like the winning will continue without the need for another meeting.

It was the ninth at the ballgame and inside of 10 laps at the race.  It got a bit easier to choose as another late wreck brought on overtime.  Stenhouse would not make it to the end after leading most of the race.  Yasiel Puig homered to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth.  In the bottom, Shohei Ohtani fouled a ball off himself and was clearly injured.  Just what him and the team needed, another injury.  The Dodgers won 3-1 and the Anaheim crowd cheered (?).  In overtime, there was another large wreck just about one second before the leader would have crossed the line and made the race official.  Surprisingly, Erik Jones would hold off Martin Truex Jr. in the second overtime for his maiden win (as they say in F1).            

The Chihuahuas/Bees game started with a bang as Franmil Reyes hit a home run over the batter’s eye in Salt Lake.  Tim Hagerty was excited and estimated it at 440’.  The crowd was less enthusiastic.  It was also Reyes’ birthday today. 

He wasn’t the only one having a good game.  Eric Young Jr. (I saw his old man at a game once, 5-29-16) hit a two-run homer into a tree in the third.  In the fifth, he had a solo home run and another run scored later, 4-1 Bees.  The pups started a comeback in the sixth as Auston Bousfield singled in Allen Craig.  Dusty Coleman made a great play in the field in the bottom of the sixth and hit a solo home run in the seventh, 4-3. 

In the eighth, the Chihuahuas loaded the bases with no outs.  Tim dropped all objectivity and was urging them to score.  Forrestt Allday obliged and singled in two runs to give the team a 5-4 lead.  In the ninth, Phil Maton closed it out.  Young was the last out.  He hit it deep to the warning track and nearly tied it.  Whew!  And what a long, busy day.

  

7-8-18

The broadcast for today’s Rangers/Tigers game was buzzing, albeit in a confused manner.  Right before the game, the team had traded for a good low minor leaguer and a Major Leaguer they weren’t planning keeping for a player to be named later.  Is that ambiguous enough for you?  Don’t expect any in depth analysis on this deal here.

As I tuned in late for the game (thanks to my affiliate and that I was eating lunch at my parents’ apartment beforehand), the Rangers were up 1-0 after one inning.  A Ranger player I’d never heard of (sounds like most of this season), Carlos Tocci, and who isn’t listed in my baseball preview, got hit on the head trying to get to first after a great bunt.  Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks thought he was coming out for injury, but he was actually called out for being out of the lane. 

Manager Jeff Bannister was ejected for arguing, since that call wiped off a run.  This all started a discussion in the booth about the lane.  Tocci was crossing over to get to the base, which isn’t in the lane, when he was hit.  Eric wants a rules change.  The run scored anyway on an error.  Shin Soo-Choo drove in another on a fielder’s choice, 3-0 Rangers.

In the eighth, Joey Gallo hit into a double play.  That was his first of the year.  He had the longest streak in the MLB without one.  In the bottom, Jurickson Profar started a double play with a throw behind his back.  Choo’s on base streak was in jeopardy, but he got an infield hit in the ninth to extend it to 47-games and a team record.

Keone Kela converted the save for a 3-0 Rangers win.  He’s 22 out of 22 chances.  Austin Bibens-Dierkx got the win.  He struck out side in bottom of the second.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa did a good job as his battery mate and threw out a runner early.  Choo and Kela might be in line for All-Star nods later.  We even got a good rain shower here during the game.  (Trust me, that’s big news in Las Cruces.)

It was an extraordinarily quiet crowd in Salt Lake.  Attendance was later announced at 3,000, which is way off their 14,500 Fourth of July crowd.  The Bee’s opponent, the Chihuahuas, have won 15 of 18, including four in a row there.  The Bees were up 3-0 in second after two-run homer.  The ball landed in front of the kids’ train beyond the outfield wall.  I kind of missed a couple innings listening to the end of the Rangers’ game.  I did hear Ben Revere steal two bases in the fourth.  That guy plays really hard.

In the fifth (score unknown), Dusty Coleman hit a two-run homer.  Brett Nicholas shot a ball through a gap from the shift to drive in another run.  Raffy Lopez then doubled him in.  Revere almost made a great catch at the wall on it.  It was 6-3 Chihuahuas at that point.  In the bottom, the Bees scored one and threatened more with the bases loaded with one out.  Colin Rea was left in and got out of it with a double play.  The Chihuahuas seemed surprised by the end of the inning and stayed on the field for a moment.  Perhaps they forgot the strikeout earlier or didn’t think a DP could be turned that started with a dropped ball and with Revere running to first.

The Chihuahuas came right back with a two-run homer in the sixth by Javy Guerra, and Raffy hit a grand slam in the eighth.  Runs kept getting tacked on by both teams, but the Chihuahuas really piled on to the tune of 15-6, which was the final.  That was a five-game sweep on the road.  I bet the team really wishes the All-Star break didn’t start tomorrow; they are red-hot.  Tim Hagerty was wondering during the game how close they were to a record with all of the doubles hit in the game.  The final cheer from the crowd came in the ninth, as a pair of rowdy fans were ejected.

After about 15 insipid minutes of ESPN Radio commentary (the hosts don’t like baseball except to criticize it, we get it), the equally insipid Baseball Tonight pregame came on (they at least pretend to like baseball).  It was slightly interesting since they announced the All-Star Game selections.  Bryce Harper was voted in, as per his demands.  Now he has to show up and play in the Home Run Derby.  That plan might have backfired on him, as the rest of the starters are preparing their excuses so they can take the break off. 

Mike Trout was voted to his seventh ASG in his seventh year of playing.  The previous hosts (the baseball haters) were complaining about how nobody knows about him and his greatness.  The fans seem to be aware of him.  Guys, it’s a team sport.  If Trout wants more publicity, it doesn’t matter where he plays; he needs to play on a team that doesn’t suck.  

It was the Dodgers versus the Angels again for the Sunday Night game.  Yea.  (Sarcasm.)  Yasiel Puig had a three-run homer in the second, but he pulled a muscle in his ribcage in the fourth on a swing and had to come out.  Justin Upton had a two-run single in the third to get the Angels to 3-2. 

The fifth may have been pivotal.  The Dodgers loaded bases with two outs, but left them all there, even after challenging a close play at first that ended the inning.  In the sixth, Albert Pujols had a solo home run to tie it.  The broadcasters mentioned that while his other stats had gone down, he was still producing RBI’s.  Oh, is this why Sabrmetricans say RBI’s are a meaningless stat?  (They’re still wrong, even if I have to pass up a cheap shot at Albert.)  In the seventh, an injured Shohei Ohtani pinch hit and homered to put the Angels up for good, 4-3.  He was real slow going around the bases.  This is probably a bad sign, in spite of the win.  

Baseball Journal July 4-6, 2018

7-4-18

Happy Independence Day!  There were three games on the radio today that I might have been able to listen to.  (My affiliate wasn’t carrying an ESPN Radio day game, if there was one.)  Unfortunately, all the games basically started at the same time in the evening.  Also, I would have only been able to hear the Rangers’ and Rockies’ games after dark and probably would have only gotten to hear an inning or two, if at all, so I didn’t really try.  (I heard the Astros beat the Rangers in a tight extra innings game.)  However, the one game I heard more than made up for missing any of the other games today.

The Chihuahuas were in Salt Lake City tonight to play the Bees.  They’re tied for first in their division.  I came into game in the second with the Bees up 2-0.  I went to see Deadpool 2 in the afternoon and then went for dinner afterward, so I came in late.  (And with some degree of indigestion.  I used my last Aggie What-a-burger ticket coupon and the meal was good.  But for dessert at Caliches, I inadvertently ordered a huge brownie, hot fudge, frozen custard concoction that was great, but gut-busting.  I didn’t entirely get over it until noon the next day.)

Picking up the action in the fifth, Forrestt Allday homered for the Chihuahuas to make it 3-2 Bees.  The pups then loaded the bases and tied the score on a sacrifice.  Allen Craig then doubled in a pair of runs to give the Chihuahuas a 5-3 lead.  The Bees used three pitchers in the inning.  In the sixth, Walter Lockett was chased from the game after letting two Bees on with no outs.  They tied it and then Ben Revere hit a three-run homer to give them an 8-5 lead.  (Salt Lake news apparently loved reporting that Revere homered on Independence Day.)

In the seventh, Franmil Reyes drove in two to make it 8-7.  In the bottom, it got a bit contentious as a Bees batter took offense to a close pitch.  The batter and catcher, Brett Nicholas, exchanged words before the ump intervened.  Allday made a great catch to end the inning.  He came up in the eighth and doubled.  He scored on a hit by Auston Bousfield, where the ball went in and out of the fielder’s diving glove.  (Which was ruled an error at the time, but properly re-scored as a hit.)  The inning ended on a deep fly ball that the fielder collided with the wall catching, 8-8.

I could hear the city fireworks going on outside, but I wasn’t missing a tie game in the ninth.  (I ducked outside for a couple of minutes between innings.  I could just see it from the parking lot, but was obscured by a big tree across the street.)  There were fireworks in the Salt Lake too.  The city display was going off nearby and might have been distracting the players.  No one scored the ninth.  Brad Wieck struck out the side for the Chihuahuas.  In the tenth (with the free runner at second), Allday got an RBI on a fielder’s choice.  Javy Guerra just made it home on a play at the plate, 9-8 Chihuahuas.

In the bottom, a leadoff double by Taylor Ward (who went 4 for 4 in the game) immediately scored the tying run.  The Bees then loaded the bases with no outs.  Wieck wiggled out of it without giving up another run.  Even after listening, I’m still not sure how he did it.  In the eleventh, Luis Urias drove in the free runner with a triple (he went 4 for 5 in the game).  Raffy Lopez drove him in on a fielder’s choice, and that was the ballgame.  Chihuahuas win 11-9.          

The 14,500 attendance in attendance actually cheered the end of the game.  It had gone four and a half hours and they wanted their fireworks.  Team officials were actually getting a little nervous as Salt Lake has a curfew for setting off fireworks.  Tim Hagerty, calling the game, had a great time.  The game highlights went for five minutes, which he thought might have been a record.  He also thought this might have been the largest crowd the Chihuahuas had ever played in front of.

I had a good day, but I didn’t have a Dodger Dog.  Mike and his girlfriend went to the Los Angeles for the Fourth (like last year) to see a game and the fireworks.  I told him to send me a picture of a hot dog, but never received one.  I assume they went, but I’ll find out for sure later.  The Dodgers beat the Pirates 6-4 in a close game.  For my part, I stayed up late trying to find a station to get the score.  I missed the TV news and had a terrible time getting a result on the radio.  They were mostly talking about the hot dog eating contest at Coney Island.

7-5-18

Back to work.  The Chihuahuas were set to square off against the Bees for their second game in a five-game series.  In the first, Tim Hagerty quickly had to adjust the crowd microphone.  It was too close to some chatty fans.  He recalled an extra innings game in Colorado Springs where some rowdy fans sat next to mic and he had to apologize to the FCC and politely ask the fans to tone it down.  He doubted this would be a problem in Salt Lake, but didn’t want to be eavesdropping anyway.  Actually, the huge crowd from last night was amazingly quiet for its size and the excitement of the game itself.  Props to the Bees for their cool walkup music, by the way.          

I started listening to the Chihuahuas, but my attention got held by another game.  I’d forgotten to check the MLB.TV free game, but quickly brought it up as soon as I saw the headline on the website about it.  The Marlins had a 9-0 lead in the fourth over the Nationals.  In the sixth, Trea Turner had just hit a grand slam which gave the Nats an 11-9 lead.  The Marlins might have some pitching issues.  I joined the game in the seventh as Trea was up again with the bases loaded.  The Washington crowd was on their feet, cheering for him.  He doubled in two runs. 

It wasn’t over yet.  In the eighth, Brian Anderson hit a three-run homer for the Marlins to make it 14-12.  In the bottom, Bryce Harper dodged a tag on a double play ball.  The Marlins got the out at first and threw to second.  Harper ran back in a rundown and almost made it.  It was an impressive effort. 

In the ninth, the Marlins rallied again.  Starlin Castro almost decapitated Nats’ closer Sean Doolittle on a comebacker, which would have made my night since I don’t like him.  Doolittle managed to put out the fire anyway and the Nats won 14-12.  The team was fired up as Turner finished the comeback.  Their coaches looked pretty nervous there in the ninth.  The disappointing Nationals had had a team meeting yesterday after being swept by the Red Sox.  This was certainly a good win for the team, kind of, against a really bad team.    

In the meantime, there wasn’t much to report from Salt Lake.  The Bees and Chihuahuas were knotted at 0-0.  The Chihuahuas had left the bases loaded in the sixth.  In the seventh, Javy Guerra tripled in a runner that had got on via an error.  Luis Urias scored him on a fielder’s choice.  Franmil Reyes then singled and got an RBI.  The pups went up 3-0 with all the runs unearned.  On the mound, Brett Kennedy finished seven strong innings.

The ninth became eventful.  Ben Revere tripled in two runs for the Bees after a misplay in the outfield.  Phil Maton was pulled with two on and one out.  Brad Wieck came in.  Diego Goris threw out Revere at the plate on a squeeze play, and a popup ended the game.  Chihuahuas won 3-2.  Clutch.

7-6-18

     

I only saw the ninth in the MLB.TV free game between the Mets and Rays.  It was tied at one.  Jacob DeGrom had pitched well for the Mets, but wasn’t in line for a decision.  Everyone’s wondering when him and Noah Syndergaard are going to be dealt.  The Rays loaded the bases in the top of the ninth the hard way, as Daniel Robertson was hit square in the nuts in his at bat.  There was a poor throw to the plate on a grounder and the runner almost made home, but the Rays didn’t score.  Jose Bautista ended the game in the bottom on a walkoff grand slam for a 5-1 win.  The Rays had intentionally walked the preceding batter to face him, and Bautista sent the first pitch into the second deck. 

It’s Game 3 of a five-game series between the Chihuahuas and the Bees in Salt Lake City.  The Chihuahuas are wearing their third different uniform in three days.  Allen Craig got the pups going in the first with a fielder’s choice RBI, 1-0.  The Bees took the lead in the second, 2-1.  There was a play at the plate where the runner was out by a mile, but avoided the tag in a rundown long enough to get Ben Revere to third, where he scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Chihuahuas loaded the bases on three walks, but left them there on an inning-ending strikeout.  Brett Nicholas made a great play at home to tag a runner to end the bottom of the inning.  It was 3-1 Bees in the seventh, but a throwing error on a rundown which allowed two runs to score and tie it.  The bases were loaded on a couple more walks.  Then Craig hit a grand slam to put the Chihuahuas up 7-3, which was the final.  Even the Salt Lake crowd applauded Craig’s homer.  The Bees were a great team at the beginning of the season, but Major League injuries have hurt their roster.  As they say, “It’s not who you play, it’s when you play them.”

Baseball Journal July 1-3,2018

7-1-18

I’d been looking forward to hearing today’s Rangers game against the White Sox.  I hadn’t heard Eric Nadel in a week and I missed him.  I missed him here too.  He’d taken the day off.  I like Matt Hicks and Jared Sandler, so it was still okay.  Eric did send in a weather report from where he was visiting.  (My reception wasn’t great, and I don’t get the pregame on my affiliate.)  It was hot there and hot, as you might guess, in Arlington.  Matt thought the players looked kind of lethargic playing.

Cole Hamels was pitching for the Rangers.  The Sox were up 2-0 in the fourth, when Jurickson Profar tripled (okay, a single and two-base error in outfield).  Roughned Odor drove him in.  In the fifth, Delino Deshields drew a bases loaded walk to tie it.  But the White Sox scored five in the fifth to drive Hamels from the game and tacked on another later to make it 8-2.

With the game seemingly out-of-hand, the guys had a chat about National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day and discussed poor ice cream choices.  The daily limerick was read in the eighth.  (I’m sure Matt Hicks never imagined he’d be pressed into the role of poet once he became a Major League announcer.)  The Rangers did mount a comeback that inning.  Joey Gallo tripled in two runs with some help from some more bad play in the White Sox outfield.  (I think it was ruled a hit all the way this time.)  Isiah Kiner-Falefa brought him in to make it 8-5.

The White Sox scored in the ninth, and a ball hit the runner on a throw in to the infield.  They got another run on a squeeze play to make it 10-5.  There was some question if that was against the unwritten rules, but I’d say it was okay at that point.  The guys started talking soccer.  They hoped the World Cup would bring in more non-fans to the sport.  Why?  10-5 White Sox was the final.  At least Shin-Soo Choo’s 41-game on base streak continued.  In the postgame, the guys blamed the offense, especially in the eighth when they had the opportunity to score more.  When your pitching gives up 10 runs with your ace on the mound, I’d say that was your problem.

Later in the evening, the Chihuahuas were one game out of first in their division before tonight’s game against the Isotopes.  The pups went down 2-0 early from an Isotopes’ home run.  In the third, the Chihuahuas loaded the bases.  Allen Craig came up and hit a DP ball to Josh Fuentes at third.  The ball was dropped.  Nobody was out and a run scored.  Brett Nicholas then hit a grounder that deflected off an infielder’s mitt.  Two more runs scored.  Another grounder scored a run.  Given a second chance, Fuentes did turn a double play to end the inning, but now the pups were up 4-2.

In the booth, Tim Hagerty talked to another Kid’s Club member and a military member, who was the Manager for a Day.  The Isotopes homered in the eighth, but Dusty Coleman answered in the bottom to make it 5-3.  Scary moment in the fifth as two Chihuahuas outfielders collided.  This resulted in a triple, but the runner didn’t score.  In the sixth, Jordan Patterson hit his one-hundredth professional home run for the ‘topes to make it 5-4.  Tim told the fans afterward that the Isotopes would like the ball back and would trade for it.  I’m not sure if the ball got back to them or not.

We got another baseball rules lesson in the bottom of the sixth.  A batted ball hit the Chihuahuas’ on field bullpen mound and dislodged another ball there.  The Isotopes thought it was still a live ball and threw out the runner and started running off the field.  However, the ump immediately ruled it a dead ball and a ground rule double.  A run scored and the inning continued, 6-4 Chihuahuas.  In the ninth, the Isotopes got their first two batters on, but failed to score.  Chihuahuas won 6-4 in a good, tense game.

7-2-18

Just one game for me today, but it was a good one.  It was the Chihuahuas and the Isotopes.  To follow up from yesterday, Tim Hagerty mentioned that Isotope Jordan Patterson got his home run ball back.  He offered a signed ball and bat to the family.  A five-year old was in possession of the ball and the decision was left up to him.  Patterson was reportedly very nice and happy to talk to some fans.

The Isotopes took an early one-run lead.  In the second, Forrestt Allday unexpectedly stole a pair of bases.  I think Tim said these were his second and third steals of the year.  In the third, Raffy Lopez, catching, picked a runner off first.  In the third, the pups got on the board as Allen Craig doubled in two runs for a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth, Chihuahuas’ pitcher Chris Huffman attempted to bunt over a couple of runners on base.  The Isotopes misplayed it and a run scored.  It was that kind of night for El Paso.  Raffy Lopez again in the fifth threw out a runner trying to take third.  The Chihuahuas went up definitely in the bottom on a three-run homer by Diego Goris.  (Admittedly I missed it.  I was watching highlights on Twitch of Amourettie doing a 24-hour stream over the weekend.  She looked so cute at the beginning where she wasn’t wearing any makeup.  By the end, she was “I am never doing this again,” and was hating video games altogether.)

The Chihuahuas won 6-1 and ended the game on a double play.  They might be in first place alone, depending on how Las Vegas and Salt Lake’s game turned out.  Overall, the team looked and played really sharp today, offensively and defensively.  We hope they can keep that up.  The crowd there at Southwest University Park sounded big and enthusiastic.  Allday seemed to have his own cheering section for his at bats.  They also piped up at other times, though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. 

7-3-18

Yes, the MLB.TV free game was a Rangers’ game and playing the Astros no less.  No video.  Guys, you’re not selling the service to me if I can’t watch Ranger games, which are not on here anywhere locally.  They used to show the video for Ranger games, but not anymore.  The good news is that they’re still doing the audio.  Ah, finally, the warm, friendly tones of Eric Nadel calling the game.  And then I had to leave my desk to do work at another desk where I can’t get the website.  I put the game on pause and hoped I'd be able to catch up later.

At the other desk, I couldn’t get the Chihuahuas’ game.  It’s been problematical lately for some reason.  But, I wasn't going to be shutout.  It's time for Flying Squirrel baseball!  When I tuned in, it was dramatic, but it was also the bottom of the tenth and the end of the game.  The Harrisburg Senators would sacrifice in the winning run.  The large crowd there erupted.  Well, next up for the Flying Squirrels is the Akron . . . wait for it . . . Rubber Ducks.  I knew that team name already.  On the bonus side, I don't think these names can get more ridiculous.  (I'm including the “Senators” as another poor name choice there.)  

Back at my desk, I started listening to the Chihuahuas and the Isotopes.  Before the game, I'd heard it was standing room only at the stadium.  They were expecting a huge crowd for the fireworks.  Jon Gray was pitching for the 'topes and started off strong.  I missed a few minutes working in another room and came back to the Isotopes suddenly being four runs ahead.  Later, it was 6-0 in the fifth.  The Chihuahuas had had one baserunner to that point.  I came to the conclusion I'd made the wrong listening choice and switched to the Rangers.

It was 2-0 Astros early.  Eric Nadel mentioned he had been listening to the Sunday's game while he was traveling.  Ranger starter Austin Bibens-Dierkx gave up a two-run homer in the third to make it 5-0.  There was way too much cheering there in Arlington for the Astros.  Unfortunately, the audio stopped.  I think I'd hit the limit of the pausing and had to refresh the page.  I picked up the game again live in the eighth.  It was now 5-3.  The Rangers had two on with Joey Gallo up.  He worked a walk in a 12-pitch at bat.  But that was it, as Robinson Chirinos struck out with the bases loaded.  5-3 Astros was the final.  Eric was pretty disappointed.  He thought this was a very winnable game.  There were 40,000 people there for the game and fireworks. 

Though there was some audio issues with both games, I kept up with the Chihuahuas.  In the sixth, Forrestt Allday finally got the pups on the board with a two-run homer.  Gray finished his outing going six innings, giving up two runs, two hits, with six strikeouts, and no walks.  By the ninth, Brad Wieck was unable to contain the Isotopes and was taken out after giving up four runs.  Diego Goris, position player, finished the inning.  He got the final two outs, thanks to some good defense, and remains un-scored upon in his five appearances. 

11-5 Isotopes was the final.  The El Paso crowd actually cheered the team as they scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth.  It wasn't even sarcastic or cheering to get on with the fireworks.  Okay, I'm not sure if I'm going to get much baseball tomorrow, but at least I'll get the day off.

Review of Deadpool 2

Warning: This isn’t really a review.

I went out with Ron and his niece to see Deadpool 2 Fourth of July afternoon.  Quick review: it’s a great movie.  Like the first one, it’s really funny, it has heart, and has a decent story.  The bloodshed might be toned down a small bit.  As Deadpool says during the movie, “It’s a family film.”  (Not really, not at all.)  Ron’s niece mentioned anyone young-looking who went to see the first film at the theater she went to got carded twice (buying tickets and before going into the film) to give you an idea of the nature of the content of that one. 

I am mad that Internet reviewers again misled me, as they called the film disappointing at best and kept me away.  (The film even put in a couple of liberal “jokes,” just for the reviewers.)  I don’t know who to trust anymore.  Reviews seem to have an Agenda attached to them, rather than an honest appraisal.  Then again, the first Deadpool, which me (and judging by its box office) and bunch of other people loved, just as many other people saw it and went, “Meh.”  Ron was perhaps in that category, but really liked this movie, but his niece, who was the one who showed me the first movie, was apathetic towards this one.  “I may be over superhero movies,” she said afterward.  There’s no accounting for taste.

         

I feel somewhat compelled to comment on the violence, though not just on this movie.  Both Deadpool films are extremely graphic, but the violence is generally played for laughs.  It’s violent like a Warner Brothers’ Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon.  On some level, it may satire of the violence in the rest of the movie industry.  I bring this up more because of a couple of previews that came on before the movie.  These showed essentially the same level of mass random destruction and graphic bloodshed for some sort of shock value. 

I don’t know if fictional movie and TV violence has desensitized me to real world violence, but it has desensitized me to movie and TV violence.  If I don’t feel anything for the characters or empathy for innocent bystanders, it’s just mindless bloody destruction.  To go along with the Independence Day theme, it’s like a fireworks show, but not as pretty.  I think the job of a filmmaker is to make the audience feel something, so if you’re showing death and destruction, there should be more to it than just explosions and gunfire.  Less would be more, if there was an emotional investment.  Deadpool at least made the events funny.  

In one of the trailers before the movie, I was really impressed with how Lebron James coordinated his move to the Los Angeles Lakers with the release of his new film.  I guess we can look forward to seeing more Lebron on film as he’ll likely have more offseason time to fill, since he won’t be in the finals.  Oh, wait.  My bad.  That wasn’t Lebron.  It was Denzil Washington in a bad beard.  Silly me.  There he is without the beard. 

Wait.  Is that Denzil?  Looks more like Bill Cosby.  What a daring career move, going from disgraced comedian to bad ass action hero, mindlessly killing everyone in pursuit of vengeance, which is actually the definition of a villain.  (Deadpool sort of addresses that issue during the movie.)  No.  I’m sorry.  It is Denzil.  I can see his name in the credits there.  (He’s not aging well.) 

It has been speculated that Lebron is going to Los Angeles to perhaps work on an acting career.  His first job will be acting surprised that the crummy team he’s on isn’t instantly a contender just because of his presence.  Lebron seems to have trouble grasping that basketball is a team sport and that the other four guys on the court aren’t just there to make him look good.  I understand his confusion, since, according to the sports media, the entire rest of the Association is just there to provide a foil for him to perform against (and lose to in the finals) and has no other significance.  (Can you name three of Lebron’s teammates?  Can even his coach name three of his teammates?  Does Lebron even know his coach’s name?)

What was I writing about again?  Yeah, Deadpool 2 is a great movie.  This review is way late (thanks Internet reviewers) and will likely be out of the theaters by this weekend.  I missed Infinity War and I’m bitter.  This also means I can’t even look forward to seeing Part 2, which I won’t be able to see, since I missed Part 1.  I didn’t even really write a review here.  I should stick to baseball.  

Baseball Journal June 25-30, 2018

6-25-18

It was the O’s versus the M’s in the MLB.TV free game (also known as the Orioles and Mariners).  It was “Halfway to Christmas” at the Camden Yards ballpark.  The statues at the stadium were wearing scarves and sock hats.  The bird mascot (I don’t know his name) visited the announcers in the booth in a Santa outfit.  There was a snow globe giveaway.

As for the game, Andrew Cashner for the Orioles got the announcers’ attention in the second.  After two quick outs, he suddenly couldn’t find the strikezone.  He gave up three walks and two runs scored before he got the last out.  The O’s loaded the bases in the sixth.  Jean Segura at short made two great plays on grounders.  A pair of runs scored, but he got two outs and limited the damage.  In the eighth, M’s manager Scott Servais started arguing a reviewed call, which sort of defeats the purpose of reviewing calls.  One of his coaches ran out and got him, not wanting to have to manage the team today.  The Mariners won 5-3. 

I was listening to the Chihuahuas’ game against the Grizzlies today, but just couldn’t pay attention while at work.  That was a shame since it was a good game.  The pups won 7-5 and that was their sixth win in a row.

6-26-18

The Tigers played the A’s on the MLB.TV free game.  Rod Allen is one of my favorite color commentator guys.  On a sliding play at the plate, he pointed out the on deck hitter gave directions to the runner to get him in safely.  There’s all sorts of little things going on during a game that you never notice. 

The ballpark reporter did an interview with Stephen Piscotty’s father.  His extended family was there, taking up a whole section.  I think Piscotty’s mother had recently died and the family was there to support him.  As he’s an A’s player, the group was wearing a curious mix of Tigers and A’s gear.  His father was stoic, but obviously holding in his emotions.  He was wearing an A’s hat, but finished the interview with a “Go Tigers,” statement.  The broadcasters said they were rooting for the Tigers, but also rooting for Stephen.     

It was 7-6 Tigers in the seventh and a steady stream of Detroit “fans” were leaving their seats.  Hmph.  Oh, then I turned up the volume and realized that it was raining there and they were headed for cover.  There was a more noticeable deluge a couple minutes later.  They questionably played through it, but after five minutes the rain stopped.  I’m guessing they had a close eye on the radar.  The Tigers didn’t hold on though and lost 9-7.

The pregame chat before the Chihuahuas’ game actually had me laughing out loud.  Steve Kaplowitz was relating a story from several years ago.  He was out on location for the radio station wearing an Elmo costume.  Across the street, there was a robbery of an armored car with shots fired.  Local news showed up and started interviewing witness, of which Kappy was one.  Since he’d been wearing the costume for a while, he looked terrible.  Not wanting to go on camera with his hair messed up, he did the interview wearing the Elmo costume.  He says he has the tape somewhere.  If Kappy finds it, he said he’ll post it immediately, fully expecting it to go viral.

Even with that great story, the game was still interesting.  The Grizzlies’ starting pitcher was named Dykxhoorn.  That’s pronounced “Dykes-horn,” if you’re calling the game at home.  The pups went down by four after two innings, but came back in a big way in the third with six runs on seven hits.  The wind really picked up at the stadium (and here) at that time, so there might have been a correlation. 

They put up three more next inning and almost needed them.  In the sixth and up 9-5, the Grizz loaded the bases with AJ Reed coming up to bat.  He’s hit the most home runs against the Chihuahuas in their existence.  Thankfully, he struck out.  Whew!  The Chihuahuas won 9-5 and that’s their seventh in a row.

6-27-18

It was another audio-only game on MLB.TV’s free game.  Since it was the Diamondbacks, that’s okay.  I understand.  The Marlins’ guy wasn’t doing it for me.  I was able to switch the audio this time.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t much better.  Where’s Greg Schulte?  I used to listen to him all the time when KROD carried D-Backs’ games.  I guess he didn’t go on the trip.  And it didn’t matter, I wasn’t able to listen anyway.  D-backs won 2-1.

I got to hear a bit more of the Chihuahuas and the Rivercats.  The pups were down 3-0 until the fourth.  They had a scoring chance, but the runner was held at third.  Tim Hagerty chuckled as the crowd boo’d.  The coaches are aware that the El Paso fans are passionate and want aggressive baserunning, but one must be prudent.  It was a good call.  The Chihuahuas went on to score five runs in the inning and batted around, 5-3 Chihuahuas.  The next moment of drama came into the ninth.  The Rivercats got two on and a single and an error brought in a run.  Phil Maton had to come in, and he got the save.  That’s 5-4 Chihuahuas and their eighth win in a row.  Whoa.

6-28-18

I missed the MLB.TV free game.  I also couldn’t get the Chihuahuas’ game at my other desk at work.  But fear not, I still had access to FOX Sports Radio and got to listen to, wait for it, the Richmond Flying Squirrels.  They were playing the Harford Yard Goats.  It was the battle of questionable team names.  I just heard the end; the Goats beat the Squirrels.  (I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence.)  The announcers were really impressed with the Goat starter, Peter Lambert, and predicted he’d be in Triple-A soon.  They also did a postgame haiku about the game.  Yes really, and it’s a regular feature.  If I hadn’t been listening to Eric Nadel doing limericks all season on Rangers’ baseball, it would have been the strangest thing I’d ever heard on a baseball broadcast.

Back at my desk, I picked up the Chihuahuas just as they went down 5-0 to Grizzlies in the third on a wind-aided home run.  “The Chihuahuas have the Grizzlies right where they want them,” said Tim Hagerty.  Certainly, they’d made some good comebacks lately.  Indeed, the pups scored two in the fourth.  Unfortunately, the Grizz kept scoring and won 12-4.  

Chihuahuas’ pitching, not good

Fickle wind blows out

The winning streak ends tonight

Okay, not my best work, but five minutes well spent.  (Don’t ask me to do a limerick.)

6-29-18

The MLB.TV free game was the Cardinals versus the Braves.  I wrote my Aunt Judy to tell her I was watching her team.  They had a couple of guests in the booth for the Cardinals’ broadcast.  One was AJ Pierzynksi.  I didn’t realize he was a former Cardinal.  I don’t think I liked him as a player (respected, not liked), but I’ve enjoyed it whenever I’ve heard him do color commentary.  They showed a clip of AJ catching, where he framed a pitch that bounced to the plate, and did it again on another pitch of the at bat.  He actually argued with the ump, trying to get the call.  Hunter Pence, the batter, was confused and wasn’t sure if he should be laughing or arguing too.

It was still 0-0 going into the seventh inning.  The Braves finally scored via Ender Inciarte, former Chihuahua, getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  They loaded the bases again in the eighth and scored two more.  The final was 5-1 Atlanta.  Starting pitching was good for both teams, but the Cardinals’ bullpen gave it up.  The Braves are still looking good.

It rained in El Paso before the Chihuahuas/Isotopes game, which surprised me, since it didn’t rain here in Las Cruces.  The pups were wearing some kind of special top.  I never quite understood what it was for or looked like from listening to the radio call.  Strangely, they were wearing grey (visiting) pants with it. 

The Chihuahuas went down two early, but Raffy Lopez, back on the team, tied it.  In the fourth, an error contributed to the Isotopes retaking the lead.  As some more rain started falling in El Paso (not here), the ‘topes kept hitting and scoring.  The wet grass seemed to give the fielders some trouble.  Walter Lockett would get knocked out after giving up 8 runs, but only 3 earned.  The Chihuahuas’ two errors hurt.  10-3 Isotopes was the final.

6-30-18

I was really busy with quarter end processing the night before.  I woke up feeling okay, but I nearly fell asleep during the two games I sat down to watch on Saturday.  I was either exhausted or it was the games themselves.  The Tigers and Blue Jays game on a Mexican station in the morning was at least a close one.  It was 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth when Justin Smoak hit the second pitch of the inning for a walkoff home run.  4-3 Blue Jays.  The Tigers now have an 11-game losing streak going.  I’ve seen both of these teams a few times this season and honestly, I don’t recognize half their players.  I may as well be watching a Triple-A game.

Well, there was a more marquee-type match-up in the evening on FOX, Yankees versus Red Sox.  Usually, I’d complain about this ubiquitous pairing, but I haven’t seen it much this season and both teams are playing +.600 baseball.  Sonny Gray started for the pinstripes and got two quick outs.  Then he let on the next three batters and gave up a grand slam to Rafael Devers.  4-0 Red Sox in a 20-minute half-inning.  Typical.  There was a curious level of cheering in Yankee Stadium for the Red Sox.  Enemy balls flying into stands were even appreciated by the receiving fans.

Chris Sale started for the Red Sox and went seven innings.  That’s all you need to know about Yankee hitting tonight.  Gray only lasted into the third with the score 6-0.  Aaron Judge did have a highlight as he threw out Xander Bogarts at the plate to end the inning.  In the bottom, the Red Sox had some good defense with Jackie Bradley Jr. running back and stealing a double, near home run, off the wall.  By this point, the other regional FOX games were two innings ahead of this game, including the Rockies and the Dodgers, which I’d hoped to see (and the Rockies won).  11-0 Red Sox in a rout.

          

The big news at the Chihuahuas/Isotopes game tonight was that the Rockies had sent their Opening Day starter, Jon Gray, down to the ‘topes.  This is bad news all the way around.  He wasn’t pitching tonight though.  The Chihuahuas had a good bounce back game after two bad losses and won 7-1.  They got two runs on a dropped popup in the outfield.  Luis Urias also threw out a runner at the plate.  They had a huge 9,000+ crowd in El Paso for the game and for fireworks afterward.