Baseball Journal July 16-17, 2018

7-16-18 Home Run Derby

Okay, no Giancarlo Stanton, no Aaron Judge, no Mike Trout, no Chris Berman, but we’re still doing this.  Well, at least the commentary was as inane as ever.  The crowd there in Washington DC really came out anyway.  It was basically a full-house for the event.  I wasn’t able to watch all of it, but wandered into the break room as much as possible until I could sit down for diner.  To my surprise, the Derby was also being shown on the MLB.com website.  I would think ESPN would be upset with that.  (It’s too much to hope for that the All-Star Game will also be on over the Internet.)

I don’t know how they choose the batters for the competition.  I’m thinking whoever draws the short straw.  I think the players love the spotlight and adulation, but hate the actual event.  They’re convinced it messes up their swing for the rest of the season.  It’s hard to say.  At least it’s a good excuse for not performing well after the break.  The current timed head-to-head format is much more friendly to TV viewing, but a lot more pressure-packed for the players and does preclude another Josh Hamilton-like moment happening. 

Alex Bregman was the only American League participant.  I got to watch his turn.  He seemed to have the crowd behind him as he tried to tie Kyle Schwarber’s score.  Unfortunately, he came up just short.  I made sure to watch Bryce Harper’s turn at bat.  He said beforehand that he was only going to the event if he was voted on the All-Star team.  The whining campaign worked and here he was with stars and stripes on his sleeve, headband, and his bat.  (They should stars and stripes for the regular Nationals’ uniform.)  He advanced convincingly.

Rhys Hoskins from the Phillies got 20 on his second round turn, but Schwarber got 21 on a last second swing.  The final would be Schwarber versus Harper.  Fatigue would become a factor.  Schwarber hit 18.  Harper had 9 with one minute to go.  His dad pitching to him even seemed to have some problems getting it over the plate.  However, Harper put on a show for 60 seconds and tied it with nine runs on nine swings, and won it in his bonus time.  I have little doubt that Bryce is only playing in the Derby and the ASG in hopes to getting a bigger free agency contract, but I must say, he really came through for the hometown fans tonight.    

My co-worker Mike came back from vacation today.  He was at Dodger Stadium on the Fourth for fireworks, and he brought me back another cool Dodger Yearbook, like he did last year (7-4-17).  Before he left, I’d shown him the concessions menu at the stadium and he was excited for the trip.  I even showed him the Diamondbacks’ since him and his girlfriend would be staying over in Phoenix.  However, he ended up just having a Dodger Dog.  He didn’t even send me a picture of it.  Mike had a good time, but didn’t elaborate on the game or have any pictures, so, unfortunately, no remote game recap this year.      

Meanwhile in Albuquerque, the Chihuahuas were playing the Isotopes.  The game started with a short delay as it had rained before the game.  It may have been a good thing they weren’t playing here, since it rained a bunch in El Paso (but not here).  Mike did mention one thing about his trip.  At one point, it was 118 degrees there in Los Angeles.  They looked up the weather here in Las Cruces and it was 80.  (We were probably getting rained on.)  So much for a getaway from the heat. 

I’m not going to fake it.  I didn’t really start paying attention to the game until the sixth inning, after the Derby.  I noticed “The Lab” there has an interesting female PA.  Her voice was like something you’d hear an airport.  Tim Hagerty also mentioned the stadium has a live organist.  He seems to really like the facility.

The Chihuahuas had gone down a bit early, but come back to make it 4-2 in the sixth.  Kazuhisa Makita came on in the bottom with his 60mph breaking ball.  He had a shutdown inning.  In the seventh, Walter Lockett came in to pinch hit for him and worked a walk.  Lockett is a starting pitcher, but they like his bat too.  The Isotopes homered in the eighth to make it 4-3.  Shane Peterson, who’d hit a home run earlier, may have saved the game with a leaping catch at the wall to rob a sure double and RBI.

In the ninth, Auston Bousfield drove in Forrestt Allday.  He was ruled safe on a play at the plate.  The crowd reaction didn’t seem to back that up, but Tim assured us that it was the correct call.  Cory Spangenberg drove him in.  Bousfield would have been out at the plate, but the catcher clanked on catching the ball (though later, it was not ruled an error).  The Chihuahuas would win 6-3, breaking their losing streak.  Their starting pitcher tonight, Brett Kennedy, went to 8-0 on the season.

7-17-18 All-Star Game

Tonight was a night I definitely hated being at work with a game on.  Like Opening Day and the World Series, the All-Star Game is a baseball holiday.  I know that if I’d taken the night off, it would have been a lousy game.  I would have liked to have been able to watch the red carpet ceremony before the game that the MLB Network broadcasts.  But if I was home, I don’t get that channel, so I wouldn’t have been able to watch anyway.

The ceremonies and game started without me as I was busy working.  Aaron Judge homered in the first off NL starter Max Scherzer.  This would set the tone for the night.  In the second, Mike Trout homered off of Jacob DeGrom.  In the third, Willson Contreras homered to get the National League on the board, 2-1 AL.  I sense a pattern here.

As I finally got to sit down and watch in the fifth, Joe Buck reported that weather was on the way.  Oh, boy.  Yadier Molina came up to bat and gave Salvador Perez a hug at the plate.  He flew out deep to center, just missing a home run.  I wrote my Aunt Judy to see if she was watching her favorite player.  She missed him, watching the news. 

I was glad to see Trevor Story in the game in the sixth, though he made a bad play throwing to first.  Down in the AL dugout, Ken Rosenthal was asking Manny Machado what it was like to be on the verge of being traded.  That’s real reporting there.  Next, he asked Trout for a weather forecast.  Apparently, it’s a big hobby for him, and he was right about the weather.  And I couldn’t believe it, but I was getting poor reception on the cable.  I don’t know if it was from the source or the local cable company.

In the seventh, Christian Yelich lost a fly ball in the lights.  He looked like a Little Leaguer trying to avoid getting hit by the ball.  The pitcher threw up his arms and smiled as the ball dropped in front of Yelich.  There was a tantalizing glimpse of a catcher cam in the bullpen, but they broke away before a pitch was thrown.  The Army Chorus came out to do a powerful version of God Bless America for the stretch. 

During the break, there was a hysterical Geico commercial showing a play getting interrupted by Alexander Graham Bell receiving a couple of phone calls.  What cracked me up was the old fashion ringing from a wall-mounted phone and Bell answering with “Ahoy!  Ahoy!”  This was the original phone greeting before the word, “Hello,” was invented.  Before getting back to play, there was a spot showing some players expressing their love for the game Fortnite.

Francisco Lindor was mic’d up on the field to talk to the booth guys.  Certainly he’s got a great personality, but I have to question having the shortstop doing an in-game interview.  “I talk out here all the time.  I talk to my third baseman.  He ignores me.  I end up talking to myself.”  He made a comment on his pitcher, Charlie Morton’s curve ball, amazed to see it from behind the mound.  He even mentioned it to JT Realmuto when he made it to second.

Story came up and hit a homer to tie it at 2.  Buck made an offhand comment about the absurd height of the pressbox there in Washington like every announcer does.  Eugenio Suarez got hit on the thigh at the plate.  He made it over to second and Lindor went over to him and asked him where he got hit.  Lindor kissed his fingertips and pressed them against the spot, “Don’t cry.  It’ll be okay.  Be tough.”  He got the last out on an infield popup shouting, “I think I got it!”

For the eighth, Charlie Blackmon in the center was interviewed on the field.  They showed shots of him with and without the beard.  He was unrecognizable without it.  He said it was a bit of a superstition for him, since he’d grown it right when he was first called up.  They asked why he kept looking around between pitches.  Charlie said he was keeping himself entertained looking at the video board, the crowd, and the opposing bullpen.  (Actually, he’s probably looking at the flags to see where the wind was blowing and where the other two outfielders were positioned.)  There’s no one to talk to out there, “In the outfield, you got no friends.” 

Normally sure-handed Joey Votto missed catching a foul ball third out at the dugout railing.  Jean Segura made that costly with a three-run homer to make it 5-2.  Buck apologized to Charlie for the bad luck.  “If this next batter isn’t a double play, we’re done,” he said.

In the bottom of the eighth, Yelich homered to make it 5-3.  In the ninth, Scooter Gennett tied it on a two-run homer.  I seem to be typing the word, “homer,” a lot.  The tenth inning started without me while I was working.  I missed Alex Bregman homering to start the inning.  When I stepped came back in, George Springer had just done the same.  Ross Stripling, working his second inning, gave up four hits in a row.  Another run came in with a sacrifice.  Yes, that was the first and only, run of the game not brought in by a home run.

In the bottom of the tenth, I was on time watching, but FOX came back late from commercial and missed Votto hitting a leadoff home run.  However, that was it for the night as the AL won 8-6.  There were 10 home runs in the game.  I’m sure there’s some serious analysis that could be done on that stat.  Alex Bregman won the MVP.  Given the choice of vehicles, he said he had to pick the Camero.  His dad wanted the truck, but mom wanted the sportscar and he gave it to her.  She came running out on to the field after the interview.  What a great game!  And a bunch of idiot commentators didn’t even want to play the game because they didn’t think it could top Home Derby yesterday.       

I was listening to the Chihuahuas and Isotopes playing before I focused on the All-Star Game.  Tim Hagerty wasn’t complaining, but did say he was usually watching the game too.  MLB had moved the game at Washington DC’s request.  Usually, there’s no other baseball going on during the break. 

The game started off nervous for both teams.  In the first, Cory Spangenberg took second on some hustle and the ball getting away from a fielder.  He took third on a passed ball, and then scored on a wild pitch.  In the bottom, a runner got on via an error by Javy Guerra.  That runner scored when pitcher Jerry Keel threw the ball in to the stands trying to make a pickoff throw. 

Guerra broke the tie in the second with a home run.  In the third, Keel doubled for his first pro hit.  Auston Bousfield doubled him in and Luis Urias, finally back in the lineup, hit a two-run homer to make it 5-1.  In the fourth, backup catcher AJ Kennedy got his first home run to make it 6-1.  Keel walked in that inning, obviously they were pitching around him.  In the bottom, the Isotopes hit two doubles to score a run to make it 6-2.

I wasn’t listening by this time, but in the ninth the Chihuahuas added to the lead with a Spangenberg two-run homer.  Forrestt Allday hit a single in the inning.  Out of nine hits in the game, that was the first single hit by team tonight.  The Chihuahuas won 8-2.

Baseball Journal July 14-15, 2018

7-14-18

Red Sox and Blue Jays were on tap for Saturday morning baseball.  The game had moved back to the Mexican station that it was on earlier in the summer.  Something to do with World Cup coverage.  I wasn't expecting a pitchers' duel given the teams, especially with the Jays having a bullpen day, but that's pretty much what happened.  Kevin Pillar made a highlight reel diving catch to end the third inning.  The Mexican announcers went crazy.  Unfortunately, he came out injured on the play. 

JD Martinez hit a solo shot into the Monster seats to put the Red Sox up 1-0.  He's having an epic season.  A happy fan made a catch up there and showed the ball off to the camera.  In the sixth, Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez had a collision while covering first and had to come out.  Next inning, the Jays scratched out a pair of runs to make it 2-1. 

In the eighth, Mookie Betts took second on an error and stole third, but was stranded.  In the ninth, there was a scrum in the stands over a foul ball.  Mookie stood at the wall and watched.  In the bottom, Xander Bogarts doubled and Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled him in to tie the game at 2. 

In the tenth, Mookie got on via an error that went through the legs of a player just moved over to short.  Betts was moved to third on a single.  JD was walked to load the bases and bring up Bogarts.  Xander ended it in style with a grand slam to center.  6-2 Red Sox final.  They are on fire.

Later in the evening, the Chihuahuas started their double header against the Aces, since they had a rain out yesterday.  There was a better rain chance for today than yesterday, but it stayed dry.  It was unnaturally quiet at the ballpark as the coverage started, as the crowd wasn't there for this game.  It was kind of weird to listen to.

Meanwhile, the FOX TV coverage started.  We got the Dodgers and the Angels for the second week in a row.  We probably should have gotten the Rangers and Orioles, but even I admit that's a game between two last place teams who are way out of it.  It was on the radio, but it's too hard to listen to two games at the same time.  Eric Nadel was not doing the call tonight.  The game was over quick as I saw on the ticker later that the O's won, 1-0.

Back in El Paso, Cody Decker was out on the field, but as the first base coach.  Reno went up 2-0 in the first.  Former Rangers closer, Neftali Feliz, started for the Aces.  The pups answered back in the bottom as new Chihuahua Matt Szczur drove in Diego Goris, who just got in on a play at the plate, 2-1.  The name is pronounced just like it looks, “Ceasar.”  I remember him from being on the Cubs.  The Aces put up a couple more runs.  Cory Spangenberg did wrap a homer around the foul pole to make it 4-2.

In the sixth, up 5-2, Decker made a pinch hitting appearance.  He got a cheer from the crowd.  Later in the inning, the crowd for the regularly scheduled game started coming in to fill up the park.  Dusty Coleman did hit a home run in the seventh, the last inning of Game 1, but it was too late.  7-3 Aces was the final.

Between games, I start watching the TV game more.  I wasn't even paying attention to the score.  In the eighth, Shohei Ohtani came in to pinch hit.  This was surprising, since I thought they'd said earlier that he was injured.  There was a happy Japanese fan in the stands that ran up and down the aisle when he came up.  In the bottom of the inning, Justin Upton and Mike Trout nearly collided on a fly ball.  They were not happy with each other.

Upton put the Angels up 4-3 on a solo homer.  In the ninth, Chase Utley pinch hit and got on.  I immediately called for a pinch runner, but he stayed in.  He scored from first on a double, just getting in ahead of a play at the plate.  What do I know?  The Dodgers loaded the bases, but weren't able to score the winning run.  

    

In the tenth, tied at 4, Kole Calhoun homered off Kenley Jansen to put the Angels back up 5-4.  The preceding batter actually got in the ump's face to argue a strikeout.  I can't believe he wasn't ejected.  In the bottom, Upton stumbled on the warning track and missed the ball, which allowed a double.  However, they couldn't get him in and the Angels won 5-4.  Given that I don't like either team, I don't know how to feel about this.

The Chihuahuas started off Game 2 of the double header with a couple of great diving plays on the infield.  There was no score for four innings.  In the fifth, the Chihuahuas loaded the bases on walks.  Allen Craig walked to bring in the first run, but that was all they got.  Next inning, Reno broke through with 4 runs on two homers, 4-1 Aces.  That would be the final.  Well, at least the crowd there got fireworks.

Also on the radio, the Rockies beat Mariners 4-1.  I kept trying to listen to the game, but it kept fading in and out.  Darn, this was the only game result I liked today and I didn't get to hear any of it. 

7-15-18

I tuned in to the Rangers versus the Orioles this morning at just the right time as Ronald Guzman hit a grand slam home run in the first.  “The Condor takes flight!”  Actually, I’m quoting myself there; they didn’t say that.  Eric Nadel wasn’t there.  He must be taking the All-Star break off.  Matt Hicks and Jared Sandler had the call instead.  The Rangers had a 4-0 lead after one.  The homer was their only hit of the inning.  The baserunners all got on via walks.

One of the more pursued players before the trade deadline, Manny Machado, homered in the bottom to make it 4-1.  Matt and Jared had a short lesson in French, by way of discussing France’s World Cup victory.  Oh, good.  After tomorrow, we don’t have to mention the World Cup or soccer for another four years.  Or as someone on the radio put it a couple of weeks ago, “Can we stop pretending we care about soccer now?”  (Well, I want to know if Alex Morgan is playing when I can watch.)  There is a serious sports Agenda pushing soccer.

In the third, the O’s scored.  Machado came up and drew a walk to load the bases.  He got a cheer from the crowd as he came to the plate, as this might be his final home game before being traded.  Adam Jones then came up and cleared the bases with a double, giving the O’s a 5-4 lead.  Rangers’ starter Mike Minor was pulled.  It was mentioned before this that he’d complained about being pulled early in his previous start.  It seemed justified here.  Jurickson Profar, after making a great play earlier in the game, made an error on a routine play that scored another run.  The guys think he plays better instinctually than mechanically.  6-4 O’s.

A heavy drizzle started in fourth and a full rain delay was called in the bottom.  It was a heavy rain, but quick.  However, the infield got wrecked during the indecision about putting out the tarp so there was a 26-minute delay.  When play resumed, Machado was out of the game.  It was speculated that he was pulled as a precaution with the muddy track. 

I’d heard Cardinals’ manager, Mike Metheny, was fired last night.  It was mentioned in this game.  I suppose this isn’t a surprise, but I’m not sure how this helps the team.  They seem to need some good reinforcements if they’re going to catch up with the Cubs and Brewers, not a change in managing.     

Shin-Soo Choo extended his on-base streak with a home run in the seventh to make it 6-5.  Bottom of the seventh, Baltimore fans boo’ed as a fan in a Yankees’ jersey caught a foul ball.  In the eighth, Matt read a couple of limericks that Eric sent in for the game about the World Cup.  He managed a rhyme with “Croatia.”  We are seriously done with soccer now. 

Drama in the ninth, Choo got on and was taken out for Carlos Tocci.  Elvis Andrus hit a double into a corner.  Tocci was waved home, but was thrown easily out at the plate.  The wet track may have slowed him down, but the guys were baffled why he didn’t make it a closer play.  (And what makes it worse was seeing old man Chase Utley make it home on the same play last night.)  6-5 Orioles was the final.  During the game, I did not recognize the names of a couple of Rangers’ relievers.  The team seems to be engaged in Spring Training-like tryouts.             

Once again, there was rain in El Paso for the Chihuahuas and the Aces.  The tarp was out at game time.  Since this was the last meeting between the teams, they really needed to get the game in.  The game started about 90 minutes later.  Strangely, still no rain here in Las Cruces.

Trouble started early.  In the second, the Aces loaded the bases with no outs.  A double play killed the rally, but a run score to make it 1-0 Aces.  In the third, a light mist started falling on the field.  In the fourth, it was a heavier rain and some speedy dry had to be put on the mound.  The Aces homered to add to their lead.  In the bottom, an Aces fielder missed a fly ball in a rain.  The Chihuahuas got two in scoring position, but they were left there.

In the seventh, the Aces scored two more.  The Chihuahuas got one back when Shane Peterson hit an RBI.  Unfortunately, Javy Guerra was thrown out trying to advance to third to end the inning.  Peterson was a pinch hitter, but Dusty Coleman was actually on deck and announced.  However, the Aces made a pitching change at the same time, so no one was sure if Coleman was still in the game.  Meanwhile, Cody Decker again coaching first in the game and tossed a ball to a fan while there.    

Brett Nicholas led off the ninth with a triple.  The wet conditions might have hindered recovering the ball.  The next three batters struck out to end the game, 4-1 Aces.  Coleman was the last batter, so he was still available.  That’s a four-game losing sweep at home after a five-game winning sweep on the road.  What’s up with this inability to win at home?  Tim mentioned one of the players saying how much they appreciate playing in front of the good crowds in El Paso.  Well, that was also two rain delays for me in one day, but without any rain on my end. 

Tim Hagerty talked about Luis Urias being at the Futures Game today in Washington.  I almost sense a pattern with him not in the game and the Chihuahuas losing.  I saw a hilarious clip from the game later.  A kid thought he’d hit a two-run homer and flashed two fingers to his dugout.  He hadn’t hit a home run and had to hustle to get to third.  After he was driven in, the guys in the dugout all held up two fingers for him.  I didn’t get his name, but he was the game MVP anyway. 

Baseball Journal July 9-13, 2018

7-9-18

There’s no Chihuahuas for the next three days, so it’s all MLB for now.  Tonight’s MLB.TV free game was the Dodgers at the Padres.  Again, the video was under a black out.  If there’s a local outlet to watch the Padres here in Las Cruces, let me know.  This turned out pretty well though, since I got the Padres’ radio broadcast.  I think I’ve listened to them before and enjoyed it. 

“Make it stop!  Make it stop!” That’s Ted Leitner, “Your Uncle Ted,” who’s their main broadcast voice.  I hadn’t caught his name the last time I heard him.  This was a quote from the pregame where he was talking about last night’s 16-inning game.  The Padres won, but made it back home over two hours late.  Obviously Ted is pretty entertaining to listen to.  I’ll put in a few more quotes from the game as we go along. 

Tonight’s starters were Clayton Kershaw versus Luis Perdomo.  That’s not a good matchup on paper.  In the first, Hunter Renfroe threw out Justin Turner, who was trying to turn a single into a double.  “Did you guys not talk about Renfroe’s arm before the game?”  In the bottom, Ted introduced Wil Meyers as “My favorite player as of yesterday.”  Meyers’ home run won and ended yesterday’s long game. 

Later, Freddie Galvis made a great play at short.  “I feel kind of guilty I don’t have to pay admission to watch him work.”  I was hearing cheering no matter what happened on the field.  Myself and Ted suspected that there were lots of Dodger fans there in San Diego.  He’s never asked attendance officials what the percentage is.  Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh was there and he brought his mitt, like he always does for a ball game.

One side story of the game was Kershaw pitching to his former personal catcher, AJ Ellis, for the first time.  They’d exchanged taunting tweets before the season, which were pretty biting.  “Teammates know how to needle each other.  Shove it in deep.  Move it in and out.  Twist it sideways.”

In the fourth, the Dodgers got to Perdomo and scored five runs.  The ump got so sick of it, he ran to the Padres’ dugout and puked over the rail.  Or it might have been something he ate.  He took a couple of minutes to compose himself and had several swigs of Gatorade before resuming his duties for the rest of the game.  “You never know what you’re going to see at the ballgame and hope to never see again.” 

Jesse Agler, who I knew from listening to some Padres’ podcasts a couple of years ago, was Ted’s wingman.  He enjoyed the 16-inning game.  He likes the weirdness that happens when it goes past 12.  Last night, the Diamondbacks’ last pitcher was one of their catchers.  Kershaw came out after six innings.  He only gave up two hits, one of them was to Perdomo. 

In the ninth, Meyers had another home run and Eric Hosmer doubled.  Hosmer’s been in a slump, so this was a good sign.  But, the final was 8-2 Dodgers.  Ted got a text from Trevor Hoffman, wishing him a happy birthday.  They’re going to see each other next at Hoffman’s Hall of Fame induction.  Ted also mentioned some well wishes during the game.  He’d come back from cancer this year.  If I can’t get the video, I hope I’ll be able to hear more Padres’ radio broadcasts in the future.

7-10-18

I only saw one half-inning today, but it was a very interesting one.  Today’s MLB.TV free game was the Indians versus the Reds.  (Just change the name of the Indians if you’re getting rid of Chief Wahoo and get it over with.)  Indian starter, Trevor Baur, pitched eight strong scoreless innings, only giving up three hits with 12 strikeouts.  The Indians were up 4-0 in the ninth with their closer, Cody Allen, in.  He’s only blown one save this year.

Suddenly, its 4-3 and the bases were loaded with Joey Votto coming to bat.  Only a great running catch by Michael Brantley in left field kept the Reds from already tying the score earlier.  Dan Otero relieved Allen and Votto immediately cleared the bases with a double.  The Reds won 7-4.  That’s seven runs in the ninth after being down by four.  The crowd and the announcers were in total shock.  A wee bit of a choke.

7-11-18

Still no Chihuahuas’ baseball, but we do have Chihuahuas playing baseball in the Triple-A All-Star game.  The game was in Columbus.  They were standing-room-only there even with 2000 extra seats put in for the game.  Luis Urias led off the game.  In the second he drove in a run.  The announcers and the PA were having some trouble with his name. 

In the third, Urias got another hit as the PCL team went up 8-1 on the IL.  Memphis Redbirds’ pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon came in to pitch and he struck out the side.  I guess the shelling he’d gotten earlier in the year from the Chihuahuas (6-16-18) was an aberration, since he’s an all-star.  I’m still kind of rooting for him after his brain injury issues.

The other Chihuahua on the team, pitcher Brett Kennedy, came in for the fourth.  He didn’t have a great outing.  He gave up a two-run homer to a hometown Columbus Clippers player.  By the sixth, the IL had mounted a comeback to make it 8-7.  I heard a couple of familiar Chihuahuas’ player names, though they were with different teams.  Rocky Gale, now with the OKC Dodgers, drove in a run off of Kevin Quackenbush, now with Louisville.  The PCL would go on to win 12-7.  An Isotopes player won the MVP.  Triple-A and Columbus were beaming with the pride over the event and surrounding festivities.

I just got a peek in at the MLB.TV free game with the Braves versus the Blue Jays.  It was late in the seventh with the Braves up 7-0.  Mike Foltynewicz was pitching.  I’d seen him before (6-1-18) and he looked good.  Obviously, he’d done well in the game up to this point.  He’d loaded the bases with two outs when Devon Travis hit a grand slam that bounced over the top of the brick wall in the outfield.  It was one batter too many.  I think I have to blame the manager.  The Braves would go on to win 9-5 though.

7-12-18

Before today’s home game for the Chihuahuas versus the Aces, the guys were discussing an upcoming Millennial Day at another ballpark.  It’s going to feature nap and selfie stations and participation ribbons and avocados for everyone.  Milennials protesting the promotion may even be able to get free tickets to the game.  They were pretty amused by the concept.  I can see it now if the Chihuahuas try it.  They’ll get hit with #metooChico lawsuits as the Chihuahuas’ mascot “threatens” too many sensitive Millennials with hugs.  Social Justice Warriors will by outside the stadium (no tickets to the game, of course) protesting the whole franchise as “racist,” because the Chihuahuas are clearly racist against other breeds of dog.  #RacistDogs.

For now, there’s a game on.  The pups are in first place after a five-game sweep against the previous first place team.  They are the road warriors.  At home, not so much.  This evening’s game was overcast and cool.  I was surprised it hadn’t rained there earlier, since I’d seen it raining in El Paso’s direction when I came into work. 

The Aces scored first with three runs in the second via two home runs.  Tim Hagerty chuckled on the last batter of the inning.  He walked off after what he thought was the third strike, only to be called back by the ump.  Unsurprisingly, he did strike out on the next pitch.  In the third, they added another homer to make it 5-0.

Oh my goodness, they played an actual funny commercial in a break.  Credit where credit is due, it was a Geico commercial.  I hadn’t heard it before and didn’t hear it again during the game.  I’ll try to do coverage of it next time.  I remember a great radio commercial a few years ago that featured a dead-on impersonation of the lady computer voice giving GPS driving directions.  They played it for exactly one day, before it got yanked from the air.  I guess the impersonation was a little too good. 

Forrett Allday got the Chihuahuas on the board in the fifth with a solo homer.  Tim was wondering where his sudden power was coming from.  He’d only hit like three home runs in his career, until this year where he’s already hit three. 

In the top of the seventh, a light misting rain started falling.  By the bottom, it was a downpour and the game was delayed for a nearly an hour.  When it came back on, Tim was talking about Dudley Field.  Heavy rains once created a pond in the outfield that grounds crew couldn’t drain.  Finally, they taped off the area and the umps decided on some ground rules if a ball went into it.

The game resumed with the bottom of the seventh in progress.  The crowd that was still there was really into it.  Again, Allday seems to have his own cheering section.  Unfortunately, the pups weren’t able to score.  I can’t believe it!  Another funny Geico commercial.  This one especially cracked me up as it commented, “Happy as a clam is a common saying, but really how happy are clams?”  That’s something a co-worker of mine says all the time. 

The crowd got a bit unruly-sounding late in the game.  Now they were way too into it as the Aces tacked on a couple more runs.  I thought they stopped alcohol sales in the seventh?  Unfortunately, it kind of died down by the ninth as the Chihuahuas weren’t able to mount any offense.  Yasmany Tomas on the Aces made a great basket catch to end the game, 8-2 Aces.  I was disappointed in the result.  Luis Urias was sitting out the game as he just got back from the All-Star game.  Also, Cody Decker wasn’t in the game for the Aces.  I’m not sure if he’s still with the team.

7-13-18

Rain out tonight in El Paso.  Tim Hagerty kept insisting during the pregame that the game wasn't canceled.  The weather alert that went off a bit later kind of undercut that.  I did hear from Cody Decker during an interview on Sportstalk in the afternoon.  He did not sound like himself.  He seemed melancholy.  Is it his new marriage to Jen Sterger?  Being relegated to a pinch hitting role?  I'd hate to think he isn't enjoying himself out at the ballpark.

Thankfully, there was a good matchup on the MLB.TV free game, the Giants versus the A's.  It was good for me at least because the game was in San Francisco at beautiful AT&T Park.  It was Madison Bumgarner versus the well-traveled Edwin Jackson.  Pablo Sandoval was playing third.  The Giants were unfortunately in their terrible orange tops.  I stuck with the TV coverage.  I'm not sure they give the option to get the radio call with the video anymore.  I liked the in-game reporter, Amy G.  She was fun and showed some interesting stuff during the game.

There was no score until the fourth.  There was some good defense before that.  A Giants fan made a great catch in the stands.  A's fans around him even gave him high-fives.  Chad Pinder made great leaping catch at the wall of a Bumgarner fly ball.  Also in the stands, a kid was holding up a sign with three checkboxes on it.  One, it was Friday the thirteenth, which was checked.  Two, it was his thirteenth birthday, check.  Three, make it on television today.  The last one got checked after they showed him on camera.

In the bottom of the fourth with runners at the corners, Andrew McCutchen got thrown out on a weird-looking steal attempt.  But on the next pitch, Jackson's cleat got caught the mound and he balked, which brought in the run from third anyway.  Pinder would homer in the fifth to tie it.  The fog started rolling in in the bottom.

During the sixth, there was a shot of a sandwich-making shop at the concessions.  “Sorry, I lost my concentration,” said one of the announcers.  I kind of trailed off into an eating fantasy myself.  That looked really good.  (Everyone recommends the garlic fries at the stadium though.)  In the bottom, Buster Posey drove in a run to make it 2-1 Giants. 

The seventh was pivotal.  Bumgarner loaded the bases with no outs.  He was pulled for Reyes Moronta.  He started off with a strikeout.  Next, the Panda made a great diving catch on a liner and nearly doubled off the runner at third.  Lastly, there was a groundout to Brandon Crawford at short.  Nice work there by Moronta. 

In the bottom, the Giants loaded the bases with no outs.  However, the Giants brought them in.  Steven Duggar singled in two runs.  Former Giants' reliever Santiago Casilla came in.  McCutchen then sac'd in a run and a wild pitch brought in another.  Buster finished it off with a double that drove in another run.  7-1 Giants.

Former Rangers closer Sam Dyson came on for the eighth and retired the side on four pitches.  He looked sharp there.  Also looking sharp, the camera caught a sailor in his dress whites in the crowd.  Out in the McCovey Cove, there was a guy in a kayak with a lit barbeque sitting in front of him.  Well, he was warm and had hot food.  The seagulls were uncharacteristically late for the end of the game.  Dyson did finish it off in the ninth, so 7-1 Giants was the final.  I really enjoyed the game and the coverage.  That stadium is awesome.