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Monday, June 8, 2009

Brief Thoughts About Baseball (6/1/2009 - 6/7/2009)

1. I believe it was Tom Kelly who once said the baseball season could be divided into thirds. In one third of the games nothing will go your team's way. You'll get no breaks, bad pitching, bad hitting, etc. You'll lose those games. Another third of the games you'll get all the breaks, you're pitching and hitting will click, etc. You'll win those games. The final third could go either way. Those are the games you need to win. Those are the games that separate the good teams from the bad ones. Wednesday was like the first third. Thursday was like the second third. Tuesday was like the final third. I suppose it's a good sign the Twins won on Tuesday then. (Although one could argue that the Twins win the games in the final category at home but lose them on the road...as seen in Seattle.)

2. Look at the flubber fly!

3. Tuesday, Colorado vs. Houston. Bottom of the 9th, no outs, tie game, man on first and second. For all you baseball novices out there, there is no option as to what you do. You BUNT. What did Arizona do? Have Hunter Pence swing a away. A double play, two intentional walks, and a line out later and the game goes into extra innings. It's almost a shame the Astros ended up winning the game anyway.

4. Huston Street is white!?

5. This is why Carlos Gomez is still in the major leagues.

6. On Thursday Alex Rios of the Bluejays went 0 for 5 with a whopping 5 strike outs. Adam Lind, on the same team, went 5 for 5. It's apparently the first time that has happened since, like, 1913. (Don't quote me on that.) I just feel like Subway needs to get involved with this somehow.

7. Jason Kubel hit more home runs in the first two innings of Thursday's game than he had in the entire month of May.

8. The Mets got swept by the Pittsburgh pirates, prompting Mets 3rd Baseman David Wright to say: "Three games with this team — I know they’re a big-league ballclub — but we’re better than them. We’re better than them. And we know we’re better than them, but we have to do something about it.”
To which, if I were a Pittsburgh Pirate, I would say:
"You're better than us? Check the scoreboard...ASS!"

9. ...........SLIDE!!!

10. Despite the fact that the Win is a completely fraudulent stat, getting 300 is impressive, if for nothing else its longevity. Randy Johnson got to 300 wins. I salute his ability to pitch, scare young children (and grown adults) with a single look, and kill pigeons.

11. Carlos Gomez and Cleveland pitcher Cliff Lee got into a bit of an argument. Apparently, Cliff Lee got his panties in a bunch because Carlos Gomez had the audacity to try and bunt his way onto base. Give me a break. The bunt is a perfectly legitimate baseball play. It's not illegal, so the prima donna pitchers have to get over themselves. You don't see defensive linemen in football getting in a huff anytime the opposing team tries a quarterback sneak. So nut up and deal with the fact the players are allowed to bunt. If you don't like it, field your position and get them out.

3 comments:

  1. baroness van bitzenhoferJune 8, 2009 at 11:41 PM

    2. You are mean.

    I think #5 should have been in your #1 spot. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. 2. I've always assumed, in the interest of kindness, that Joba was pronounced "JOE-ba" but that Yankees announcer said "Jabba" so I guess that's correct after all. Heh. Great catch though.

    3. It could just be me, watching the Twins fail to lay down bunts more than usual this season, but it seems all over MLB teams are having a hard time doing it this year.

    Which is neither here nor there, I suppose, since your point was that Pence didn't even try.

    PS *I* didn't mind how that game ended...

    5. Yeah, you're right: much like Punto's defense protects him from his crappy, crappy offense, as long as Gomez maintains a high level of athleticism in center and doesn't make too many boneheaded plays out there, he'll always have a place on the Twins (and that WAS a pretty awesome catch).

    7. I knew that, but the way you said it is much funnier.

    9. Okay, you needed to put more context into the setup for that clip, cuz I clicked on it not knowing what to expect, and it just angried up my blood, again.

    10. You think we'll ever see another pitcher reach 300 wins in our lifetime? Should we start the inevitable discussion of which current pitcher has the best shot at it?

    11. Couldn't agree more. I actually just read a blog post by Curtis Granderson where he basically said the same thing (the bunt is a tool in the player's arsenal and people shouldn't be upset when it's used), though his comments were in the context of 'achivement games' like no hitters and such.

    Also, it isn't like Morneau was laying down a bunt against Lee just to be a dick: it was Gomez. Bunting (along with fancy catches and striking out) is basically his entire schtick. If Lee was surprised at Gomez doing it, than Lee clearly hasn't been reading the scouting report.

    Unclench Lee, and deal with it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My short answer is that I really don't see any pitcher reaching 300 ever again. Well, nobody who is in the Majors currently.

    Also, it occured to me that all I really know is that Cliff Lee was jawing at Carlos Gomez after Gomez flied out to right about the fact the Gomez bunts a lot. I really don't know WHAT was said.

    Maybe instead of Cliff Lee being a baby, he's just an ass? Maybe he said something like, "You should try bunting again, 'cuz hitting the ball in the air ain't doing you much good."

    True, it's a dick move, but I'd respect that more than straight up whining.

    ReplyDelete

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