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.