10 posts tagged “baseball”
the best pitch ever!
My three favorite baseball teams (the As, Giants and Red Sox) lost their openers by a combined score of 18-1. I console myself with this thought, though--last season I went to the As home opener against the Yankees, a game whcih B2tZ started and the As ended up losing 16-1 (or something like that.) The As still ended up going to the play-offs and winning their first play-off series since 1990.
at least here in the bay area. The sun is out, the air is balmy and smells like growing things, and baseball has returned to the radio! Some good news on the As radio front, I learned today while listening to my first spring training game--the As broadcasts are now on FM radio at 106.9 ("Free FM" which is also the home of Adam Corolla and a bunch of other random talk radio) so it will be much easier than last year, when I had to choose between the pain in the ass to dial and low quality MLB Gameday audio, and the easy to dial in but even lower quality AM broadcasts on 1550 (a radio station so unpowerful I can't even remember their call letters.)
Saw an amazing baseball game last night, thanks to my step-sister Sonja, who has amazing third base side season tickets.
The game had pretty much everything you would want in a baseball game:
- home runs
- sparkling defensive plays
- a comeback by the visiting team
- a comeback by the home team
- late innings drama
- extra innings!
- a heart-breaking near-catch that would have ended the game while the tying runner was trying to score.
- an emotional moment as Barry Zito got a standing ovation after what might have been is last home start in Oakland.
- a player-umpire altercation as Milton Bradley argued a call, got tossed, then had to be physically restrained by his manager and thrid base coach.
- crazy defensive positioning as the Angels put five men on the infield in an attempt to set up the double-play.
- a game winning walk-off hit as Marco Scutaro hit a ball to the warning track that feel uncaught because the two remaining outfielders were playing shallow.
When all was said and done, the As won in twelve innings and reduced their magic number to two. They could clinch the AL West today.
I just got back from the As-Red Sox game at the Oakland Coliseum. The previous few years, it seems like every time I've gone to see the As play an important series late in the season, they've gotten destroyed. Tonight, though, they were the wrecking crew, annihlating a Red Sox team that seems a mere shadow of its former self. Not one player from the 2004 World Series winning team was on in the line-up for the Sox, and the one pitcher who was, Keith Foulke, was simply horrid-in the same inning giving up two of the longest hone runs I've ever seen in person, to Frank Thomas and Nick "Swishahouse" Swisher.
If their offense keeps producing like it has lately, and Rich Harden comes back from the DL and pitches out of the bullpen, the As could be tough in the play-offs.
Now 10-0 Dodgers after two innings:
Scoring Summary
Top 1st: LA Dodgers
- N. Garciaparra singled to right, R. Furcal scored, K. Lofton to second
- A. Ethier tripled to deep right center, N. Garciaparra and K. Lofton scored
Top 2nd: LA Dodgers
- R. Furcal safe at first on B. Hennessey's throwing error, G. Maddux to third, G. Maddux scored
- J.D. Drew singled to right, K. Lofton scored, N. Garciaparra to third
- J. Kent tripled to deep right center, N. Garciaparra and J.D. Drew scored
- A. Ethier singled to right, J. Kent scored
- G. Maddux hit sacrifice fly to center, A. Ethier scored
Ugh. Not to mention, the Red Sox got annihlated by the Yankees again. In the past three games, Red Sox "pitchers" have given up thirty-nine runs.
At least the As won.
They just won their fifteenth straight game against the Mariners this season. Such domination. They also have a six and a half game lead over the Angels in the AL West, which is the largest lead they've had in the division since September 1992. Hopefully this isn't all just setting us fans up for another late-season collapse like the past two years.
The Crazy Crab. For one season in the mid80s he brightened up an otherwise craptastic summer for the Giants with his wacky, ant-mascot hijinks.
I wanted to post a picture, but for some reason Comet choked on the jpg, for no good reason I could see. So, instead, go here:
Just tied the Babe. 714 home runs life-time.
Got a standing O from the Oakland Coliseum crowd which was nice.
Edit: now there's a photo:
Went to the As game today. They lost, but at least they didn't get slaughtered like they did on opening night, which I also went to. Ugh, aghainst the Yankees, my least favorite (by which I mean most hated) sports franchise of all time. Nick Swisher (whom I have nicknamed "Swishahouse" in honor of one of my favorite hip-hop labels), had a big game-hitting the grand slam that made a game out of the game, and also made some great catches in left field, which my father, half-brother and I had a good view since our seats were in section 128, way up the first base line. All in all, a good day at the ballpark, featuring deluxe nachos with shredded chicken and a delicious Kona Brewing Co. Fire Rock Pale Ale.
I'm now in Alameda, having walked here from the Fruitvale BART station. Alameda is interesting-in all of my years in the yay area I've never been here. Later this evening I'll be seeing my friend Brian blow sax at the Emerald Garden vietnamese restaurant. And after that, who knows? Possibly huge raging in the city, or go home and chizill with the cats.
