Two very strange things happened recently, both of them having to do with walks. Without any more ado (poop!) here they are:
1. This past weekend, Rays manager Joe Madden made a very odd decision. His team was leading by 4 runs in the ninth inning. The Texas Rangers had the bases loaded and potential AL MVP Josh Hamilton was at bat. Madden made the unusual decision to intentionally walk Hamilton. This is highly unusual. So unusual, in fact, that it has only occurred five other times in baseball history (as documented here). The worst that could happen to the Rays was that Hamilton could tie the game. Instead, Madden decided that the Rays were better off facing whomever followed Hamilton in the order (not a stiff, by the way, the Rangers lead MLB in runs scored) and up by only three runs than they were facing Hamilton up by four.
The result of the decision was whomever followed Hamilton made an out ending the game, but I'm not sure that justifies the decision. The Rays gave the Rangers a free run and gained very little in return. True, the run was not all that valuable with only one out to go in the game (potentially), but for the cost, I don't see much in return. In short, if Madden did this against the Red Sox, I'd welcome it whole heartedly.
2. Last night, the Red Sox faced the Orioles. Coco Crisp was at bat with two outs. With the count 2-2, the O's pitcher threw and Coco walked. What? How's that possible, you ask? Well, its not, but it happened. Coco Crisp walked on ball three. And nobody complained about it. Lets play Count The People Who Had Their Heads Up Their Ass While The Home Plate Umpire (Who Had His Head Up His Ass) Awarded Crisp A Base He Had Not Earned (CTPWHTHUTAWTHPU(WHHHUHA)ACABHHNE):
1. The home plate umpire
2-4. The other three umpires
5. The Orioles Manager
6. Anyone else on the Orioles bench
7. The O's Catcher
8. Any of the other seven players playing the field for Baltimore
9. Any of the reported 43,000+ fans in attendance at Camden Yards
Even the announcers didn't realize for sure it until after the next commercial break. They came back from commercial with, "You know, maybe Crisp shouldn't have walked..."
In true comical fashion, only one person in the entire stadium* knew the count: the scoreboard operator. And the umpire ignored him.
So, the O's got screwed, though it didn't end up costing them anything on the scoreboard. Still, its hard to have sympathy for them considering the above list. I mean, really, couldn't the back up catcherhave leaned over to the pitching coach and said, "Hey, I think thats only three balls." But no.
*Yes, any of the Red Sox players or coaches may have known the count and not mentioned it.
1. This past weekend, Rays manager Joe Madden made a very odd decision. His team was leading by 4 runs in the ninth inning. The Texas Rangers had the bases loaded and potential AL MVP Josh Hamilton was at bat. Madden made the unusual decision to intentionally walk Hamilton. This is highly unusual. So unusual, in fact, that it has only occurred five other times in baseball history (as documented here). The worst that could happen to the Rays was that Hamilton could tie the game. Instead, Madden decided that the Rays were better off facing whomever followed Hamilton in the order (not a stiff, by the way, the Rangers lead MLB in runs scored) and up by only three runs than they were facing Hamilton up by four.
The result of the decision was whomever followed Hamilton made an out ending the game, but I'm not sure that justifies the decision. The Rays gave the Rangers a free run and gained very little in return. True, the run was not all that valuable with only one out to go in the game (potentially), but for the cost, I don't see much in return. In short, if Madden did this against the Red Sox, I'd welcome it whole heartedly.
2. Last night, the Red Sox faced the Orioles. Coco Crisp was at bat with two outs. With the count 2-2, the O's pitcher threw and Coco walked. What? How's that possible, you ask? Well, its not, but it happened. Coco Crisp walked on ball three. And nobody complained about it. Lets play Count The People Who Had Their Heads Up Their Ass While The Home Plate Umpire (Who Had His Head Up His Ass) Awarded Crisp A Base He Had Not Earned (CTPWHTHUTAWTHPU(WHHHUHA)ACABHHNE):
1. The home plate umpire
2-4. The other three umpires
5. The Orioles Manager
6. Anyone else on the Orioles bench
7. The O's Catcher
8. Any of the other seven players playing the field for Baltimore
9. Any of the reported 43,000+ fans in attendance at Camden Yards
Even the announcers didn't realize for sure it until after the next commercial break. They came back from commercial with, "You know, maybe Crisp shouldn't have walked..."
In true comical fashion, only one person in the entire stadium* knew the count: the scoreboard operator. And the umpire ignored him.
So, the O's got screwed, though it didn't end up costing them anything on the scoreboard. Still, its hard to have sympathy for them considering the above list. I mean, really, couldn't the back up catcherhave leaned over to the pitching coach and said, "Hey, I think thats only three balls." But no.
*Yes, any of the Red Sox players or coaches may have known the count and not mentioned it.
3 comments:
I love playing games like RTHFGDNBBPLFFGDSWTTYR.
Also, how did you get that picture of Bill playing little league?
I love how the word "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAY" goes off the side of the browser. I didn't plan it that way, but I'll be damned if I don't laugh every time I see it.
Post a Comment