Let's Speak Of Baseball

Let us speak of baseball. During the night of the blackout last summer, I listened to a Yankee game on the radio. If at home, I still listen to most of the Yankee games on the radio, since my dish provider does not supply YES Network coverage. This does have a throwback feel to it, but after awhile, it becomes rather enjoyable. Radio rests the eyes, and I do my share of reading and such, and it has a old time serial cliffhanger flavor to it. Likewise, good play by play announcers add a charming nature to the game. One of them is an old Yankee kiss-up sort, but he's not too bad, and in fact better than his old partner now on television. The great announcers of yore might be a disappearing breed, but some of the new bucks have their talents.

I do have Mets coverage, and besides, the Mets have a greater share of free tv games. On the other hand, last night I was taping A Wrinkle In Time so was listening to the game as the pitching self-destructed. It was the night of the latest promising (in March) fifth starter, James Baldwin, who didn't pitch much better than his writer namesake (I shouldn't be so critical -- the writer might have pitched better, if he was alive, and all). It was BP for two innings and it didn't bode well when the Diamondbacks (whose starter was far from great either, though he did get a double) stole a three run homer from the Mets in the second. You just knew the 4-2 lead would not hold up.

This sort of thing is a bit less painful to listen to, I guess, as was the fact that the reliever (Dan Wheeler) was actually worse (in 1.1 innings, he gave up six runs as well, plus two of the runs he inherited). And, then, we had a bit of farce, that did beg for some visuals. After his first disastrous inning, Wheeler lead off, and got his first hit of his career. The score was now 9-4 (helped by the great catch and miscues on both sides), so you just had to laugh. To add to the farce, the Home Plate and First Base umpires got into some sort of debate over the retrieval of the game ball. This was my signal just to turn off the game, which was 12-6 when Wheeler left after one out in the Fourth. Not being the Yanks, they did lose it (12-8).

It's going to be that sort of year, apparently. After all, Sunday's game was won in extra innings, after an early 3-1 lead was blown, the topper being a crazy eighth. The score 3-2 with two outs, John Franco and company couldn't get that last out before it was 5-3 (Brewers). The baseball gods was on their side though, and they weren't swept (the Mets had just swept the Giants, but currently, the Brewers have the better record). Helped by a balk, pitch runner Jae Seo (who would have pitched last night, but for an injured nail) scored from second to tie it via a head first slide. Slumping Matsui hit the winning run in the eleventh and most of the team slapped him on his cap in an amusing display of team camaraderie. Enjoy the fun games when you can. [Update: They lost the next game in less grandiose fashion, giving up nine runs.]