baseball ::
leplastrier
Highlights and lowlights from the 2009 MLB season.
I also wrote a tweet for every 2009 Angel’s game.
My favorite photo from the postseason. Aybar practically doing the splits in midair as he leaps over a takeout slide from A-Rod to get the double play.
He was not impressed by the takeout slide.
Last pitch of 2009.
I’m not sure if the Phanatic captures the right tone for the national anthem.
I feel like I am watching some not funny episode of 30 Rock.
Meet the Lowell Lightning, a dynamic team of ballplayers not afraid to take an occasional line drive in the chest and who don’t mind getting hit by the pitch more often than most. The Lightning play Beep Baseball, a game which alerts blind players about the ball’s location by sound. The Beep Baseball World Series has been played every year since 1975.
– Blind Baseball - youtube.com
Morales and Napoli stumble into double steal of 3rd and home. I think it is a bit of stretch to call this a double steal of 3rd and home, but a crazy play nonetheless. Morales skipping over the slide and poking at the plate was quite a move.
Fly, fly, fly away. I don’t believe it, I see the light!
Call of the Year : Mariner’s radio guy accurately predicts home run before the game, including the count and placement.
Let me take you back a bit. On the pregame show there is a “Picks to Click” segment where the broadcasters and Mike Blowers pick who they think will be the days player of the game.
Sunday things got a little goofy during the segment and Mike made a wild prediction.
Tui’s second at bat came in the top of the 5th inning and as you can hear, the Blowers prediction was on the mind of Dave Niehaus.
I cannot tell you how many times through the years I have sat next to Blowers during a game and he has told me exactly what was about to happen. This however, was unbelievable. And fun too! Truly two of the best calls of the year.
– Call Of The Year - Mariners Blog News - MyNorthwest.com
That was insane. Clearly Hud and the Angels radio guys need to start making these predictions.
So I guess he was wrong about what deck, but he got the direction right.
Light up the Halo, Angels clinch the AL West.
“Where do you start with this one?” the reporter asked.
“Is that all you got?” Scioscia snapped. “Where do you want to start?”
There was only one place to start. At the end.
The plate umpire called ball four. The Angels saw strike three.
And, even after some 25 minutes to cool down, Brian Fuentes wondered aloud whether that umpire was too “timid” or “scared” by the charged Boston atmosphere to make what the Angels believed was the right call.
…
“What was the count at the end?” Scioscia said. “Three-and-four to Green?”
– Loss to Red Sox has even Mike Scioscia shaking his head - latimes.com
MIAMI—In a sudden end to a trying year, the Mets’ Jeff Francoeur lined into a rare centuple play against the Florida Marlins Wednesday, which by rule cut New York’s season short. “I hit it on the screws, but it just happened to be in a spot where they could turn a hundred,” said Francoeur, who watched helplessly as Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla tagged everyone in the Mets dugout before heading into the clubhouse and tagging both equipment manager Charlie Samuels and physical therapist John Zajac.
– Rare Centuple Play Ends Mets’ Season | The Onion - America’s Finest News Source
The Springfield Cardinals closed out the regular season with a 3-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers on Labor Day afternoon. The victory was highlighted by a rarely-seen double play at home plate. The double play occurred in the 7th inning. Coby Smith of Arkansas lined an extra base hit to right-centerfield. Arkansas attempted to score a pair of runners on the play but the Springfield Cardinals made a perfect set of relay throws and the runners, Hainle Statia and Peter Bourgos, were tagged out at the plate by Cardinals catcher Steven Hill.
– Rare homeplate double play ends 7th inning at Hammons Field - ky3.com video no longer available
And yes, that’s a misspelling of future Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos. They don’t call him Speedy Petie for nothing. Incredible he caught up with the runner in front of him.
Eric Bruntlett caught the ball, landed on second base in perfect stride and spun around to tag a bewildered Daniel Murphy. Murphy had a look on his face that said, “No way. Did that really just happen?” It had. Bruntlett had turned an unassisted triple play to end a 9-7 victory over the Mets at Citi Field on Sunday afternoon.
– Bruntlett joins rare company - Turns only second game-ending unassisted triple play - MLB.com
Kendry Morales just had a hell of an at bat. That’s a lot of foul balls.
The result was he reached on a throwing error and got 2 RBIs.
Mark Buehrle of the White Sox just pitched a perfect game. ‘Nuff said.
Well maybe a bit more to say.
Defensive substitution Dewayne Wise saved a home run ball that was over the fence during the second to last at bat. The game also featured a grand slam. One for the books. Only the 18th perfect game in history, the first since the Big Unit in 2004.
What a play by Wise… mercy! What a great catch by Dewayne Wise. … Under the circumstances, one of the greatest catches I have ever seen in 50 years in this game.
– Wise robs homer, saves perfecto - MLB.com
(ball is put into play) Alexei… (out at first) YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! HISTORY!
– Buehrle seals perfect game - MLB.com
Wikipedia says on average 1 perfect game every 7 years. And also: “For comparison, more people have orbited the moon than have pitched a Major League Baseball perfect game.”
There’s seems to be some dispute as to how many perfect games there have been. I’m going off of this list from MLB.
The President called Buehrle to congratulate him on the game. I suppose it helps he’s a White Sox fan.
Every Wednesday, the Angel’s radio guys take email questions/comments from their audience. A friend had a brilliant suggestion for a new nickname for Erick Aybar, which I pressured him into emailing into the radio show. The result was both hilarious and awesome. I really hope they start using it on the radio and TV. And hopefully Scioscia will start calling him that in the dugout.
angels-email-wednesday-admiral-aybar.mp3 1.5MB
Transcript
(cut off) … says how ‘bought Admiral Aybar as a nickname? For those who don’t know, Admiral Ackbar was a small character in the original Star Wars movies, and Jonathan thinks that Admiral Aybar fits him, even though, ah, Admiral Ackbar looked like a giant crawfish. laughs So, I don’t know if Aybar would enjoy that. – Rory Markas
Well all I can remember from Star Wars days is that Admiral Ackbar was an integral part of the Rebel Alliance in destroying the newly built Death Star in Return of the Jedi. – Terry Smith
I’d like to see you explain that to Aybar. laughs – RM
I’ll tell you what Rory, I know you’re moving over to the TV side starting tomorrow night, and I’m going to suggest to Hud and the Professor, that maybe they can start calling Erick Aybar, Admiral Aybar. – TS
If anybody can explain it in an understandable way to Aybar its probably Hud. – RM
laughs – TS
In the the next game, Terry mentions the nickname idea to Hud, who reacts.. well like Hud.
angels-7-23-09-admiral-aybar-in-game.mp3 1.2MB
Transcript
Mention Mighty Maicer Izturis, Hud, and we had an email yesterday, I know you’re on the TV side, but we had a suggestion from a listener of a nickname for Erick Aybar. – Terry Smith
Well what was it? – Rex Hudler
They wanted us to start calling him Admiral Aybar. – TS
laughs – RH
The pitch, a bouncer back near the mound, fielded by Keppel, one play first, in time, and Izturis is retired, and Figgins moves up to second base. – TS
Why Admiral? – RH
Well, I guess, many years ago… now Gardenhire is gonna come out, looks like he’s gonna bring in the left hander to face Bobby Abreu, we’ll get to that story when we get back. We have a pitching change here at the Big A… – TS
We never did get to hear what Hud thought of the nickname.
However, the nickname did get added to Wikipedia.
Flickr: The President at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game.
The moment with Ichiro was maybe my favorite from the whole evening. On TV you could tell he was totally in awe, almost giddy. The President handed him the autographed ball and said “Here you go future Hall of Famer.”
This was also a great moment, where the President was giving Ryan Howard and Pujols a bunch of grief about losing the Home Run Derby to Fielder.
Of course flying Willie Mays down on Air Force One was a nice gesture as well.
Video of the President in the locker room and throwing out the first pitch.
It is a shame he plays for the Nationals, a team which doesn’t get a lot of national exposure.
– Joe Buck
Somehow I missed this last night, but Figgy “accidently” bumped into Posada trying to catch a foul pop up and knocked Posada’s glove off. Posada went ahead and caught the ball barehanded.
I love the look on Posada’s face after he caught the ball.
First no hitter of the season was thrown tonight by Jonathan Sanchez of the Giants. What is more impressive is he took a perfect game into the 8th inning. Then Uribe had a fielding error. I’m sure that doesn’t feel so good.
I wonder if there is some protocol in that situation. Maybe the guy who gave up the error has to wash the pitcher’s car for the rest of his life.
Sanchez does not look pleased.
A new camera and software system in its final testing phases will record the exact speed and location of the ball and every player on the field, allowing the most digitized of sports to be overrun anew by hundreds of innovative statistics that will rate players more accurately, almost certainly affect their compensation and perhaps alter how the game itself is played.
– With New System, Digital Eyes Will Chart Baseball’s Unseen Skills - NYTimes.com
Be sure to watch the video.
In Major League Baseball, where players are breaking down in record numbers, teams paid about a half-billion dollars last season to players on the disabled list. The ability to predict how players’ bodies will fare is a holy grail. With an actuarial approach, Conte seems to have a head start in the pursuit. He is trying to build a formula that will give teams a competitive advantage and help them avoid players who spend their days in the training room and not on the field.
– Dodgers’ Trainer Searches for Way of Predicting Baseball Injuries - NYTimes.com
This is the baseball diamond made for Field of Dreams.
I think this guy’s last name is my favorite in all of baseball. Tied for the longest name all time in MLB. Barely fits on the jersey.
Having just doubled home three runs in the fourth inning to give the Angels a one-run lead and taking third on a throwing error by Augie Ojeda, Gary Matthews Jr. wasn’t satisfied. Timing the delivery of D-backs right-hander Max Scherzer, Matthews broke for home on a 1-1 pitch that sailed high to Erick Aybar. Catcher Miguel Montero strained to get a tag down, but Matthews maneuvered away from him with a classic hook slide to give the Angels a 4-2 lead.
“Hey, Jackie Robinson – way to go,” Hunter said, beaming.
– Matthews swipes a run from D-backs - MLB.com
I think someone is trying for a little more playing time.
The DBack’s next defensive inning would be called the “worst defensive inning I’ve seen in 25 years” by the radio guys. Hud would sum it up by saying: “Where’s the bucket, I’ve got to puke”.
It would be misleading to suggest Darryl’s experience of anything is at all akin to mine, excepting perhaps that we both spent our childhoods in the Southland. Dude was a Major League phenom, rookie of the year, at roughly the same age I was probably sitting in a basement apartment in Montreal ditching my English Lit. survey, puffing on Gauloise Rouge cigarettes, and singing “Hot Corn, Cold Corn.” But I can’t cut the empathy umbilicus. I’m happy to see him doing well, in a way that doesn’t compare to any lingering affection I have for other celebrities from that era. There’s something about your first baseball hero that sticks in your craw, especially one with a tortured narrative like Darryl’s. You feel he always belongs to you.
– FANZINE: Strawberry Jamming by Richard Parks
My friend Richard Parks writes about his youthful fandom of Darryl Strawberry.
Watching J. Weaver versus J. Weaver. Here are their parents, each wearing half an Angel jersey, and half a Dodger jersey. What a family.
This is the first time they have pitched against each other in the majors I believe. I didn’t notice initially that they both have jersey number 36.
Only a few baseball stats seem available right now, but this could be fun if they flesh it out more. Annoying, since the Angels can never decide on their name, their data is spotty and annoying or non existent right now.
Wolfram|Alpha is an enjoyable distraction during a rain delay.
So stop making athletes your icons, they’re supremely gifted, extraordinarily talented human beings, period. After that they’re no different than you, not one bit. They endure the same hardships at home, divorce, drugs, domestic violence, DUI, and every other thing you can read about on page A1 of any newspaper. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the size of the paycheck is relevant to the core of the man. Don’t place more responsibility on them, or accountability, because life doesn’t work that way.
– Thank you Jason Bay - 38 Pitches
What is this a cricket test match? Seattle beats Oakland 8-7 in 15 innings, 5 hours 2 minutes. 500+ pitches. Hell of a game.
How long will Patrick Schuster’s luck last? It is a question his mother, Sharon, has worried about since well before Schuster, a senior at Mitchell High School near Tampa, pitched the first of his four consecutive no-hitters on April 3. There is so much that is out of the left-handed Schuster’s control, even though he has a despot’s command of his pitches. It is never far from his mind that on any given day — maybe even Tuesday, when the Mitchell Mustangs open the 6A playoffs — an opponent, in desperation, can poke his aluminum bat at one of Schuster’s 90-mile-an-hour fastballs and snap the streak with a ping heard ’round Pasco County.
“Baseball,” he said, “has never felt like work.”
– Florida High School Senior to Try for Fifth Consecutive No-Hitter - NYTimes.com
His delivery looks like Walter Johnson’s.
The bases were loaded with two outs when lefty Andy Pettitte, working out of the windup, delivered a 1-1 pitch. Ellsbury, who had an enormous lead, bolted for home and slid in headfirst before Yankees catcher Jorge Posada could tag him.
– Ellsbury steals home against Yanks - MLB.com
I’ve always thought this is one of the gutsiest plays in the game.
Norman Brown expressed countless thanks to a mysterious voice on the other end of his cell phone. He then snapped it shut and turned to his 12-year-old daughter, Mackenzie. “Yo dawg,” he said, thrusting his arms in her direction, “you’re throwing out the first pitch at the Mets game on Saturday!” 12-year-old Mackenzie Brown became the first girl in Bayonne Little League history to throw a perfect game. Life has been a little crazy for Mackenzie since Tuesday. Of course, that can happen when you retire all 18 boys you face for a perfect game in the Bayonne Little League – the rarest of baseball feats, even at that level.
– Bayonne girl’s perfect game gains national recognition - NJ.com
After she gets her start for the Mets, I hope the Angels try to buy her contract. With 6 pitchers on the DL, they could use her.
There are two outs. Bases loaded. You are ahead by one. The count is 0-1. What do you do? If you are Figgins, you drag bunt. And drive in 2 runs. Incredible.
This guy is fearless.
Babe Ruth greeted Arthur Giddon as he did most 13-year-olds, even those in uniform. Giddon chatted with the Babe for a moment but tore himself away because he had a job to do. It was 1922, and as a Boston Braves bat boy, Giddon had to break out the bats, polish some spikes and otherwise outfit his players for that afternoon’s game at Braves Field. Eighty-seven years later, on Saturday, Giddon will reprise his role for his now-beloved Red Sox — as a special 100th birthday present, he will serve as the team’s honorary bat boy prior to the game against the rival Yankees.
– From Bat Boy to Red Sox Fan, a Tip of the Cap to No. 100 - NYTimes.com
Game commentary
Cleveland is demolishing the Yankees, 20-2. They had a 14 run 2nd inning. 5 home runs in the game. Maybe the new stadium means the end of the Evil Empire.
Apparently that is the most runs the Yankees have ever allowed in a single inning.
Final score, 22-4. 6 Cleveland home runs. Yikes.
Gameday is starting to look like an airplane cockpit.
In honor of Wakefield pitching tonight:
Like some cult religion that barely survives, there has always been at least one but rarely more than five or six devotees throwing the knuckleball in the big leagues… Not only can’t pitchers control it, hitters can’t hit it, catchers can’t catch it, coaches can’t coach it, and most pitchers can’t learn it. The perfect pitch.
– Ron Luciano, former AL umpire
Another good one:
I always thought the knuckleball was the easiest pitch to catch. Wait’ll it stops rolling, then go to the backstop and pick it up.
– broadcaster and former catcher Bob Uecke
Angels blank the A’s. Great way to start the season.
Is Ken Griffey, Jr. immortal? I see he hit a home run in his 20th season opener, his 8th opening day home run, tying the record.
The Angels are in first place as it should be, before anyone has played a game. And don’t try and tell me that it is just alphabetical order. That’s just a coincidence.
This list will be in the same order in October.