A Very Bazaar Weekend in Baseball
May 20th 2009 13:52
Did you ever go away for a few days and not pay as close attention to baseball as you would while you were home, and then when you got home you realized how much you missed by not keeping up with the game. Well that happened to me this past weekend.
In a three-day span we had Angels pitcher John Lackey return from the disabled list and get ejected after throwing just two pitches. Then the Rays incorrectly filled out the lineup card and had Evan Longoria and Willie Aybar playing third base so therefore they lost the designated hitter and Andy Sonnanstine was inserted into the third spot in the lineup, replacing Longoria. When you thought things couldn't get more bazaar, on Monday night the Mets took the lead against the Dodgers in the 12th inning, but Ryan Church missed the third base bag and was called out after the Dodgers appealed. The Dodgers eventually won the game in the bottom of the inning.
The Lackey incident was just frustration by the Angels after Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler hit a home run the night before. The first pitch Lackey threw was behind Kinsler and the catcher actually caught the pitch so he was aware the pitch was going there. You can't catch that pitch coming 90-plus mph and the batter is screening you if you don't know the pitch location.
The other two incidents are just pure stupidity. The manager fills out the lineup card, but he has six other coaches to review the card before they exchange cards at home plate so this should be caught. This is similar to last season when the Reds batted out of order against the Mets. Mistakes happen but this is just careless. Also how can a professional ballplayer miss third base? I can understand missing first base because you are trying to pick up where the ball is, but third base. You should be looking at the third base coach as you are approaching the bag, and most of the time the bag is in the same line as the coach as he is giving you directions. It happens in Little League and on other levels, but not on the Major League level.
There has been some great storylines after just over two months of the season, but this weekend will not be forgotten for a very long time.
In a three-day span we had Angels pitcher John Lackey return from the disabled list and get ejected after throwing just two pitches. Then the Rays incorrectly filled out the lineup card and had Evan Longoria and Willie Aybar playing third base so therefore they lost the designated hitter and Andy Sonnanstine was inserted into the third spot in the lineup, replacing Longoria. When you thought things couldn't get more bazaar, on Monday night the Mets took the lead against the Dodgers in the 12th inning, but Ryan Church missed the third base bag and was called out after the Dodgers appealed. The Dodgers eventually won the game in the bottom of the inning.
The Lackey incident was just frustration by the Angels after Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler hit a home run the night before. The first pitch Lackey threw was behind Kinsler and the catcher actually caught the pitch so he was aware the pitch was going there. You can't catch that pitch coming 90-plus mph and the batter is screening you if you don't know the pitch location.
The other two incidents are just pure stupidity. The manager fills out the lineup card, but he has six other coaches to review the card before they exchange cards at home plate so this should be caught. This is similar to last season when the Reds batted out of order against the Mets. Mistakes happen but this is just careless. Also how can a professional ballplayer miss third base? I can understand missing first base because you are trying to pick up where the ball is, but third base. You should be looking at the third base coach as you are approaching the bag, and most of the time the bag is in the same line as the coach as he is giving you directions. It happens in Little League and on other levels, but not on the Major League level.
There has been some great storylines after just over two months of the season, but this weekend will not be forgotten for a very long time.
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