Baseball '09: Volume IV: Memorial Day Commemorative Edition
The first ball game I ever attended with my Dad--and our landlord from Santa Rosa, Andy Hall--was at Candlestick Park, that old wind-blown outpost down by the water, the Giants versus Dale Murphy's Atlanta Braves. Bob Brenly made three errors that dusty summer day, but also hit a game winning home run.
On Memorial Day, 2009, fittingly, I went to the new wind-blown outpost down by the water on the other side of the city, again to watch the Giants play the Braves, who now belong to Chipper Jones, although he did not start today due to injury.
Marina and I held club level tickets, compliments of work. These were awesome seats that gave us the right mix of sun and shade for the course of the game. Couldn't quite get the same view of the sailboats on the bay, but I wasn't complaining. I had a plastic bottle of Anchor Steam and a tray of garlic fries, and a sunny, well-manicured baseball field before me. Apparently having a job can be a good thing.
Speaking of having a job, Jonathan Sanchez took the hill for the Giants, one of a cadre of young pitchers who have been hovering on the edge of breaking out for the last couple of years, and who became firmly slotted into the rotation this year with the continuing injury-quagmire that is the career of Noah Lowry. Now, with the Giants in transition between the bat of Barry Bonds and the bats of some of the big prospects in the minor leagues, and with other young arms set to follow Tim Lincecum, Sanchez has been the subject of trade rumors, especially this past week in the wake of more mediocre offensive outings.
If he is bothered by those trade rumors, you couldn't tell from the first inning, where he quickly racked up three K's along the right field wall (three strikeouts, that is).
The opening innings were quick and painless affairs, with a couple of quirky moments. Top of the second, Brian McCann's bat went flying out of his hands after he made contact with the ball, and it whirled out past the pitcher's mound, which has to have distracted the defense. By the time Emmanuel Burriss came up with the ball, it was too late to retire McCann. And in the bottom of the second, Travis Ishikawa, another Giant who has been playing all too gently and who has also been hearing rumors, these of the great-hitting options behind him in the minors, particularly Jesus Guzman, blooped a high pop up that looked to be an easy out until the Braves pitcher and third baseman collided and the ball fell harmlessly to earth with a dull thud for a single.
In the bottom of the 4th, Randy Winn singled with one out, stole second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. It looked like we were in business, with the heart of our lineup coming up. But Bengie Molina, the cleanup hitter, who only needed a long fly ball or perhaps a slow-moving ground ball to drive in the run, popped out weakly, and Fred Lewis struck out, which was the same sort of anticlimax that has tormented me all year.
But this time, the Giants did something about it. In the bottom of the 5th, Ishikawa, perhaps feeling inspired by the looming shadow of Jesus (Guzman), singled to lead off the inning, stole second base on Juan Uribe's strike out, and then took third when Vazquez threw another wild pitch. Emmanuel Burriss singled to center field, scoring Ishikawa, and then when Sanchez put down a bunt, Vazquez gave us another gift by trying futilely to throw out the speedy Burriss at second rather than going for the sure out at first base. Rowand popped out, which would have been the third out if Sanchez had been sacrificed, but as it was, it set the table for Edgar Renteria to double in both Burriss and Sanchez for a 3-0 lead.
Of course, they wouldn't be my Giants if they didn't let their momentum get undercut a little bit right away. Top of the 6th, and maybe Sanchez was tired from running the bases, but all of a sudden he could not get an out. Sanchez loaded the bases and gave up a run before Justin Miller entered the game. He gave up one more run before extinguishing the rally. 3-2 Giants. I was worried, but I comforted myself with thinking that even if Atlanta rallied to win, at least our mascot isn't racist.
But suddenly, the baserunning errors that were driving me crazy in April seemed to have vanished. Good aggressive baserunning by Ishikawa and Fred Lewis scored two more runs in the bottom of the 6th, and the lead was restored.
In the bottom of the 8th, after Randy Winn doubled and Molina fouled out, the Braves elected to walk Fred Lewis intentionally in order to pitch to Ishikawa, who was three for three at that point. Conventional wisdom, of course, indicates that this set up a force out at third; but you can't help but ignore the implication that the Braves allowed a base runner for free for the chance to pitch to Ishikawa.
Travis responded by hammering a majestic drive, long and deep, just right of dead center field and into the stands, slamming the door shut on Atlanta. Storybook, I tell you. That's why I love baseball.
8-2, Giants. A very comfortable, low-stress victory with lots of great hitting for the Giants. They executed every aspect well: hitting, pitching, fielding, base-running. This is why baseball is marvelous; your team might not make the playoffs, but they will always be capable of putting together a brilliant game to restore your faith in the existence of good in this world.
At least until the next day, when the State Supreme Court upheld Prop 8, but that's not the subject of this blog.
On Memorial Day, 2009, fittingly, I went to the new wind-blown outpost down by the water on the other side of the city, again to watch the Giants play the Braves, who now belong to Chipper Jones, although he did not start today due to injury.
Marina and I held club level tickets, compliments of work. These were awesome seats that gave us the right mix of sun and shade for the course of the game. Couldn't quite get the same view of the sailboats on the bay, but I wasn't complaining. I had a plastic bottle of Anchor Steam and a tray of garlic fries, and a sunny, well-manicured baseball field before me. Apparently having a job can be a good thing.
Speaking of having a job, Jonathan Sanchez took the hill for the Giants, one of a cadre of young pitchers who have been hovering on the edge of breaking out for the last couple of years, and who became firmly slotted into the rotation this year with the continuing injury-quagmire that is the career of Noah Lowry. Now, with the Giants in transition between the bat of Barry Bonds and the bats of some of the big prospects in the minor leagues, and with other young arms set to follow Tim Lincecum, Sanchez has been the subject of trade rumors, especially this past week in the wake of more mediocre offensive outings.
If he is bothered by those trade rumors, you couldn't tell from the first inning, where he quickly racked up three K's along the right field wall (three strikeouts, that is).
The opening innings were quick and painless affairs, with a couple of quirky moments. Top of the second, Brian McCann's bat went flying out of his hands after he made contact with the ball, and it whirled out past the pitcher's mound, which has to have distracted the defense. By the time Emmanuel Burriss came up with the ball, it was too late to retire McCann. And in the bottom of the second, Travis Ishikawa, another Giant who has been playing all too gently and who has also been hearing rumors, these of the great-hitting options behind him in the minors, particularly Jesus Guzman, blooped a high pop up that looked to be an easy out until the Braves pitcher and third baseman collided and the ball fell harmlessly to earth with a dull thud for a single.
In the bottom of the 4th, Randy Winn singled with one out, stole second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. It looked like we were in business, with the heart of our lineup coming up. But Bengie Molina, the cleanup hitter, who only needed a long fly ball or perhaps a slow-moving ground ball to drive in the run, popped out weakly, and Fred Lewis struck out, which was the same sort of anticlimax that has tormented me all year.
But this time, the Giants did something about it. In the bottom of the 5th, Ishikawa, perhaps feeling inspired by the looming shadow of Jesus (Guzman), singled to lead off the inning, stole second base on Juan Uribe's strike out, and then took third when Vazquez threw another wild pitch. Emmanuel Burriss singled to center field, scoring Ishikawa, and then when Sanchez put down a bunt, Vazquez gave us another gift by trying futilely to throw out the speedy Burriss at second rather than going for the sure out at first base. Rowand popped out, which would have been the third out if Sanchez had been sacrificed, but as it was, it set the table for Edgar Renteria to double in both Burriss and Sanchez for a 3-0 lead.
Of course, they wouldn't be my Giants if they didn't let their momentum get undercut a little bit right away. Top of the 6th, and maybe Sanchez was tired from running the bases, but all of a sudden he could not get an out. Sanchez loaded the bases and gave up a run before Justin Miller entered the game. He gave up one more run before extinguishing the rally. 3-2 Giants. I was worried, but I comforted myself with thinking that even if Atlanta rallied to win, at least our mascot isn't racist.
But suddenly, the baserunning errors that were driving me crazy in April seemed to have vanished. Good aggressive baserunning by Ishikawa and Fred Lewis scored two more runs in the bottom of the 6th, and the lead was restored.
In the bottom of the 8th, after Randy Winn doubled and Molina fouled out, the Braves elected to walk Fred Lewis intentionally in order to pitch to Ishikawa, who was three for three at that point. Conventional wisdom, of course, indicates that this set up a force out at third; but you can't help but ignore the implication that the Braves allowed a base runner for free for the chance to pitch to Ishikawa.
Travis responded by hammering a majestic drive, long and deep, just right of dead center field and into the stands, slamming the door shut on Atlanta. Storybook, I tell you. That's why I love baseball.
8-2, Giants. A very comfortable, low-stress victory with lots of great hitting for the Giants. They executed every aspect well: hitting, pitching, fielding, base-running. This is why baseball is marvelous; your team might not make the playoffs, but they will always be capable of putting together a brilliant game to restore your faith in the existence of good in this world.
At least until the next day, when the State Supreme Court upheld Prop 8, but that's not the subject of this blog.
posted by Devin at 10:41 PM
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