Thursday Take Twos

New York baseball fans prematurely have the Mets’ NL East title in the bag and are anointing Daniel Murphy an all-star. Yankees fans are crying for a new pitcher, manager and first baseman after suffering two consecutive losses in Baltimore to begin the season. While Johan Santana finally received the bailout he sought all last season, it’s still too early to detect how the Mets will fair the remainder of the Spring, let alone the summer. Santana flattened the Reds Opening Day in the relentless rain. Mike Pelfrey struggled through four innings before being pulled. Mike’s sinker just wasn’t sinking last night. Joey Botto slammed a Pelfrey pitch that failed to sink after he worked the count well. Pelfrey notched the win because the Mets held their lead and were able to get the hits they needed. There is reason to be pleased with the bullpen and both games in Cincinnati have been good wins for the Mets. Today was not so great for the Mets, as Oliver Perez surrendered eight runs. Perez got the first six Reds out but could not hold the Mets lead. The team went on to lose 8-6.
Carlos Delgado jacked a bomb last night that sent shivers down your spine. The man sure can hit and is the team spirit. Delgado set the bar for low, inside fastball hitters in the 1990’s. I think the key to Carlos’ success at the plate is his front left leg resting in the corner of the batter’s box. This stance enables him to open up and turn his hips with quick reaction time. It hardly mattered that the Reds infield enacted the modified shift against the pounding pull-hitting lefty. Carlos could have clubbed and clobbered Volquez’s pitch with a cue stick the way his bat whipped around last night. Delgado times his swing just so, with perfect prowess, proficiency and aptitude. I noticed Volquez threw the same exact fastball to the ensuring hitter, Carlos Beltran. Beltran belted the ball up the middle.
Murphy is a fine two-hole hitter and humble kid. I think his better days will outshine his worst for the Mets, but let’s not start the Paul O’Neill comparisons. O’Neill is a sacred stature in New York and Murphy has a long way to go.
Yankees fans need not fret frantically yet. Pinstripe backers witnessed C.C. Sabathia’s worst career start Monday night when the hefty hurler failed to record a strikeout for the first time ever. Last night, Chieng-Ming Wang was wobbly at best and allowed seven runs in just four innings of work. If Girardi thought he was on the hot seat heading into Wednesday night, now he has to be checking for pink slips (a bit of a gross exaggeration) The Yankee bullpen was the bright side last night but Monday, the relievers did nothing to help the team’s cause. The Yankees historically are tested by rookie pitchers, and last night was more of the same against the Orioles. It’s going to be a long year if Yankee fans analyze and scrutinize each loss. Fans have to realize the length of the baseball season will constitute many ups and downs. Today was a little brighter for the Bronx Bombers. Fans witnessed Mark Texeira’s first Yankee homerun and Phil Coke struck out the two left-handers he faced after relieving an economical A.J. Burnett. Burnett left the game with the lead in tact during the sixth after throwing exactly 100 pitches.

7th inning stretch (this is a new idea of mine, a little break in the action…)

Calming Cadence

I keep a red-stitched baseball on my nightstand at home. It’s a constant reminder of something tangible that gives me peace of mind. Baseball is beautiful and I can go off on a tangent talking about the special sport. Today after work, there wasn’t a thing in the world that could ruin the fact local baseball was being played. The game takes on a whole new meaning when I invest my energy in each pitch and play. People often use the phrase, “poetry in motion”, to describe brilliance. To me, watching baseball is poetry in motion. The game makes me come alive with radiance. The camera views from the mound electrify an innate interest in my soul. I listen to vendors in the distance selling popcorn and pretzels as pitchers prepare their location 60 ft, 6 inches from their heart. The story on the field unfolds as the hitter guesses, right or wrong, the type of pitch he will see. He knocks dirt from the inside of his cleats by tapping the wooden bat against them. Then the batter leans in towards the plate with a swaying stick in hand, waiting to wallop a pitch in his wheelhouse. The ball swirls friendly in the heavy air and fielders set their stares towards to scene. With frenzied fans eyeing the drama, the ball crosses the plate. Three bags are propped properly inside a diamond of white-painted sidelines. They are vacant props, but I know will be occupied by players sneaking leads.
Baseball was meant to save, and I honestly believe it is my savior. Whenever I am stressed out, sick, or stuck in a rut, I turn to the sport that makes me most happy. Less is more. The theory is true as it applies to baseball.

Ok back to the game…

I hear they banned alcohol at Rogers Centre in Toronto for three games due to unruly fans. As if the Bluejays didn’t have enough trouble reeling fans into their park, now they will have to watch games in a dry environment. The Jays are disenchanting and Canada needs a team to breath new life into the area. The visiting Tigers were enough to generate craziness. I can only wonder with wistful worry what an actual ball club would instigate.
The Uconn women’s basketball team completed an undefeated season to win the national championship Tuesday night. The unbeknownst, Tina Charles, took home MVP honors as the Huskies crushed Louisville in the final game. It’s a credit to the head coach and they women of the program to accomplish what they have in Connecticut. Women’s basketball is less violent than men’s at the NCAA level. Though, it is just as pleasing sometimes and there is more depth in today’s game than years before. The way Uconn swept through the competition this year was remarkable. The team tallied turnovers as often as the most liquid asset converts to cash. The fireworks on offense were incredible again this year for Geno Auriemma. Auriemma now can claim six national championships and has the respect of people across coaching lines.
The NBA Hall of Fame class announced the addition of Michael Jordan, John Stockton, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer. Jordan should really have a Hall of Fame all to himself in my opinion. Jordan was a single-man wrecking crew with mesmerizing reverse layups and unforgettable fade-away jumpers. M.J. was one of my favorites because of his breathtaking and torching basketball ability. I am sure he will deliver a poignant speech during the induction. I always admired “The Admiral” Robinson too. His Spurs were NBA champions twice during his 14 year career in San Antonio. Sloan and Stockton both made their names in Utah. Sloan is the longest tenured coach with a single franchise in all the major league sports. Stockton was a Gonzaga product who was an assist animal. Stringer is Rutgers’ leading lady with 825 career wins just about four decades in women’s college basketball.
DeJuan Blair and Blake Griffin are going pro. Both college hoopsters can shoot buckets satisfactorily and will enter the NBA draft. The standout sophomore from Oklahoma, Griffin, is projected as the first overall pick. Pittsburgh’s Blair will probably also go in the first round. Blair is a wizard dribbler and colossal clutch shooter.
North Carolina had the Michigan Spartans completely out of their element. The homogenous but honorable Tarheel effort is worth mentioning. NC had the best players and a most excellent coach on the court at the end of the year. They were abrupt, adept, adroit and agonizingly arresting Monday. Roy Williams’ lofty expectations were complete once he cut down the net and shared another championship with his team of gutsy believers. The Tarheels had quite the arsenal and deserved to win it all, but I would have enjoyed seeing at least one Big East team in the finals. Still, NC fans should soak up and swallow this win as one of the more memorable college teams will be unraveled at year’s end.
The golf world turns their eyes to August National for the Masters. The same storyline is effortlessly established with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson being the headliners headed for a Sunday showdown spat. Tiger redefined the meaning of success as an athlete, and Mickelson is the blue collar hero of the sport. Lefty is looking for another green jacket in the 73rd year of the event. Wood hasn’t worn the green since 2005. His drought could end tee time on a sunny Easter Sunday.
Quick trivia: Do you remember the defending champ? (Trevor Immelman)



Parting points: “409” by Beach Boys is today’s trippin’ tune.