tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55555533858202285382024-02-06T23:31:55.613-05:00Pinkhat BluehatA 162 Game Transformation from baseball novice to know-it-all.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-48481848900372644562010-10-21T20:30:00.000-04:002010-10-21T20:30:10.335-04:00Q & A<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">The questions keep rolling in…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Did you watch or listen to every game?</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Every single Red Sox game in the 2010 regular season. And I would have watched the post season too! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Where’s the final post?</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Can we say “better late than never?” Question 2B seems to be <i>did you fizzle out to make a statement about Boston’s lethargic conclusion to the season?</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Um, yeah. Let’s go with that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">What did you learn?</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Game one, I could not correctly define “hit.” I learned a lot over the course of the season. Some of it very basic but necessary to understand the game. Some of it pretty obscure even for blue hats. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br />
</div><ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Does your husband love you even more now? </li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">He’s moved onto football, but he did enjoy the blog. Unfortunately, he was looking for me to become a fanatic, to embody the elation and pain felt by the team (magnified by 10), not just a fan. You’re still on your own buddy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you watch the Sox next year?</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">I will definitely watch the Sox next year, but I will probably not watch every game. Especially the west coast games that don’t start until 10pm and don’t end until 2am. And I know the Sox are gonna go all the way next year. But if by chance they don’t, if they are out of the running in August, I might just slack off like the rest of Red Sox Nation. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Are you a bluehat now?</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">A couple days after the Sox played the Yankees in the final game of the season, ESPN premiered “Four Days in October,” a segment of the 30 for 30 documentary series. Four Days in October relived the drama of the 2004 American League Champion Series (ALCS). The Sox vs. the Yankees? The bloody sock? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">I watched every game in 2010. I learned the rules of baseball and the history of the Sox. But 2010 was just one season, and what I learned was just facts. Bluehats get excited to relive Four Days in October. I’ve only experienced Pedroia’s comeback against the Yankees on opening day, the amazing first performances of Darnell McDonald and Daniel Nava, the improbable number of injuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that all these, more than the rules, more than knowing dates and statistics, are what truly makes a bluehat. Give me a few more seasons of experiences and my pink hat will be blue.</div><!--EndFragment-->Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-30285341518935097622010-09-18T19:27:00.000-04:002010-09-18T21:26:40.049-04:00The Math Don't Lie<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1extBAMcEwzzDoAmnV1g3LB_dRVlGBOvjJlEzIxzlQtRkMvyjj9PrmmRW1bhPhyr6RuVyRtTSqRLKu-emn5e2mSTWJkNtks09V8TdoIszi3170Jmpdydo_uWL5Nj43F7I6gzj0ciR2Qg/s1600/photo-700050.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1extBAMcEwzzDoAmnV1g3LB_dRVlGBOvjJlEzIxzlQtRkMvyjj9PrmmRW1bhPhyr6RuVyRtTSqRLKu-emn5e2mSTWJkNtks09V8TdoIszi3170Jmpdydo_uWL5Nj43F7I6gzj0ciR2Qg/s320/photo-700050.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518429964918935154" /></a></p>If the Sox win, consider this a practice game for the Yankees!Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-55292898318575036042010-09-11T08:24:00.000-04:002013-01-29T10:09:58.962-05:00Metaphor<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span"><div>
In case you've given up on the Sox (in which case, thanks for continuing to follow the blog), the Sox are one game into a three game series at Oakland. That means 10pm games. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And Breakfast with the Sox for me.</div>
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I poured my coffee and flipped on the game at 7:59am. I made Dave promise not to tell me the outcome because I noticed he was on ESPN.com prepping for his Fantasy Football league. (Yeah, he's given up on the Sox and moved on to the Pats.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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The first pitch was to Kalish. He made contact, and he so would have had a home run if it weren't for a perfectly timed catch over the wall by Coco Crisp. <i>Why'd we get rid of him again? </i> I focus on the TV to check out the beautiful hit (and catch). What do you think flashes across the bottom of the screen? </div>
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<br /></div>
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The final score of the game. 5-0 Oakland.</div>
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So now I have to watch the game (luckily a condensed version) knowing that the Sox blow it. I am having a hard time not viewing this incident as a metaphor for the rest of the season. As in, why are you watching this? You know what is going to happen.</div>
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Does that make me a blue hat? </div>
</span></span><br />Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-65618810386722339672010-09-08T21:50:00.000-04:002010-09-08T21:50:56.028-04:00ChangeThings certainly have changed here.<br />
<br />
For one, my husband used to hide the remote so I couldn't watch Bravo. He now tells me to "turn that sh-- off," when I tune into NESN.<br />
<br />
And then tonight he answered a baseball question and followed it with "I could be wrong about that." (Or did he say "don't quote me on that?" Whoops, sorry Dave!)<br />
<br />
What was the question that stumped the stumper?<br />
<br />
Adrian Beltre stepped on first at the exact microsecond Tampa Bay's first baseman touched the base with ball in hand. Beltre was called out. Naively perhaps, I claimed he should have been safe. <i>Tie goes to the runner, right?</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
According to Dave - just don't quote him - tie goes to the runner isn't an official rule. Apparently someone always gets to the base first, and the officials can always tell, or at least make a judgement, about who it is. To get to the bottom of this I had to turn to google.<br />
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The wording of the official rule is, "a batter is out when, after he hits a fair ball, he or first base is tagged before he touches first base." Notice it doesn't say before or at the same time he touches first base. Tie goes to the runner may not be the official wording of the rule, but it seems like a pretty fair restatement of the rule.<br />
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Speaking of baseball rules, I need someone to explain what just happened with Eric Patterson and Victor Martinez. Patterson began running home, then turned around to tag up but Martinez was already there. The thirdbaseman tagged Martinez and Patterson... I think that if Patterson had remained on base he would have been safe, but instead he started walking off the field. He was then tagged out.<br />
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Too bad bluehats are no longer watching the Sox. I could really use some help with that one.<br />
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Hey, I am still learning new baseball rules, so maybe not EVERYTHING has changed.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-13926139324447172842010-08-31T19:31:00.001-04:002010-08-31T19:31:37.862-04:00Cardinal Rule of Baseball<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">I have watched or listened to every Red Sox game this season with minimal channel flipping. That is one hundred and thirty-three games, but who (besides me) is counting?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The sports wonks, including my in-house Soxpert have pretty much given up on Boston. If they are right, and the Sox have really dug a playoff-less grave for 2010, my Sox-ucation will only last 31 more games.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Knowing that my games are numbered and at some point I am going to be left watching the Sox alone (fair-weathered, bluehatted fans), I am holding on to every last gem of knowledge my hubby spews these days. Including the "cardinal rule" of baseball. "never make the last out on third."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Perhaps I should use my last 31 games to stop you bluehats from institutionally preventing pinkhats from learning the game. When Dave yelled "Dude, that's like the cardinal rule of baseball - you never make the last out on third, " I went "huh?"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Somehow thinking that his ear-numbing tirade at the television had been less than audible, he repeated himself. And then, met with my bland stare, repeated himself again.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Nope, I (and all the neighbors) heard you fine. But how could you possibly expect me to understand that?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">In the beginning of the season, "making an out" meant stepping on the plate, tagging the player, or hitting him with the ball. (See how far I have come?) Apparently bluehats understand the sentiment "never make the last out on third," despite its tricky wording. It means that the offense - not the defense as the wording suggests - should not have risked the out if he wasn't forced to third. The only sure way the runner will get home from third is on a hit... but chances are the runner could make it from second on the same hit. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">So if there are two outs, the runner should never steal third. However, if there is only one out, stealing third could be a good gamble. You MIGHT get home on a fly ball. But at least if you don't make it home you haven't ended the inning.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Simple enough concept, but did I really have to waste one of my dwindling learning opportunities deciphering it. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Ugh, I never thought that after 133 games I would still need someone to point out a cardinal rule of baseball. And then require a translator to decipher it.</span>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-25552244915098142962010-08-18T21:05:00.002-04:002010-08-18T21:14:55.533-04:00Guest BloggerI requested that my husband "guest blog" for me tonight. Although I would much rather be writing about baseball (wow, never thought I would say that), I am writing up a grant proposal for work while I watch the Sox.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>The guest blogging started as a joke. Now I'm thinking why not? He is a Sox baseball expert, and he is as opinionated as most bloggers (and guest bloggers). </div><div><br />
</div><div>You want to know why not? Because he is saying no. He is saying that although he is a hilarious person in general, he can't write funny.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I don't really care if this post is funny, just that it is done. This weekend my mother-in-law was wondering about the difference between pitching out of the windup and pitching out of the stretch. My mother-in-law just happens to be my husband's mother, so it is only fair that Dave answer this one for <s>her</s> me. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So I asked him the question... and copied what he said word-for-word. Here is his unintentional guest blog post: </div><div><br />
</div><div>"It's actually a very simple question so you should be able to blog very easily." <i>Heehee, hubby, if only you knew.</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>"It's gone, it's so very gone!" <i>Nope, that has nothing to do with pitching out of the windup. Or out of the stretch. It is Dave's method for celebrating Bill Hall's solo homerun over the Volvo sign while simultaneously annoying me because he knows how much I hate that Southwest Commercial.</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>"Here look, I'll show you. You told me last week that you are a visual learner." <i>Shut up, stop trying to be a good husband that listens, and just tell me the answer to the question so I can get back to my work.</i></div><div><br />
"Look at John Lackey. He is pitching to the Angels Reggie Willets. There isn't a huge difference in his pitches, but he doesn't have his full leg motion now that Bobby Abreu is on base."<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div>"The windup is the regular pitching motion. Pitchers want to throw out of the windup because they have better accuracy and better speed."</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div>"The pitcher pitches out of the stretch when there is somebody on base. The pitcher wants to get the ball to the catcher as fast as possible to hold the runner. If there is a runner on first, as long as he has just a little speed, the pitcher has to worry that he might try to steal so he doesn't want to waste time with the windup. If there is a runner on third... hey, stop writing what I am saying verbatim... most pitchers will pitch out of the windup anyway because runners on third don't usually steal base."</div><div><br />
</div><div>And there you have it folks (and mom) - the difference between pitching out of the windup and pitching out of the stretch. Brought to you by guest blogger Dave.</div>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-56922212936216481862010-08-16T21:58:00.000-04:002010-08-16T21:58:39.548-04:00Momentum<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Headlines today had the Sox "losing momentum".</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Having posted only a couple times in the last couple weeks, I can certainly understand that. But is that really what is ocurring?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Losing momentum to me is something that happens gradually but consistently... you skip posting after a few games, then you go two games without posting, then three. That just doesn't compare to what is happening with the Sox.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Sox look strong at some point in most games. Like they could really win it, and then go out tomorrow and win that game. Then the next one too. But then something falls apart... think Friday and Saturday nights' games when it looked like they had clinched it early on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Maybe it's the pitching. Papelbon has replaced Voldemorrt as "he who shall not be named" in our household. Analysts ponder why Bard isn't closing and unanimously conclude that Pap would have a fit if he was asked to pitch relief. Um, why not "let him have a fit?"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And speaking of "sucking it up," what about Jacoby Ellsbury and the rest of the Sox? Yesterday Marco Scutaro was the only Sox player filling his position on the season-opening roster (Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre were playing, but at first and third respectively). Dustin Pedroia has completed rehab of his broken foot and should return tomorrow.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Maybe his pep can speed up the momentum. Now I just have to figure out how to pick up mine.</span>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-25060839092608252482010-08-06T20:14:00.000-04:002010-08-06T20:14:46.123-04:00Catch-Up<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A few days ago Jerry Remy announced that Darnell McDonald made a shoestring catch. It suddenly struck me that, although I have researched and described the different types of pitching, I have failed to explore the different types of catching. Just what makes a catch a shoestring?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In the meantime the baby has learned to crawl, pull up, walk holding on with one hand, and basically destroy anything in her path.* She has also decided she will not go to sleep any time before 9pm. Which makes sitting down and blogging during the game, well, impossible.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOM2_u1byV5sIAxoFazKSu_S9TvbWAqq46YBsKwXhqMOg7W-8meBV_m86P6AI92qu8rYRzz9-wk4JzWJNikpjjZIQ3hLld0USDDz12HuntKjDvpC8Z6Cyy4BMtJ2AyeZii-ewAl26Gq-8/s1600/photo-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOM2_u1byV5sIAxoFazKSu_S9TvbWAqq46YBsKwXhqMOg7W-8meBV_m86P6AI92qu8rYRzz9-wk4JzWJNikpjjZIQ3hLld0USDDz12HuntKjDvpC8Z6Cyy4BMtJ2AyeZii-ewAl26Gq-8/s320/photo-4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Caught in the Act. In a true Catch-22, the baby pulls all my baseball reference material off the bookshelf. These are the very items I can't use because I'm busy making sure she doesn't pull them off the shelf (unsuccessfully).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So a shoestring catch is a running catch made close to the ground (or your shoestrings). Easy, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised to learn that there are a bunch of rules associated with making a catch.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">For example, it doesn't matter if you make the most perfect, most beautiful, most up-against-the-wall, should-have-been-a-home run catch; if you then drop the ball it's not a catch. However, if a player grabs the ball in the air before it reaches the ground, demonstrates possession, and then drops the ball. Catch.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If you make a catch with your hat, your shirt, or your cup, you might make Sports Center, but you haven't made a catch. Even if the ball becomes lodged in the catchers face mask, it's not a catch.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It is a catch if a fielder reaches the edge of the dugout and is then held up by a teammate or opponent in order to reach the ball. A player can also reach over, or even jump on or over a wall in order to make a catch. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What other crazy catch-rules do you know about? Wikipedia has a rule about the ball being hit by a fielder, then by an offensive player, then caught by a defensive player... you guessed it, it's not a catch.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">*People laughed when I started baby-proofing with the baby still in the womb. I should have ignored them, because it it is virtually impossible to baby-proof now that she can put things in her mouth. She wants to eat outlet covers, drawer stops, and the rugs I use to conceal wires.</span>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-78050368448061283572010-07-30T08:57:00.001-04:002010-07-30T08:57:21.308-04:00Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Gametime<div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><blockquote type="cite"><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.226562); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.226562); ">Phew! The almost two weeks of 10:00pm games are over. Plus, we survived our camping trip.</span></b></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span></span><br><span>Just barely. Last week I posted that serendipitously we would be arriving at our campsite just as the Sox were beginning their late night start against the Los Angeles Angels. We had seen signs stating "Acadia, ten miles" and confirmed directions to our campsite with the friendly park rangers.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Just because someone is friendly doesn't mean you should follow their directions without looking on a map.</span><br><span></span><br><span>One hour and 45 miles out of yhe way later we realize our mistake. How did we not realize sooner? We were joking around, singing along with the radio, finishing up our blog post (me), and monitoring the hot pursuit of a road-raged driver.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Yup, some dude was convinced Dave was intentionally (?) shining his highbeams into his vehicle... it was actually just a high truck behind us. The dude pulled off the road, let us pass, then road our ass, shining his highbeams directly into our car. We had to go another ten miles out of our way because we were afraid to pull over and have the guy think we were ready to take it outside... Or whatever it is you do in Moose Country, Maine.</span><br><span></span><br><span>We finally lose him and turn around, only to be pulled over by a cop because someone called the station to report a drunk driver. Guess who that could have been.</span><br><span></span><br><span>We finally made it to the campsite at 12:30am (we listened to the game in the car, not around the campfire). Then we had to put up the tent we borrowed from my brother-in-law. Turns out the tent was missing a pole. And had a broken pole that was mended with duck tape making it six inches too short. And another that snapped, collapsing the tent, right after we loaded our stuff inside.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Not surprisingly, it also turns out that my brother-in-law stole the tent during his bachelor party. In his defense, the occupants were spending the night in jail thus did not need the tent.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The rest of the camping trip pretty much followed suit. Car had to be towed out of a drainage ditch, we got pulled over a second time (broken taillight), we had to set up the new tent we bought at one am in the pouring rain, et cetera, et cetera.</span><br><span></span><br><span>But how bout those Sox? I'll post about all the baseball knowledge I acquired during my late night viewings/ listenings soon.</span></div></blockquote></span><br><br></div>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-30639702291745402752010-07-23T22:08:00.000-04:002010-07-23T22:14:40.956-04:00EekWe're almost to Bar Harbor, and the cell service is getting spotty. I <br>figured I'd better get a quick post in while there are still signs of <br>civilization.<p>We're camping in Acadia National Park this weekend- yup, camping with <br>an eight-month-old. We made the reservations in the beginning of the <br>season (camping, not baseball), before I realized what west coast play <br>was all about.<p>Late games.<p>So tonight we'll be setting up the tent with the Sox. And if the game <br>is anything like last night's game, cringing into the wee hours at an <br>almost no hitter/ almost loss after a six run lead.<br>Tonight though, we've got pitcher Josh Beckett back from the disabled <br>list. Maybe a little change will do the Sox good.<p>Should be a fun one... to listen to on the radio around the camp fire.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-78540580758479566262010-07-22T12:11:00.000-04:002010-07-22T12:11:26.667-04:00Put me in, CoachTuesday night, second inning. Mike Cameron doubles,* Hall singles. The third base coach holds Cameron at third so the A's catcher goes for the out at first. He overthrows, so the first base coach sends Hall to second and the third base coach sends Cameron home.<br />
<br />
The Sox pick up two more unearned runs in the inning, with a little help from A's pitcher Dallas Braden and sloppy defense. You could argue, however, that the runs were orchestrated by the Sox coaches.<br />
<br />
Which made me wonder, just how many coaches do the Sox have? I found this list on their website:<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="team_table_results" summary="Boston Red Sox Coaching Staff"><thead class="coaches">
<tr><th colspan="3">Managers & Coaches</th> </tr>
<tr class="results_subhead" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> <th class="uni_number">#</th> <th class="playernameHead">Name</th> <th>Position</th> </tr>
</thead> <tbody class="coaches">
<tr class="coach_114378"> <td class="uni_number">47</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=114378" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=114378_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">Terry Francona</a></td> <td>Manager</td> </tr>
<tr class="coach_118132" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> <td class="uni_number">28</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=118132" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=118132_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">Dave Magadan</a></td> <td>Batting Coach</td> </tr>
<tr class="coach_114023"> <td class="uni_number">52</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=114023" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=114023_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">John Farrell</a></td> <td>Pitching Coach</td> </tr>
<tr class="coach_116622" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> <td class="uni_number">50</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=116622" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=116622_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">Ron Johnson</a></td> <td>First Base Coach</td> </tr>
<tr class="coach_111148"> <td class="uni_number">10</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=111148" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=111148_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">Tim Bogar</a></td> <td>Third Base Coach</td> </tr>
<tr class="coach_427204" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> <td class="uni_number">35</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=427204" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=427204_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">DeMarlo Hale</a></td> <td>Bench Coach</td> </tr>
<tr class="coach_492898"> <td class="uni_number">57</td> <td><a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=492898" onclick="s_objectID="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp_c_id=bos&coachorstaffid=492898_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true">Gary Tuck</a></td> <td>Bullpen Coach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
It seems like a lot when there are only nine fielders and a designated hitter to worry about at any time during the game. But I guess when you factor in the bullpen, and the fact that a player might get called up from the minors and be in the field an hour or two later (not quite the situation with Jed Lowrie).... and with the number of injuries this year it seems like one coach would be needed just to keep track of them all (okay boys, where is Ellsbury, anyone seen him in the locker room?)<br />
<br />
Three Sox made the Sport's Illustrated list of the 50 highest paid athletes... If you're going to spend that much money, I guess it makes sense to hire a few coaches.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Did you know the Sox, with 67 games remaining, are on track to break the record for number of doubles in a season. The record is 376 doubles and was set by the Texas Rangers in 2008.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-33862107946935480822010-07-19T23:05:00.000-04:002010-07-19T23:05:38.841-04:0010PM, What?Bluehats, tell me this is a joke.<br />
<br />
The 10pm start was appreciated tonight - I vegged out with The Bachelorette. I doubt it will be appreciated when the baby cries at 5am tomorrow morning. And how much coffee will I need to make it to the 10:05pm start tomorrow night?<br />
<br />
I mean, really? Seven out of the next nine games (in as many days) start after 10pm. Which means they don't end until after midnight.<br />
<br />
Forget coffee, I'm going to need something stronger than caffeine.<br />
<br />
Dave says I should be happy that, until tonight, I've made it almost 100 games with only one late start. Wait a sec, almost one hundred games? That means I'm more than halfway done.<br />
<br />
But I've still got a lot to learn. For instance, I missed Adrian Beltre making contact with his 15th homerun of the season. I asked Dave if he went down on one knee again, and Dave said, "Oh, that was a fastball."<br />
<br />
Um, did you hear me correctly hubby? I asked about the batter and you told me about the pitcher.<br />
<br />
Apparently Beltre only swings down on one knee if the ball is a "breaking ball". The relationship between pitch and batting form might not be intuitive to me yet, but I do need to keep in mind that four months ago I didn't know what a breaking ball was. For the record, a breaking ball is any pitch that changes direction or height before it crosses the plate. Curveballs and splitters are examples of breaking balls.<br />
<br />
Luckily I'll have a week and a half of late night cram sessions to learn more.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-63905850787189599632010-07-16T07:26:00.001-04:002010-07-16T07:26:46.757-04:00Thoughts on a Rivalry<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I spent the All-Star Game trying to determine if the Red Sox or the Yankees got booed louder by fans at Anaheim's new Stadium. And which of the two looked more upset after the National League beat the American League (it turns out the winner gets home field advantage* during the World Series).<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I witnessed another display of solidarity, if that's what you would call being booed simultaneously.<br />
<br />
I volunteered again tonight at Fenway for the Red Sox Foundation - those 50/50 raffle tickets sold by orange apron-clad volunteers help improve the educations of inner-city students and could send you home with some serious cash. Right before the Star Spangled Banner, the Sox honored the death of Joe Sheppard,** Yankees public-address announcer, and George Steinbrenner, Yankees owner.<br />
<br />
The crowd observed a long moment of silence and then broke into applause. I've never seen anything Yankee handled quite so respectfully in Boston (sorry Red Sox Nation).<br />
<br />
I guess the All-Star Game isn't all that brings these rivals together.<br />
<br />
And just for good measure... Go Sox, Yankees Yuk!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;">*To win the World Series a team must win four games. In the event that seven games are needed to do so, the team with home field advantage would play four games at home. Did I make that more confusing than it actually is?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;">** Joe Sheppard began announcing players as they stepped up to the plate in 1951. About 5 years ago, Derek Jeter had Sheppard record an announcement for him so he could be introduced by Sheppard into posterity.</span></span>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-68790381330978472672010-07-12T21:17:00.002-04:002010-07-12T22:12:28.514-04:00Home Run Derby<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs4mWgt3iMrfzTJDvvnOsICIBeMLohOOOFYXDs4HBDLQdVbOTPRuCD0y1MGNT4866CqhyEDD0d2blSsD6Jkw_G5AS1Q9vwuh9EvjatJq1CDlAqu8YiZdBWEwArEMxFcyB1bpS32rEa48/s1600/Home+Run+Derby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I could have three days off from watching the Sox. Three days off from blogging about baseball.* Maybe even three days off from Wikipedia.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>I could use the All-Star Break for baking cookies, reading a book, going for a run or some other simple pleasure. Instead I'm watching the Home Run Derby.</div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs4mWgt3iMrfzTJDvvnOsICIBeMLohOOOFYXDs4HBDLQdVbOTPRuCD0y1MGNT4866CqhyEDD0d2blSsD6Jkw_G5AS1Q9vwuh9EvjatJq1CDlAqu8YiZdBWEwArEMxFcyB1bpS32rEa48/s1600/Home+Run+Derby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs4mWgt3iMrfzTJDvvnOsICIBeMLohOOOFYXDs4HBDLQdVbOTPRuCD0y1MGNT4866CqhyEDD0d2blSsD6Jkw_G5AS1Q9vwuh9EvjatJq1CDlAqu8YiZdBWEwArEMxFcyB1bpS32rEa48/s200/Home+Run+Derby.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs4mWgt3iMrfzTJDvvnOsICIBeMLohOOOFYXDs4HBDLQdVbOTPRuCD0y1MGNT4866CqhyEDD0d2blSsD6Jkw_G5AS1Q9vwuh9EvjatJq1CDlAqu8YiZdBWEwArEMxFcyB1bpS32rEa48/s1600/Home+Run+Derby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Home Run Derby by Vivian, age 8.5 months</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Here's what I have learned so far about the Derby and the All-Star Game, also known as the Midsummer Classic. The All-Star Game has been played annually since 1935, usually on the second Tuesday of each July. Remember how I was hoping the "break" was a week or two? Nope. All teams have at least three days off, one day before and one day after the All-Star Game. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The day off prior to the game has been dedicated to the Home Run Derby since 1985. There have been slightly different formats since the Derby began (different numbers of players, different ratios of representation from the leagues, not carrying homeruns between rounds, one v. one competition for the four final players). Currently four players from the Nationals and four players from the American League compete. There are three rounds; after the first round, the four players with the most homeruns advance. After the second round, two players advance. In each round the players get ten outs to score as many homeruns as possible. An out is any ball that is swung at that is not a homerun. Homeruns carry over from the first to second round, but the scoreboard is reset for the two players in the final round.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I stepped into the batting cage for the first time this weekend. I hit <i>base</i>balls at 50mph, and even though I "check swung" at all of them, I was happy with how many balls I hit AND the fact that I knew the definition of check swing (not following through with the bat). </div><div><br />
</div><div>I thought maybe the Home Run Derby would use a pitching machine to keep everything even. Nope again. Players use a pitching coach or someone else of their choosing to gently (about 60mph?) toss balls over the mound. </div><div><br />
</div><div>David Ortiz is stepping up to the plate. Hopefully ESPN won't cut to that annoying guy and the anatomy of the home run swing, although I did learn an interesting fact from him. The average home run travels 398 feet, but in the Home Run Derby the average increases by over 20 feet.</div><div><br />
</div><div>More tomorrow on the All-Star Game... too exciting to miss.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
<div><br />
</div><div>*I know, I know. I haven't exactly been a blog queen recently. We've been away from home and internet access seven out of the last ten days. Blogging from the iPhone has gotten old so I've totally slacked and I'm sorry. Dad, look forward to "What the eef is an eephus?" accompanied by a tribute to Teddy Williams later this week. </div></div>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-87221831289375401482010-07-07T22:46:00.000-04:002010-07-07T22:46:50.503-04:00Knock-knockDave developed a pretty annoying habit during the 2004 division finals. It intensified during the World Series and even had some sticking power into 2005 and 2006.<br />
<br />
Guess what? It's back.<br />
<br />
The Sox were down 6-2 against the Tampa Bay Rays in the top of the ninth. Daniel Nava tripled (made it to third base) and scored on a sacrifice fly (ball caught for an out that allows a runner to score) by Mike Cameron. 6-3. Darnell McDonald just got an RBI double (brought a runner home and made it to second base) bringing the score to 6-4.<br />
<br />
Dave is knocking furiously on the arm of the rocking chair.<br />
<br />
It doesn't have to be the rocking chair. I've seen - and heard - my husband knock on the coffee table, the floor, his cell phone. It starts out slow and quiet then gathers speed, volume, and annoyingness as the pitcher winds up and releases the ball. It continues until the ball is hit or the ump makes a call, at which point it is often accompanied by "you got to be kidding me!"<br />
<br />
I had almost forgotten about the knocking, which is hard to do. After his knocking caused the Sox to win the 2004 Series, he started knocking for other sports too. Knocking as the ball rolled down the lane at the bowling alley. Or as the dealer distributed the deck at the casino.<br />
<br />
Kevin Youkilis just lined out (hit the ball pretty low, but not on the ground) to center field. I guess the knocking didn't help this time.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-4229020076829416772010-07-02T18:44:00.001-04:002010-07-02T18:44:59.854-04:00Playing the Field<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div class="im" style="color: #500050;">Last week I identified a gap in my baseball knowledge... regulation field size.<br />
<br />
By this point in the season, I have watched enough Sox games (all of them to be exact) to realize that batters can "hit" a certain park well. I am guessing this means that the dimensions of each park differ. I would also wager that the bases are the same distance apart, so perhaps the difference is in the length and maybe the width (?) of the outfield.</div>After that, my only experience with field size does not come from any baseball regulations book. Did you ever play wiffle ball in some kids back yard? Unless the kid's father was banking on their son making the majors and provided the kid with actual bases, you had two options. The first was for four kids to volunteer the jacket off your back to throw on the ground in a rough approximation of a diamond. This option left you cold and possibly in trouble with your mother for dirtying your jacket. The second option was to use whatever trees, bushes and lawn decor adorned the lawn, which often resulted in a rather funny shaped base path.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #500050;">That doesn't answer my question though. It's simply a fun memory. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #500050;">In this case, only wikipedia can help. Here is Mr. Wiki's diagram:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Baseball_diamond.svg/500px-Baseball_diamond.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Baseball_diamond.svg/500px-Baseball_diamond.svg.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br />
<br />
</div>See the note at the top? The distance from home plate to the fence can differ by 45 feet measuring from the plate to center field. So if you think about it like a triangle, even though the back fence is rounded (is it?), the width of the field would differ too.<br />
<br />
I guess that means that a player could field a park well(?).<br />
<br />
Ah, bluehats. Just when I think I am starting to get it, you throw something else at me. I now have to research the differences in outfield shapes between Fenway and other parks, the size of homeplate and the bases, the purpose of having two on-deck circles, what occurs in the coaches boxes, the rules about where the pitcher stands when he throws, the dimensions of "the strike zone" (whatever that is), and on an on.<br />
<br />
And those are just the questions I have from looking at the diagram. What else will I need to know after watching the actual game against the Baltimore Orioles tonight?Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-46658432608105632162010-07-01T18:57:00.000-04:002010-07-01T18:57:18.480-04:00Sunny Sick Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">There are Fridays in the summer when my office of 30 people is empty.<br />
<br />
Like seriously empty. My desk is down a long hallway, around a corner, and butting up against the end wall. Yet some Fridays in the summer the Fed Ex guy buzzes the door and I am the closest one in the office (or the biggest sucker).<br />
<br />
This is most likely on particularly beautiful days in the summer.<br />
<br />
Could the same be happening at our Fenway branch?<br />
<br />
The opening lineups used to be a reminder to grab a bag of chips from the kitchen and refill your beer. Now the opening lineup is an opportunity to meet the Paw Sox without travelling to Rhode Island. "Playing left field, Eric Patterson."<br />
<br />
Who?<br />
<br />
During last night's game against Tampa Bay Rays, four of the nine players were not on the starting lineup in the beginning of the season. And now relief pitcher Manny Delcarmen is on the disabled list.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;">Now I know the Red Sox play their hearts out, and we can assume they don't want to end up on the disabled list (heck, Dustin Pedroia was taking grounders on his knees with a broken foot). And I think the media would have been tipped off if a bunch of Sox players were beaching it on game day.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;">So what's the dilly, bluehats? </span></span>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-12854278817666567552010-06-29T22:43:00.001-04:002010-06-29T22:51:11.067-04:00Star-Spangled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKkAHt1lvgR0wrwspixiRGxDnu9aHAYBKFYSCDFbbxD2D37G5S0UDZhdh4SClDY76_j9U_f1ZmwZonL0jkjC6rUv75lerkm_Dt9hxF_DTbKLu6J0ZJufLmcze04c1uyLqYygTMNIMXOc/s1600/wendy+singing+at+fenway+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKkAHt1lvgR0wrwspixiRGxDnu9aHAYBKFYSCDFbbxD2D37G5S0UDZhdh4SClDY76_j9U_f1ZmwZonL0jkjC6rUv75lerkm_Dt9hxF_DTbKLu6J0ZJufLmcze04c1uyLqYygTMNIMXOc/s320/wendy+singing+at+fenway+park.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My friend Wendy Roy is singing the National Anthem before tomorrow night's Red Sox game against Tampa Bay at Fenway Park. This isn't her first time in the majors (haha) - that's her in the picture.<br />
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Awesome, right?<br />
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Perhaps even more awesome is the song about Boston that she wrote and performed... you might have heard it at Fenway. <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/youre-in-boston/id263815763?i=263815769&ign-mpt=uo%3D4">Check it out!</a>Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-81095328509645688902010-06-24T20:15:00.000-04:002010-06-24T20:15:38.310-04:00On the RoadThis week the Sox went from so-close-you-can-almost-taste-it to so-close-to-being-swept by the Rockies this week. They haven't lost three games in a row since May 15-17 against the Tigers and Yankees (thanks Extrabases for that stat). <br />
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I'll will be listening to the game on the car radio with the babe as we make our first solo trip to CT for the weekend. She's in her Red Sox onesie ready to pass out in her car seat, so this is just a quick post while daddy loads our bags in the car.<br />
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During last nights game John Lackey tried to bunt with two strikes. This is weird becaue Lackey is a pitcher but also normal because Lackey is a pitcher. The Rockies are in the west division of the National league where pitchers take a turn up at bat. Players don't normally bunt with two strikes because if it goes foul it counts as strike number three.*<br />
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But when there is a runner on and less than two outs, a pitcher will bunt with two strikes because they are usually not great hitters. Pitchers bunt to try to advance the runner. Darnell MacDonald was on first, so Lackey bunted (his best chance for a hit), but hit the ball foul. <br />
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Gotta go. Let's hope the Sox keep the (no more than two loses in a row) streak going. <br />
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Dave told me that a bunt is the only situation where you can strike out on a foul ball. I just realized that I have never talked about foul territory on the blog... or the dimensions of different fields, or the history of baseball. This last one I actually wrote one weekend when I didn't have internet access, but did have an old reference book about baseball. Somehow it never got posted. As I have got to get on the road, these topics will have to wait for another night.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-20723800093077893642010-06-20T22:07:00.000-04:002010-06-20T22:07:13.858-04:00FatigueNow I know why there is an all-star break. <br />
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It's for the bloggers. <br />
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I have still been watching every Red Sox game. Yesterday we went to Cambridge Brewing Co. to eat and watch the game. I was definitely chatting with our friends (New York-based Sox fans), enjoying my beer, and making sure the baby didn't choke on her green beans, so I'll admit my mind wasn't completely on the game. But most games I'm just sitting on the couch, eyes on the TV.<br />
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It's the blogging that's killing me.<br />
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For example, I really should have posted on Friday about Manny. Manny Ramirez played for the Sox from 2000-2008. He was there for the 2004 and 2007 World Series wins, but there was a bit of controversy around his being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers (in a three-way trade that scored the Sox Jason Bay from the Pirates). If anyone would like to know more about the controversy, email me and I'll have Dave call you. He seems to really enjoy talking about it, although, unlike many, he has unflagging support for Manny. <br />
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The Dodgers (and Manny) were in Boston this weekend, and it would have been a really great subject for the blog. Friday afternoon pre-game: will the fans cheer or boo? Friday post-game: they cheered for the most part. Saturday during the game: Did you see Manny's homerun? Tonight: Can you believe the BS about Manny that is coming out of these commentators' mouths?<br />
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But I am experiencing some blogger fatigue. I have to learn more about this All-Star Break. For now I'm blissfully picturing it as a week or two. In the tropics. With a beach. And a book.<br />
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And no blogging.<br />
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NOTE: I am sure this is just a phase, and in no way means I don't appreciate each and every reader and the time they spend with me each day (or every few days as I try to get out of this blogging fatigue). XOXO, AlliPinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-77169922772373999912010-06-17T18:17:00.000-04:002010-06-17T18:17:08.356-04:00La pregunta del diaSee if you can guess the question of the day.<br />
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Huge sportsfans, as well as those with only a faint inkling of the momentous occassion ocurring tonight, have been asking me it.<br />
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All. Day. Long.<br />
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Oh yeah, this question is bigger than coke or pepsi? Dunk your Oreos or not?<br />
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It doesn't seem to matter that the Sox moved the game to 6:10pm so that we could watch both, everyone wants to know which I'll be watching.<br />
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Red Sox or Yankees?<br />
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As if I have a choice! I'm watching or listening to every Sox game this season. In retrospect I should have inclded a clause. Every game... unless the Celtics are playing the Lakers in game 7 of the NBA Finals.<br />
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Whoops. I guess I'll miss the first inning of the Celtics game. I hope they score lots of goals. Do you think Magic Johnson will get any playing time tonight?*<br />
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Honestly, go Celtics! I hope you win. And watch out, I just might start following basketball.<br />
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Next year.<br />
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*Just to be clear, I know that basketball has quarters and you score baskets. There are five (maybe) players on the court at a time. Kobe Bryant plays for the Lakers and we hate him. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen play for the Celtics. Magic Johnson does not. Kisses, Pinkhat.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-35379604017696896252010-06-15T23:38:00.000-04:002010-06-16T11:41:18.953-04:00Religious ExperienceI may have my issues with the Catholic religion,* but here is something I do like. No matter where you travel or what church you attend, it’s always the same. In this hectic life where stress often gets the best of me, there’s something calming about all the ritual. <br />
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Fenway gives me a similar feel.** No matter what team they’re playing or how the Sox are faring, the program is always the same. Announce the visiting team the Red Sox, the umpires. Color guard marches onto the field, the anthem is sung, “Play Ball!”<br />
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Ahhhhh.<br />
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Tonight I was lucky enough to be on the Green Monster selling 50/50 raffle tickets for the Red Sox Foundation when David Ortiz hit his home run. Not sure what the church equivalent of that is. Being in the choir loft when Moses walks in?<br />
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Holy sacrilege! With that, goodnight. (I'm off to say my prayers for that one.)<br />
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*Don’t you hate when pinkhat gets all political?<br />
** Don’t you hate when pinkhat compares religion to baseball? See http://www.pinkhatbluehat.com/2010/04/indoctrination.htmlPinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-72046966158367044632010-06-10T20:42:00.000-04:002010-06-10T20:42:19.314-04:00BookclubI caught the beginning and end of last night's game against the Cleveland Indians on the radio. <br />
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The middle of the game I followed using my iPhone MLB.com app that gives the play-by-play. Let me tell you, play-by-play is not the same as listening to commentary or watching the game. It's way slower for one, and when pitchers Boof Bonser and Joe Nelson face 14 batters in one inning, you'll swear someone's tapped into your phone to play a practical joke.<br />
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It also kills the battery on the iPhone. Unfortunately I learned this when I really needed the maps app to find my way home from bookclub. <br />
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Yes, bookclub. I used to have real hobbies before committing to watch or listen to every Red Sox game this season. Not that we ever talk about the book.<br />
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Would you call complaining about men and gossiping about sex a hobby?<br />
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Anyway, perhaps as punishment for keeping one eye on the iPhone all meeting, the bookclub ladies gave me a rude awakening. "I used to be able to follow what you were talking about," one said. "You used to explain everything."<br />
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"Now you sound like a guy," said another.<br />
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Okay, I'm trying to become a bluehat - not a guy - and I wouldn't mind bringing a few pinkhats with me. Plus, I would like to stay true to my roots. My biggest gripe with baseball is how the rules and lingo make it inaccessible to people who haven't always been immersed in it. <br />
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I'll do better, promise. With the Sox going from uh-oh to woo-hoo, I got a little caught up in the day-today activity of the game. Look forward to reading more on my baseballucation in the coming weeks.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-13038127042381082312010-06-08T07:54:00.000-04:002010-06-08T09:55:52.873-04:00Amateur NightDon't be confused, this draft has little to do with amateurs. Last year's number one pick of Stephen Strasburg by the Nationals came with a year of negotiation and, ultimately, a 15.1 million dollar price tag. In an unprecedented amateur draft event, the Nationals had the first pick again this year. They chose 17-year-old hitting-wonder Bryce Harper who is likely to request a similar wage through agent Scott Boras, who is also Straburg's agent and according to Dave "everything that is wrong with baseball."*<br />
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I don't know what I was expecting. Perhaps a compilation of the try-out scene from "A League of Their Own", the draft-day episode of the sitcom "The League", and amateur comedian night at Maui Taco. Alas, there were no ooh and ahh moments as sexy women hit over the fence. And no one called anyone else a dickwad... at least not on TV. More about Maui Taco below.<br />
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The Sox did have some prospects visit Fenway. Francona reported that Kolbrin Vitek was excited to meet all the Sox... and in a Francona awarded dork-of-the-year moment called Dustin Pedroia a "cool guy". I don't see what is wrong with that. Shouldn't an amateur get excited to meet his favorite player? <br />
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The Sox picked up Vitek, a likely-third-basemen, possible-center-fielder, in pick 20. They also got right fielder Bryce Brentz in pick 36, and pitcher Anthony Ranaudotha (another Boras "advisee") in the 39th pick.<br />
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Day Two of the draft, Rounds 2-30, starts today at noon, and Day Three starts tomorrow at noon. The Sox have pick numbers 57, 110, and 143.<br />
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Maybe days two and three will be a little more like amateur night at the Maui Taco, a Mexican joint in NYC that serves pre-packaged cheese whiz with your nachos and real amateurs. Like one lady Susan who hated her mother and complained (really complained, not funny complained) about her life for 15 minutes. Her punchline was "Bill [the organizer] told me I didn't have to be funny. I just had to pay my five dollars."<br />
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Forget the big shots and the big bucks... wouldn't it be more inspiring (funny?) to let people like Susan try out.... comedy is definitely not her thing and it would help pinkhats get more involved in the sport if they knew even bipolar women in their 50s might catch a break in the majors.<br />
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*I think this (Scott Boras not my husband) warrants its own post... although if the beef with Boras is being exposed, perhaps Dave deserves a little dirty-laundry-airing too. Dave, remember that time...Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5555553385820228538.post-27023702994080225542010-06-06T21:13:00.001-04:002010-06-07T08:28:08.331-04:00Baseball WeekendThis was quite a weekend for baseball.<br />
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The BoSox went 2-1 in a series against the Baltimore Orioles. Especially good considering the Yankees lost the first two games in a three-game series against the Toronto Bluejays, and first place Tampa Bay Rays lost two the Texas Rangers. <br />
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There were a few things that were even more exciting.<br />
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Friday night demonstrated there could be four or more outs (sort of) in an inning- good to know in case I'm ever on a game show like "Stump a Pinkhat". Orioles pitcher Mark Hendrickson struck out Bill Hall, but catcher Matt Wieters missed the ball (committed a passed ball) and Hall took off for first. In this type of situation the pitcher is credited with a strikeout, but the out isn't recorded on the scoreboard.<br />
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Saturday night Dave and I planned to drink a mint mojito or two, watch the game, and get a decent nights sleep. Our baby has a sense of humor, afterall. The later (and more tipsy) we go to bed the earlier she wakes up. <br />
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Couple problems with that plan. One, we've never made mojitos before, so it took a few "practice runs" to get it right. Yes, we drank the rejects. Two, our landlords had the game projected on the big screen (the garage), and after the Sox game ended, they flipped back and forth between softball championship playoff games. I took the opportunity to learn a few things about softball from a longtime coach, and Dave took the opportunity to drink our neighbor's beer. And my mojitos, although he left more than enough for me. <br />
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Sunday, following what I'm sure you can imagine was a rocky start for me and Dave, the game was interrupted by a huge clap of thunder followed by heavy winds, lightning, and torrential rain. A huge branch of a tree fell across the street right in front of our house. Once the storm was over we went for a walk to, as Dave said, "view the carnage". There were trees split and uprooted everywhere.<br />
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I missed an extra inning and a half, but returned home to see the Sox lose. Checking out the neighborhood after the storm was more exciting than that... but all and all it was a great weekend for baseball.<br />
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Particularly if you're a Sox fan... and lover of mint mojitos.Pinkhat Bluehathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309662076492565394noreply@blogger.com4