(BOD - Mrs. Ari)
For the first six innings last night, we were served the pitcher’s duel we had hoped to see in Game 1. In the early innings, CJ Wilson and Matt Cain were nothing short of brilliant. Obviously, as a lefthander, I’m predisposed to cheer for CJ Wilson, but I was mightily impressed by Matt Cain who might be putting together the quietest consecutive scoreless innings streak in the history of the game.
He has now gone over twenty innings without giving up a run in the playoffs. Wilson matched him pitch for pitch, save for an unfortunate belt high fastball that Edgar Renteria powdered high into the San Francisco night. I’m not sure if it was the camera angle, but that home run had one of the most impressive trajectories that I’ve seen all year. It was a complete, no doubt, moonshot.
The game was flying right along; it looked like I would be in bed by 10:30. Then the game went into the seventh inning stretch and all hell broke loose.
First off, I have no problem with the singing of ‘God Bless America’ between the top and bottom of the seventh inning during playoff games. It gets America all jacked up on patriotism hormones and it’s a pretty catchy tune. I typically find myself singing alone.
However, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend with the song this postseason. Every singer turns the song, which should be sung with a respectful reverence, into an embarrassing display of poorly constructed runs and bleating showmanship. Every note is held for three or four beats too long and the overall package is complete mess.
At first, I thought it was the egos of celebrity singers at fault, but then a bunch of no names started the practice as well. Then I realized what was happening. The longer the song, the longer the opposing pitcher has to wait before going to the mound and throwing his warmups. A longer song basically ices the pitcher. A cute ploy, but now it’s getting ridiculous. Enough is enough.
So I had to endure a pretty dreadful rendition last night and then CJ Wilson went back to work, but couldn’t record an out. Why? Because a blister developed on one of the fingers of his pitching hand. Now, here’s where casual ball fans call pitchers pussies and berate them for being weak, but that’s not the case. It’s literally impossible to throw with a blister on your pitching hand. You have no feel for your pitches. So, screw off.
Wilson left, the Giants scored another run, and the game was 2-0 San Fran heading to the bottom of the eighth.
My God. This is where I would normally make fun of David Holland and construct a witty “Ball four, ball eight, ball twelve” Major League reference, but I’m not going to do that. He came into the game and promptly walked three guys on thirteen pitches. The baby-faced Holland looked like he was going to burst into tears on the mound.
I felt terrible for the kid and all pitchers know the fear that was gripping his chest last night. He literally had no idea where the ball was going when he finished his delivery. We’ve all been there at some point (it happened to me once this year) and there is no worse feeling in the world. You are completely helpless at that point.
Ron Washington finished his line of coke in the dugout and mercifully got Holland out of there, only the next guy on the mound for Texas couldn’t throw a strike either. The cameras cut to Nolan Ryan in the stands and he had the look of a cold-blooded killer in his eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if Holland and the other guy were summoned to Ryan’s ranch and subsequently hunted for sport.
Can Texas come back? I’m not sure, as it looks like Destiny is taking off the Giants pants and preparing to service their collective manhood.
Does Cliff Lee come back on short rest?
Lots of questions to be answered. I can’t wait for the weekend.
I don’t know if I can talk about Cliff Lee’s implosion just yet. I fear I may be still in shock, like my world’s been turned upside down. I don’t know what I’m supposed to believe anymore.
I feel like Duke talking to Rocky in the attic of the desolate Russian cabin in Rocky IV:
“When Cliff Lee got lit up by the Giants and he couldn’t throw an offspeed pitch for strikes, a part of me died. And when he just ran fastball after fastball up at the Giants and the San Francisco hitters just sat dead red, a bigger part of me died. I was raised to believe that Cliff Lee was omnipotent.”
The worst part about this analogy is that I can’t even make a “Now, you’re the one” reference to Tim Lincecum because he threw terribly also and had a couple of inexcusable brain farts.
What the hell was he doing in the first inning when that slow roller was tapped towards him and Michael Young broke for home from third? Timmy did the right thing by running right at him to make the runner freeze, but then he just nonchalantly jogged Young back to the base, without a throw, loading the bases. I don’t even think he realized his miscue as he just had a blank stare on his face. I think he was still high.
Timmy’s next inexcusable act was giving up a laser double to Cliff Lee in Lee’s first at-bat since last year. He didn’t even look like he knew how to swing properly and he’s ripping Lincecum for a double. Giving up anything other than an out to an American League pitcher in the World Series is completely pathetic.
For Texas to win, they really need to get Vladimir Guerrero out of rightfield. I know they need his bat in the lineup but his fielding was atrocious last night. It’s not that he doesn’t have the ability to play the position, it’s just that he’s too old and banged up to play it properly.
Vladdy reminds me of the fat, drunk uncle who patrols the outfield during your family softball game. At first it’s funny to see him out there, but after awhile it just gets sad and depressing and you hope he doesn’t pull anything.
The list of the pitchers San Francisco has smacked around this postseason is nothing short of impressive: Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels, Cliff Lee, Derek Lee. And this from a team that had a putrid offence during the regular season.
I still think Texas is going to win the series, but my like of the Giants is steadily creeping to the surface. Allow me a second Rocky IV reference in today’s column. I’ve just watched Rocky (San Fran) take a beating at the hands of bigger, stronger opponents and yet they keep coming. The stodgy Russian crowd in me is starting to show some begrudging respect.
“Hear cheers now for the San Francisco Giants!”
(BOD - Jennifer Grey)
Highlights from the podcast:
- Ambush discussion on the ineptitude of the Dallas Cowboys
- Cliff Lee and his ability to throw on three day's rest
- Brian Wilson and his beard
- Josh Hamilton's greatness
- The difference between coke and crack
- The misfits on the Giants roster
- Halloween
- Me and Brad Pitt
Talkin' with Tewks Live: World Series Preview
Enjoy.
(BOD - Jenna Jameson)
Exactly one year ago, I made the decision to escape Gretzpo’s sports blog tyranny and create my own, infinitely more successful sports and pop culture blog. Back then, I made a conscious effort to move away from the one column a week opus I had been producing and try my hand at posting articles every day.
I wanted to see if I had the talent and writing chops to write entertaining material day in and day out (save statutory holidays and heterosexual man-cations to the Caribbean). And, I think, for the most part I was able to achieve my goal. The hits and visits to this site have increased substantially since I made the switch. And I proved to myself that, when facing time constraints, I can produce funny and witty writing.
That being said, I’ve found my commitment level and overall desire to produce such journalistic excellence waning over the past few months. When a topic drew my ire or really fired me up, I had no problem writing passionately about the subject. However, some days there was literally nothing interesting to discuss and I was forced to mail in a handful of columns. It wasn’t enjoyable for me anymore.
I need a new challenge, a new outlet for my skills. That’s why I’ve decided to once again reboot and retool the Talkin’ with Tewks blog. The reasons for the switch are outlined above, but I’m also in the process of starting a new writing-related venture that is going to take up a lot of more of my time. Details are still in the infancy, but everything should be up and running by the second week of November (after the World Series is over). It will not be affiliated with this blog, but will be linked to Talkin’ with Tewks and I’ll ensure it’s promoted heavily in this space.
Thus, new posts here will be scaled back starting this week. There will still be a podcast once a week (posted on Tuesday mornings) and I will continue to write one larger (800-1000 words) column each and every week. The day of posting is not set in stone, but will depend on the stories permeating out of the sports and pop culture world.
What I’m aiming to do is to have new stuff posted at least twice a week; more if time permits and something really strikes my interest. For example, this week I’m posting today, podcast tomorrow, and then I will be covering Games 1 and 2 of the World Series.
Also, I’m extending an olive brach to regular readers of this blog. If there’s an issue you feel passionate about and don’t want your thoughts lost in the comments section, send me an article and I will post it. About whatever your little hearts’ desire as long as it’s entertaining, grammatically correct and somehow relevant to sports and popular.
I’m sure most of you think you can do what I do much better than I can (and, really, who could blame you?), so here’s the chance to prove it.
There you have it: the beginning of phase 3 of Talkin’ with Tewks.
Fasten your seatbelts.
World Series preview tomorrow.
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