Baseball Thoughts From the Goal Crease

by The Ol Goaler on Apr 11, 2007 12:11 PM EDT

In honor of the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight, I thought I'd pitch in with some of my baseball-related thoughts from a full day of watching baseball (while my patient, long-suffering bride read at least two full novels...)

While watching the Cubs-Astros game from Wrigley, I said, "Y'know, seeing Jason Marquis standing on the mound in a Cubs uniform just seems so... right!" (To which my bride smiled and replied, "You're terrible!")

We may complain about the Cardinals' lack of outfield depth, but the 'Stros' everyday lineup featuring Adam Everett, Brad Ausmus, and the pitcher at 7-8-9 doesn't exactly strike terror into opposing pitchers' hearts...

Jason Bay has already been ripped for his throw to the wrong base in the 9th inning... but I had another question. Bay caught Albert's would-be homer (after a struggle) and looked toward second base! Since I was watching the game on TV (as opposed to actually being at the ballpark,) I wondered... Was there anybody there to throw to??? Jack Wilson was lined up as a cutoff man to third base, when the proper throw would have been to second, to keep Chris Duncan out of scoring position. Bay made matters worse by overthrowing Wilson, and allowing Young Dunc to move up a base, but Bay may not have had a choice!

When VEB Hero Gary "Sno-Cones" Bennett scored the eventual winning run, I turned to my wife and said, "The people in Hell just got ice-cream sundaes after that!!!" The catcher on that play must hold onto the ball... Ronnie Paulino had plenty of time to "set himself" to make the tag...

Play the game properly, and it will reward you, more often than not. The Cardinals did, the Pirates didn't, and now the Birds are tied atop the division at .500...

Oh, the hockey playoffs? Well, since my beloved Blues are nowhere to be found, I don't really care who wins the Cup... wouldn't surprise me to see Detroit get stoned by Miikka Kiprusoff in the first round, though...

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