Anyway, so I bought 4 games before the season started, the first was one that was almost rained out but then eventually played in drizzling weather, and yesterday’s was stupidly hot. If anyone would like to know two more games that will have terrible weather in DC, I think I’ve got them picked out.

The Nats make their annual trek up Interstate 95 to Bal’mer. Jordan Zimmermann vs. the surprisingly effective Jason Hammel tonight. Over the weekend, perhaps they can sample some of the ongoing War of 1812 bicentennial celebration. You know, Fort McHenry, rockets’ red glare, flag still there, all that stuff.

As to the quick-pitch thing, it’s one of those rules that’s enforced rarely, like the time limit on throwing pitches. Or, the rule that says the umpire can say, the batter didn’t try to get out of the way, so it’s not a HBP.

I agree that recovering from the trip home takes a day, at least, and another day to mentally prepare myself for the mundanity that is the “real world”.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/braves_five_hrs_send_once_scorching_6nSi81nDqkeVckkV73QgnK

But the best was the A’s defense in the 9th yesterday. Inge made a great play on a bunt to erase Matt Treanor at second on a Gordon bunt. Gordon then tried to steal second but was cut down by rookie catcher Derek Norris, playing for the regressing Kurt Suzuki. All of a sudden, Ryan Cook, he of the 0.57 ERA, had two outs and empty bases.

So everything came together and as Steve Berthiaume says on BBTN the A’s are a “fun, watchable team.”

But he’s wrong in calling them a group of young players. Look at yesterday’s lineup. Crisp, Gomes, Inge, and Moss have all been around. Pennington is in his 4th year at Oakland. Weeks, Norris, and Cowgill are the true rookies, with Cespedes a rookie officially but having 7 years of organized, professional baseball behind him.

What the A’s have done this year is to invest in a basket of cast-off veterans, rather than 1 big name geezer (no more Nomar, or Return of the Giambino, or Big Hurt Redux). They’ve taken that $ 8M or so and spread it around to 5 or six guys. What they are getting from that is in some games all those guys play like the cast-offs they are and the A’s lose. Some games a few guys play well and a few don’t. And some games, like in this latest winning streak, the veterans play well. And the young pitchers pitch well, something Oakland has had since 2000.

When a plan comes together it is fun to watch. It’s not so much fun when the reality of this team-they are cast-offs for a reason, after all, and kids-shows up and you get those 9 game losing streaks that look like they will never end.

Still, 70,000 were entertained over the three mid-week games. That’s tremendous by Oakland standards.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/pitcher_8.jsp

It’s rule 8. The comments for 8.01 and 8.01(b) specifically deal with quick pitches.

With runners on base, a pitcher needs to come to a complete stop. With the bases empty, however, pitchers (i.e. relievers, I don’t know of any starters who don’t use the windup when the bases are empty) don’t need to do that. Like you quoted from Wikipedia, though, if it’s done with the intention to catch the batter off guard, it’s still a quick pitch and ruled a ball.

Apparently the umps decided the Nats were ready…As it turns out, the umps were right.

Oh, and speaking of Philadelphia, Cholly is at it again, praising the Nats left-fielder for his hustle. Problem is, Harper doesn’t play left-field, the rookie who often plays left-field is named Steve Lombardozzi. He also hustles, but his name is harder to spell.

Phillies-Manager-Charlie-Manuel-Loves-Bryce-Harper

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/209769/0/Phillies-Manager-Charlie-Manuel-Loves-Bryce-Harper

I might well drag myself down to Homestead today and indulge in the milkshake, though. So, was I right about those damned things, or was I right about them?

Though if they did say quick pitching with the bases empty is legal (I missed that), they were wrong.

Like wise, got to have that extra day before work to unpack, clean, fix, & put away gear, fumigate the car, take a nap etc.