Notes From A Game

4.24.11 Sunday v. the Atlanta Braves.

Before the Braves moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee in the 1960's, the baseball team in Atlanta was the Atlanta Crackers, a minor league team. An odd choice for a name, or appropriate for the times. Could the Giants change their name to the San Francisco Radicals? {A few days later, it is reported that the Braves pitching coach threatened some fans with a bat, told a parent that a baseball game is no place for children and made homophobic slurs}

Even odder is that there was a Negro League team that called themselves, the Black Crackers.

There's a guy at my work who occasionally wears an Atlanta Crackers jersey, believing he is honoring the Negro League team. I tried to explain the difference but believes the only Crackers are Black Crackers. Coolness should come with appropriate research.

We get to the game an hour and 15 early. Very bummed that the freebie, replica World Series trophy (a reasonable person would see it as tin junk) are already dispensed, and we will get zero.
I know they will go for $40 on Ebay, but $20 in a year, and probably $10 in two.

Pre-game radio story about pitchers needing to know the umpires as well as the hitters they will be facing (every umpire has a different ball and strike zone, and temperament). Today this is a more formal and difficult task; sixty plus umpires now when Krukow and Kuiper (former players, now radio announcers) played twenty five years ago, there were only 30 umpires. Back in the day Kuiper recalls giving an umpire a glove and that umpire crews would have teams sign a box of balls for them before a game. Once an umpire requested that a Giant star, Will Clark sign an entire box. Clark, in his glass shattering southern voice, grumbled about granting this favor- but saying that the umpire better treat him right that day.That day, the umpire called Clark out twice- on third strike calls. An angry Clark swearing that he would never sign a ball for that ump (Bill Engel) again. He didn't.

Giants down 2-0 as the first three Braves batters get on (walk, Haywood double, Chipper Jones double). This series the Giant pitchers have given up too many free passes- 11 walks to only 1 from the Braves.

Bottom 4: BusterPosey crushes one, game tied 2-2. Sanchez pitched well, is fighting low energy from a flu and leaves after five innings.

Overheard, behind us, in the seventh inning: "I think the first time he proposed- I broke up with him. I was so pissed."

Affeldt walks two and with two outs and two strikes, Heywood hits a big big fly over the fence. Braves up 5-2. Affeldt has only pitched twice to Heywood and two times, two home runs. I don't think Affeldt will pitch to him ever again. A fan sees someone in a Phillies hat, and says,
"the Phillies suck! " The Phillies have the best record in baseball (it's only 20 games but still...) Baseball is great- the casual fan never has the need to feel intellectually lacking. In the company of drunken louts, we are all Einsteins.

Bottom 7: Big Giants rally. Hits by Sandoval, Burrell (actually hitting to the opposite field instead of trying to pull everything!), and Ross. Tejada draws a walk and a RBI. Schierholtz grounds in another run and Aaron Rowand is up and swinging at pitches in the dirt again. I'm getting into my Aaron Rowand is a bum mode until...Rowand delivers a clutch double, driving in two runs!! Giants now lead 6-5; the place is crazy. I love Aaron Rowand.

T8: Sergio Romo, the kind hearted crafty one who occasionally hangs a breaking pitch that does not break and will give up a home run now and then. It's now and then as Dan Uggla (always swinging for a home run type of player) ties the game. It's 6-6. The ball park is very quiet. Javy Lopez comes in and pitches well. Giant can't manufacture any offense B8.

T9: Wilson is in. Crazy beard should be harvested, clipped and sold as licorice cotton candy. He pitches well in the ninth but not in the tenth. Gives up three runs- yes, there's a crazy walk involved and the Giants can not answer. Braves win 9- 6. Giants were 10-7 a few days ago but at the end of this day, their record is 10-11.

Last year's division playoff series the Giants just edged by the Braves to move on and Brave fans might argue that they were missing two of their starters providing the difference. Both played in this 3 game set and Atlanta won all three. Perhaps they were right but those are the breaks.
I think I've been sitting in to much sun.