BONDSWATCH for 24 July 07

[Oeditpus Rex]

Singled, walked, scored a run, struck out twice in five official at-bats against Atlanta's Tim Hudson and a supporting cast of thousands.

Still at 753 career home runs.


Final: Atlanta 7, San Francisco 5 (13 innings)









This announcement brought to you by ShitStirrers, Inc., a non-profit (501(c)3) organization. Okay, not really.

[some guy]

1. I should know this

but why did he have 5 at-bats and only four things happened?

single
walk
K
K
___

4

Thanks (I know you like talking baseball late at night, so I'm happy to indulge you.)

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. I note only the notable things

I think he grounded out once and... I'd have to go through the play-by-play to find the other thing. He made two outs besides the two Ks.

(Note that official at-bats do not include walks. He was actually up six times.)

Oh, and thanks for the indulgement. :hi:

[some guy]

3. ah that's it

hit the ball, but made an out. I had also forgot walks don't count as official at-bats.

I have a nephew who I used to watch play HS baseball, but since he graduated, I don't do that any more.

[Oeditpus Rex]

4. I wish I could do that again

Not watch my nephew play ball. He's studying to be a radiologist. Played one year of Little League. :eyes:

I mean I think maybe next spring I'll volunteer with the local high school to be the official scorer. I love doing that because I'm nuts and stuff.

[some guy]

5. I like HS sports

I think that's about the best level to watch. The players enter high school with adequate to decent skills, and you can watch them develop over a few years. It's not as *deadly serious* as college or pro sports.

They know how to play the game, but they're still young enough to make surprisingly bad decisions in the midst of a play, so there's a degree of anything-can-happen that adds an extra bit of excitement to the game.

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. I've seen quite a bit of prep baseball

(I used to be a sportswriter), and I've been amazed and appalled in the same game.

I saw one kid make a catch that Mays would've whistled at. It was hit to the fence in dead center and he just turned his back and ran. Caught it over his shoulder going away.

He was a stud running back, too. Got a scholarship to some Western school, but I never did hear anything about him after that.

[some guy]

10. Yep, that's it.

Amazed and appalled in the same game. Nicely phrased.

"...stud running back..." That's the part about sports I really don't like. Pro sports is so big, and so many kids dream of the pros, but there are so few openings. Too many ae so sure they're going to make the pros, and don't really plan for anything else. I went to school with a kid that was a stud running back (many years ago) - he got a scholarship, blew out his knee by December of his freshman year. Dream over, now what are you gonna do?

So much time, effort and focus put into a dream, and it can end so quickly. And of course, that also holds true if one does make it to the pros.

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. Yup

There were a few local kids who made the NFL and none made much of it. The first one was Del Rodgers, a running back drafted out of Utah by Green Bay in 1982. He had a 97-yard kick return in '84, but he broke a couple of vertebrae in his neck and that more or less washed him up. The 49ers picked him up, but he hardly got any playing time with them. Now he's a sportscaster in Sacramento.

Then there was Anthony Toney two years later. He went to Texas, got drafted by the Eagles and had five okay seasons. I guess he got hurt, because he retired, and now he works for a Boys & Girls Club in Seaside.

Finally, there was Cade McNown. Let's just say he's an asshole.

[some guy]

12. G'night

it was nice chatting. Thanks for the thread. I'm mildly interested in when Bonds ties, then ups the home run mark.

:hi:

[nickgutierrez]

6. I want Barry to break the record...

...just so I can see Buster Olney's head explode on ESPN the next day.

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. It's just a question of when

He's been streaky as hell all season. He's hitting .175 for July with three homers and only 17 total bases. In April, he hit .356 with eight homers and a massive .814 slugging average and struck out only nine times. Then he was cold as hell in May and almost as hot in June as in April.

[Archae]

9. And then we'll see Bonds thanking the usual people...

His parents, his coaches, Jesus, and his pharmacist... ;-)

[SeattleGirl]

13. I feel absolutely no joy or excitement about him breaking the record.

And I find that a bit sad, actually. I love seeing records being set, records being broken, but this brings no joy to Mudville for me.

Wish it did. x(

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. I know

Aaron hit 714 on my 18th birthday. I missed 715 because I was working, but I was thrilled.

This feels more like W "winning" in 2000.

[SeattleGirl]

15. You nailed it, Oedi.

That's what it feels like.

I know you are a "baseball purist" and don't like the DH, but at least Edgar Martinez achieved greatness in that role "au naturele", and didn't have the taint of possible (hell, probable) steroid use hanging over him.

There's where my "purist" kicks in. No cheating. I know that lots of people in lots of sports will try to get an edge where they can, and in many instances, I'm cool with that. But artificially enhancing the body's function? Nope. Can't accept it. WON'T accept it.