Losing Hits Like A Ton Of Bricks

Take that feeling, and multiply it by ONE MILLION.
That's how I feel.

I'm sitting in front of the computer soaking wet, knee torched, and without answers for the simplest of questions.

I don't know what to do.

Every so often, you have one of those weeks when you can't hit or field or play in the right spot. Well, my week was this week.

I had a period when everything clicked, which was the first two weeks, actually. I hit with power, had a home run in my first at-bat, triples, doubles, singles stretched into doubles, infield singles, RBIs, easy catches, diving catches, you name it. This was going to be my best season...EVER.

Then...

I don't know what to do. I don't know where it went.

It's a saying he acquired from his football days at Harvard University, but actor Tommy Lee Jones said, "It takes eleven players to make one mistake". When you have the game on your bat, or in your glove, you must deliver, and if you can't do it, then what are you doing?

Side note: I just remembered I didn't shower yet o_O Post-game tradition, win or lose.

The disappointment of defeat should, because it SHOULD, last one day and a half. Any longer, and nothing will stop it before it destroys you. I saw it happen too many times in my life, and while I don't want to trivialize it to sound as though I'm an expert, it almost happened to me. You have too many people depending on you to say or do something to bring them back up. Keep your chin up, because the will to win and exceed your limits is within you. It's a brand new ball game, and you are at the plate.

As you can tell, the past couple of weeks playing in three leagues is beginning to take its toll. I play in four games next week, all on consecutive days: Sunday night, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I don't know how that works, but it works. o_O Hopefully, I can figure something out by then, and build off of that. I just need something to read or write in case I feel this way again. Thanks for reading ^_^

Washington Nationals: Wait, What?

Cardinals show Washington, world why they are the
"Defending world champion St. Louis Cardinals"

Davey Johnson Shuffles Deck, Deals Away NLDS to Cardinals

Apparently, I went to bed too early Friday night, along with hundreds of Washington Nationals supporters, and a few fans of the St. Louis Cardinals that gave up when the Redbirds were down to the Nats 6-0 at the end of the third inning.

The season ended like it began for the Nationals: Bizarre, improbable, and unexpected. Not even management expected the Nats to play competitive baseball in October, hence Stephen Strasburg suited up in April rather than May, and used up all 160 of his "doctor prescribed" innings pitched. Would there even be the need for a fifth game against St. Louis Cardinals if Washington believed in their ball club, and started Strasburg in May so he could pitch into the postseason?

Michael Morse's pump fist in the (ahem) third inning,
after his 2-run homerun gave the hometown Nats a 6-0 lead.

In his lone game against the St. Louis Cardinals this season, Strasburg left the mound on September 2nd after pitching six innings, striking out nine batters, surrendering only two hits, and leaving the game with the Washington Nationals leading 2-0. Reliever Sean Burnett coughed up the lead in the seventh inning, therefore Strasburg did not get the win as the Nationals fought back in the later innings to win 4-3. It was that championship fight back the Cardinals are known for, and it made another appearance last night at the worst possible moment for the Nationals.

My question is, if Tyler Clippard is the closer, then how does Clippard pitch the eighth inning ahead of Drew Storen, who pitches the penultimate final inning? Both are right-handed pitchers, so why didn't Clippard end the game as in games past; did manager Davey Johnson mess up his pitching lineup? Maybe the Cardinal batters in the eighth inning were too much of a test for Drew Storen, so Johnson installed Clippard in his place?



Clippard vs STL, 2012 regular season: Six batters faced, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K, .000 opponent BA

Daniel Descalso and David Freese on the verge of an EPIC
comeback win for the Cardinals.

Storen vs STL, 2012 regular season: Ten batters faced, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 stolen bases, .400 OBA

From what I can tell, Tyler Clippard pitched better against the Cardinals than Drew Storen. What the statistics don't tell you is Clippard pitched against the same batters he faced last night in the eighth inning: Daniel Descalso (Hit solo home run to bring Cardinal within a run at 6-5, as a matter of fact), Pete Kozma (pop out to shortstop), Matt Carpenter (struck out swinging), and Jon Jay (fly out to center field). In the ninth inning, the non-closer Storen pitched against perennial all-stars like Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, and last season's playoff MVP David Freese; there are even at least six Silver Slugger Awards between the four of them! It was no wonder that the Cardinals came back to tie, take the lead with four runs in the ninth, and go on to win the game.

NLDS Game 5 Nats starter Gio Gonzalez ponders what might have been,
after a shaky postseason, and shocking early exit after defeat to the Cardinals.

If Tyler Clippard is the closer, then he should close out the game. You can't win a baseball game in the third inning (Hi Michael Morse) or the eighth inning, so if Drew Storen dealt with the bottom of the lineup guys here, then Tyler Clippard could throw his best stuff against the best the Cardinals batters could offer in the ninth. The best versus the best, as it should be. It's all doom and gloom, according to Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post, whose article had this to say.

Yadier Molina (4) shows everybody when is the right time
to celebrate a trip to the NLCS.

The season ended as it began with a bizarre and shocking result, except the Nationals lost when it looked like they would do nothing but win. Today's moral of story: Expect the Unexpected.

We Lost Again...RED SOX gear?!

PEDROIA breaking the sound barrier Sunday...almost o_O

I should hurry because most of you are checking out MLB Shop and its 20% Off Everything sale (Available only to Facebook users like ME), and I need to pick up some more discount RED SOX gear.

I picked up the start at shortstop in today's game, and the reps came thick and fast. Aside from getting my jersey dirty, I didn't do much else at the start of the game -_- Things were easier once I got comfortable in my surroundings; that was about the third or fourth inning o_O

PEDROIA doesn't take breaks!

The scoreline in the game, at that point, was pretty tight. So in the fifth inning, I start my routine of running out into the field of play toward shortstop, when suddenly Coach says "Phil, take a break this inning." I never heard of such a concept: Me taking a break. If there was a bone sticking out of my body, but aside from a groin pull in the second legging out for two bases on an infield hit I felt fine. For what seemed like ten minutes I stood in mid-stride waiting for Coach to say "Just kidding, go ahead", but those words never came. Reluctantly, I returned to the dugout while the others took the field. Part of being a good player is respecting the word of the coach. You may not agree with it sometimes, but part of being submissive to authority and being in authority is putting the team ahead of personal gain and glory. After all, I just picked up my dignity with a couple of good defensive plays versus eating a ton of dust diving for quick grounders o_O

PEDROIA is AIRBORNE spelt backwards ^_^

Now, this is the part where I say "three up, three down, and no harm done ^_^" However, this is real life o_O Eight runs, two homeruns, and a teammate down due to a pulled hamstring later, we lose our lead, and then the game 17-13. It didn't matter I was 2-3 with a fielder's choice, bloop single to right, and a three-run homerun to left in the seventh; inside, I feel rotten >_< Imagine what I would be typing now had I prepared for those early rocket grounders to start the game, and played the angles better like I did in the middle of the game when the score was tied. My week was already off to a rough start, and now this -_- Good thing I can look forward to a special RED SOX package in the mail.

Yeah, that's right, you noticed the Dustin Pedroia pictures? Last year was about winning the city championship in PIRATES gear, but for right now I'm buying up RED SOX gear for 2012. I should have the essentials like jackets and T-shirts by Thursday, as well as one ready made authentic jersey. I ordered Dustin Pedroia's alternate home jersey (red), and best of all it is made ready to order, so you don't need to wait two weeks like I usually do for my vanity jerseys. I'm pretty sure my sister reads these (Hi Grace-Anne); she is a Yankees supporter, so she must be really proud (shoe flies at Phil's head, missing by an inch). What was that? o_O Anyway, she used to play rep basketball for the hometown team here in Mississauga, and she was #15, which is her favourite number. She also lived in Boston for a time, but now she is overseas. Not only will I wear the #15 RED SOX jersey in honour of her, but I'm also going to wear the special edition pink Phiten bracelet and necklace. Cancer touched our family not too long ago, Grace-Anne specifically; praise God, the doctors caught it early, and she is out and about cancer free having a grand time ^_^ There are other families and friends I know that are not so fortunate, and the least I can do is remember them in prayer and thought as I wear pink.

I suppose things could be worse. I'm slowly getting better at this...baseball thing o_O By the way, my homerun stance looks like this...

It works! YOUKILIS, it works! ^_^

I think my buddy Eric would be proud; he told me last year to start doing the "Youkilis" (Hi Eric).