All Hail The King (Shouldn't he play in KC then?)

MAJOR LEAGUE GOOFBALL congratulates Seattle Mariners star pitcher Felix Hernandez, who threw the 23rd perfect game in the modern history of baseball ^_^ King Felix fanned twelve Tampa Bay Rays on his way to a complete, nine inning game with twenty-seven outs, no runs, no hits, no walks, and no errors scored against him in the nail-biting 1-0 victory (did I miss anything? Nope ^_^) .
As you can see, it took him awhile o_O LOL

Mariners star pitcher Felix Hernandez celebrates saving
a bunch of money on his auto insurance by switching, I MEAN,
throwing only the 23rd perfect game in modern major league history.

I didn't understand how the 2010 Cy Young Award Winner adopted the title of "King" Felix in the first place. I thought "royal" titles were for member of the Kansas City baseball club, or members of that royal family across the pond? Hernandez is a Mariner, so maybe he is tied to the Atlantis court? No, I'm just making that stuff up ^_^ ...or am I? o_O DUH DUH DUH!

Congratulations Felix Hernandez ^_^ Send your congratulations to King Felix on Twitter; he answered a bunch so far, so he might answer yours, too!

Dazed & Confuzzled

My favourite Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista launched his nineteenth homerun yesterday in a loss against the surging Washington Nationals at the Rogers Center. Bautista found his groove again, but at a cost the Blue Jays dropped five of their last six games since the start of this latest chapter of inter-league baseball, which I like to call "Give the Yankees easy games to win so they can make the playoffs again" baseball. Bautista sits third in the major league homerun race with nineteen HR, two behind White Sox clean up hitter Adam Dunn, and three behind the leader, Texas Ranger Josh Hamilton (According to MLB Stats, as of June 14th, 2012).

As a Blue Jays fan, I'm disappointed with this offensive slump, and with both starting pitchers Brendan Morrow and Kyle Drabek out of the lineup for fifteen days, and potentially six starts between them, our chances to build off the success of late 2010 and 2011 are beginning to slim down.

GIANTS' Matt Cain celebrates after throwing the
22nd perfect game in modern MLB history

Speaking of inter-league wackiness, how long would it take for the Major League Baseball to switch to an all-designated hitter format for both American and National leagues? I suppose when, after a very close pennant race, the losing team will complain the winning team had the luxury of using a DH in their inter-league contest while they had to suffer with their pitcher swinging and missing in the penultimate last game of the season for both teams. When the Houston Astros announced they were leaving the National League, I said professional baseball would become all-DH by the start of next season, and if not then by the start of the 2014 campaign when they realize inter-league cost one team a chance at the postseason because they did not have the luxury of inserting a designated hitter in their 162nd game lineup card.

Before I forget, I would like to congratulate San Francisco Giants' star pitcher Matt Cain, who became only the 22nd pitcher in the modern era of Major League Baseball to throw a perfect game. He tossed fourteen strikeouts against the Houston Astros last night in San Francisco to preserve a 10-0 victory, and a spot in history as the first Giant in the 130-year history of the franchise to retire all 27 batters he faced in one game ^_^ Well done, Matt Cain! Now, if only I could buy cream coloured baseball pants to wear during for city ball? For more on this game, click here to go to MLB beat writer Chris Haft's account of this historic game.

That Was The Week That Was

"Why is this happening? Really? They did what?! You can't be serious...!"

Tuesday Heartbreak

Remember when I announced in this blog I would sign up for one more year of baseball (Please say you remember that, otherwise I sound crazy)? Yes, well the league organizers cancelled the Monday games; I planned on playing baseball on Monday, and Ultimate Frisbee on Tuesday. They moved me back to the Tuesday league while I wasn't looking o_O; I informed them of the calamity they dropped me in, and they did approximately...nothing -_-

I shouldn't be angry, as there wasn't much they could do. The Monday league had approximately the same number of participants as the Kansas City Royals have chances of making the postseason (Picture of me sitting alone in a room wearing a tuxedo). If you read my posts from about a year ago about my first experience playing city ball during the spring, then you will see a mixed bag of highs and lows. While we finished the year 1-7, I learned a lot and was in better shape for Summer League, which we won in wacky fashion ^_^

I was looking forward to playing Ultimate. Mind you, I never played it before, and I risked looking like someone dressed to kill in Adidas gear playing like a n00b T_T Instead of being super embarrassed at Ultimate, I can risk super embarrassment playing a sport I know more than a little bit about ^_^ Well...sort of know a little bit o_O

Fenway Faithful Freaking Out

Last weekend, the Boston Red Sox marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of Fenway Park with a wonderful, pre-game ceremony, 'turn back the clock' vintage jerseys for both the Red Sox and the visiting Yankees on Friday, and an epic Saturday collapse on national television of Ruthian proportions ^_^ (Wait, what? o_O)

In the post-Curse days of the Boston Red Sox, you would think the days of blown nine run leads and fifteen unanswered runs were in the past, but last weekend proved while the Boston Red Sox are the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees will always be the New York Yankees.

Personalize it? No, the RED SOX played without names or numbers o_O

It was not the blown nine run lead, the fifteen unanswered Yankee runs, the pair of seven runs scored in the seventh and eighth innings, nor New York's switch hitters Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira combined for six hits, three home runs, and 12 RBIs that ruined an otherwise good weekend. Bosox manager Bobby Valentine's misuse of the bullpen, and stubbornness in continuing to pitch to Swisher and Teixeira led to the Red Sox's downfall. I did not imagine the fallout from 2012 season would have such repercussions in this year: This is former manager Terry Francona's team, and the rifts between Bobby V, his players, and the fans grows with each loss in the American League East Division. The core of the team, which consists of Ortiz, Youkilis, and Pedroia, are showing signs of age and low market value, vital pieces and future stars such as Jonathan Papelbon and Jed Lowrie left the team due to free agency and player transactions respectively, and all three of the bottom dwellers of the AL East improved over the off season.

The season may be over before it begins for the Red Sox, and if that is true, Bobby Valentine will need one of those numberless jerseys from 1912 on his way out of town o_O

Represent, Yo!

In happier news, another Phil does right by baseball ^_^ Congratulations to Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber on throwing the 21st perfect game in modern baseball history. Humber achieved this historic milestone against the Seattle Mariners, which culminated in a wacky play for the final out. Humber forced Mariners batter Ryan to strike out, but the ball passed by catcher A.J. Pierzynski! A.J. recovered, and threw the ball to first for the final out ^_^

It's nice to see another Phil getting his due, becoming the toast of the town, being presented with a new automobile, receiving a call from the President of the United States, and reading the top 10 list on David Letterman ^_^...If it's too much, Mr. Humber, I can take the car off your hands? No? Oh, alright... o_O