Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Pony League??


Soooo, even though I'm up in the sticks in Wisconsin, I still manage to follow my baseball team with a sort of religious fervor.. And boy oh boy has this been an interesting little week. Let's start with John Ely walking off the field after only getting two outs... Head in the game much?? I love the guy, but come on!!! Anyone remember Milton Bradley's debacle of last year?... I digress...
James Loney is an outstanding ball player, and was a bad base runner the other night.. He knew better but got caught in a pickle!! A pickle!! They call it a rundown in the bigs, but we all know what it is, it's a pickle :) so, between bad base running and our starting pitcher leaving the field after two outs.. Tie ball game, bottom of the ninth.. and Casey Blake on third.. I love him. I love that he did this. A veteran... Playing Pony League ball.. it was beautiful!!
Blake goaded the inexperienced pitcher into a balk.. When a pitcher balks,the pitch is nullified and each runner is awarded a base... In this case the base happened to be home plate.. So, the boys in blue win by a walk-off balk... A balk off if you will..
Ladies, according to the rules of baseball a pitcher must pitch the ball, he is restricted to a certain set of motions and one of two basic pitching positions before and during a pitch; if these are violated with one or more runners on base, a balk is called.
So the bearded Blake, wins by some magical Pony League sneaky play and it's kind of awesome! The next game, which was yesterday, the kid Ely hits the dugout with two outs :) and both benches clear as Russy Martin slides into second trying to break up a double play.. A walk off home run wins it.
I don't know much, but I know this team and its magic, every season brings something unexpected and spectacular.. They keep home alive and now that Dre is back, it's anyone's year!