And the Bottom of the Ninth to You!

Today (20181008) the 2018 baseball season has come to a close for the Cleveland Indians. They lost the five-game series in the first three games against the Houston Astros. Not a particularly great way to end the year. And I’ll admit, I’m not disappointed. I’m bummed, but not disappointed.

It wasn’t much past the All Star Game that when asked how I thought the Indians would do this year I would respond with, “They will clinch the Central Division, but that’s about it. It would be awesome if they would win the American League Division series, and incredible if they could win the pennant, but I doubt they would win the World Series this year.” My reasoning was that they were playing at the top of the division - but the division sucked! Most of the other teams were in rebuilding years, and the Indians had a pretty solid line up. But compared to the rest of the American League, we weren’t much to write home about.

So, I was bummed that the season ended so quickly, but not disappointed. However, one thing I had, in spite of the above paragraph, was hope. You see, as I’ve said repeatedly, baseball is the only sport where you can’t run out the clock or take a knee. You have to play until the final out. And because of that, I always have hope that things could change before that final out.

I wish I could say the same thing for the rest of the Cleveland Indians “fans”.

My wife and I are fair-weather fans. We try to get to at least one or two football games at the high school where she teaches. However, we only go if the weather is decent. You know, “fair”. The Cleveland Indians fans, on the other hand, are fair-weather fans of the other sort. You know what I mean.

When the Indians are winning, people are wearing their gear, screaming in the stands, and letting the world know that Cleveland is a true sports town. But when they aren’t doing so good? They are leaving the stands before the game is even over. And like I said above, it’s never over until the final out.

Are you from Cleveland? Do you call this place CleveLAND? Are you one of those who say it is “us against the world”? I wish it were so.

At around the 7th inning, the wheels came off. I won’t go into the stats - you can look those up yourself - but in the 7th Houston scored three runs to put them in the lead for the first time. Then, during the 8th, they scored an additional SIX runs, bringing the score to 10-2. I had the game on my tablet (my wife and I are “Slingers”) up until 17:00, when it was time to head for home. I then had the local radio station (WMMS 100.7 FM) giving me the audio play-by-plays for the rest. I wish I hadn’t.

As I listened to the “voice of the Cleveland Indians”, Tom “Hammy” Hamilton, I got angry. At one point Hamilton informed us that after the top of the 8th fans were leaving the stadium in droves. It was a mass exodus. And that’s not what really blew my stack. It was when Hamilton said the season was over for the Indians. He thanked the production staff for such a great job over the season (and yes, they have), since it was over. When the Astros’ 9th inning pitcher came out, he said that after he was done pitching he would be going to the visitor's clubhouse to celebrate.

THE GAME WASN’T OVER!!!

I don’t give a rat’s ass what the score is. You don’t call the game over before it’s over!!

So, in closing, I want to leave you with a few suggestions for next year:

It’s time for Tom Hamilton to retire. He’s had a great run, but I prefer my sports announcers to be informative, a bit entertaining, and maybe a LITTLE biased towards the home team. I don’t think he is able to do that anymore.

Cleveland fans need to put up or shut up. You sit in your seats until the very end of a Marvel movie to see the end credit “shawarma” stinger, but leave when your team is down? What impact do you think that has for the players when they see the seats empty?

Cleveland fans need to stop bad-mouthing the Indians. Remember the “wait until next year” unofficial slogan the Indians rallied for years? In 2016, when the Indians looked for a World Series win they haven't seen since 1948, what did the fans do? They gave the Chicago Cubs home field advantage here in Cleveland by selling their tickets to Chicago fans and providing the Indians a sea of Cubs blue to rally them. Maybe you aren’t ready for “next year”.

And finally, you should read a book about baseball. Not a book of stats. Stories. Read books like “Indians Memories” by Tim Long and Don Fox, or “The Curse of Rocky Colavito” by Terry Pluto, or “Shoeless Joe” (the story that inspired the movie “A Field of Dreams”) by W.P. Kinsella, or “For the Love of Baseball” by a bunch of different writers taking you on an emotional roller coaster.

This off season, fall in love with the game of baseball again. So next year, you will root, root, root for your home team; and if you don’t, well, it’s a shame.

© Emittravel 2018

Let Me Pitch One To You

Did you know that there were different rules for the different Major League Baseball leagues? Sure.

In one league you have to tag the base after a pop fly is caught before advancing. In the other you don’t have to.

In one league the third foul ball hit is considered the third strike and an out. In the other they only count the first two as strikes - up to two strikes.

In one league it is four balls for a walk. In the other league it is three balls for a walk.

Okay, I’m just kidding. But to be honest, there IS one rule that is different between the leagues:

In the American League you can substitute having your pitcher hit for what is called a Designated Hitter. In the National League the pitcher has to hit.

Really. That’s it. The only difference between the two leagues is called the Designated Hitter Rule.

And it is dumb.

Not only is it dumb, but it gives an advantage to the National League team. And I’ll explain why.

The argument over which league is right (pitcher should hit or not) is older than the tale of the Beauty and the Beast (with respect to Alan Merken, Angela Lansbury, and Howard Ashman). And who is right is simple: The American League is right. And I’ll prove it.

The way the rule is enforced is based on the ballpark of the home team. If the home team is part of the National League, both teams - regardless of league - have to have their pitcher in the batting line up. If the home team is part of the American League, both teams - regardless of league - use a designated hitter.

Now, in the National League, the pitchers take batting practice on a regular basis. They are used to swinging a bat because they are forced to swing a bat. In the American League, the only time a pitcher takes batting practice is if they are playing against a National League team in a National League park. That means the pitchers are not used to swinging the bat.

That is one reason the National League has the advantage.

Another reason is that when the National League plays in an American League park they take the best hitter that is not regularly in that days line up and make them the Designated Hitter. And I’ve never seen it where they use their pitcher in the Designated Hitter role.

I’m an American League fan (#RallyTogether), I believe that it is in the best interest of everyone that the pitcher does not hit. Outside of the catcher, the pitcher is involved in EVERY play that happens when they are pitching. The other players only have to “do something” when the ball is hit to them. And as for the catcher, that person is covered in protective padding to reduce the chance of injury.

Come to think of it, outside of the umpires, only the catcher wears protective gear. The pitcher? Na da. Sure, there may be an elbow guard or shin guard for the batter, but that is minor.

I’ve seen players at the plate get hit by a pitch in the wrist.

(Above: Justin Turner hit by pitch 20180319)

How would you like to have your pitcher (who’s very livelihood is based on throwing a ball at high speeds accurately, WITHOUT hitting the batter) be the one hit by a wild pitch? It’s bad enough for a pitcher to get hit by a ball coming off a bat!

(Above: Carlos "Cookie" Carrasco exits the ballgame 2018)

To be perfectly honest, I believe the National League agrees with the Designated Hitter rule and would do it if they were allowed. And here is how to prove me right or wrong:

Change the rule. Instead of the home team’s ballpark determining whether or not a Designated Hitter can be used, make it optional based on the league. So, when in a National League park, the National League pitchers will hit, and the American League can use a Designated Hitter. When in an American League park, the American League will use a Designated Hitter, and the National League can still make their pitchers hit.

I can guarantee that if that was the way the rule worked, the National League would GLADLY use the Designated Hitter, which would prove they really DON’T believe that pitchers should hit.

Why? Because they don’t want their pitchers injured either.

(Above videos were obtained from YouTube and the MLB. No profit is made from those reading this blog and are encouraged to support their favorite MLB team.)

© Emittravel 2018