I finally finished watching the Juan Nieves no-hitter last night (for the second time - I also remember watching it while it happened, but I had just turned 10 and really wasn't thinking critically quite yet). It had been on my DVR for about a month now - several random thoughts.
1. Juan Nieves was not exactly pounding the strike zone. I think he gave up 5 walks. And he was very demonstrative on the mound. And I don't mean demonstrative in the Jose Mesa or Carlos Zambrano "hey, look at me, I do a little dance afer every strikeout" mold. Rather, every time he threw a bad pitch, his body language just screamed "wow, that was terrible - how am I a major league pitcher?" Didn't inspire a lot of confidence. I guess he was what they call "effectively wild" that night.
2. Good times watching Bill Shroeder leg out a bunt, score from first on a Molitor double, and slide into second for a double of his own - all in the span of 2 innings. Pick up the plow, Billy! He ran like his knees were totally shot. Also, he had a curly mullet.
3. Camden Yards is just a step above Baltimore's old Memorial Stadium. There were about 2,000 people in the stands.
4. This has been addressed ad nauseum elsewhere, but can you believe that the announcers never mention the no hitter until it's over? These days, ESPN is cutting into regularly scheduled programming when somebody takes a no-no into the 6th inning. Never would happen today.
5. Cecil Cooper looked like he was about 50 years old. And those glasses? He looked like a shoe salesman with a batting helmet on. Awesome.
6. Speaking of batting helmets, Jim Ganter wore one of those helmets without ear flaps. I wonder if anyone ever died when they got drilled on the side of the face while wearing one of those helmets?
7. I bet most of us could come close to naming all of the starters for the Brewers that game - except I'll give you a hint, you probably wouldn't get the left fielder.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
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5 comments:
p-Nieves
c-Surhoff
1-Cooper (would have said Brock if you didn't mention Coop in the post)
2-Gantner
3-Molitor
s-Sveum
c-Yount
r-Braags
dh-Schroeder (Wouldn't have guessed this, but you mentioned him as well.)
Left fielder- I would assume the everyday LF that season was Deer. Since you said this was a shock, it would have had to be some scrub. Somebody like "Tiny" Fielder or Rick Manning.
OK, just looked up who the lf was. If somebody guesses that without looking it up or having watched the replay of the game, they are just lying! The guys' major league totals include 101 ABs and a whopping 228 average. Also had an amazing 6 errors in 15 games played at 3B.
Gus Polidor?
Whats wrong with Shoe Salesmen?
Htiek - I'm glad you caught the that shoe salesman poke...I was going to say insurance salesman but I make fun of Nubs too much as it is...
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