Several times during the Golden State Warriors' simply amazing season, including in the playoffs, they would make a dizzying dazzling display of dumb turnovers. Steph Curry throws a 'hook shot' lob over his shoulder, and it was so well telegraphed it would get picked clean by a defender and taken for a dunk. Draymond would throw a pass to...no one...at the three point line. The Dubs managed to overcome this and were so far ahead of the rest of the pack it did not remain an obstacle for the glory and to the joy of all Bay Area NBA fans.
Then there were our base running errors, which really did lead to 'turnovers.' Chopper moved from second to third on a bad throw and when the ball skipped past third a few feet, he made a left turn. It was as if there was a little birdy in his head going "They can't get me, they can't get me." He was out by 15 feet. I call it the "Chopper school of baserunning". Use it at your own risk.
And finally and tragically, there is poor Rene. He crushed a ball nearly to the center field fence, but the outfielder tracked it down. He had it for a moment with his back to the plate. Unfortunately Monty, who was advancing to third, saw that he might catch it, and after taking off initially, retreated to second. He chose that fateful moment to stop paying attention to the deal in center field, and didn't see it pop out of the fielder's glove. Only then did he run to third, when everyone was screaming. The throw came in hot, and he was out, and all Rene had to show for his great hit was a fielder's choice, RBI (at least Coop scored from third).
Here's to doing that next week in our playoffs. We went 12-0 two years ago and then choked in those playoffs, and I still have a bad taste from that. It is time to put that behind us with a perfect season. We play the Dirt Bags in the first round, and then can advance to the finals.
It's time to get ours!
Milestones:
Coop 1350 ab (#1)
Cage 850 ab (#6)
Load 150 r (#12)
Load 300 ab (#14)
Tom 150 ab (#25)
Alberto 10 2b (#28)
Alberto 50 rbi (#30)
Not to compare Transdyn to the Warriors (well, ok, I am) or to dwell in the few negative plays, but we had a play Tuesday night that was so far off our usual defensive game it became hilarious, and now hangs there as our 'turnover'. Luckily we had a huge lead and it did not cost us the game and we completed the season at 12-0 with a 19-12 win.
It was mighty good entertainment. I had a pretty good viewing spot at first base. I suppose as the play developed I should have run toward home, as it appeared nearly everyone else was, at least the base runners of the opposition Cleveland Steamers, but the watching was just too good. So I pulled up a chair and got some popcorn instead. It was all so slow motion I had plenty of time. I just saw the movie San Andreas last week - this was more entertaining, better special effects to boot.
It started simply enough. Their catcher, a little lefty with not much in the tank (he was insulted when I yelled 'everyone in' before his second AB - puuullease, I get that nearly every time I come up). He hit a nice flare into center with a couple of runners aboard. Coop had a bead on it, and dove for it, but it just went off his glove. This is when it got fun. Rene in LC picked it up and tossed it home. But the lead runner stopped after rounding third - he was nearly to the commit line - and Monty at catcher did the right thing, he chased him back to third. It became clear that the runner would make it back to third safely, but the trailing runner had now reached third.
A classic rundown, but it gets better. Monty throws to second because we should have the retreating runner by about 30 feet and with the lead and all and two outs, it's the right play. Only apparently Jas and Mario at SS and 2B were in the popcorn line, and there was no one at second. Mario managed to get a glove on it, just to deflect it into short left field, where Load picked it up and heaved it with all his might home - which of course Monty had abandoned when he started the run down. The ball is rattling around behind home, and the runners are moving up, total chaos. It was beautiful.
Our lead was never really threatened, though, and we put it away on a pop-up to the catcher shortly thereafter.
Then there were our base running errors, which really did lead to 'turnovers.' Chopper moved from second to third on a bad throw and when the ball skipped past third a few feet, he made a left turn. It was as if there was a little birdy in his head going "They can't get me, they can't get me." He was out by 15 feet. I call it the "Chopper school of baserunning". Use it at your own risk.
And finally and tragically, there is poor Rene. He crushed a ball nearly to the center field fence, but the outfielder tracked it down. He had it for a moment with his back to the plate. Unfortunately Monty, who was advancing to third, saw that he might catch it, and after taking off initially, retreated to second. He chose that fateful moment to stop paying attention to the deal in center field, and didn't see it pop out of the fielder's glove. Only then did he run to third, when everyone was screaming. The throw came in hot, and he was out, and all Rene had to show for his great hit was a fielder's choice, RBI (at least Coop scored from third).
It was our offense that picked up the slack for those few but large gaffs. Albert was a terror all by himself going 4-4 with five RBIs - three on a bases clearing double to the fence. Chopper redeemed himself by absolutely painting the right field line on his two hits which were worth four runs. We scored four or five runs in four different innings, despite the two base running goofs.
The parallel to the Warriors is that we have led wire-to-wire in this league as they did all season in the NBA West. They really never put together a perfect flawless game. Their talent was so overwhelming and their grit so strong that it carried them through when their few flaws were exposed, and that is how they made it all the way to end up ultimately really winning the NBA championship in a landslide.
Here's to doing that next week in our playoffs. We went 12-0 two years ago and then choked in those playoffs, and I still have a bad taste from that. It is time to put that behind us with a perfect season. We play the Dirt Bags in the first round, and then can advance to the finals.
It's time to get ours!
Milestones:
Coop 1350 ab (#1)
Cage 850 ab (#6)
Load 150 r (#12)
Load 300 ab (#14)
Tom 150 ab (#25)
Alberto 10 2b (#28)
Alberto 50 rbi (#30)
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