I’ve always wanted to write a running diary of a baseball game, so here I am in the Bleacher Report headquarters coming to you live. Game 2 of the NLCS between the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies.
1:32 p.m.: MLB on Fox! Yes, another game with my favorite announcers Joe Buck, and Tim McCarver. If you’re a fan of these guys then you wont be a fan of me…Turn away now.
1:35: Joe Beimel just presented the Dodgers’ line-up, he looks like a grade A axe murderer.
1:36: McCarver with his first gem of the broadcast– “(Brett) Myers has a vintage curveball.” As opposed to a new, modern curveball? Lost me on that one.
1:39: Myers just threw a ball 9-feet behind Manny. Think he’s going to throw inside this afternoon?
1:40: Can some baseball marketing team come up with a different idea than the white towel please? They’re way overused…Manny strikes out swinging to end a 1-2-3 first for Myers.
1:43: The Philly Phanatic presents the starting line-up for the Phillies. Hands down the best mascot in sports, correctly noted Mr. Buck.
1:48: Howard comes up with Utley on first, batting .133 this postseason and has four hits in his last 40 at-bats. Needless to say they need this guy to step it up.
1:53: It wouldn’t be a Fox broadcast without some Jack Bauer! 24! Back with an all-new 2-hour premier!
1:54: Andre Ethier is hitting cleanup and I have no clue why. He struggled mightily in the NLDS. Calmly lines a base hit through the right side to shut me up.
1:58: James Loney comes within a foot of putting the Dodgers up 2-0 with a blast off the right field wall. McCarver enlightens us by explaining that that would’ve been a home run in Dodger Stadium, but we aren’t playing in Dodger Stadium. Runners on second and third with nobody out.
2:02: Blake DeWitt’s infield sacrifice scores Ethier from third for the first run of the game. Dodgers take an early 1-0 lead.
2:07: Who is this OctoberGonzo kid blogging for Fox during the postseason? Can somebody run his credentials past me please?
2:08: I have to put this in here–Pat Burrell is a spitting image of one of my favorite all-time baseball players, Will Clark. Burrell strikes out looking, and it’s his birthday! Shame on you Chad Billingsley.
2:11: Did I really just see a “Greg Dobbs 4 President” sign? Common Phillies fans. Those signs should never be allowed at a game, let alone for a career .276 hitter.
2:12: Carlos Ruiz delivers a clutch, two-out, game-tying RBI double to knot things up at 1-1. Two pitches later Myers delivers an even more clutch two-out, go-ahead RBI single to give himself a little help. Phillies lead 2-1.
2:18: Shane Victorino delivers a dagger with a bases-clearing, two-RBI double into the left centerfield gap. The wheels are falling off for Billingsley. McCarver notifies us that Myers’ hit was the key to this inning. Thanks Tim.
2:20: First “BEAT L.A.” chant from the
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about 1 month ago
Can't wait for the 24 bridge!!
OctoberGonzo: agreed, please go away now.
Beard: Blake, but I'm biased
You pointed out many brilliant calls by Tim McCarver but I couldn't believe this one.
Jimmy Rollins hit a ball that Kemp misplayed in center that allowed Rollins to advance to second. Well as they are showing Jimmy trot to first base and then immediately turn on the burners as he reaches first, McCarver astutely points out that "By busting it out of the box Rollins was able to get to second." or something to that effect. Was he watching the same game we were?
Great stuff.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Nino...It was fun doing this, I'll bring it out a couple more times over the playoffs.
McCarver is SOOO bad dude. I hate Buck to, but McCarver just never says anything useful, I'm glad to hear you share my hatred.
from about 1 month ago
The thing about Buck is this.... He doesn't like baseball and he even admitted himself before. He's a football guy and I'm sure he'd rather be doing that right now than baseball.
I think its easy to get on McCarver.. But he's so bad he deserves it.. You'd think the way everyone talks about how bad he is it would be an over exaggeration, but it really isn't. He's captain obvious, which is okay for the casual fan who is tuning in to just see the postseason, but it doesn't do that fan or fans like us who follow the game closely, any justice what so ever.
from about 1 month ago
"He's captain obvious" So he's baseball's equivalent of John Madden without all the annoying catch phrases, the crayon, and the speech impediment? Yeah, I dislike him to but I've seen enough of Buck (football) and Madden to regard McCarver with cold indifference. Seriously though, as Bill Simmons once wrote "Joe Buck is the cooler" and he couldn't be more right.
During the week 17 Pats-Giants game last season New England was driving deep in NY territory when Buck said "Brady has not been sacked or intercepted all game." for no apparent reason. 5 seconds later, on the next play, Reggie Torbor runs straight through the middle of the Patriot O-line for the sack. Thank god Buck said sacked or intercepted instead of just intercepted.
But more on topic, solid writeup Rory, I watched that game and can say that you pretty much nailed it down to the crappy announcing. Although I think Victorino's hit in the gap was a triple, either that or ESPN screwed that up repeatedly, it's a very minor mistake though that doesn't take away from a fine piece of work, if indeed I am correct. I also agree on Octobergonzo, they really couldn't get anyone better? sheesh talk about low standards.
about 1 month ago
Great great diary! really dominant work. Yelin thought it was excellent too.
Hopefully you'll be doing this on the regular.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Andrew...I'll bring out the diary probably once more for the ALCS/NLCS and a couple times during the World Series...
about 1 month ago
Better than Simmons! Screw Dobbs, Rory for President!
about 1 month ago
2:07: Who is this OctoberGonzo kid blogging for Fox during the postseason? Can somebody run his credentials past me please?
this is great! (the whole article is) but octobergonzo is a horrid writer....he covers the postseason on mlblogs.com. i dont know why they think he's so good.....
from about 1 month ago
Yea seriously. WHO IS THE KID? When did he become a good enough writer to write for MLB? Jesus
from about 1 month ago
Dear lord, I just went to check out that blog.. Was that the best they could do?
about 1 month ago
apparently........
about 1 month ago
Dude that was hillarious, I was thinking alot of the same things yesterday. 5 Stars
about 1 month ago
As bad as Fox shills for upcoming shows, irrelavant facts about players, etc., it beats countless commercials about that fat guy, Frank Callinedo. Jees, I think we just saw all the impressions they guy does, why watch the show? John Smoltz was good on TBS, but with FOX, boom, commercial over, action on. I like that. It is a commercial station. Oh, Smoltz, maybe he could take over for Tim McCarver. I guess McCarver doesn't know the song, "The Sound of Silence." Good stuff, though, I enjoyed it. The Phils need to close the deal so I don't have to hear more about America's favorite (not) superstar, Manny Ramirez. He is good, he has not pitched for aldulation, but the media has a bigger one for Manny than they do for Obama. STOP IT! Phils in 5!
about 1 month ago
Great stuff!
Better beard? Bruntlett!
Sometimes I wish Charlie would keep Romero in. Out for Nomar? Romero could take him.
Rollins is the best defensively. I don't know why some experts said Furcal was the better shortstop in this series.
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