The Non-Catch That Broke My Heart (and balance)
There’s no use crying over spilled milk, but I’m going to anyways. And you’re going to listen to me, because I’m the train wreck that keeps giving. Besides, who else is going to make you feel better about your own misfortunes?
This sad tale comes out of Sunday’s St. Louis-Colorado series finale. Now I know what you’re thinking. “But Bread, just on Friday you wrote that you ‘would be surprised if Colorado doesn’t take at least two at home this weekend.’ And they did just that, so what could’ve possibly gone wrong?
Everything.
After splitting the first two games, I felt pretty confident that I was looking at a sure winner in the Rockies for game three. But just as a man turns his back on most things that are good for him (healthy food, medical care, controlled urges) I shunned my Rockies play. My eyes were drawn to a more tempting mistress. This is exactly why boyz r dum.
I was targeting the game total at 9.5. With Kyle Lohse and Jorge De La Rosa set to pitch, I fell in love with the Over. I became even giddier when I found the line at 9 (-125). I jumped on it and I jumped on it hard. I don’t know why I felt the need to put six times the amount of my usual “big” wagers on this particular play. I suppose I can take the same route as a fellow douchebag, Kanye West, and blame my irrational behavior on the sippy sippy. Gotta blame it on something.
Now I’m not here to belly ache about the small army of men that were left in scoring position throughout the game, because that stuff happens all of the time. Sure, the fact that there were 19 failed opportunities to bring a guy in from 2nd or 3rd stings. Yes, when no runs are produced from having the bases loaded with one out (twice) or a leadoff triple, it does tend to make your eyes rain. Regardless, I’m here to whine about the “catch” that ended the game.
A quick setup – Top of the 9th, Colorado up 4-3. Julio Lugo on 3rd, Albert Pujols on 1st, one out. If the Cards can just tie the game, I am guaranteed at least a push on my 9 o/u. The thought of that money being pushed back my way just warmed my heart, given how painful this game had been to witness. Then, the unthinkable, the unforeseeable, and throw in any other un-ables that you want in there.
Ryan Ludwick popped a flair to shallow right field and it was dropping fast. Colorado second baseman Clint Barmes was sprinting full speed towards the outfield. On a difficult ball that you will see hit the ground more times than not, Barmes gave an excellent effort as he came up with the catch before rolling past the right fielder. I was ecstatic.
Watch the video here:
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/medi...ent_id=6889331
Surely Lugo was tagging at 3rd to bring in the tying run, and with his speed, there was no way that Barmes could recover from his tumble to throw him out at the plate. Tie game. Hallelujah.
So you can imagine the horrified look on my face when Barmes stood up and excitedly whipped the ball to first base to double up Pujols. Game over, seven runs scored. Loser. I remained motionless in my chair for another five minutes, trying to make sense of Pujols getting doubled up in that situation. Even if he was running to avoid a double play, that entire sequence lasted so long that there was plenty of time for him to make it back to first. It was like a bad math formula – it just didn’t add up.
Well that misfortune set off another sequence of events that we won’t even get into, but just know that I made some offshore establishments very happy on Sunday. I’m a big boy though. I would get over it. I always do.
Most people despise Mondays. Sure, I suppose I dislike them as much as the next working schlep out there, but after any brutal beatdown by Sunday’s games, I welcome Monday. It’s a time to establish some distance between yourself and painful memories. I was beginning to recover, and I was smiling again.
While tooling around online that afternoon, I stumbled across some stomach-turning headlines. The more I investigated, the more similar stories I found. It seemed that Barmes’ amazing catch might’ve actually been a missed call. The ball may have actually hit the ground. And there were pictures to prove it! As I scrolled down towards the visual proof of my jilted fortunes, I slid my garbage can nearer, just in case.
Now I’m not blaming the refs for anything. It was such a bang bang play, and practically impossible for any of them to see the ball on the ground from the angle that it occurred. I certainly thought it was a catch watching it live. But doesn’t it just figure? They couldn’t just let me heal in peace, could they? They had to go and rub it in. The very first domino in a long line of tragic Sunday events shouldn’t have even been pushed over to begin with. Woe is me. Such is the life.
When the Denver Post asked Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki about the validity of Barmes’ catch on Monday, he blissfully replied “Who cares? We won.”
I care, Troy. I care.
This sad tale comes out of Sunday’s St. Louis-Colorado series finale. Now I know what you’re thinking. “But Bread, just on Friday you wrote that you ‘would be surprised if Colorado doesn’t take at least two at home this weekend.’ And they did just that, so what could’ve possibly gone wrong?
Everything.
After splitting the first two games, I felt pretty confident that I was looking at a sure winner in the Rockies for game three. But just as a man turns his back on most things that are good for him (healthy food, medical care, controlled urges) I shunned my Rockies play. My eyes were drawn to a more tempting mistress. This is exactly why boyz r dum.
I was targeting the game total at 9.5. With Kyle Lohse and Jorge De La Rosa set to pitch, I fell in love with the Over. I became even giddier when I found the line at 9 (-125). I jumped on it and I jumped on it hard. I don’t know why I felt the need to put six times the amount of my usual “big” wagers on this particular play. I suppose I can take the same route as a fellow douchebag, Kanye West, and blame my irrational behavior on the sippy sippy. Gotta blame it on something.
Now I’m not here to belly ache about the small army of men that were left in scoring position throughout the game, because that stuff happens all of the time. Sure, the fact that there were 19 failed opportunities to bring a guy in from 2nd or 3rd stings. Yes, when no runs are produced from having the bases loaded with one out (twice) or a leadoff triple, it does tend to make your eyes rain. Regardless, I’m here to whine about the “catch” that ended the game.
What a catch?
Ryan Ludwick popped a flair to shallow right field and it was dropping fast. Colorado second baseman Clint Barmes was sprinting full speed towards the outfield. On a difficult ball that you will see hit the ground more times than not, Barmes gave an excellent effort as he came up with the catch before rolling past the right fielder. I was ecstatic.
Watch the video here:
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/medi...ent_id=6889331
Surely Lugo was tagging at 3rd to bring in the tying run, and with his speed, there was no way that Barmes could recover from his tumble to throw him out at the plate. Tie game. Hallelujah.
So you can imagine the horrified look on my face when Barmes stood up and excitedly whipped the ball to first base to double up Pujols. Game over, seven runs scored. Loser. I remained motionless in my chair for another five minutes, trying to make sense of Pujols getting doubled up in that situation. Even if he was running to avoid a double play, that entire sequence lasted so long that there was plenty of time for him to make it back to first. It was like a bad math formula – it just didn’t add up.
Well that misfortune set off another sequence of events that we won’t even get into, but just know that I made some offshore establishments very happy on Sunday. I’m a big boy though. I would get over it. I always do.
Most people despise Mondays. Sure, I suppose I dislike them as much as the next working schlep out there, but after any brutal beatdown by Sunday’s games, I welcome Monday. It’s a time to establish some distance between yourself and painful memories. I was beginning to recover, and I was smiling again.
While tooling around online that afternoon, I stumbled across some stomach-turning headlines. The more I investigated, the more similar stories I found. It seemed that Barmes’ amazing catch might’ve actually been a missed call. The ball may have actually hit the ground. And there were pictures to prove it! As I scrolled down towards the visual proof of my jilted fortunes, I slid my garbage can nearer, just in case.
I’m going to be sick
When the Denver Post asked Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki about the validity of Barmes’ catch on Monday, he blissfully replied “Who cares? We won.”
I care, Troy. I care.
