"See. You. Tater!"

There are certain moments that really resonate in a baseball fan’s life – those “Someday I’m going to tell my grandchildren about this” type of moments.  We don’t just remember being there or seeing it on TV; we remember these moments so vividly that they felt like they were a part of our own lives.

One of the things that makes these moments so vivid in our minds is the call that was made by the broadcaster at the time.  The play-by-play, the color commentary, and the analysis of broadcasters and former players alike.  Ask any die-hard baseball fan who won the 1951 World Series, and we won’t just say it was the Giants – we will yell “The Giants win the pennant!  The Giants win the pennant!”  We are quoting Russ Hodges, who called Bobby Thomson’s “shot heard ‘round the world.”  More than seventy years later, Hodges' call is still one of the most memorable moments in baseball history and certainly one of the most recognizable moments in sports broadcast history.

Whether it was Bobby Thomson’s home run, Roberto Clemente’s 3000^th hit, or Cal Ripken’s 2131^st consecutive game record in 1995, baseball fans have the video and audio of the event ingrained in our minds forever.  So many historic moments – Hank Aaron passing Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list in 1974; Kirk Gibson’s improbable “limp-off” home run; Kirby Puckett’s World Series homer – these are all moments made unforgettable by the people who called the games and gave us our own front-row seat to the action.  Phil Rizzuto (“Holy cow!”), Vin Scully (“Losing feels worse than winning feels good”), Harry Caray (“It could be, it might be… it is!  A home run!”), and Al Michaels (“I tell you what – we’re having an earthquake!”) – their voices are as familiar to us as those of close friends and relatives.

Locally, I couldn’t ask for better radio and TV commentators.  Dave Jageler and Charlie Slowes, who do the Nationals’ games on the radio, are very entertaining.  They love giving us the spelling of uncommon last names, and every time they spell one, someone in the broadcast booth dings a bell.  Corny, but entertaining (plus how else will you know how to spell Adeiny Hechavarría?).  On TV, Bob Carpernter and his man-child sidekick, F.P. Santangelo, love to comment not only on the game, but on which fan at the ballpark is eating what, which fan is having trouble putting on a rain poncho, and who made a major-league catch for a foul ball in the stands.  Bob’s “See…you…LATER!” home run call and F.P.’s “There goes the no-hitter!” calls are daily occurrences that Nationals fans are used to and expect.  In fact, the most recent concession stand to open at Nationals Park, a tater tot and chicken wing bar, is called “See. You. Tater!” inspired by Carpenter’s home run call and Santangelo always referring to home runs as “taters.”   

Then there are the times when you don’t realize how good your local broadcast crew is until you’re watching or listening to another game and that team’s crew is terrible.  My least favorite broadcast crew has to be the Gary Thorne/Jim Palmer combination (sorry, Orioles fans!).  Thorne’s voice makes me want to vomit – it always sounds like he has something stuck in his throat and it just won’t come out or go down.  And Palmer, despite being an excellent pitcher (so good that he’s in the Hall of Fame), is just boring and way too anecdotal.  Jim, we know you pitched in the 1966 World Series; you don’t have to bring it up during every game.  He’s one of those classic “Back when I was pitching…” kind of guys.  Super-nice, but should not be behind a microphone.  Just because you looked good in underwear back in the day doesn’t mean you can do good color commentary. 

So whether it’s Jack Buck (not his son Joe – I don’t like him), Chris Berman (“Backbackbackbackback!”) or “Mister Baseball” himself, Bob Uecker (wait – I don’t like him either!), it is the men and women behind the microphones (ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza is pretty cool and really knows her baseball, though I secretly hate her because she has a job I would love) who bring us memorable moments that become indelible and unforgettable in our baseball-loving minds.

I'll Have a Blue World Series Without You

Major League Baseball’s 111^th World Series is set to start soon, with the blue-and-orange New York Mets taking on the blue-and-white Kansas City Royals.  It’s the Royals’ second consecutive trip to the World Series (which they lost to the San Francisco Giants), so naturally I have to root for them because it was so sad to see them lose last year.  I think it’s my first time picking an American League team since the Minnesota Twins went to the “big dance” in 1991 (and won it by beating the Atlanta Braves).  I was a huge Kirby Puckett fan, and seeing him do so well in the World Series was one of the highlights of my baseball fan-hood.  This year I’m a big fan of… let’s see… no one really; but I have to root for the Royals because I just can’t get myself to cheer for the other team.

What’s wrong with the Mets?  Don’t they have a Gold Glove-winning outfielder in Juan Lagares (who stole the award from the Nationals’ Denard Span in 2014)?  How about that guy Yoenis Céspedes (who killed the Nationals in the last regular-season series they played against each other)?  And don’t they have that good relief pitcher, Tyler Clippard (former National)?  Yeah – I’m a little bitter about the Mets making it this far while the Nationals didn’t even clinch a Wild Card spot in the playoffs.  Still licking my wounds a little bit.

The funny thing is that I used to be a die-hard Mets fan in the late 80s.  I can still recite their regular lineup (Dykstra, Teufel, Hernandez/Magadan, Strawberry, McReynolds, HoJo, Carter, and Elster – and I swear I didn’t get Google’s help!), and I remember their starting pitchers in 1989 being Ron Darling, Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez, David Cone, and Bob Ojeda (I believe Frank Viola came in halfway through the season).  I had the shirts, pennants, yearbooks, and even got a media guide from them after having sent them some sort of fan mail.  Darling and Elster were the cute ones, and the Mets still have the biggest section in my baseball card collection.

But alas, the Washington Nationals came to town in 2005, and I had to jump on the bandwagon.  I had not been able to embrace the Baltimore Orioles in the few years I had lived in Maryland, mainly because they were an American League team and because my first husband was not supportive of my baseball habit (lesson learned:  Don’t marry someone who doesn’t share your hobbies!).   After our separation in 2005, I decided to embrace the new team in town and have not looked back as a Nationals fan since.

Part of being a loyal fan is sticking by your team regardless of how well or how sucky they play (spell check says “sucky” isn’t a word, but I’m using it!).  And believe me – those first few seasons as a Nationals fan were pretty brutal.  Before the days of Strasburg and Harper, the team played in a crappy stadium, struggled to build their fan base, and went through several managers and staff changes.  And while they’ve come a long way in just ten years, some people think they haven’t lived up to the hype and the high payroll.  Yes, it would have been nice if the Nationals had made it this far (the red and white would have complimented the Royals’ colors nicely) – but I have not had a problem going to bed at my usual 10:00 time during a playoff game’s 6^th or 7^th inning.  If the Nationals had made the playoffs, I would have been sleep-deprived, stressed out, and impossible to live with (and that’s not my husband or kids talking – I think I know myself pretty well!).

So for all you fans of the other 28 teams that did not make it to the World Series:  Enjoy some good baseball, have fun checking out the cute players (Eric Hosmer for the Royals and Matt Harvey for the Mets), and feel free to go to bed before a game is over (unless it’s game seven or any other deciding game).  I predict that the Royals will win in six games (so they can win at home, which is always nice), but if the Mets end up winning, I will just shrug and wait for Bryce Harper to be announced as the NL MVP in November without having lost much sleep.  See how easy and laid-back it is when you don’t have anything vested in either of the two teams?  Let’s hope for some good clean baseball and let’s go Royals (I guess)!

"The Liars and the Dirty Dirty Cheats of the World"

While I never thought I would use the lyrics of a Taylor Swift song as a title for a blog post, I thought it was appropriate for a post about cheating in sports.  Whether it's "deflate-gate" in the NFL, Lance Armstrong getting blood transfusions during the Tour de France,or Barry Bonds having "no idea" what he was being injected with during his home run tear in Major League Baseball - cheating happens in every sport at every level. And with sports being a microcosm of society, it basically means that the world is full of selfish, insecure, win-at-any-cost people.  Oh that is so discouraging!

Why am I writing about cheating in sports when Major League Baseball is heating up with teams vying for playoff spots?  Shouldn't I be crying about the Orioles' recent nosedive and the Mets' consistent success?  Well a friend asked for my opinion on the Tom Brady situation, so I figured I would present my opinion along with the baseball perspective.

So totally hot and sexy Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, was suspended by the NFL for the first 4 games of the season, because according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Brady had a part in a conspiracy to deflate footballs below the allowable limit at last season's AFC championship game, a 45-7 whoopin' of the Indianapolis Colts.  Well a judge decided that Brady was treated unfairly and not given due process, so he dropped Brady's suspension, which the NFL quickly appealed.  Brady INSISTS that he had NOTHING to do with the deflation of the balls, despite ordering that his cell phone be destroyed right before being interviewed by the NFL.  Right - Tom Brady had no prior knowledge of "deflate-gate" and I'm the Queen of England (though I'd rather look like Jennifer Lopez than the Queen - no disrespect to "your Highness.").

Why am I so sure that Tom Brady had everything to do with the deflated balls?  Because I'm tired of being duped.  In the 1990s, I was a huge fan of Minnesota Twins center fielder, Kirby Puckett.  I read his book, collected his cards, and followed his career religiously.  I knew all about him on the field, marveling at his gravity-defying leaps in the outfield and celebrating his World Series home runs.  When I found out that Puckett was a wife beater and groper of women in restaurants, I was completely deflated (as opposed to Brady's footballs, which were only PARTIALLY deflated).  I felt betrayed and so disappointed knowing that a person I admired was not totally the hero I made him out to be.  Kirby Puckett didn't cheat (that we know of), but finding out he was a real jerk was just as devastating as if I had found out that he took performance-enhancing drugs.  It just sucked.

Then there's cheater extraordinaire Lance Armstrong.  I also read his books, prayed for him during his cancer diagnosis, and even had one of those yellow LIVE STRONG rubber bracelets that he made famous.  Lance could do no wrong, and because of him I learned about cycling as well as the beautiful scenery of the Alps and the grueling event that is the Tour de France.  All those accusations that Lance had cheated were always countered with please of innocence - he could look straight into a camera and adamantly deny that he did not take performance-enhancing drugs or blood transfusions or anything like that.  And then the truth came out, and he looked like a real ass.  That was a real heartbreaker for me - I had told my kids all about him and how great he was and then I had to explain to them how he was a total phony.

This is why I think Tom Brady is guilty of knowing about the deflated footballs.  I don't want to defend the guy and then find out he's a liar and a cheat.  No, there's no clear evidence that he was involved.  No, there is no key witness to testify that Brady was involved.  Yes, Brady might retire without the real truth ever coming out.  But I'm tired of sticking by these conceited, I-can-do-no-wrong-because-I'm-famous guys with over-inflated egos, so I'm just going to assume Brady is guilty unless proven otherwise.

What gets me is that someone as talented as Tom Brady does not need deflated footballs to excel at his sport.  Ask the Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees.  Both of them served suspensions for having used performance-enhancing drugs, yet both are back to playing well despite being off the drugs.  Not that I'm defending A-Rod (please!), but he's always been a fine player without the drugs.  Some say it's the pressure of having to perform well at such a high level that leads already-good players to start the drugs; I say it's just insecurity and low self-esteem.  I've read that despite looking confident and cocky on the outside, A-Rod is privately an insecure guy who often throughout his career has doubted his talents.

So whether Tom Brady played a part in the "deflate-gate" scandal or not, he will be able to play this season while the NFL's appeal is heard, and I'm neither here nor there about that (since I'm not an ardent football fan).  I'm still focusing my attention on the last month of baseball's regular season, where a lot of games still have to be played for playoff spots to be determined.  May the Mets falter, the Pirates and Nationals rise to greatness, and may all current athletes contemplating cheating at their sport think twice, because in these days of social media, lack of privacy, and increased screening and scrutiny, someone will eventually find you out.  And you wouldn't like some little kid to idolize you and then find out you're a fraud - that's just heartbreaking.

Anyone??? Anyone???

The NBA players may have ended their lockout and the NFL may be in full swing, but there has been plenty going on behind the scenes in Major League Baseball, with the winter meetings wrapping up, players being traded and free agents being signed.  Albert Pujols signed with the Angels, Mark Buehrle went to the Marlins, and the Red Sox strengthened their bullpen by adding Mark Melancon to their pitching staff.  But there's one player out there who remains a free agent, one veteran who still has a few years of ball left in him.  No, I'm not referring to Prince Fielder (though I still don't know where he's going to end up).  It should come as no surprise to those of you who read this blog on a regular basis that I am referring to future Hall-of-Famer Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez.

"There she goes again!" you're thinking to yourself.  "Does she have to mention this old guy in every one of her posts?"  Well, I'm sorry, but it's my blog, so I can mention him every time if I want to!  :-)  Seriously; Iván is currently playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, but after that season is done, he may not have a job.  The Nationals are not going to re-sign him, because they currently have four catchers vying for spots on the opening day roster.  That has been a stark reality that I've had to accept; I need to cherish the memories of the many times I watched Iván play live at Nationals Park and the time he signed my Puerto Rican flag.  I need to put away my Nationals #7 Rodriguez jersey and print out all those pictures I've taken before my old computer decides to die and I lose those pictures forever.  I need to move on and find another player for whom to root. 

But really, doesn't anyone out there need a veteran catcher who still has a cannon for an arm and can work pitchers better than anyone?  He's caught no-hitters, won an MVP and a World Series title, and is so close to reaching the 3000-hit milestone that it would be a crime if he wasn't given the opportunity to do so.  How about a player/coach?  Isn't there a team out there who could use a part-time catcher who can also serve as a very good bench coach?  And while I'm asking, can that team be a National League one so I can go see him play when they come to DC?  Don't sign with an AL team; I don't want to go back to Baltimore!  There were rumors that the Marlins were interested in signing "Pudge," but those rumors have recently subsided.  Iván has a home in Miami, he's a favorite of new manager Ozzie Guillen, and he would be a big draw for Marlins fans, who still remember him from his stint with their team back in 2003 when he helped the Marlins win the World Series.  Come on; won't someone sign this highly valuable free agent?  Anyone?  Please???

So if Iván is forced to retire (gulp!), who can be my next baseball player to stalk - I mean, follow?  When I first became interested in baseball back in the 80s, I was a big Ron Darling fan.  I admit, not because he was an OK pitcher, but because he was good-looking.  Then I followed Jim Abbott, the one-handed pitcher for the Angels.  After Abbott fizzled, I became an ardent Kirby Puckett fan.  His death at such a young age was very tragic for me, and I sought comfort in #7, the handsome and clean-cut catcher from Puerto Rico who could do no wrong.  But now no one really stands out for me.  I can't possibly follow Derek Jeter - that's way too "bandwagon."  And Pujols is just - I don't know - he doesn't do it for me.  Then there's Ryan Braun, but now that he may be suspended for the first 50 games of the season because of allegedly failing a drug test, he's off my list.  I'm thinking of Ryan Zimmerman or Michael Morse, both of the Nationals and both really really good players.  Zimmerman is too serious though; Morse is a jokester and has a carefree way about him.  Hmmm... something to think about.

So while I ponder the thought of who my next baseball hottie will be, I will continue to count the days until the first game of Spring Training.  80 days and counting, my friends, and I can't wait!  In the meantime, may you all have a wonderful holiday season this year, and may 2012 fill you and your families with good health and much happiness!