Brian's Advice: Don't Ever Relax!

Late in the 1984 baseball season, I remember watching the Twins jump out to a 10-0 lead on the lowly Cleveland Indians, only to see the Indians chip away and eventually come back to win that game, and basically end the Twins' chances of winning their division, not to be heard from again for another 3 years. Late Monday night, it was proven that lightning can indeed strike twice, even if it is 25 years later. Most Twins fans probably didn't even see the end of the game about 12:40 a.m., but I did. That's about the time I usually retire for the evening anyway, usually because I'm too lazy to get off the couch and go to bed earlier, but as I watched the middle innings of an improbable, eventual Oakland win, I knew I'd better keep watching, for some reason. (By the way, an "Oakland Win" is usually a good thing, as far as I'm concerned, but this "Oakland Win" didn't have me placed at a table in Deadwood, so I'll move on.....)

So anyway, the Twins hit 4 home runs, 2 from Morneau for 7 RBIs, Kubel and Cuddyer both have great games, and a usually in-control pitcher, Nick Blackburn, is on the mound - things are looking good, as the Twins led 12-2. But the A's put hits together, and before you know it, they've got 5 runs and 10 hits through 3 innings themselves, which normally will put you in pretty good shape. Daric Barton (who?) hits a 3-run homer, Matt Holliday almost matches Morneau with 2 golf shots of his own over the fences to drive in 6, and all-or-nothing Jack Cust had an "all" moment with a solo HR to put the A's in the lead, 14-13, still in the 7th inning. (By the way, that's the same Matt Holliday that everyone's been saying has been a free agent bust this year........I don't think so!)

But all of that pales in comparison to how the game ended. A 2-out double by Cuddyer, an intentional walk to Kubel (Gomez pinch-running), Delmon Young at the plate, and I'm thinking this game ain't over yet - why should it be, with everything that had happened to that point? After all, it was only 10:40 p.m. on the West Coast. So a wild pitch is thrown, it goes to the backstop, the catcher couldn't find it right away, and by the time he goes to get it, Cuddyer is rounding third and heading for home. He slides in ahead of the tag by the pitcher covering home, but on a blown call by the home plate umpire, he's called out - game over - good night everybody, and good riddance! Folks, I've done my share of umpiring in my time, and if there is one thing in sports that frustrates me to no end, it's when a game is decided by an official who is not in the proper position to make a crucial call. This guy should have been in front of home plate, with a clear view of the tag attempt, but instead, he was lined up facing the pitcher's back side, his vision most likely shielded as to where and when the tag was actually made, probably knowing dang well his call to decide the game was at best, an assumption, perhaps even a guess!

So the moral of the story is, "Don't Ever Relax!" If you have an early 12-2 lead, you may think you're safe, but there is plenty of game to go. DON'T RELAX, or you'll lose momentum, and probably the lead, which will both be difficult to regain. Also, if a guy is trying to pull a rare feat and score from second on a wild pitch, DON'T RELAX and think he's just stopping at third, or you won't be where you're supposed to be, and thus, you'll end up being remembered for a long time after the game, which is not a good thing for sports officials.

Ironically, after recounting last night's events, I think I need to go and relax now, but before I do, I have to add one more thing: if you play left field for the Chicago Cubs, and you're not very good at it to begin with, and someone hits a can-o'-corn fly ball in your general direction, DON'T RELAX, or you'll end up contributing to a 10-1 Phillies win! :o)