RMJ 216 September 19

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 ● Cincinnati, vs Reds

Vern and I met with Gerry this morning to talk about our pitching rotation for the rest of the season and into the playoffs. We agreed that José Lima would be dropped from the postseason staff when we cut down to 10 pitchers.

We also agreed that it would be best to use D.K. and Hamp the first two games in Atlanta, if we have the luxury of setting a rotation.

If we don’t have that luxury, and we make it on the last day with Darryl on the mound, we will have to go into the postseason in rotation, with Chris Holt starting game one in Atlanta.  That might not be the worst thing in the world. He is just a rookie, but he has a lot of poise. Lately, he has been our best pitcher.

 

I went down to Batsakes Hat Shop for my free shoe shine, and to get a scouting report on the Reds.

It seems that Gus, Charlie, and the boys have given up on the Reds. I got a little tidbit on Reggie Sanders, and a good spit-shine on three pairs of shoes. The whole thing will cost me 12 tickets, which means writing four names on a list. I also got a hat in the bargain.

When I got to the ballpark, I had Dave Labossiere crack my back and put the electric stimulators on my neck. I have been feeling a little nervous, and once again, I don’t know if I am worrying about my health, or if it is the pennant race, or both.

I went out and did a little jogging with Vern, hoping to sweat the stress away. It seemed to work pretty well, but my neck got a little stiffer, and I couldn’t raise my voice without getting a pain in my throat.

I started the game as the quiet man, and our hitters took the same approach.

 

Dave Burba had good stuff, and we went meekly the first few innings. Meanwhile, Chis Holt was snakebit. He was not as effective as he has been, but he was extremely unlucky. He gave up more choppers and bloopers than the law allows, and he got down 5-0. He did last six innings, which is a testament to his relentless, plodding style.

We came back and made a game of it as I tiptoed through their lineup with a bend-but-don’t-break prevent-type approach to bullpen management. By the time we got down to it, I was able to yell, even though I still had a stiff neck.

The turning point of the game came when we had Gonzo at the plate in the eighth inning, and Bagwell tried to steal second. He was safe on a close play, but the umpire called him out. I couldn’t argue, because I really couldn’t tell from my perspective. Gonzo hit the next pitch over the centerfield fence, and we lost 5-4.

The big question afterwards was whether he was safe or out — or, indeed, whether he should have been running in the first place.

Because Gonzo only hits about two or three homers a month, I said that I was hoping Bagwell would steal. Their pitcher, Stan Belinda, is slow to the plate and their catcher, Joe Oliver, double-clutched. I didn’t think Oliver had a chance, but he made a great throw — right on the money.

The replay showed that the tag was on Bagwell’s chest, and his foot was on the bag. The umpire had no way to see the tag; he was on the infield side of the play. His view of the tag was completely blocked, as usual.

I have no quarrel with the umpire. Even if he had been on the outfield side, it would have been a tough call. When a guy is running full speed and slides in a cloud of dust and is tagged on the shirt as his feet go into the bag, the umpire has to guess. There is no way he can see the bag and the tag at the same time. Still, if I were king of baseball, I would require the umpires to position themselves behind the bag.

If I were king of baseball this year, doubling as manager of the Astros, I would dictate a devastating extra-inning loss for the Pirates. That is exactly what happened, as Mark McGwire hit his 54th home run. I believe he still has a chance to tie or beat Roger Maris’ record, and I would like to see it — in any other year. This year, I will be happy to watch the replay.

I’m glad we don’t play the Cardinals again. And I’m a little leery of competing with them next year, too. If they put together any kind of pitching staff, they will be hard to beat.