While it wasn’t so great for the Rangers today, some interesting things took place around the league. First, in Boston, former Ranger first baseman Chris Davis pitched two scoreless innings in a 17 inning marathon affair. Davis, who was 0-8 playing DH, was glad to try something different. He held the BoSox to 1 hit, walked one and struck out two while dazzling with his 80+ MPH fastball. That reminded me of a Ranger moment in 1987. We were thrashing the Yankees (final 20-3) when Yankee skipper Lou Pinella sent catcher Rick Cerone to the mound to pitch. How did Bobby Valentine counter? He sent pitcher Bobby Witt in to hit for LF Pete Incaviglia. Now Bobby eventually struck out, but not before sending a long drive that just went foul. So close to being a home run. We were there. We were laughing. Here’s the box score for that game.
19-year-old snot nose Bryce Harper faced Cole Hamels as the Nationals took on the Phillies and Hamels went all old school on the kid. Hamels hit him in the back in the first inning then totally fessed up to it after the game. He said:
“I was trying to hit him. I’m not going to deny it. It’s something I grew up watching. That’s what happened. I’m just trying to continue the old baseball. Some people get away from it. I remember when I was a rookie, the strike zone was really, really small and you didn’t say anything. That’s the way baseball is. Sometimes the league is protecting certain players. It’s that old-school prestigious way of baseball.
“I’m not going to injure a guy. They’re probably not going to like me for it but I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t trying to do it. I think they understood the message and they threw it right back. That’s the way, and I respect it. They can say whatever they want.”
I don’t like Harper. Somewhere on my other blog I posted as much a couple of years ago. That’s right. I didn’t like him when he was 17. But keeping the theme for the day, that it was “different”, later that first inning Harper stole home on Hamels. That is also sort of old school. One last unusual thing for the day? Albert Pujols hit his first home run for the Angels. Will wonders ever cease?
No Pepper 