Wednesday, April 13, 2005 |
Byrd Is Absurd: Rangers 7, Angels 5
Top 3rd
Well, wouldn't you know it, but MLB.com's Gameday Audio refuses to work. Fooey.And WTF is up with Chone Figgins getting a solo home run? I guess we can say he's started back hitting again. And Chan Ho "Out Of The" Park holding down the Angels? Yow.
Bottom 3rd
If I say nice things about Paul Byrd -- as I did in February -- is it too much to ask that he actually live up to it? I promise not to be a complete jackass if proven right.One run, I can live with.
Top 5th
Benjie Molina, having gotten aboard by erasing Orlando Cabrera (who earlier doubled, and for same, yay), merits a pickoff move from CHP? Tell me he's bored, please.Bottom 5th
Well, the joyride had to end sometime. Byrd manages to get to two outs, but then gives up singles to Kevin Mensch and Soriano, and then walks Blalock on four straight balls to load the bases.Eric Young promptly hangs a triple to center to give the Rangers a three-run lead. Is there anything more annoying than the Angels' starters' proclivity for melting down, all at once, after making you think they've got a chance to be actually kinda, sorta, pretty good?
And then Teixeira doubles. Ye gods. When I wrote that last graf, because I couldn't hear the play-by-play, I thought maybe the Angels had just absorbed a grand slam to the gut, the kind of thing their pitchers love to do. Instead, they elected for a spare.
Whew. Hidalgo grounds out, but the Angels' day looks like it's done. On the other hand: even if Paul Byrd is worse than Park, we've only got Byrd for this year, and no way is he getting anything like the $15M Park so richly doesn't deserve. And on the other, other hand, there's still the Rangers' ever-so-shaky bullpen to retire to in late innings.
Top 6th
Figgy, figuring he can hit another one out, flys out instead. But what's this? Park surrenders a four-pitch walk? Hot damn... but then, fizzle, including Vlad's harmless little fly ball.Bottom 6th
This must be where Byrd melts down. No, really... you thought it couldn't be worse? He gives up a home run on the second pitch to Adrian Gonzalez. No, I'm not kidding... is this what Black tells these guys when he comes out to the mound? "Straightball, dead center of the plate, waist high -- I tell you, it's the last thing he'll expect!"Dammit -- now Barajas singles after a David Delucci walk. Two on, one out, and Soriano at the plate...
Good God, he gets out of it.
Top 7th
Okay, I'm not trying to get hopes up too much, but Fins singles, and O-Cab doubles, only one out. B. Molina up, and let's see if Mr. Clutch (ha!) can put something together. Hee! First pitch double, and now it's 6-3, Rangers!Maicer Izturis grounds out, Benjie to 3rd, and now Ron Mahay is in the game. This is normally like fighting a rat infestation by putting cheese all around your house. But, with Chone Figgins hitting, solo homer or no, he's still not exactly what you'd call "on a roll", and so I bite my tongue.
Not. On. A. Roll. Strike three, swinging. And after yesterday, I thought they'd warmed up some.
Bottom 7th
G-g-g-g-regg? Oh, boy.Actual work intrudes.
Top 9th
I see Gregg couldn't hold on to the Rangers' lead without giving up more.So, the Rangers get to pat themselves on the shoulders for winning one, Chan Ho Park gets to go home with a win (finally), and the Angels might, for all we know, still be on top of the division in the morning.
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