Agony and Ecstasy

July 29, 2009

Tonight (Tuesday) the Angels played their 99th game of the season.  As the game was ending, I began to think about what my state of mind was last year at this time.  Here are a few visuals that I feel accurately capture my mood at the end of July, 2008:

      

 

     

 

      

 

This season, things are a little different:

 

   

     

 

                      

 

Love hurts sometimes.  Not every season can be a walk in the park, right?  And Tuesday night was NO walk in the park, that’s for sure.  Jered Weaver seemed out of sorts in his circa 1980’s uniform in honor of Retro Night and the Indians scored 1 in the first and 1 in the second.  The Angels answered with 3 runs in the 3rd but the Indians were back for more and led 4-3 at the end of 5.  Weaver was out, Matt Palmer was in and he pitched 3 scoreless innings of relief, giving up only 1 hit.  Then came the 8th inning.  Erick Aybar was on, beating out the throw to first.  Bobby Abreu was a cool customer and patiently drew a walk.  (Pitching change.)  Juan Rivera singled into left field and Aybar scored the tying run.  Mike Napoli hit into a double-play, but Abreu moved to third.  (Pitching change.)  Maicer Izturis drew a walk of his own and Kendry Morales was up.  Guess what?  He walked too and the bases were loaded for Gary Matthews, Jr. who hit a solid, base-clearing double out to the wall.  Reggie Willits popped up to end the inning, but I had my insurance runs.  Or did I?

                             

 

Of course I did!  There wasn’t any way Brian Fuentes would blow TWO saves in as many nights, right?  He walks Andy Marte.  Asdrubal Cabrera hits a double.  Jamey Carroll hits a single and a run scores.  This. Is. Not. Happening.  Jason Bulger is feverishly warming up in the bullpen.  Sin-soo Choo walks and the bases are loaded with the go-ahead run on first.  Mike Scioscia sends Fuentes to the shower.  For the second night in a row, Fuentes not only blows the save, but fails to get a single out.  I must say, I’m shocked.  But now I’m praying for Bulger and a happy ending.  Bulger gets Victor Martinez to hit into a double-play and one more run scores.  Now the tying run’s at third.  Jhonny Peralta grounds out to Aybar and not only does Bulger get his first career save, good ol’ Matt Palmer ends up with the win, improving his record to 9-1!  What a completely different outcome from the previous night.  Ha!  Take that, Indians.  Just another Halo victory, my as$. 

                        

 

Baseball…it’s better out west.

 

 

Written by lafmyers Posted in Dailies Tagged with Angels, Bobby Abreu, Erick Aybar, Gary Matthews, Jr., Indians, Jason Bulger, Jered Weaver, Kendry Morales, Matt Palmer