Los Angeles: One of the nice things about games at Dodger Stadium is that there is a 99.9% chance that there will not be a rainout. Since 1962, there have been only 17. Since then the team has played 1,691 home games without a rain out. There is no tarp on the field. If there is one ready to go I challenge anyone to show me where they keep it.
So on another sunny 85 degree day and 73 degree evening the Giants and Dodgers clash again in what looks to be a close race between them the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies in the NL West.
Lets change the subject a bit. While watching the Dodgers taking batting practice, I commented to someone that Dodger 3rd baseman and DH Justin Turner was hitting bomb after bomb into the outfield pavilions. Fans were ducking for cover.
The person I was commenting to wondered if the practice balls were the same as the game balls as Turner is batting an embarrassing .179 with 1 HR right now. This is when batting averages are higher because the season is just getting started.
I know for a fact that the practice balls are different and are stamped “Practice.” With all the bellyaching about the baseballs not going as far this year this was a good question.
And while I’m at it, all the complaining from pitchers about the ball being hard to control? “Hey who took my Spider Tack?” Well literally, get a grip pitchers. There are plenty of big league pitchers who are doing quite well with these awful 2022 cue-balls coming out of the umpire’s ball bag.
Hey, maybe it is the umpires who are messing with the balls? Maybe because they are being criticized more than ever for a call made in NY that they will get booed for in St.Louis. I wouldn’t blame them. But I also know better than to question the integrity of these men in blue. Can’t play the game without them.
Maybe the pitchers are throwing closer to and hitting more batters, especially Mets hitters, to bolster their dissatisfaction of MLB taking away their sticky stuff and checking them after every half inning. Like “See Mr. Commissioner, we are going to possibly kill someone if you make us throw without our Spider Tack.”
I don’t have answers, only questions. Like the famous sportscaster Warner Wolf, who would always ask, “Why do they call it the foul pole? If you hit it the ball is fair. It should be called the Fair Pole.” And why do they call it the “Bullpen?”
Oh yeah, the Dodgers won 9-1 tonight. One guy pitched well and the other guys didn’t. Must have had something to do with the new baseball they are using.
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