A Ninth Inning for the Books

January 31, 2008

A big shout out to my one reader courageous enough to admit that she reads the blog, Louise Hurdle.  Thank you, Louise, tell all of your friends...well maybe you should reconsider that.

Thursday night was an historic one at Rockies Fantasy Camp.  While the rest of the evening’s slate was complete, there was still a game being contested on Field 3 between the 0-4 Marvelous Ones (my team) and the 1-3 Rockettes.  In some circles it was referred to as the "toilet bowl," but I prefer to view both teams as late blooming.  Somehow the game had gotten slightly away from the Marvelous Ones, as we headed to the final inning down a few runs.  A slim margin to overcome, nothing a small earthquake and an infusion of big league talent couldn't overcome, not to mention divine intervention. 

And then it all started happening, innocently of course - a hit, a walk, an error…alright, several errors, numerous walks and questionable defensive range led to the first half dozen runs.  Walt Weiss went to the mound and attempted to prop up his wilting pitcher, while casually gazing at an empty bullpen, and the rest of his position players who quickly averted his gaze.  Another pair of walks, a few well placed bloops, and voila, a few more runs. 

The commissioner, Clint Hurdle, had now taken an interest, not wanting to miss one of the potentially greatest comebacks in camp history.  Amid fan disbelief and the commish's razzing of Weiss and co-manager Mike Gallego, three more runs stumbled across home plate. Stumbled is a literal term in this case, not a figurative one.  Weiss was forced to make a move, opting to put his original starter on the hill.  An out was finally recorded, but then a bleeder, a Texas Leaguer, a Southern Leaguer and an Arizona Fall Leaguer dropped, and the Rockettes lead narrowed further.  Weiss and Gallego looked on in disbelief. 

Another out followed by two more hits, and then the tying run came to the plate.  Groundball to third, not handled, and the tying run was aboard.  A swinging-miss-hit sandwedge and the tying run moved to scoring position.  Second and third with two outs.  This is where the story failed to follow the Disney script:  groundball to short where the steady hands of Tara Harbert fielded the ball cleanly and calmly threw to first to end the drama.

It’s not on many ball fields around the country that you get to witness a ninth inning rally of 15 runs that still somehow is just enough to get you beat by two.  Final score 25-23, and the Marvelous Ones fall further into the cellar at 0-5.  From champs a year ago to pre-camp favorites to winless thus far.  I'm going to try and shower this one off like all the others, but I'm honestly in a foul mood.   I hope the reporters don't bury me in the morning rags for refusing comment after the game.