Chris CrockettI Told You To Remain Patient Beantown
August 24th 2009 12:59
What is this Two Cent pain in our ass telling us to remain patient about, you ask? Is it pertaining to the Red Sox and their quest to catch the Yankees in the A.L. East? No. No it isn't. Is it pertaining to the fact that although Tom Brady sometimes seems to be superhuman at times on the football field, it might take him a little time to get back to fully being himself after surgery, so cut him a little slack and be patient? No. No it isn't.
Check out this pitching line from Sunday, August 23, 2009: 5 Innings Pitched, 0 Runs, 9 K's, 0 Walks.... Did I mention that 7 of those 9 K's came consecutively? Yes, 7 strikeouts in a row! In case you were wondering, that stat is a St. Louis Cardinal record! See, I told you John Smoltz (aka 'Father Time') would come around eventually, goddamn it! Yes, that pitching line belongs to Smoltzie from yesterday as he made his debut start for the St. Louis Cardinals against the San Diego Padres. I just was a little off on the date---and the team he'd come around with. Sue me. I wrote this about good ole Smoltzie back in July when I was ticked off about everyone writing him off.....
OK, I'll fess up to all of you now. After I wrote that article and subsequently watched Smoltz' remaining starts in Boston, I was on the ledge with the rest of you. Time did in fact run out on him-- in my mind--as far as his stay in Beantown. It was a complete failure. Major League Baseball is a results only type of business, as I wrote in that article. If you aren't getting it done (regardless of the positive signs I saw from Smoltz) you have to hit the road after a while.
Now, I know a lot of you will be saying today that for someone like Smoltz, heading back to the National League after a short stint in the American League is like my old friend Smitty from the TCFB Pub discovering viagra when he meets a hottie late night that he'd like to 'Pitino' in a booth. Party time!! Not so fast though people. Yes, there is some truth to the fact that going from the much more offensively superior American League, back to the offensively inferior National League plays a significant part in Smoltz immediate success. How about giving him a little credit though? He has the heart of a champion and he pitched with a huge chip on his shoulder yesterday. His desire to prove to himself and to his detractors that he isn't quite done yet was shining through. At least for one more day--even if there aren't many more left--he showed the world he could still get it done.
( To check out that Smoltz post that I wrote back in July click here )
Chuck Hanf
Two Cents From Beantown
Check out this pitching line from Sunday, August 23, 2009: 5 Innings Pitched, 0 Runs, 9 K's, 0 Walks.... Did I mention that 7 of those 9 K's came consecutively? Yes, 7 strikeouts in a row! In case you were wondering, that stat is a St. Louis Cardinal record! See, I told you John Smoltz (aka 'Father Time') would come around eventually, goddamn it! Yes, that pitching line belongs to Smoltzie from yesterday as he made his debut start for the St. Louis Cardinals against the San Diego Padres. I just was a little off on the date---and the team he'd come around with. Sue me. I wrote this about good ole Smoltzie back in July when I was ticked off about everyone writing him off.....
"It’s clear to me while watching him that he still has more than enough velocity and movement on his secondary pitches such as his splitter and slider to still win in this league. His control has been impeccable. I said that he’s just leaving too many pitches in the heart of the strike zone and not painting the corners enough."
OK, I'll fess up to all of you now. After I wrote that article and subsequently watched Smoltz' remaining starts in Boston, I was on the ledge with the rest of you. Time did in fact run out on him-- in my mind--as far as his stay in Beantown. It was a complete failure. Major League Baseball is a results only type of business, as I wrote in that article. If you aren't getting it done (regardless of the positive signs I saw from Smoltz) you have to hit the road after a while.
Now, I know a lot of you will be saying today that for someone like Smoltz, heading back to the National League after a short stint in the American League is like my old friend Smitty from the TCFB Pub discovering viagra when he meets a hottie late night that he'd like to 'Pitino' in a booth. Party time!! Not so fast though people. Yes, there is some truth to the fact that going from the much more offensively superior American League, back to the offensively inferior National League plays a significant part in Smoltz immediate success. How about giving him a little credit though? He has the heart of a champion and he pitched with a huge chip on his shoulder yesterday. His desire to prove to himself and to his detractors that he isn't quite done yet was shining through. At least for one more day--even if there aren't many more left--he showed the world he could still get it done.
( To check out that Smoltz post that I wrote back in July click here )
Chuck Hanf
Two Cents From Beantown
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