Blogfather To Lob Softball (Questions) At Coliseum Sunday

First and foremost let me say that game 1 of the World Series was terrific baseball theater. In the bottom of the 10th, while the Dodgers were in the process of leading the bases, one of the people I was watching with said, “Isn’t this a great game?” And I replied, “I’ll let you know in a few minutes...”

After all, even an apparently great game only qualifies as such if the Yankees lose. Even before Nestor Cortes and his 80’s porn mustache served up a walk-off grand slam to “the other gimpy Dodgers slugger,” game 1 featured many quirks rarely seen.

There was a potential tie-breaking HR in the top of the 9th negated by fan interference the likes of which haven’t been seen in a Yankees playoff game since Jeffrey Meier was a kid. Only this time the umps got the call right.

There was the rare “automatic tag up” that advanced two runners when Alex Verdugo’s catch of a foul fly ball took him out of the field of play and into seats even he probably can’t afford.

There was Gavin Lux about to get to 3B with 1 out in a crucial moment until he tripped over his own feet and had to scramble back to 2B. This one is more common because apparently roughly 92% of all runners choose to crick their necks and watch the ball instead of their 3B coach.

There was Aaron Boone, so worried about Mookie Betts’ career .294 batting average that he issued an intentional walk that brought to the plate Freddie Freeman, owner of a career .387 on base percentage — and a .300 batting average. As Mark Kotsay would undoubtedly say, “But.....something something lefty-lefty matchup!”

And then of course there was the hobbled slugger stepping up to the plate for the Dodgers in game 1 of the World Series...I’m pretty sure I enjoyed it more this time.

“One Last Time”

Saturday features game 2 of the World Series. Sunday features a softball game at the Oakland Coliseum organized by Reggie Jackson and titled “One Last Time” — referring to baseball at the Coliseum.

Yours Truly has a press credential to conduct interviews and soak in the experience so that I can write about it on here after. According to the press release, the event includes a homerun derby and “softball classic,” and will include many celebrities from Reggie to Rickey, Dave Stewart, Dennis Eckersley, Jose Canesco, Barry Bonds, Terrell Owens, Matt Barnes, and more. Moore? Mike? Dennis, throwing lupins into the crowd? We shall see.

The event kicks off at 1pm and fans are, of course, encouraged to attend. Here is a link to Ticketmaster if you’re interested in attending. As for my part, I’m not entirely sure who I will interview or what I will ask, (“So Eck, 36 years ago you threw a slider and, well, ...”) But I’m sure it will be fun, a bit wacky, and if nothing else an afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum is always nostalgic.

Maybe I’ll even catch a foul ball for the first time in my life. Stay tuned for the full report sometime next week...Meanwhile — and I rarely say this — GO DODGERS!!!