On Saturday, I wrote about being that sucker who was going to watch his first Major League Baseball game in about three years. After all, it was game seven of the World Series and the most talented baseball player ever was going to be on the mound and batting leadoff.
Although Ohtani did not have the legendary game I was hoping for (he gave up 3 runs in 2 1/3 innings but did have two hits and a walk over 6 plate appearances) I was incredibly happy that I watched the game.
For the first time in many years, it felt like I was watching the game that I grew up loving. It reminded me of watching This week in Baseball and then turning on Joe Garagiola and Vin Scully to watch the game of the week on NBC. It reminded me of Kirk Gibson, Reggie Jackson and a very unlikely home run by Ozzie Smith.
Yes six of the nine runs were scored on home runs, but there were also two sacrifice flies and a guy scoring on a double. You know... REAL baseball. There were not ridiculously easy steals and a majority of outs made via the strikeout. It was simply was of teh best baseball games I have ever seen... and I didn't even have a rooting interest. I was just hoping for real baseball and I got it.
Although I watched the game by myself at home, I was texting back and forth with my brother all night. I am going to keep those texts forever as a reminder of this game. when I was a kid, I used to buy a scorecard and keep score of every game I went to (yes I am that old). But these texts are a better reminder.
Our first text was of course about the three run homer Bo Bichette hit to center field... or as my brother put it "that was a bomb!" I brought up that two batters earlier, I felt the Dodgers' left fielder, Enrique Hernandez ,should have dove to catch a sinking liner. If he had, perhaps Bichette would not have been up to hit that bomb.
One of my only complaints of the entire game were about announcer John Smoltz who clearly despises Shoei Ohtani. I could not believe how much time he spent complaining that he was taking extra time to take warm up pitches. Ummmm... it's game seven and the most incredible player ever is pitching and batting leadoff. Stop being jealous and sell your product you idiot!
The other complaint I had was the ridiculous decision to interview the manager DURING THE GAME! Umm it is the World Series. I think they might be busy. I nearly lost my mind when they wasted the Blue Jays manager's time by asking "Ummm are you happy the guy who just hit a three run bomb is on your team and playing"? Did you really need to ask that? was he going to say "no"?
Anyway everything else was simply amazing. There was pretty much edge of my seat excitement every inning. The most amazing thing to me was that so much of the excitement was generated by defense. I simply could not believe the three incredibly plays Vlad Guerrero Jr. made at first base. He may have only been responsible for generating 1 offensive run, but he saved another three with his glove. And these plays kept happening all night. I mean in extra innings, there were two force outs at the plate on a drawn in infield. now THAT is baseball! And this isn't even counting Pages saving the game for the Dodgers while running over his left fielder. It was incredible.
OMG! I almost forgot! There were actually two bunts as well! I got to see actual strategy.
Man I wish they could make this the norm again in baseball instead of the exception. But oh well. at least for one night I got to feel like a baseball fan again.