JR called my name and I ran like a two-year-old over to him to see what he wanted when I heard him say – “grab your glove, you’re going out to play right field next half inning.” 

“Yes SIR,” I responded as my knees bgan to shake uncontrollably.

Finally it was D-Time.. I ran out with the group being careful not to run too fast or look at any of the faces in the stands, but I could hear them talking about me before I even reached the outfield grass.  The comments were flying — “Look at that kid.. he can’t be more than 15!”  — “He doesn’t have a name on his jersey — #50?? – he can’t be anyone special!”  — “Hey Peachfuzzzzzzz! Come here baby!”

I honestly thought I was going to heave by the time I reached right.  Next thing I knew, pitches were flying left and right, balls were in play, and before I could even get my stomach settled down, the inning was over and trotted back in.

Gary Varsho told me I was up 4th and to grab my bat and I immediately turned to look and see who was on the mound and saw Brad Lidge and almost had a heart attack.  My God, they can’t possibly want me to get in the box against a guy who can dial it up to 98 mph – Hell, I’m ONLY 19 and hit just a buck eighty-eight in rookie ball, are they crazy? – I remember thinking as I grabbed my stick.

I sat down on the pine and wondered if the first three batters would make outs and all I would have to do is stand on the on-deck circle.  I can handle that, I thought. 

Then IT happened.. AC doubled to left-center with one out and I knew I was going to get my first AB against pro pitching.  My gut turned inside-out, the game sped up so fast it seemed like Negrych was in the box for two seconds, and then it was my turn.

So I stepped in the box and before I could even find Lidge’s arm slot the ball wisked past the plate – thankfully well away from me. My heart was beating faster as I saw Cutch tipping me to an inside location for the second pitch and all I could do is watch it float by I was so scared – one minute it was coming straight at me, the next thing it darted about two foot down and away. 

I backed out of the box a second and took a couple of practice swings trying to stop the flow of piss wanting to exit my bladder when I heard the home plate ump say let’s go.. so I stepped back in.  The next pitch stunned me – high heat, head high.. my knees buckled just a bit but I stood in there determined to let it take off my nose if it hit me in the face. 

I waited for the fourth pitch noticing Cutch tipping from second an inside location again and my bladder about opened right there.. I saw the ball out of Lidge’s hand for the first time and it was coming right at my crotch so I bent back just a bit hoping it would miss and then I saw it tail away about two foot and out of the zone.

Whew!  I thought my baby-making days were over right there.

I stepped back out hearing the ump call a 2-2 count and Lidge released a fastball slow enough for me to track so I started to swing, but it was well low and in the dirt. 

Now I was getting cocky.. I was starting to see the ball, I was actually trying to swing the bat which seemed to make Mr. Lidge a bit upset, so I guessed fastball on the 3-2 pitch getting ready to head my way..

Heater.. away.. I saw it well.. the damn thing was low and outside and nearly painted but I played it off like I did in high school by starting my “damn I’m glad to be alive” trot to first praying the ump didn’t ring me up for leaving the box too early when I heard “Ball Four!”

There I was.. on first with Mr. Hill telling me great patience (if he only knew), and to watch the ball and the runner in front of me when a couple of pitches later Garrett Jones hammered a Lidge offering over the fence allowing me to run the pro bases for the first time in my career.

When I got back to the dugout I was mobbed even though I didn’t hit the home run.. they knew what I just went through, they knew I was scared to death and acting the best I could, and they were all proud and willing to share that with me.

Including JR who told me – “You just had your rookie hazing kid. Good job.” 

I walked away with a smile on my face thinking that wasn’t too hard and licking my chops thinking about first round of A-ball pitchers I was going to maul.

The batter?  Robbie Grossman- fresh out of high school and having graduated from rookie ball a month or so later.  No, that’s not his story – it’s one I made up as I watched the young man.  It was obvious the game was running faster than his mind could control but he did seem to start getting a little more comfortable toward the end of the AB – even looked a bit mature.  He did a great job.

–

How about Andrew McCutchen?  5 for 5, three doubles, a home run, three runs, and 2 rbis.  WOW.  Ok, the single was on a throwing error but, hey, it would have been bang-bang anyway so the hit was legit.

And I swear I see some Ernie Banks in McCutchen’s swing.  Cutch doesn’t have Bank’s head tuck and Banks didn’t use his front foot for timing, but Cutch has the exact same swing pattern, exact same right elbow wing in a quiet stance, and they seem to have the exact same ”quick” hip/torso rotation.  I’m no pro in swing mechanics but there sure is a lot of similarities from what I remember about Banks watching Cutch.

Anyway, Cutch sat patiently in the box waiting for Moyer’s fastball and when he got the pitch it always seemed to be right down broadway and he wasted no time squaring up on it.  Only one of Cutch’s hits were off an offspeed pitch – a curve that Moyer hung knee high middle/out Cutch went out and drilled.  Every ball was hit hard off him and his home run was a no doubter even with wind gusts near 40 mph. 

–

Snell was effective and wild.. maybe better put, effectively wild.  More than 10% of his pitches were wild as hell, he threw about half as many balls as strikes through five, hit one in the middle of his back, and every batter he started off 1-0 in the first three innings walked except one which ended with a sac bunt.  He wasn’t exactly facing a tough lineup and those that were in were beating the ball on the ground swinging over what seemed to be his two-seamer and a change.

I also noticed that Snell was using a slight pause when he raised his plant foot and his hands met that knee in the middle of the windup (think Oliver Perez without the long pause).  Each time he paused he seemed to be wild but when he found the plate with the pause he appeared to have more life on the ball for some reason.  Maybe it was just an illusion?  I’ll have to watch him in a real game to see if he does it then.

And man-oh-man, did Howard hit a bomb off Snell.  On a 1-2 count Snell tried to go in with a belt high fastball and Howard was waiting for it.  If it wasn’t hit 500′, it couldn’t have been far off.  Snell lost his composure after the bomb and walked Jenkins then hit Brunett in the back with the first pitch to him.  He then recovered against Giles after starting him off 1-0 and got him to ground to short.

But that exchange with Howard reminded me of Snell’s problems in 2007 and 2008 – he threw too many fastballs that grabbed too much of the plate on two-strike counts and batters were waiting for him.  Not once did I see him bounce a slider in the dirt today – not once.

It was also obvious Jaramillo and Snell weren’t in sync most of the game as Snell kept backing out on him.  But Jaramillo helped Snell along by removing three baserunners – he picked Giles off first whose secondary lead took him halfway to second for some reason, he threw out Rollins at second base who got a late jump off Bautista but his throw was perfectly on the money which it had to be to get him, and when Ruiz doubled to leadoff the third and Moyer layed down a bunt right in front of the plate, Ruiz broke for third and was out by a country mile.  Sloppy (surreal?) baserunning decisions in the game by the Phillies.

I also watched Craig Monroe take a strike three count looking with two men on and no outs, and this was the second or third time I’ve seen him do that exact same thing.  He’s looking more and more like the anti-clutch strikeout king who might display some power when he’s at the plate with nobody on.  And you should have seen him leave his feet for a fly ball Ruiz hit leading off the 4th inning.  Thank God McCutchen was motoring his way because the ball skipped past Monroe heading toward the wall and Cruz might have had a triple or better.  Ok, there was a lot of wind but Monroe’s left his feet before this spring..

Salazar didn’t impress me, Vazquez didn’t impress me, Jones didn’t impress me even with the home run (I’d take my chances on Salazar between him and Jones even though he seems to have a temper), and Bixler continues to try and be the little engine that could despite the odds against him.  He’s turned around pretty quick and is getting good reads and making good plays for not knowing the league batters that well.  Obviously Perry Hill’s instruction isn’t hurting that young man one bit. 

It was a good game that seemed too surreal knowing Bob Nutting was at the game watching intently and this was JR’s old organization.  Moyer never pitches up in the zone like we saw today and what team in their right mind plays 41 year old Matt Stairs in left field with a 30 mph wind blowing out?  Still, Cutch says thank you Charlie Manuel, I’ll take those near misses by Stairs.

–

Talking about having blinders on, whew.  It’s sad to hear a preview that far off base from Charlie.  Some day in the near future I’ll address the larger obvious off-the-wall comments like Snell being the only one possible to have a good year, the comment about how it took Friedman two and one-half years to “fix” the Rays, the fact that he felt it doesn’t “matter” who pitches the sixth inning on a 95-loss team, and that he thinks Coonelly and Huntington have “got it right” so far. 

Goodness, gracious.

–

Bucs negotiating with Wilson to keep him?  Yeah right – and cows fly.  How about negotiating with Wilson to reduce his year-to-year contract value plus add a year or two so we can actually deal him since he’s threatened to retire so many times? Oh, and to add a million qualifiers like playing time..

Want to keep Jack Wilson.. oh my, the stories we’re told.

–

The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette announced Friday that they are discontinuing circulation Monday – Saturday outside their core five-county area and will begin offering a digital version of their newspaper online for subscribers.  When asked today if they were planning to put all online content behind a pay wall, their city desk replied “No – not yet.” 

I’ve been warning Pirates’ fans that is going to eventually happen and I suggested by spring training of 2010 the only way you’ll be able to read Dejan’s daily beat material online may be if you pay.  The same is sure to be true with Pirates online coverage at the Trib, if they are even around then, or Perrotto’s work at PiratesReport, although he certainly has the edge to remain outside of a pay wall since the Pirates majority owner is indirectly paying his salary.

Mark. My. Words.   The entire landscape is changing.

Fast.

It’s a great time to be an independent blogger.