Open mike night at "The Trop"
Mild-mannered Rays manager Joe Maddon was caught in a rare moment of outrage in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels appeared to balk on a pickoff move that resulted in Carlos Pena being caught stealing. It seemed like a fairly obvious balk, but the umpires missed it, causing Maddon to drop a BS bomb that came through loud and clear on the Fox broadcast.
Fortunately, the game started at about 8:30 p.m. and was pushing 11 when the no-call occurred, so there probably weren't a lot of young children watching. The guys in the Fox truck did manage to mute the expletive when they showed a replay of the reaction in the Rays dugout.
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Comments
Peter- Why did Suggs open his mouth about Flacco and Smith? Why can't these guys just shut up and play the game? Does he want out of Baltimore? I want to love these guys but man they make it hard. I wonder if I was dating Jen Aniston and she acted like a total b%&^@ch, I would probably still deal with for the obvious reasons. Same kind of situation.
Posted by: Ryan | October 23, 2008 12:08 AM
Joe's BS bomb was understandable. If I were managing, that failure to call a balk--a big play in the game--may have yielded a What the F bomb as well.
With Hamels on the mound, the Phils needed to win this one.
The Rays win the Series in 7 with Pena earning the MVP.
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Pete's reply: I think the Rays will win, but Pena has fizzled lately. His decision-making at the plate and his sudden inconsistency with the glove are troubling.
Posted by: Barry | October 23, 2008 12:13 AM
Wow, a pitcher's duel for the opening game. Awesome. But on the subject of "open mike night," anyone see J.P. Howell's reaction after he walked Pat Burrell? He passed BS territory and headed straight for F bomb land!
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Pete's reply: Yes he did, and you didn't have to be much of a lip-reader to see it.
Posted by: Hafiz | October 23, 2008 12:53 AM
I have a feeling, when it comes to game 1, if you were in ear shot, the f-bombs came like Beirut 1984.
Posted by: Ryan | October 23, 2008 5:23 AM
I thought this was going to be about the Back Street Boys, they were awful. As for the game, you're right the Rays should be fine but this was the best outcome for baseball fans who want a long series and are not ready to start the spring training countdown. Little things like that non-balk call conspired against the Rays though, the biggest on the night was the 0-2 pitch to Utley in the first, I thought it was strike three but it wasn't called. Overall though the Phillies hit the ball harder and deserved to win.
Posted by: Joe in VA | October 23, 2008 7:32 AM
Pete,
This reminds me of a similar moment in the 2005 World Series, when Oswalt hit a White Sox batter. I can't remember who it was, or even in what game it occured, but I do distinctly remember both benches started yelling at each other, and just as Joe Buck said, "Oh look, now Phil Garner's getting into it," they put the camera on Garner as he clearly shouted across to Carl Everett: "[Expletive] you, you [expletive]-ing [homosexual]!" One of my favorite baseball moments.
Posted by: Burgess | October 23, 2008 10:30 AM