Tag: sports

Posted on

Broke and Broke

Derrek Lee and his broken wrist at Dodger StadiumIn late April 2006 I made my inaugural visit to Los Angeles and decided I would enroll in graduate school. On the second night of my visit, I watched on ESPN as Nomar Garciaparra painfully tore his groin — crumbling to the ground in the batter’s box — effectively ending his short tenure as a Cubbie.
I quickly resolved that I wouldn’t be missing the Cubs in October after all by relocating to L.A. in August.

Fast forward one year — to the day — and I’m standing at Dodger Stadium with a contorted look on my face as Derrek Lee wretches in pain at first base. ONLY THE CUBS could possibly lose two guys to injury (pitcher Scott Eyre sprained his knee on the play) defending A BUNT!

Thursday’s x-rays confirm that Lee broke two bones in his wrist – in the absolute freakiest of incidents – being run into at first base by the diminuitive Rafael Furcal.

And D. Lee, the consensus #2 first baseman in the world (if not #2 all-around), is out for two to three months. We can only hope that means before the all-star break.

It may be the worst imaginable news, but as Cubs fans worldwide share a 98th straight championshipless season, there can be only greater room for optimism, right? This STILL could be the year — and besides, it’s pitching that wins championships, right?

Posted on

And… We’re Back!!!

My apologies for the feigned death of Everything Between over the weekend… call it a classic weekend bender as the site celebrated a bit too hard in its transition into flashier, more spacious digs over at BlueHost.

After a bumpy .sql upload and multiple re-upping, we have landed. And the view is great. (as an aside, the Cubs swept the Cardinals, further proof that this MAY BE THE YEAR)!

Posted on

World Baseball Classic

courtesy APGreat time Saturday at PETCO Park for the 2 semifinal games of the inaugural World Baseball Classic. The baseball was top-notch and played as if it was the last game of these players’ lives. For those out of the loop, Cuba absolutely owned the Dominican Republic sluggers, making the 3-4 killer combo of Pujols and Big Papi just look ridiculous! Likewise, Japan’s pitchers proved inflappable, shutting out Korea in the nightcap.

It seemed as though the Japan-Korea game would remain scoreless deep into the night, until, who else but Byung-Hyun Kim (yes, the guy who allowed game-tying and winning home runs in one 2001 world series game, followed by the Scott Brosius tying 3-run shot the next night) gave up the first runs of the game, allowing a pinch-hit home run followed by a long double..

Nothing was as exciting, however, as the intensity of Team Korea’s fans — chanting (in Korean) “Republic of Korea” throughout the game banging drums, thundersticks, and even playing trumpets! Apparently, the fans of nearly every country outside the United States brought with them the enthusiasm one might find at a World Cup soccer match much less a lazy game of exhibition baseball.
Was it a surprise that the major-leaguers on these teams were not necessarily the best ballers? There will be very few major-leaguers in Monday night’s Cuba-Japan final. The U.S. team lost to Canada AND Mexico?!? Will the Cuban pitching staff be covertly quarantined in an underground tunnel for protected defection in the 7th inning of Monday night’s final?

Professor Shugart provides the bewildering math behind this insightful diagram at Fruits and Votes:

from fruitsandvotes.com