(800)
I'd like to start posting my random (rambling?) ideas here in short form more often. Here's idea #1.
I'd like to do a presentation with Cary Millsap while playing catch. I'd ask questions about instrumentation and stuff and he'd opine while trying to catch my knuckle-ball.
This would achieve 3 objects:
1. Presenting (with Mr. Millsap)
2. Playing catch
3. Playing catch indoors (technically this would be Mr. Millsap's completed objective).
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2012
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Great Night of Baseball
If you are a baseball fan, last night was spectacular.
Even more so, if like me, you were fans of either the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves or St. Louis Cardinals.
Well, the Braves and Red Sox fan's wouldn't call last night spectacular...spectacularly horrible...maybe.
I decided to take LC and my father to the game last name, the Three Chet's if you will.
David Price was pitching for the Rays and the Yankees were throwing Johnny Bullpen, or the remainder of their 40 man roster, to save their arms for the post-season. The Yankees had already clinched their spot, the Rays were tied with the Red Sox for the Wild Card slot. Boston was playing the Baltimore Orioles at the same time.
On September 3rd, the Red Sox had a 9 game lead over the Rays, a seemingly insurmountable lead. But this is baseball, it's not over until the fat lady sings. The fact that the Rays were now tied with the Red Sox was a testament to the Ray's pitching and the utter collapse of the Boston Red Sox.
It didn't look good for the Rays. In the 6th inning, the Rays were down 7-0. Evan Longoria struck out with men on base to end the inning. He couldn't have looked more dejected...he just flipped his bat at home and starting walking out to 3rd base. That's when we decided to leave.
First, it was a school night. It was after 9 PM and it would take about 45 minutes to drop my dad off and another 15 minutes to get home. Second, it was 7-0 and the Rays appeared to have given up. So off we went.
We listened to the game on the way home, hearing that the Red Sox vs. Orioles game was in rain-delay. Dropping me dad off, we watched a little bit of the top of the 8th inning before heading home.
The Rays scored 1 run, 2 runs, 3 runs and had 2 men on base with Longoria coming to bat. I'm thinking he needs to hit a double...home runs are rally-killers (no one is on base...it just "seems" desolate out in the field). Before we could turn onto the freeway, Longoria hits a 3 run homerun to bring the score to 7-6 in the bottom of the 8th. Wow, just wow.
100 MPH on the Veteran's Expressway to get home...
Sitting in front of the TV...we watch the first 2 hitters in the bottom of the 9th make outs. They pinch-hit Dan Johnson, hitting .108 this season. Johnson was pulled up from the minors just a couple of weeks ago:
With 2 strikes Johnson wrapped one around the right field foul pole to tie the game. LC and I jumped up, hi-fived, screamed and yelled...wow, just wow.
At 11:17, the 10th inning I believe, I sent LC to bed.
Around midnight, the Orioles/Red Sox game had resumed and it was now the bottom of the 9th, with Papelbon in to pitch. He strikes out the first 2 hitters. With 2 strikes, Chris Davis doubled. Nolan Reimold doubled to switch places with Davis, tie game. Then Robert Andino singled to left scoring the pinch-runner giving the Orioles the win.
As this was announced, Longoria was coming to the plate for the Rays (this is how I remember it anyway)...couple of pitches later, he hits a screamer down the left field line barely clearing the left field wall. Rays win, Rays win!
Even more so, if like me, you were fans of either the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves or St. Louis Cardinals.
Well, the Braves and Red Sox fan's wouldn't call last night spectacular...spectacularly horrible...maybe.
I decided to take LC and my father to the game last name, the Three Chet's if you will.
David Price was pitching for the Rays and the Yankees were throwing Johnny Bullpen, or the remainder of their 40 man roster, to save their arms for the post-season. The Yankees had already clinched their spot, the Rays were tied with the Red Sox for the Wild Card slot. Boston was playing the Baltimore Orioles at the same time.
On September 3rd, the Red Sox had a 9 game lead over the Rays, a seemingly insurmountable lead. But this is baseball, it's not over until the fat lady sings. The fact that the Rays were now tied with the Red Sox was a testament to the Ray's pitching and the utter collapse of the Boston Red Sox.
It didn't look good for the Rays. In the 6th inning, the Rays were down 7-0. Evan Longoria struck out with men on base to end the inning. He couldn't have looked more dejected...he just flipped his bat at home and starting walking out to 3rd base. That's when we decided to leave.
First, it was a school night. It was after 9 PM and it would take about 45 minutes to drop my dad off and another 15 minutes to get home. Second, it was 7-0 and the Rays appeared to have given up. So off we went.
We listened to the game on the way home, hearing that the Red Sox vs. Orioles game was in rain-delay. Dropping me dad off, we watched a little bit of the top of the 8th inning before heading home.
The Rays scored 1 run, 2 runs, 3 runs and had 2 men on base with Longoria coming to bat. I'm thinking he needs to hit a double...home runs are rally-killers (no one is on base...it just "seems" desolate out in the field). Before we could turn onto the freeway, Longoria hits a 3 run homerun to bring the score to 7-6 in the bottom of the 8th. Wow, just wow.
100 MPH on the Veteran's Expressway to get home...
Sitting in front of the TV...we watch the first 2 hitters in the bottom of the 9th make outs. They pinch-hit Dan Johnson, hitting .108 this season. Johnson was pulled up from the minors just a couple of weeks ago:
HE'S BAAACK: The Rays are bringing their lucky charm to Boston, having called up Dan Johnson, whose list of key hits includes the monumental and momentous pinch-homer off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon on Sept. 9, 2008, with the bat mounted in his house as a memento.
Johnson said he'd welcome the chance for history to repeat itself: "I would love to add a bat to the collection, no doubt."
Johnson, 32, was thrilled just to be back in the majors, having been sent down in late May and hampered much of the year by a wrist injury.
Johnson said he'd welcome the chance for history to repeat itself: "I would love to add a bat to the collection, no doubt."
Johnson, 32, was thrilled just to be back in the majors, having been sent down in late May and hampered much of the year by a wrist injury.
With 2 strikes Johnson wrapped one around the right field foul pole to tie the game. LC and I jumped up, hi-fived, screamed and yelled...wow, just wow.
At 11:17, the 10th inning I believe, I sent LC to bed.
Around midnight, the Orioles/Red Sox game had resumed and it was now the bottom of the 9th, with Papelbon in to pitch. He strikes out the first 2 hitters. With 2 strikes, Chris Davis doubled. Nolan Reimold doubled to switch places with Davis, tie game. Then Robert Andino singled to left scoring the pinch-runner giving the Orioles the win.
As this was announced, Longoria was coming to the plate for the Rays (this is how I remember it anyway)...couple of pitches later, he hits a screamer down the left field line barely clearing the left field wall. Rays win, Rays win!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A Baseball Ouch
I was driving home through Gainesville from Atlanta on Saturday when I decided to see if I could pick up UF's baseball game (SEC Championship). I did, first inning and the Bulldogs (Georgia) had just scored a run. With a runner on first the pitcher throws home, the runner takes off for second and the catcher throws...and hits the pitcher square in the back of the head knocking him out.
At that point, the Florida announcers start talking about the 2 Georgia players who are now wheelchair bound, one in a motorcycle accident last year and one in an on-field collision with a teammate this year. I'd have to say that the announcers got a little carried away with the drama of the moment.
Anyway, I've seen guys get hit before, perhaps I've been hit, I can't remember, but I've never seen something like this.
The pitcher appears to be OK, he suffered a mild concussion...a scary moment but he seems to be OK. Had to be hard on the kid that hit him too, who was just announced as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as one of the premier college baseball players in the country.
At that point, the Florida announcers start talking about the 2 Georgia players who are now wheelchair bound, one in a motorcycle accident last year and one in an on-field collision with a teammate this year. I'd have to say that the announcers got a little carried away with the drama of the moment.
Anyway, I've seen guys get hit before, perhaps I've been hit, I can't remember, but I've never seen something like this.
The pitcher appears to be OK, he suffered a mild concussion...a scary moment but he seems to be OK. Had to be hard on the kid that hit him too, who was just announced as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as one of the premier college baseball players in the country.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Dream Job
I saw it posted somewhere recently but I can't remember where.
I originally thought it would be something technology related, but I recently procured myself one of these:
See it in action here:
As a pitcher, I spent a lot of time doing nothing. Take a 3 hour practice. I throw for about 10 or 15 minutes, maybe a little bullpen work, I'm up to 25 minutes. Maybe some PFP (pitchers fielding practice), 40 minutes now. I might be asked to be a runner in situational practice, 1 hour. That leaves 2 hours. That time is spent shagging baseballs during batting practice (BP). While it can be fun, it can also be incredibly boring, especially if you're stuck on home run duty (all alone across the street).
I fought that boredom by becoming really good at hitting ground balls to infielders during BP. Freshman year, coach had wooden fungo bats. He wouldn't let anyone use them because we might break them. What did I do? I used them. I didn't break them either.
The pinnacle of being good with a fungo bat is probably the ability to hit pop-ups for the catcher, you know, the ones straight up that curve back towards the field. I can do that.
I've been hitting fungo to the 7-8 year olds where I'm the assistant coach. Sometimes I'll hit them hard, mostly soft, but I just remember how much fun it was.
Wait, one more thing to go along with that. BP pitcher. I throw great batting practice (I'm not sure if that's was a good or bad thing career wise, obviously doesn't matter now). It's fulfilling to be able to throw strikes and see how far people can hit them.
There it is, my dream job. Fungo hitter and BP pitcher.
I wonder if the Rays are hiring and if they'll pay me enough to support my family?
I originally thought it would be something technology related, but I recently procured myself one of these:
See it in action here:
As a pitcher, I spent a lot of time doing nothing. Take a 3 hour practice. I throw for about 10 or 15 minutes, maybe a little bullpen work, I'm up to 25 minutes. Maybe some PFP (pitchers fielding practice), 40 minutes now. I might be asked to be a runner in situational practice, 1 hour. That leaves 2 hours. That time is spent shagging baseballs during batting practice (BP). While it can be fun, it can also be incredibly boring, especially if you're stuck on home run duty (all alone across the street).
I fought that boredom by becoming really good at hitting ground balls to infielders during BP. Freshman year, coach had wooden fungo bats. He wouldn't let anyone use them because we might break them. What did I do? I used them. I didn't break them either.
The pinnacle of being good with a fungo bat is probably the ability to hit pop-ups for the catcher, you know, the ones straight up that curve back towards the field. I can do that.
I've been hitting fungo to the 7-8 year olds where I'm the assistant coach. Sometimes I'll hit them hard, mostly soft, but I just remember how much fun it was.
Wait, one more thing to go along with that. BP pitcher. I throw great batting practice (I'm not sure if that's was a good or bad thing career wise, obviously doesn't matter now). It's fulfilling to be able to throw strikes and see how far people can hit them.
There it is, my dream job. Fungo hitter and BP pitcher.
I wonder if the Rays are hiring and if they'll pay me enough to support my family?
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Baseball Data Modeling
Anyone out there like baseball? Ever had a desire to model a baseball game?
I do and I have tried a few times in the past. It get's pretty hairy down at the game game/inning/player level. If I remember correctly, substitutions tripped me up a bit. There there's the whole datawarehouse side, I'd like that to be part of the project as well.
I started a project on Google Code here, the name is pretty vanilla, baseball-database. If you join you can suggest a better name.
I'd like to try and talk Oracle into giving a few licenses to the recently released production version of SQL Developer Data Modeler. I've hit up @krisrice on Twitter, but he has no control over licenses, just development. I've also hit up Justin Kestelyn (@oracletechnet) who said he would look into it.
I've had no time lately to bother him; perhaps with a few more people...
If you are interested, just drop me a line chet at oraclenerd or message me through twitter.
I do and I have tried a few times in the past. It get's pretty hairy down at the game game/inning/player level. If I remember correctly, substitutions tripped me up a bit. There there's the whole datawarehouse side, I'd like that to be part of the project as well.
I started a project on Google Code here, the name is pretty vanilla, baseball-database. If you join you can suggest a better name.
I'd like to try and talk Oracle into giving a few licenses to the recently released production version of SQL Developer Data Modeler. I've hit up @krisrice on Twitter, but he has no control over licenses, just development. I've also hit up Justin Kestelyn (@oracletechnet) who said he would look into it.
I've had no time lately to bother him; perhaps with a few more people...
If you are interested, just drop me a line chet at oraclenerd or message me through twitter.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Random Things
No Oracle stuff here, just feel like writing.
Kate
Kate, my little monster, decided to go to the hospital again. Penuemonia (yes, I spelled it wrong, that's how we say it around here). Last week her lungs were beautiful, probably the best doc has ever seen them. Her head was another matter, not a single black spot to be found. Diagnosis: sinus infection. Apparently it traveled down to her lungs. Hopefully it will be a short stay.
Words
"Publicly?" Why do I want to spell it "Publically?" Pub-lick-lee.
Kris and Little Chet
Kris let Little Chet watch Terminator 2 last night. Seriously? I watched most of it with him and there really isn't that much gore. A lot of bullets flying, but it's 2 robots shooting at each other right? I came down to check on him during the final scene of the movie when the Terminator is put into the super hot molten stuff. He was crying. He didn't want the Terminator to die.
Coaching Baseball
I've been "coaching" Little Chet's 5-6 year old baseball team. It's coach pitch the first 5 then bring out the tee. Hands down the best stress reliever of all time. I get to yell at a bunch of kids for and hour and a half. Is there a better way to live? I don't think so.
Me Yelling, neigh, Screaming
Thanks for listening.
Kate
Kate, my little monster, decided to go to the hospital again. Penuemonia (yes, I spelled it wrong, that's how we say it around here). Last week her lungs were beautiful, probably the best doc has ever seen them. Her head was another matter, not a single black spot to be found. Diagnosis: sinus infection. Apparently it traveled down to her lungs. Hopefully it will be a short stay.
Words
"Publicly?" Why do I want to spell it "Publically?" Pub-lick-lee.
Kris and Little Chet
Kris let Little Chet watch Terminator 2 last night. Seriously? I watched most of it with him and there really isn't that much gore. A lot of bullets flying, but it's 2 robots shooting at each other right? I came down to check on him during the final scene of the movie when the Terminator is put into the super hot molten stuff. He was crying. He didn't want the Terminator to die.
Coaching Baseball
I've been "coaching" Little Chet's 5-6 year old baseball team. It's coach pitch the first 5 then bring out the tee. Hands down the best stress reliever of all time. I get to yell at a bunch of kids for and hour and a half. Is there a better way to live? I don't think so.
Me Yelling, neigh, Screaming
"Come on! Hustle of my field!"I think the parents enjoy the show I put on...at least I hope they do.
"Quit playing in the dirt!"
"That's why you wear a cup!"
"I'll hit you with this tennis ball if you walk off that field again!"
"No wrestling!"
Thanks for listening.
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