Los Angeles Angels vs. Texas Rangers, 09/20/08

The Rangers-Angels game wasn’t as noteworthy as was the Vazquez-Hallion contest.

In the 5th inning, the game turned into a bar fight when Ramon Vazquez went after home plate umpire Tom Hallion after the infielder was rung up on strike three.

He obviously didn’t like the call. In fact, Vazquez lost it.

He ripped off his batting helmet and flung it, bumping up against the ump in the process. The two men then went nose-to-nose, shout-for-shout. The 56-year-old manager (Washington, left) had to run out on his aging legs to hold him back, his hands full of Vazquez’s jersey.

It was a little surreal. Especially since an 8-year-old behind me went freckin’ bizerk and scared the bejesus out of me. Yelling “Get him! Get him! Ahhhh!”.

The Stephen Strasburg Bowl

 

 

Tonight, the Washington Nationals play the San Diego Padres to start a three game series. The stakes? Last place in Major League baseball–both have a record of 58-95. 

Which means, with only 10 games left in the season, the loser of the series will probably end up with the worst record in baseball. Which then means the #1 pick in next year’s draft–or, in other words, Stephen Strasburg.

You know, this happened a few years ago in the NFL. The 49ers beat the Texans in week 15, giving the #1 pick to Houston. Everyone wanted Reggie Bush.

Well, Strasburg is baseball’s Reggie Bush. Or maybe a better comparison: LeBron James.

He’s a sophomore pitcher from San Diego State University. And last year he set an NCAA conference record by striking out 23 batters in a single game–he faced 30. Then this past summer he became the only collegiate player ever to join the U.S. Olympic baseball team–an honor usually designated for the best of the best in minor league baseball. 

He’s got a wicked curve, a deceptive change and scouts have clocked his fastball at 101 mph, which less than 5% of pitchers in Major League Baseball can do. 

Scouts and GM’s are drooling. (Fans too: a poll by the Washington Post found a majority of fans hoping the Nationals lose out.)

Well, maybe the GM’s of the bottom feeders are listening:

Jake Peavy, the Padres ace and Cy Young winner, was scheduled to pitch tonight against the Nationals. Instead he’s on a plane for San Diego. The Padres say “his wife is pregnant and will be giving birth soon”

 Riiiiight.