Ubaldo has departed Nationals Park, clutching a bushel of goose eggs to his chest. Franklin Morales shakes off a sense of deja vu as he comes to the field. Staked to a two-run lead, he'll face Adam first.
Adam charges up his left-hand batting glove with a few spits. The second pitch from Morales jams him. A jammed Adam Dunn can still lift the ball to the warning track. But a jam is a jam, and the snap of Carlos Gonzalez's glove confirms that this center-field shot closes the book on another 0-for-4 Dunnstravaganza.
Six miles away, past the nation's capitol, past the national mall, past the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Little Zimmy lies in bed in a quiet room in Georgetown University Hospital. He watches Pudge ground out, Justin Maxwell push a pinch-hit single to the outfield, and Ian Desmond strike out to finish the day. He turns off the TV set and rolls over on his side to stare at the wall.
"Why is he so upset?" says one nurse to the other. "Surely he knows his hamstring will have healed by tomorrow."
The other nurse, as buxom as the first, shakes her head. "You'll never understand, will you?"
Thursday, April 22, 2010
65th Plate Appearance
Ubaldo's still in charge, and he has deemed that the Nationals will score no runs today. The man is not known for mercy.
His fellow Ionians, sensing the weakness of grief in Washington's hero, employ the shift.
After a stinky sinky breaking ball, Adam fouls off a fast one, high into the air, toward the third base line seats. Plummeting from a great height, the ball strikes a beautiful woman in the shoulder. She cries out in pain.
Once again, sentiment has been banished. Adam, ensconced in his box, takes no notice.
He fouls off two more, and then Ubaldo feeds some cheese to the inside corner. Adam is returned to the mundane world. He backs out of the box and his great heart breaks.
His fellow Ionians, sensing the weakness of grief in Washington's hero, employ the shift.
After a stinky sinky breaking ball, Adam fouls off a fast one, high into the air, toward the third base line seats. Plummeting from a great height, the ball strikes a beautiful woman in the shoulder. She cries out in pain.
Once again, sentiment has been banished. Adam, ensconced in his box, takes no notice.
He fouls off two more, and then Ubaldo feeds some cheese to the inside corner. Adam is returned to the mundane world. He backs out of the box and his great heart breaks.
64th Plate Appearance
Ubaldo and his high socks stand tall on the mound, awaiting Adam's return to the arena.
Adam takes a deep sigh. Sentiment is therewise banished from his rectangular domain. Adam is fully, actively, gum-smackingly in the moment.
Ubaldo's 97-mph pirahnas nibble the inside of the zone, inducing by a thousand bites a 2-2 count. As he sets his feet, Adam swings THB low at the knees. He's ready to cook some fish.
Ubaldo sends a slider down the stream. And yea, though Adam's momentous chop could cleave the waters, it cannot hack this slider.
Adam takes a deep sigh. Sentiment is therewise banished from his rectangular domain. Adam is fully, actively, gum-smackingly in the moment.
Ubaldo's 97-mph pirahnas nibble the inside of the zone, inducing by a thousand bites a 2-2 count. As he sets his feet, Adam swings THB low at the knees. He's ready to cook some fish.
Ubaldo sends a slider down the stream. And yea, though Adam's momentous chop could cleave the waters, it cannot hack this slider.
63rd Plate Appearance
The injury to Little Zimmy hangs heavy over the clubhouse. Manager Jim Riggleman has spent the intervening night crying and tearing at his hair. Adam came to the clubhouse at 6:30 this morning (his usual arrival time) to find Riggleman slumped in the locker-room corner, weakly gnashing his teeth and beating his breast.
Adam has lifted the man to his duty, but still the lineup card Riggleman has handed to HPU Paul Edmonds is a patchy and torn fig leaf for the utter nakedness that Zimmy's absence has caused. Alberto Gonzalez is at third; Ian Desmond is at short; and loyal Cris Cringle, Zimmy's best friend in the middle infield, has been sent away to right field.
Amongst this sorry scene, Adam comes to fight. It is the bottom of the first. On the mound is the freshest initiate to the no-hit-Immortals, Ubaldo Jimenez.
The first speedy stinky goes far outside. Adam read it and forgot about it as soon as it left Ubaldo's hand. That's how sharp his eye is today.
Some breaking balls come Adam's way, and then a pair of heaters--one that even the staid Nationals Park radar gun must admit cracked three digits--batter Thunderhammerbat into splinters.
The pain of this added loss clouds Adam's clear eyes. Another THB is forthcoming, but some things are irreplaceable. Before he can blink away the resurgent memory of Zimmy's stretched hamstring, he sees another heater coming. Sees it imperfectly. The swing, at least, is beautiful.
Adam has lifted the man to his duty, but still the lineup card Riggleman has handed to HPU Paul Edmonds is a patchy and torn fig leaf for the utter nakedness that Zimmy's absence has caused. Alberto Gonzalez is at third; Ian Desmond is at short; and loyal Cris Cringle, Zimmy's best friend in the middle infield, has been sent away to right field.
Amongst this sorry scene, Adam comes to fight. It is the bottom of the first. On the mound is the freshest initiate to the no-hit-Immortals, Ubaldo Jimenez.
The first speedy stinky goes far outside. Adam read it and forgot about it as soon as it left Ubaldo's hand. That's how sharp his eye is today.
Some breaking balls come Adam's way, and then a pair of heaters--one that even the staid Nationals Park radar gun must admit cracked three digits--batter Thunderhammerbat into splinters.
The pain of this added loss clouds Adam's clear eyes. Another THB is forthcoming, but some things are irreplaceable. Before he can blink away the resurgent memory of Zimmy's stretched hamstring, he sees another heater coming. Sees it imperfectly. The swing, at least, is beautiful.
62nd Plate Appearance - In Which Tragedy Befalls Our Merry Band
A pall has fallen across the beltway.
Mothers, clutching infants to their ample bosoms, weep into kerchiefs and pull their hair. Men stand, blank and speechless.
Lil Zimmy, born September 28 1984, has pulled his hamstring and left the game
It is with a heavy heart and a pinch runner on second that our hero enters the batter's box. "This one's for my son, Ryan Zimmerman" he incants. Baseballs fly past the plate - balls? strikes? Adam shakes off his grief. It's time to fuck some baseballs in their asses.
Adam lifts a towering fly ball to center; a home run if ever there was one. But alack! - the bitter gods usher a zephyr to Nationals Park, pushing the ball back to earth and the fielder's glove.
61st Plate Appearance
Adam leads off in the fifth. Game tied 4-4. Enter big donkey.
The Rockies, flush with hubris, shift seemingly their entire team into right field in an attempt to stop the unstoppable object. He spits, and takes a breaking ball right down the middle. The count evened by a ball down and away. Final leatherball struck high and deep, but caught.
60th Plate Appearance
Teammates Morgan and Zimmy, besting the fool Hammel, reside on 2nd and 1st bases respectively. Adam points his bat to the outfield - "Thattaway" says he.
First ball absurdly low. The giant smiles. Second ball whistles foul at 100 times 100 miles per hour. It rests in the seats until a passing Washingtonian happens upon it. Adam inspects Thunderhammerbat in admiration.
Next pitch pulled down the line, past the bumbling Giambi, to the outfield. Morgan is driven home easily while Lil Zimmy, wafted on the wind of fate, scurries home and avoids the tag.
A two-run double! The critics hide their faces, and scuttle back to their dark and dirty places.
59th Plate Appearance
The nation's capital is cold and wet tonight, and its residents have gathered at Nationals Park to bask in our protagonist's radiant heat. Pitcher Jason Hammel of the Rockies is charged the impossible task of keeping Adam off the basepaths.
Lil Zimmy - ignorant of fate - draws a walk in the bottom of the first. Adam approaches the plate with purpose, and carems the first pitch off first baseman Jason Giambi's glove. The ball dribbles away and the second baseman's throw cannot beat Speedy Dunnzales.
Lil Zimmy - ignorant of fate - draws a walk in the bottom of the first. Adam approaches the plate with purpose, and carems the first pitch off first baseman Jason Giambi's glove. The ball dribbles away and the second baseman's throw cannot beat Speedy Dunnzales.
A rare infield single - relished by all.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
58th Plate Appearance
Bottom of the ninth. Nats down by six runs. Adam Dunn at bat. Every last one of the Five Hundred Faithful has remained in Nationals Park to witness this moment.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, manager Jim Tracy sends out Rockies closer Franklin Morales to face Adam. Adam chops the first pitch foul, just to show Morales what might happen.
Morales is shaken. His next pitch goes in the dirt.
Pitch three is fouled off, and pitch four Adam threatens with a checked swing. Watch your tushes, baseballs.
Pingpang! Adam uppercuts a pitch into the skies. Ryan Spillborghs fields the fly. Adam trots back to the dugout, and an elderly man in the front row studiously avoids eye contact. Another Dunnstravaganza is entered in the books.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, manager Jim Tracy sends out Rockies closer Franklin Morales to face Adam. Adam chops the first pitch foul, just to show Morales what might happen.
Morales is shaken. His next pitch goes in the dirt.
Pitch three is fouled off, and pitch four Adam threatens with a checked swing. Watch your tushes, baseballs.
Pingpang! Adam uppercuts a pitch into the skies. Ryan Spillborghs fields the fly. Adam trots back to the dugout, and an elderly man in the front row studiously avoids eye contact. Another Dunnstravaganza is entered in the books.
57th Plate Appearance
Little Zimmy and Cris Cristofferson are on first and second, and Adam has a lot to think about as he watches the first pitch go by. He watches the second go by, too, both of them strikes. Who is this bozo on the mound?
Matt Belisle is his name, and next he sends a 95mphrpm BUZZSAW inside. Adam's bat is broken! He fouls the saw blade away, to land safely where it threatens no bystanders. Bat Boy Kevin brings another Thunderhammerbat.
Adam swings and misses with a fresh bat. Looks like tonight bozo is spelled with a K.
Matt Belisle is his name, and next he sends a 95mphrpm BUZZSAW inside. Adam's bat is broken! He fouls the saw blade away, to land safely where it threatens no bystanders. Bat Boy Kevin brings another Thunderhammerbat.
Adam swings and misses with a fresh bat. Looks like tonight bozo is spelled with a K.
56th Plate Appearance
Little Zimmy's Adam-prenticeship is in full bloom, for the Mighty RyRy has just taken a Dunn count payoff pitch and sent it on a perfect parabola into the Rockies bullpen.
Flushed with pedagogic pride, Adam takes his own mighty rip on the first pitch.
Thunderhammerbat sends it bouncing fast down the first base line, and the ball stuns Todd Helton. He can only barely manage to knock the ball to the ground, paw it with his now-thoroughly-numbed bare hand, and flip it to de La Rosa at the bag.
Flushed with pedagogic pride, Adam takes his own mighty rip on the first pitch.
Thunderhammerbat sends it bouncing fast down the first base line, and the ball stuns Todd Helton. He can only barely manage to knock the ball to the ground, paw it with his now-thoroughly-numbed bare hand, and flip it to de La Rosa at the bag.
55th Plate Appearance
Little Zimmy just drove Washingtonians mad with a whack-tastickal dub against the left field fence. He and Cris Guzmnan are on second and third as Adam "motors" up to the plate.
Feeling out the situation, Adam watches the first two pitches, and swings mighty at the third. A miss.
de la Rosa starts throwing the nasty stuff, fast and breaking hard. Adam fouls off two, and two more seem to have crossed the plate, but home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman disagrees. Adam's mere presence seems to have shrunken the strike zone.
de la Rosa, visibly shaken, calls a hasty conference on the mound. Catcher Miguel Olivo obliges. So too does the nefarious second baseman Melvin Mora, who whispers something foul and brilliant into de la Rosa's ear.
It's the killing stroke. A slow-moving breaking ball waltzes its way to the plate. Adam, expecting more heat, crushes the fastball that didn't come.
Feeling out the situation, Adam watches the first two pitches, and swings mighty at the third. A miss.
de la Rosa starts throwing the nasty stuff, fast and breaking hard. Adam fouls off two, and two more seem to have crossed the plate, but home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman disagrees. Adam's mere presence seems to have shrunken the strike zone.
de la Rosa, visibly shaken, calls a hasty conference on the mound. Catcher Miguel Olivo obliges. So too does the nefarious second baseman Melvin Mora, who whispers something foul and brilliant into de la Rosa's ear.
It's the killing stroke. A slow-moving breaking ball waltzes its way to the plate. Adam, expecting more heat, crushes the fastball that didn't come.
54th Plate Appearance
Bottom of the second, and Clean Plate Club member Adam Dunn is the leadoff batter. Jorge de la Rosa, pride of the Rockies, has sillified the Nats thus far tonight, whif-whaffing Nyjer Morgan and Cristian Guzman and inducing from Little Zimmy a wee trickle to shortstop.
de la Rosa tries a dance a little tease, first going outside and then down low. Of course Adam ain't interested.
Adam can sense where this is going, so he takes a big swing at the next low pitch. Got to keep in form, even if you sense a walk coming.
Sure enough, Adam's oracular intuition proves right. It's a five pitch walk. Titan Todd welcomes his equal back to their shared home.
de la Rosa tries a dance a little tease, first going outside and then down low. Of course Adam ain't interested.
Adam can sense where this is going, so he takes a big swing at the next low pitch. Got to keep in form, even if you sense a walk coming.
Sure enough, Adam's oracular intuition proves right. It's a five pitch walk. Titan Todd welcomes his equal back to their shared home.
53rd Plate Appearance
Adam is perspiring despite the ambient temperature. His love for King and Country clearly keeps him warm.
First pitch low and inside, ball. Adam nearly topples himself over trying to crush the next pitch - strike. Next pitch a breaking ball low and Adam's on top of it. Strike two. Low and inside. Breaking Ball in the dirt. Foul ball.
Full count. Dunn Count.
BALL LOW! Another two-walk game for Mr. Right. Washingtonians flood the streets.
First pitch low and inside, ball. Adam nearly topples himself over trying to crush the next pitch - strike. Next pitch a breaking ball low and Adam's on top of it. Strike two. Low and inside. Breaking Ball in the dirt. Foul ball.
Full count. Dunn Count.
BALL LOW! Another two-walk game for Mr. Right. Washingtonians flood the streets.
52nd Plate Appearance
Lil Zimmy has failed to reach base despite quite valiant effort. Adam Dunn decides to teach his buddy a lesson, arriving at the plate to Sister Christian.
First pitch a fly ball to left. WHAT'S YOUR PRICE FOR FLIGHT?
51st Plate Appearance
His lust sated, Adam is ready to pursue his other passion: fuckcrushing baseballs.
First pitch is low and outside - major league pitchers are clearly afraid of the Beautiful Blonde Beast - but Adam swings with fervor; strike one. Second pitch (no surprise) a ball well outside. Now comes a breaking ball low, Adam easily checks his swing, but home plate ump Bill Hohm calls it a strike. The big man can't believe it but, being genteel, only grits his teeth and nods.
Next pitch crushed down the first base line but foul. Thunderhammerbat is broken! But bat boy Kevin hauls out a replacement, - heftier than he himself. Adam swinging with wild abandon now, tips a ball foul.
Redemption now falls upon pitcher Cook, as Adam lifts the next ball toward Alpha Centauri. Center fielder Gonazales loses it as it sails above the lights. He waves his arms in despair, "I don't got it!" It falls to dead center field as Adam trots confidently to second base.
50th Plate Appearance - The Lovers Reunite
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and 15 consecutive plate appearances without a walk have whetted Adam's lustful appetite for first base. Love is in his eyes as he approaches the plate to face the Rockies' Aaron Cook. Yet, 'Let not my love be called idolatry,' insists Adam, spitting.
First pitch a breaking ball low; Adam watches it scornfully. Second pitch a ball. Adam is breathing hard now; wipes his nose - or was it a tear? The titan shakes off love's opiatic mist, and takes a huge cut at a fastball up. Strike one. Another ball low, and lo!, another! Adam casts Thunderhammerbat to the dugout, and trots to his beloved.
Adam and Todd Helton exchange words.
"Kind is my love to-day, to-morrow kind"
Sunday, April 18, 2010
49th Plate Appearance
Since Adam last saw home plate, the Nationals have scratched two more runs out of the Brewers, and Milwaukee has answered with one more. It's 11-7 as Adam gets one more chance to decimate the nine-PA baseless streak he has going in this series vs. the Brewers.
Little Zimmy has grounded out ahead of Adam to leave the bases empty. Adam's first pitch from Carlos Villanueva chips the inside corner for a strike. The second pitch finds its way down in the zone, and--did I just hear a peal of thunder?! Adam lifts a liner to center field.
Adam returns to his favorite base on the diamond, and exchanges a respectful nod with Fielder.
Little Zimmy has grounded out ahead of Adam to leave the bases empty. Adam's first pitch from Carlos Villanueva chips the inside corner for a strike. The second pitch finds its way down in the zone, and--did I just hear a peal of thunder?! Adam lifts a liner to center field.
Adam returns to his favorite base on the diamond, and exchanges a respectful nod with Fielder.
48th Plate Appearance
The Brewers started this game by scoring ten runs, the most they've ever recorded in a first inning, and more than they have in any inning over the past eight years. But, undaunted, and burning with the desire to honorably serve their polis, the Nationals have answered with five runs over the intervening innings. Little Zimmy starts the Washington half of the 7th by looking at a strikeout. It's a golden opportunity for Adam to lead the charge.
Adam jumps on the first pitch from Claudio Vargas, and it screams, a line drive down the first base line.
Fielder nimbly pivots and catches the liner on the fly.
Adam jumps on the first pitch from Claudio Vargas, and it screams, a line drive down the first base line.
Fielder nimbly pivots and catches the liner on the fly.
47th Plate Appearance
It's the bottom of the fifth, Doug Davis is still on the mound, and the table is set for our hungry hero.
Little Zimmy has done his job right, slapping a two-RBI single to left to keep the inning outless and runners on first and second for Adam.
Adam watches another one of those slow looping curve balls go down the zone for a strike. The next pitch goes in the dirt, and Dunn hears a mighty growl from Thunderhammerbat. It's time to eat!
Adam's deep swing sends a grounder speeding toward first, so fast that it bounces off of Fielder's bare hand.
Fielder recovers, grabs the ball and reaches the bag mere steps ahead of Adam. Runners advance.
Little Zimmy has done his job right, slapping a two-RBI single to left to keep the inning outless and runners on first and second for Adam.
Adam watches another one of those slow looping curve balls go down the zone for a strike. The next pitch goes in the dirt, and Dunn hears a mighty growl from Thunderhammerbat. It's time to eat!
Adam's deep swing sends a grounder speeding toward first, so fast that it bounces off of Fielder's bare hand.
Fielder recovers, grabs the ball and reaches the bag mere steps ahead of Adam. Runners advance.
46th Plate Appearance
Little Zimmy grounds into a double play, leaving Willy Taveras waiting at third base. There can be no redemptive sacrifice off of Adam's bat. There may only be a True Outcome.
Adam comes to plate with this song playing over the sound system.
On a 1-0 count Adam lets it rip, and the ensuing foul ball ricochets off the retaining wall behind home plate, returning to the batter's box, where Adam gives it a little hackey-sack kick. He fucking loves his job.
Adam fouls off two more, and on a full count he digs deep to bounce a ball to first.
In a footrace to the bag Prince Fielder wins. Adam can only look to the outfield wall with a deepening hunger as he waits at first for someone to bring to him his fielding glove.
Adam comes to plate with this song playing over the sound system.
On a 1-0 count Adam lets it rip, and the ensuing foul ball ricochets off the retaining wall behind home plate, returning to the batter's box, where Adam gives it a little hackey-sack kick. He fucking loves his job.
Adam fouls off two more, and on a full count he digs deep to bounce a ball to first.
In a footrace to the bag Prince Fielder wins. Adam can only look to the outfield wall with a deepening hunger as he waits at first for someone to bring to him his fielding glove.
45th Plate Appearance
The Five Hundred Faithful are out at Nationals Park, and the big man is hungry. He went 0 for 4 yesterday; worse, it's been four days since he last drew a walk. So it's with a certain ache for first base that Adam comes to the plate in the inaugural inning.
The stars are aligned for a vintage Dunn walk. Doug Davis is pitching for the Brewers; he led the majors in walks last year, at least on the pitching side. We all know who led batters.
It was Adrian Gonzalez. Adam Dunn placed second.
Ryan Zimmerman, feeling the heat of Dunn's desire, desperately pushes a single into center to keep a two-out inning alive.
First pitch to Adam comes right down the pike. Strike one. The second pitch takes its time curving out and away, traveling at an extremely watchable seventy miles per hour. Pitch three sails even further outside. Adam steps out, steps in. He steps out again. Maybe he needs to calm his laughter at how badly Davis is missing the zone.
The next two pitches are low, and home plate umpire Mike Everitt goes dutch with Davis. A ball and a strike to make the count full. Adam's favorite kind of count.
Adam decides to take a mighty swing at the payoff, and he gives it a brisk cooling breeeze as it sinks into the catcher's mitt.
As the fielders trot back into the dugout, Adam raises his bat in his hands, briefly considering breaking it over his knee.
No, this one's not worth it. Adam accepts the strikeout.
The stars are aligned for a vintage Dunn walk. Doug Davis is pitching for the Brewers; he led the majors in walks last year, at least on the pitching side. We all know who led batters.
It was Adrian Gonzalez. Adam Dunn placed second.
Ryan Zimmerman, feeling the heat of Dunn's desire, desperately pushes a single into center to keep a two-out inning alive.
First pitch to Adam comes right down the pike. Strike one. The second pitch takes its time curving out and away, traveling at an extremely watchable seventy miles per hour. Pitch three sails even further outside. Adam steps out, steps in. He steps out again. Maybe he needs to calm his laughter at how badly Davis is missing the zone.
The next two pitches are low, and home plate umpire Mike Everitt goes dutch with Davis. A ball and a strike to make the count full. Adam's favorite kind of count.
Adam decides to take a mighty swing at the payoff, and he gives it a brisk cooling breeeze as it sinks into the catcher's mitt.
As the fielders trot back into the dugout, Adam raises his bat in his hands, briefly considering breaking it over his knee.
No, this one's not worth it. Adam accepts the strikeout.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
44th Plate Appearance
Adam takes command of the batter's box. First pitch a strike that sails right down the middle of the plate. Second pitch a slider outside. Afraid of going inside on the Big Butted Lumberman, mr. pitcher?
Third pitch golfed into center field for the out, to wrap up an action-packed 0 for 4 Dunnstravaganza.
43rd Plate Appearance
Adam comes in with pal Zimmerman on second, two outs. Nats leading 3-0.
First pitch a ball in the dirt. Wolf obviously terrified of the big man and his shithuge bat. Next pitch a questionable called strike at the cankles. Adam turns on a breaking ball inside - foul. Watches a ball miss the outside corner for a ball. Now Wolf misses inside - what a doofus.
Wolf's 100th pitch comes in contact with Adam's aforementioned shithuge bat, splintering it, and lopes gently to Prince Fielder who touches the bag for out three.
42nd Plate Appearance
Adam lumbers into the batter's box, watches a low fastball called a strike, and then brings out his THUNDERHAMMERBAT to crush a ball into the stratosphere. Some confusion as the outfielders lose sight of the mammoth blast, but Cory Hart makes the catch on the warning track.
41st Plate Appearance - REDEMPTION
It's 65 degrees and sunny, and Washintonians have responded by showing up in drove. Ryan Zimmerman draws a Dunnesque walk with two outs, giving The Lumberjack some RBI fodder.
Adam is facing lefty Brewer Randy Wolf, but no defensive swings in store today as he takes a brobdignagian cut at the first pitch. That ball is greasefucking lucky Adam didn't make contact. On the following two pitches Wolf tries to tease Adam with some breaking balls down low, but the big man isn't interested. A canny backdoor slider brings the count to 2-2. Our protagonist swings at the fifth pitch and dribbles a ground ball to the second baseman who, in turn, gets the out at first.
ADAM DUNN IS BACK, BABY
Friday, April 16, 2010
40th plate appearance
It's overcast. 80 degrees at game start. It is Fireworks Night at Nationals Park, and it appears that approximately 500 faithful Nationals fans have taken the team up on the offer to come out tonight. A stiff wind has started to blow in over the outfield, and it ripples Adam's shirt as he steps in to the box. Rain threatens.
Cristian Guzman, who just poked a two-out single into right, takes a few steps off first. Yovani Gallardo shows no outward concern for a steal. He pitches a called strike to Adam. Adam steps out, spits.
The second pitch, another strike, and the third, high and away, Adam carefully watches speed by into Gregg Zaun's glove.
The fourth comes, and Adam watches it sink out of the zone. The fifth pitch dips into the dirt, and Adam gives his bat its first forward motion--a checked swing, and a full count for Adam.
The payoff pitch comes, and Adam checks another swing at another sinking pitch. With a neat little twirl, he tosses his bat to the ground and starts his familiar trot to first.
Andy Fletcher, third base umpire, however, rules on the appeal. "Adam went," his clenched fist says.
Adam can't believe it. Already halfway toward his beloved first base, he takes off his helmet and throws it to the ground; obscenity is palpable in the air as he strenuously contests the call.
Adam is ejected from the game.
Cristian Guzman, who just poked a two-out single into right, takes a few steps off first. Yovani Gallardo shows no outward concern for a steal. He pitches a called strike to Adam. Adam steps out, spits.
The second pitch, another strike, and the third, high and away, Adam carefully watches speed by into Gregg Zaun's glove.
The fourth comes, and Adam watches it sink out of the zone. The fifth pitch dips into the dirt, and Adam gives his bat its first forward motion--a checked swing, and a full count for Adam.
The payoff pitch comes, and Adam checks another swing at another sinking pitch. With a neat little twirl, he tosses his bat to the ground and starts his familiar trot to first.
Andy Fletcher, third base umpire, however, rules on the appeal. "Adam went," his clenched fist says.
Adam can't believe it. Already halfway toward his beloved first base, he takes off his helmet and throws it to the ground; obscenity is palpable in the air as he strenuously contests the call.
Adam is ejected from the game.
Monday, April 12, 2010
What the fuck is this bullshit?
Adam Dunn at Bat will provide the first in-depth analysis of each of Washington Nationals slugger Adam Dunn's plate appearances. It's going to fucking rock.
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