The dugout is like a cage to Adam. It itches at him; he feels it closing against his shoulders. He tries to watch the game, but can't keep from twitching any time a grounder goes toward first.
Ozymandias regards him with a pepper eye. "What, you got to pee or something?"
Adam shakes his head. He picks up his big-ass bat and strikes a pensive pose.
Soon it is time to warm up in the on-deck circle. Thick little Beckham dinks a single, and Thunderhammerbat crackles in Adam's hands. RBI HUNGER.
At first pitch from Doctor Fausto, Adam gives a big, deep, nasty whiff. "Like this!" he says to THB.
Fausto's scared. He dicks around the zone for a few. And then he floats a wussy little changeup down the middle. Are you kidding...
GOTTERDAMMERUNG!! Adam puts that ball in the trashcan beyond the right field fence. You want that souvenir you got to go GARBAGE DIGGING.
Handshakes all around in the dugout. Adam sits on the bench and the bleakness of idleness bums him out.
Showing posts with label man on first. Show all posts
Showing posts with label man on first. Show all posts
Friday, April 1, 2011
Thursday, April 22, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
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.
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.
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