A Million Little Pieces, of Baseball

Other than the (admittedly quite excellent) Baseball In The Daytime feature that I assemble here at the HoG, it's been a while since I shot the shit about our National Pastime. Since there's nothing much else going on, other than various Argentines hoisting large shiny American trophies, let's ruminate around the diamond, shall we?

The Battle Of Orange County is taking place in Omaha as we speak, with the score currently (redacted) in the (redacted) inning. It's really a thrilling, awesome game, and I would tell you all about it if the NCAA weren't such pricks about us bloggers. You see, they consider live-blogging an event akin to violating the broadcast rights they sell to such outlets as ESPN, and that's totally logical. I'm sure most people would rather watch baseball via sentences on the HoG versus their nice big TVs if they have the choice.

Look. I was at work today and I would have loved to put the Fullerton-Irvine game on in the background. ESPN has a service called 360, which allegedly broadcasts their cable signal via their website. Only I was not eligible in my area. I fucking pay for ESPN, every single month. Why can I not receive their programming wherever I am? And if I can't what in the hell is wrong with me just finding the info elsewhere, such as from a newspaper reporter who's already at the game typing his observations? I'm really shocked that the NCAA is making such a pigheaded decision, that's odd.

But for real, if I were allowed to tell you about this College World Series game, it would blow your mind out of your skull. It's fantastic.

Elsewhere at Rosenblatt, Rice and North Carolina have thus far looked good, but I'd rather not give you any empirical evidence to that effect lest I get arrested. Mississippi State was the first team eliminated, which ended the college athletic careers of a few kids who are now woefully underprepared for the job market. The big game tonight is defending champ Oregon State vs. Arizona State, both of whom look very dangerous. I'd tell you starting pitchers but I'm afraid to.

Up in the big leagues, the surging Los Californaheim Angeles have pulled within a game of the Red Sox for the best record in baseball after thoroughly dominating their season series against Brooklyn. The "balanced" Halos are definitely coming together and look World Series-capable once again this season. I still say that they need another bat, not a superstar but a legitimately dangerous veteran (Todd Helton, anyone?) that could grind opposing pitchers a bit more. I think some prospect pitching is a small price to pay for the chance at another ring, but that's just me. Those things (rings, that is) don't grow on trees, and you have to make some sacrifices when you're in the mix, which the Angels certainly are.

As for those Red Sox, fits of inconsistency are the only thing really holding them back. The offense generates either a dozen or one run a game, and Francona has been throwing new leadoff hitters and lineup combinations at the wall daily, waiting for something to stick. The starting pitching has been a bit wobbly of late, with even Beckett throwing out a stinker in his last turn. But all in all the pieces are all there and this is still the team that looks most ready for October. Worried about the Yankees? Not yet I'm not, but they'll be there at the end.

To me, one of the most impressive teams going right now is the hometown Colorado Rockies. They've been standing up to the American League (except the mighty Royals) unlike any other NL club and the baseball talk-o-circle is starting to take notice. The bats, of course, have come alive, with Hawpe and (finally) Atkins joining Holliday and Helton awesomeness with the lumber. Taveras and Matsui are the pesky top of the order that the team hoped they would be, and the defense has been shockingly excellent.

Stop me if you've heard this before, but the questions lie with the pitching staff. On XM's Home Plate MLB channel this morning, some dude talked about how he thinks the Rockies are ready to be buyers when it comes to SPs at the deadline. I about drove off the road. I doubt this will mean that Jake Peavy will be donning purple, but if they can get another guy on the level of freaking Rodrigo Lopez (who was the shittiest AL pitcher you can imagine), they might make a run yet.

I'm telling you, this CWS game might be the best ever. There was just a play at (base redacted) to keep the score at (redacted). Incredible. I can't tell you what inning we're in but it's the square root of 169.

Update: UC Irvine won the game with a two-out single in the bottom of the 13th. The longest game (5 hours 43 minutes) in CWS history sends Fullerton back to the OC. Naturally, the team we highlight the most is two and done. If you want further highlights and stats, I suggest you go to the official CWS site or the four-letter network--since they, you know, own this information).