The 2019 MLB has begun and I couldn't be happier. Especially since my Phillies are off to their best start since 1915! OK it's only 4-0, but Phillies fans take whatever they can get.
Even though the Phils are my team, I follow everything in MLB. I love the sport and its rich history. You have the chance to see your favorite team make history every game, say maybe a no-hitter. Unless you're a fan of the Baltimore Orioles.
On Monday night 25-year-old Orioles pitcher David Hess, making his 20th career start, no-hit the Blue Jays through six innings in Toronto. He retired the first hitter in the seventh inning when rookie manager Brandon Hyde came to the mound to take him out of the game. The look on the faces of Hess and his teammates in the picture above tell the story. WTF! Even the hometown Blue Jays crowd responded with a hearty rounds of boos. They wanted to see some history too!
Hyde had the usual excuse for his decision following the game: pitch count. Hess was up to 82 pitches thrown and the Orioles were overly worried about him throwing too many pitches in his season debut. Please.
Putting it as kindly as I possibly can, the Orioles are a raging dumpster fire of suckitude this year. As the doormat in a loaded American League East, the best they can hope to achieve this season is to lose less than a hundred games. This is a team hurtling to nowhere at light speed.
Maybe something special, for example lets just say a kid throwing a no-hitter in his 20th career start, would give the fans something positive to remember instead of wondering why the Orioles front office would shower Chris Davis with millions of dollars and send Manny Machado packing. Who knows, maybe some of those fans would even be encouraged to buy a ticket the next time said pitcher made a start at home. Alas, we will never know. Because of stupid adherence to the mystical pitch count.
Hess was in complete control of the game: 6.1 innings pitched, 0 hits, 1 walk and 8 strikeouts with 82 pitches thrown. Might I add 82 relatively stress free pitches, he only allowed one base runner. You would think Hyde would have at least had the courtesy to let him finish the inning. But no.
What are they saving him for? The Orioles aren't going anywhere. Give him some extra rest before his next start if they are that concerned about him. And I don't want to hear any of that nonsense like easing a pitcher into the season. You just had six weeks of spring training, get your pitchers ready to pitch!
Maybe you can tell, but these type of incidents piss me off. Hopefully Hess gets another legitimate shot at a no-hitter, but we all know it isn't likely.
It's funny, Sunday I was watching the Cubs-Rangers game when they brought hall of fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins into the broadcast booth. The discussion turned to the disappearance of complete games in MLB. Last year the Cubs had 1 complete game, the Rangers had none. Jenkins threw 30 complete games in 1971. 30! He had eight seasons with 20 or more complete games in his 19 year career.
Athletes are getting bigger and stronger. Why have pitchers become more fragile? Because they are handled with kid gloves. Let them throw the damn ball!
Comments