Baseball Oddities and Common Occurrences

Looking back on some of the baseball oddities and common occurrences I have seen this season. I decided to go back, look through the score books and box scores and tally up everything. Here is a list of everything I have seen this season and the number of times I have seen it. I will update this list after every game for the remainder of the season.

College Games / Pro Games
Games – 50 / 7
Hits – 1,032 / 114
Singles – 772 / 95
Doubles – 190 / 12
Triples – 25 / 4
Home Runs – 95 / 3
RBI – 633 / 41
Runs Scored – 710 / 49
Walks – 408 / 41
Grand Slams – 8 / 0
Hit Batters – 108 / 11
Stolen Bases – 83 / 9
Strike Outs – 652 / 93
Double Plays – 84 / 19
Triple Plays – 1 / 0
Errors – 142 / 17
LOB – 790 / 98
Avg Game Time – 3:28/ 2:30
Different Players – 583 / 113

Pro Game 7 (Mississippi Braves at Montgomery Biscuits)

Pro game 7 found me on the road this time in Montgomery, Alabama at Riverwalk Stadium. Riverwalk Stadium is home to the Montgomery Biscuits the back-to-back Southern League Champions and “AA” affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Biscuits opponent for the game would be the Mississippi Braves who are the “AA” affiliate of, you guessed it the Atlanta Braves. The starting pitchers for the game would be for Montgomery David Price and for the Braves Deunte Heath. Price was the overall number one draft pick in the 2007 Major League draft, and has climbing quickly through the Tampa Bay farm system. Things did not start off smoothly for Price as lead off hitter J.C. Holt hit a swinging bunt down the third baseline and a throwing error by Price sent Holt to second base. He would remain composed however stranding Holt at third base. The Biscuit offense quickly provided some run support for Price as Ronnie Merrill would single to lead off the bottom of the first and John Jaso would single with one out moving Merrill to third. Chris Nowak would do the big damage with a long three run homer to straight away center field to give the Biscuit’s a 3-0 lead. Price would take control from there allowing only one runner to advance past second base over the next five innings while striking out five. Deunte Heath was just as impressive despite the rough start allowing only 2 more hits over the next six innings and keeping the game close. Unfortunately for the Braves the Montgomery bullpen would be more than they could handle as Richard De Los Santos and Colter Bean would shut them down. Nowak added a two RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the score 5-0 which would end up being the final.

Pro Game 6 (Mobile BayBears at Birmingham Barons)

After taking some time off for work I decided to return to the comforts of the baseball stadium. Just in time to watch the Mobile BayBears and the Birmingham Barons start a five game series. The starting pitchers for the game for the BayBears was Tony Barnette and for the Barons it was Dewon Day. Neither team got of to a fast start offensively as the pitchers combined to allow 1 hit in the first three innings. In the top of the fourth however the Barons went to the bullpen and brought in Ryan O’Malley to replace Day. I am unsure if this was planned or if Day was injured. Mobile got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning when a RBI double from Cesar Nicolas scored Rusty Ryal, a throwing error by Robert Valido allowed Nicolas to advance to third on the play. Cyle Hankerd singled to right field two batters later to score Nicolas. Birmingham would tie the game up in the bottom of the sixth inning when a lead off single from Eric Hollis and a four pitch walk to Miguel Negron put runners on with no outs. Javier Colinas would get an one out single scoring Hollis. A sacrifice fly from Stefan Gartrell would tie the game at 2-2. The Barons would take the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. This time a lead off single from Negron and a Victor Mercedes single would put runners on with no one out. However a fly out and strike out brought Ricardo Nanita to the plate with two outs and he cashed in with a RBI single scoring both Negron and Mercedes. Mobile would try and rally in the top of the ninth when Nicolas would walk with one out. A ground out to the first baseman brought up Hankerd again this time with two outs. Once again he would single this time up the middle scoring Nicolas. Jon Link the Barons closer was able to battle his way out of the jam getting John Hester to fly out to end the ball game. Final Score Birmingham 4 Mobile 3.

Pro Game 5 (Jacksonville Suns at Birmingham Barons)

Pro game 5 was once again between the Jacksonville Suns and Birmingham Barons, only this time the Barons returned back to there home at Regions Park. The return seemed to spark both teams offense as it would not be a good night for the ERA. Jacksonville got it started in the first inning scoring four runs on six hits and chasing Barons starting pitcher Kyle O’Malley after only two-thirds of an inning. Birmingham would take O’Malley of the hook in the bottom of the second inning when they would score five runs on five hits with three walks mixed in. Jacksonville would tie the game up at 5 in the top of the third inning when a bases loaded ground ball from Adam Godwin scored Rene Rivera. Jacksonville would take the lead for good in the top of the fifth when a two out single from Ivan DeJesus Jr. would score Shane Justis. Jacksonville added two more runs in the top of the sixth when Mark Bellhorn tripled down the right field line scoring Lucas May and Rivera singled scoring Bellhorn giving Jacksonville an 8-7 lead. Birmingham would cut that lead to one when Micah Schnurstein would single scoring Stefan Gartrell and Miguel Negron would pick up an RBI with fielders choice scoring Schnurstein. After a one out single from Javier Castillo and a pair of walks the Barons had a chance to either tie or take the lead, but Suns reliever Eduardo Sierra was able to get a fly ball out to end the inning. Sierra would retire the Barons in order in the bottom of the ninth to give the Suns an 8-7 win.

Pro Game 4 (Jacksonville Suns at Birmingham Barons Rickwood Classic)

Pro game 4 was a trip back in time, so to speak. It was the Rickwood Classic which this season would be played between the Jacksonville Suns who are the class “AA” affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Birmingham Barons. Each team donned replica uniforms with the Suns wearing the uniform from the 1967 Jacksonville Suns and the Barons wearing uniforms from the 1951-1952 Birmingham Barons. What is so great about this game is where it is played. Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama is the oldest active ballpark in America. Built in 1910 it served as home to the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League from 1920 to 1960 and the Birmingham Barons from 1910 to 1986. In 1996 the Birmingham Barons began playing a game once a year at Rickwood Field as a tribute to the historic baseball teams in Birmingham history. Now on to the game.

Jacksonville took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Lucas May had an RBI single scoring Ivan DeJesus Jr. Birmingham would take the lead in the bottom of the first when Javier Castillo hit a long two run home run down the left field line giving the Barons a 2-1 lead. The Barons would hold that lead til the fifth inning when a costly error by the Barons allowed the Suns to score three runs giving them a 4-2 lead. The Barons would not be able to answer back this time as a pair of Jacksonville relievers would shut the Barons down giving Jacksonville a 4-2 win in the Rickwood Classic.

College Game 50 (Alabama vs Kentucky SEC Tournament)

I’ve made it, I have accomplished the goal I set out for on March 1st. 50 college games in one season, I can honestly say I had doubts on if I could do it, but I did and I am very pleased.

Game 50 was a rematch of the first round game between the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Kentucky Wildcats, only this time the loser goes home. In the second inning Alabama got the bats going with a lead of single from Brandon May. A single by Kent Matthes two batters later and a RBI double from Tyler Odle gave Alabama a 1-0 lead. After Jake Smith was hit by a pitch, that loaded the bases for the number nine hitter Alex Kubal. After fouling off a couple of pitches and working the count to full Kubal hit a grand slam down the left field line to give Alabama a 5-0 lead. Crimson Tide starting pitcher Del Howell would take over from there. Howell making only his second start of the season had the Wildcat hitters guessing all night. Alabama would add a run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to make it a 8-1 game. In the top of the eighth Alabama when a pair of RBI singles from Kent Matthes and Jake Smith would make it a 10-1 game. The Wildcats would chase Howell from the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and a two RBI single from Chris McClendon and a RBI single from Chris Wade would cut the score to 10-4. Alabama would add three more runs in the top of the ninth to finally put the game away winning it rather convincingly 13-4 and sending the Wildcats home from the tournament. Players of the game are Del Howell, Brandon May and Alex Kubal. Howell was unreal pitch seven and a third innings allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out six. Brandon May finished the game 4-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Alex Kubal, well Kubal started the night off right hitting his first career grand slam to spark the Alabama offense.

College Game 49 (South Carolina vs Vanderbilt SEC Tournament)

Game 49 was the first game of elimination day in the 2008 SEC Baseball Tournament. The game was between the University of South Carolina Gamecocks and the University of Vanderbilt Commodores. Neither team did much offensively in the first two innings of play, but in the bottom of the third the Commodores got on the scoreboard. A bases loaded infield single from Commodores shortstop Ryan Flaherty gave Vanderbilt a 2-0 lead. South Carolina would cut the lead to one in the top of the fourth when Gamecocks catcher Phil Disher hit a solo home run to left field making the score 2-1. Vanderbilt would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when first baseman Andrew Giobbi would hit a two run home run giving Vanderbilt a 4-1 lead. The Commodores would add three more runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a RBI double from Alex Feinberg and a two run home run from Pedro Alvarez. South Carolina would mount a rally in the top of the eighth scoring four times with the big blow coming from Phil Disher who hit a three run home run which was his second of the day making the score 7-5. That would be as close as South Carolina would get however as Commodores reliever Russell Brewer would shut down the Gamecock rally. Final score Vanderbilt 7, South Carolina 5. South Carolina eliminated from the tournament. Players of the game are Vanderbilt’s David Macias and South Carolina’s Phil Disher.