Oh Ye of Little Faith

Game 35: Bulls 13, Bats 9, 11 innings
Season: 21-14
Wrap, Box, Indy Week

The “ye” in the headline is me.

I am so not looking forward to greeting John, Sue, and Dave at the DBAP tonight. In my defense, I made up my mind to leave the game in the middle of the 4th. The Bulls were down 8-1. I’d pitchforked about 20 cubic yards of mulch around my house the last few days and prospects for the Bulls coming back in the game were not looking good. Ray Olmedo did hit a homer with Ray Sadler on base to make it 8-3, but that didn’t change my opinion that the game was a lost cause. It’s true that I’d just taken a shot at one of us for missing last night’s game to watch a bunch of gap-toothed, ice-skating thugs get through a round of the NHL playoffs. The gods must have overheard me. As I walked out last night I’m betting that Chris Richard saw me leaving and made a rude gesture. If he didn’t, he should have.

I listened to the rest of the game and, after getting home, followed it on Game Day. For a take on the full story, see Indy Week link above. Let me add a few bits from what I heard and read, and one rant.

All hail Chris Richard! TWO grand slams, a single, a walk, 8 RBIs!

The bullpen was terrific. Montoyo used six relievers and the Bats were only able to score one run. Joe Bateman has appeared in just three games, pitched 3-1/3 innings, and has two wins.

I have great respect for any player who takes one for the team, but off the batting helmet? That’s above and beyond the call, Jon Weber. And when you tried to score in the 9th, you at least made Bats catcher Castillo pay for the out. Did he hear the ghost of your footsteps when he dropped the pop up in the 10th?

Justin Ruggiano continued to show terrific plate discipline and batting eye by drawing three walks, hitting a double, and scoring two runs.

A triple from Craig Albernaz? Who’d a thunk it?

For more, check out the video on the Bulls website and story on Chris Richard at MiLB.com.

Rant: Not one of the local papers carried the story. The N&O didn’t even have the box score. I know that, for local media, the Hurricanes are the story, but come on guys, two grand slams? Possible explanation for the Herald-Sun’s lapse is at the end of the Indy Week story.

Webworld:

• Even worse, the Bulls story is lost in Rays world in the euphoria over B. J. Upton’s walk-off dinger in the 9th last night. Check out any of the Rays website links I’ve got off to the side here. Or here.
• RaysProspects looks at first basemen. Guess who’s looking pretty good? Who else? Chris Richard.