Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Post-Game 95 Thread: The Lament of Nick Masset

DODGERS 6, REDS 2

Hi there, SoSG readers. I'm Nick Masset, and the fine folks over at SoSG have asked me to write tonight's Post-Game Thread. You may not know me, since I've been on three teams in four years, and I've only pitched around 150 innings with a 4.38 career ERA. But my coach, Dusty Baker, broke a toothpick in two when Bronson Arroyo loaded the bases in the sixth, so he put me in. To face Manny Ramirez as a pinch hitter. At home. On his own bobblehead night. With a sellout crowd going nuts.

And sure enough, Manny drilled the first pitch into the left field stands just inside the pole (which they call "Mannywood"), hitting a grand slam home run. What was a 2-2 game became a 6-2 game, before I could even break a sweat. And that's it, the Dodgers coast to a victory. And not only do we get swept, but this makes 12 straight games that we've lost here at Dodger Stadium. I mean, SoSG Sax has a friend who is a Reds fan, but he won't even email to say hi, he's so embarrassed at this stage.

I don't know if you can blame me for one bad pitch, but we are a woeful Reds team. We came in three games under .500 and leave six games under .500. And you get a day off before facing the Marlins this weekend. Don't you guys know anything about hospitality?

UPDATE: Manny's 21st GS is second all-time; this was his first pinch hit home run in his career. Wow. ESPN recap here.

33 comments:

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Took long enough for Chad to get his 10th win.

JL said...

OK, so whats Plaschke gonna say about Manny?

oh and im gonna go change my name

Josh S. said...

Plashcke went nuts on his Twitter, but then immediately went back to calling him a cheat and saying he was refusing the bobblehead.

Steve Sax said...

And then billplaschkehackwriter put up said bobblehad on ebay.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

He certainly enjoys his OMG's. I don't think I can trust a writer who talks like a One Tree Hill character.

Steve Sax said...

Let me just say that when I get my bobblehead night, I too want a pinch-hit grand slam home run.

Nostradamus said...

Josh S,

You're a champ, dude. I can't stomach reading his columns, much less his tweets.

JL said...

"Manny 3 for 27 as a pinch hitter before that plate appearance...all singles...never before seen the pitcher...hit a 96-mph fastball...crazy"

he's something else that Bill

QuadSevens said...

The crowd went absolutely bananas when Manny was shown on the big screen grabbing a helmet. Cameras were flashing when he stepped into the box. And then BOOM! Grand slam and the place went nuts! The most amazing 3 second fly ball ever. Plus he is now the only Dodger to hit a grand slam on his bobblehead night. Simply incredible!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

This truly is a date which will live in infamy.

JL said...

some guy on ESPN said he doesnt consider the Dodgers as the best team in baseball because they dont have great pitching.

Dodgers have best ERA in MLB

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

CNR: That title belongs to the Giants.

JL said...

look again. they've been getting rocked by ATL and we've been shutting down Cincy. We're no. 1 now

btw, i changed the name. CKR now lol

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Recent victories and losses aside, the Giants do have the better ERA. They've given up ten less runs than the Dodgers.

Josh S. said...

Actually, Mr. C, Bill's *ahem* "style" is perfect for Twitter. I refuse to acknowledge that a major newspaper pays and publishes the guy.

NicJ said...

I'm on my way back homefrom the game. I am still in awe. The whole game I'd a blur aside from those two minutes that started when they showed manny grabbing a helmet on dodgervision to when he did his curtain call.

Amazing.

Steve Sax said...

One honestly could not have scripted a bobblehead night better than tonight. Unless we were playing the Red Sox, that is.

Way to go, Manny.

Welcome back!

JL said...

ok fine. even it we're second, still stupid for that guy to say IMO

JL said...

oh yeah, Andre went deep. totally forgot. Already at last season's total. nice

Nostradamus said...

JS,

True, though he has time to pause and reflect before submitting his printed ramblings. I shudder to think of what he comes up with on-the-fly.

JL said...

"Just left dodger clubhouse...casey blake was dancing...that's all you need to know..a special night...he's still a cheat but, well, omg.."

Nostradamus said...

Can we file that under cognitive dissonance?

Josh S. said...

OK, enough Plaschke talk.

New topic...

Manny Ramirez: Awesome or Really Awesome?

QuadSevens said...

Off the bench, against a pitcher he hasn't faced before, first pitch grand slam, on his bobblehead night. Really awesome!

QuadSevens said...

Oh yeah! With a hurt left hand. Really, really awesome!

JL said...

Manny > Awesome

Nostradamus said...

JS,
Really awesome, but sometimes also utterly infuriating.

Josh S. said...

Not to mention he hit it straight into Mannywood. Really, really, REALLY awesome.

Green Lantern JBJ of Sector 1138 said...

manny was the true ace in the hole in this game

Green Lantern JBJ of Sector 1138 said...

ps. DOLLAH DOLLAH BILL YALL!

Kyle Baker said...

Sorry I missed the GTs after the first few innings. There were so many people there that cell phone traffic was gummed up.

Not much happened after that, right?

Good lord, there have been few better Dodger moments for me. My first (August 1983 with Fernando getting the win) will always be the best; got to be introduced on the field last year during a pre-game ceremony; last year's playoff game v Cubs; but this one is riiiiiiight up there.

Am I supposed to be able to go to sleep tonight? Nawwww. I think I'll watch the game on Tivo.

Fred's Brim said...

Sportscenter quoted Vin as saying after Manny's slam was the loudest he'd heard Dodger Stadium in 20 years

Unknown said...

The Dodgers are actually first in ERA, but they are fourth in FIP because Fangraphs doesn't like their .277 BABIP against.