I spend my days sitting in front of a computer screen. To my left on a stool is my laptop computer, on which I watch my MLB.TV. To my right is my TV, on which I watch…whatever I can find of interest on over 200 satellite channels. Usually, that means…nothing!
However, last night I had the Boston Red Sox on the laptop, and the Chicago Cubs vs the Houston Astros on the TV.
It was the 4th inning, and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox had just made a spectacular diving catch of a ball in center field to end the 4th for Jon Lester. I turn to my right, and this big, chunky guy…Geovany Soto… is motoring around the bases with an inside-the-park homerun.
Actually, it didn’t happen simultaneousy…the Soto shot was a replay…but I still found the juxtaoposition interesting.
Soto’s homerun apparently should have been just a plain old home run. Indeed, the headline today is “Soto robbed, but still gets inside-the-park homer; Cubs topple ‘Stros”
And I’m thinking to myself….practically everyone in the major leagues, except pitchers - and even some of them! - has hit a home run or two, and it is no big deal! But an inside-the-park homerun? That’s rare. That’s special! And baseball statistics being always ready to hand, it turns out Soto’s inside-the-park homerun is the first for Cub’s catcher since 1959!
Back to the Red Sox.
It was the fourth inning, and Lester had a no-hitter going. But that early in the game, does anyone really think of a no-hitter. Jacoby made that great, body-sacrificing play just because that’s the kind of player he is, not because he was thinking he had to save a potential no-hitter.
But as the innings went on…as the hits failed to mount… everyone was thinking, “No hitter” - and it turns out that very likely was the “no hitter” saving play.
And it was fun to watch. So was Geavany Soto’s motoring around the bases!
