Roy Firestone

I have to admit. I'm an addict. I'm an addict not of booze or drugs. I'm an addict for baseball .... It's still THE game for me and I love almost any team sport. But for me, when it's great, it's still the greatest game of them all. I hate to say it, but when my team wins ...it's like a hit of crack or coke and I have never and will never try those drugs. This one is a better high anyway. It's an adrenaline rush for me. It comes from my heart and soul. Like the other night in Anaheim I sat transfixed on the game. I dont need to look at the silly shell games on a scoreboard, nor hear what the players favorite singer is.. or eat a lot of junk, but I DO have to have my bag of peanuts. The Orioles were clinging to a one run lead, when, with the bases loaded, Mike Trout stepped up to the plate...a single and the game is tied...an extra base hit and the Orioles lose. Our pitcher Craig Kimbrel had to throw a strike to one of the all time greats, and somehow, someway, Trout looked at a third strike and the Orioles won. I lept into the air as if I had a million dollars on the game. I never bet on sports, but this was a better high than winning any bet anyway. Because it is pure and it comes from my deep place of caring when the 'Birds' win. Today in Anaheim, another nail biter, the game was in the ninth with two out and a runner on first. Suddenly the runner broke for second and catcher James McCann threw a strike to second base. Gunnar Henderson covering, made the tag and the ump called the runner out. And the game ended that way. Bang Bang. Personally I thought it was a blown call, but after review the call was upheld and the Orioles won another nail biter. I dont watch many other games, but every night I hit the crack pipe" of baseball. It's my addiction. I also love watching fantastic performers. Mookie Betts is an electric ballplayer . can do anything at the plate and in the field. The Orioles' Henderson is a must see ballplayer like Betts is. On Wednesday he hit a home run, a double, a single, drove in 3 runs got hit by a pitch , stole a base and made two game saving plays in the field. Baseball is a team sport but it's also watching the brilliant, mesmerizing individual performances. It's watching the best players in the world do what I think is the most difficult thing in sports , hit a baseball, throw a baseball, and field a baseball. It's hard to do. Anyway,it's still just April and it's a long, long season. Bryant Gumble once had a great line about the difference between football and baseball. He said "Baseball, is a never ending romance, but football is a one night stand." Yep, I'm an addict, a baseball junkie, and I make no apologies for it. I'll never go to rehab for my baseball addiction. I don't NEED to be cured. And I never will be. Jim Bouton said it best in "Ball Four" his great book. "In all the years you grip a baseball...you suddenly remember, it's really the other way around" Exactly.

Think about what Gunnar did today. He came within a triple of the cycle, was also hit by a pitch, stole a base, had 3 RBI's, his second HR in as many days, also made a spectacular play late in the game to end a potential big inning for the Angels...on top of that he made the tag on a disputed call to end the game. It was like watching Willie Mays at shortstop. Gunnar is tied with Mookie Betts with a 1.9 WAR and is a top-five qualified position player by wRC+ (193) and slugging (.649). Wow! What a player he is and only 22. My God.

Kimbrel also walked the batter with 2 out in a 1 run game, and probably caught a big break because the umpire, in my view, blew a safe call to end the game. Just too MUCH drama for a closer...Monday night was another Houdini escape. Boy, as solid as Kimbrel has been, do WE miss Felix.

Maier

better get some help in a hurry...

it may have been not enough evidence to overturn....ill take it though...whew...what a nail biter...

need more runs...3 wont hold...

lots of 3-2 strikeouts and foul balls...that go t the pitch count up...

we had SO many opportunities to score more runs...I dont think three runs with this pen will hold...

I have ZERO confidence in this bullpen...

Our bullpen is kryptonite...for US...

Kremer was excellent...1 run in 5 and a third...hopefully we can hold them...I'd take an outing like this every time...

we need MORE runs...not enough runs for our bullpen...

We need to get Anderson out of the game...

EN FUEGO...GUNNAR...