Saturday, April 30, 2005

A week for the numbers, I guess

I admit I haven't been paying much attention to the Mariners games this week beyond checking the scores. It's so much more exciting for me when they're at home. Maybe I should actually subscribe to mlb.com TV or go to a bar and watch some of the games.

I watched today's game on Gameday though, and it was somewhat heartbreaking. Jamie Moyer got pretty beaten up early; the Mariners at least did come back to tie it up, but the same Mariner that tied it up (Mr. Bloomquist) also hit into a double play the next inning, and then Ronnie The Bear gave up a run which lost us the game.

Anyway, the interesting game of the week to me was yesterday's Cubs-Astros matchup with Maddux and Clemens squaring off, making them the first 300-game winners to start against each other since 1987 (when my very own childhood hero Steve Carlton pitched against Don Sutton). Apparently it was the first National League 300-game-winner face-off since 1892 when Tim Keefe and Pud Galvin pitched against each other. Clemens got two hits off of Maddux, which I think is just super-cool.

It's funny that the articles about yesterday's game mostly focus on the question: Will there ever be another 300-game winner? I think it's possible, but there will be many more people added to the 500-homerun club before there will be many more added to the 300-win club.

Speaking of the 500-HR club, the inimitable Kazuhiro Kiyohara finally got there yesterday. (english version) Good for him! And in other milestones, the adorable elder statesman of the Yakult Swallows, Atsuya Furuta, got his 2000th hit last weekend as well. (english version)

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