What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
1
We hope Homer Bailey and Ryan Dempster found a Red Robin on Thursday night.
Bailey, of the Reds, and Dempster, of the Cubs, were the starting pitchers. The game would go into extra innings, with neither pitcher factoring into the decision. (Dempster had the better night, going eight innings of shut-out ball, but alas, the Cubs bullpen did its thing.)
Anyway, what made this a bigger deal is Bailey and Dempster both celebrated birthdays on Thursday.
Turns out, it was the first time in the 475-year history of baseball (maybe a slight exaggeration on the number of years) that two starting pitchers who share a birthday pitched against each other on that day.
So you see, everybody’s a winner.
And if the two found a Red Robin after the game, they would have been serenaded with a birthday song from the wait staff. Plus a free sundae.
Party on, dudes!
2
The knee-jerk reaction to Mariano Rivera’s knee-jerk reaction was that pitchers should not be in the outfield shagging fly balls.
(Of course, if we were in Britain, we would not think it appropriate for any player, pitcher or outfielder, to be shagging anything out there, in plain view of the public.)
But in America, teammates shag baseballs for teammates. It’s tradition. And fluke injuries can happen any time, anywhere. That’s why they are called flukes.
Plus, Rivera has always done this because he always dreamed of being a great center fielder.
Oh, and what else is a closer supposed to do all day?
It’s a long, freakin’ day for closers who must arrive at the stadium the same time as their teammates. Hours of pre-game, then the game, and then, maybe, they enter the game in the ninth inning.
Surely, they must do something to have some fun.
Chasing down baseballs is fun whether you are a 42-year-old athlete in great condition or a 42-year-old overweight accountant.
For more Talking Points, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/talkpoints360
