Yakyuu on the mind

broderic on July 6, 2009

It’s a Sunday. It’s a day game. It’s the finale of a series. It’s a loss. With the home team, Orioles, continuing their less than mediocre ways, it’s time to look in to the game around as its played in Japan.

Here’s the NY Times writing about the
atmosphere in the stadiums of Japan. Very much different than the quiet of Camden Yards. If we could only get as rowdy, we wouldn’t have to worry too much about the awful Red Sox fans who visit our lovely park.

Then there is the adopted team of BrowserMetrics, the Hiroshima Toyou Carp. They’re playing better than the O’s but not much better. They too are below .500 in winning, but the distance to respectability is shorter for them than for the hapless O’s. Plus they’ve got a new stadium, Mazda Zoom-Zoom Park.

Finally, about some manga and anime. Mitsura Adachi’s Cross Game is an amazing manga. The anime only slightly less. We’re going to the Koshien! Taishou Yakyuu Musume is just starting up. I’m not sure I like it, but it’s got baseball, anime girls, sailor uniforms, and kimonos. It’s got the game.

Best thing since Brooks Robinson?

broderic on July 2, 2009

My dad used to have season tickets pretty close to section 34, perhaps section 35? And when we’d go we’d cheer along. “O! R! I! O! L! E! S! ORIOLES!” Just dig it. Baseball, beer and cheering ain’t that the fun. Funny thing, they lost to the Red Sux that day as well.

Sport Around the World

broderic on June 25, 2009

US 2 – Spain 0 in a Confederation Cup semi-final. US makes it into a final of an actual tournament. They do it by beating the best team in the world. Woohoo!

Orioles 2 – Marlins 4. WTF! They can sweep the defending national champs, but not a somewhat sorry team.

BrowserMetrics 3, Other teams 3

broderic on June 18, 2009


Mets @ Orioles, June 17, 2009
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
We get to the .500 mark. In games watched.

It’s a win.

And Matty Weit Weit hits his first home run. The gentlemen behind us wonder what the fan that caught it can expect from the team for exchange of this memorabilia. I think signed catching glove, ball, bat from Matty Weit Weit may make it all square. Plus lump in some nice tickets at the club level.

Mets fans were out and about. I was sitting next to one. David Wright, he of .360 batting average, gets called strike out king. All hail strike out king. I get heckled for it. ALL HAIL STRIKEOUT KING! 😛

It rains, but it don’t keep the fans away. They come for the Adam Jones bobblehead souvenir. His facsimile does just as much as the real thing who goes 0 for 4 on the day. The Orioles table setters, Roberts and Jones, bat a collective .000, 0 for 9. B-Rob may be going into another slump.

Would be nice to keep winning.

Seattle v Baltimore: June 10, 2009

broderic on June 11, 2009


Seattle v Baltimore: June 10, 2009
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
Went to the Yard to catch future Hall of Famers, Ichiro and Ken Griffey Jr play with hometown Birds. It was one of the better times we’ve had at a game.

First, we walked up to the box office looking for the best tickets, and we got ’em: section 86, lower box, left-center, row bb, seats up against the bull pen wall.

Second, we get three beers and hot dogs and nachos. Just little dinner.

Next, we chat up our fellow neighbors. A couple from NC who got engaged in at the Yard. They’re watching the next couple of games. The gentleman and his kids in front of us. He was a Phillies fan. I had to get Marge in trouble with him as the Mets were leading the Phils. He didn’t care. Then we had the youngsters behind us. “Get ready.” With the glove, Matty Weit Weit’s gonna hit a homer. Instead it was all Seattle. They were hilarious.

The game was too. No hitting for the Birds. Matty Weit Weit upped his average. B Rob is hitting. AJ isn’t. Not much runs. Loss 4-1.

Still fun. See you next Wednesday.

Still in last place

broderic on May 24, 2009

Watching and listening to the Orioles play the Nationals. Going into this series, I was incredulous that we were as bad as that team. I mean, they’re the worst in the majors we’re better, right? Not so fast. Our hitters at the end of the order are just as bad. Just as bad is our pitching.

But we’ve done well so far these last two games.

We’ve won 4-2 in extra innings last night and 2-1 with only three hits tonight. Amazing. Both teams are evenly matched.

We are just as bad but just a little bit better than them.

Last Place?

broderic on May 6, 2009

Tried to watch some of the early evening Orioles game from Tampa. They were up 3-1 in the sixth when I tuned in. Kojira was pitching good. Then the wheels came off. They lost 6-3. This is going to be a long season. Kojira is decent, but then he goes to pot in the sixth. Jeez.