Of course, when I left The Kubel Game, it wasn't called that. Here is my rationale for leaving Friday nights game early.
5 - runs the Angels scored in the top of the 7th, breaking a 2-2 tie. The inning took like an hour, and featured some of the most frustrating baseball ever. Like when Brendan Harris didn't get to second base after Punto made a diving stop.
0 and 2 - the count to Torii Hunter before he worked a two out walk to prolong the top of the 7th inning. This was after an intentional walk to Bob Abreu and before a couple more base hits.
1 - more run the Angels scored in the top of the 8th, pushing the score to 9-4. Thanks, bullpen.
0 - dollars I paid to get into the game. Thanks, Dad.
8 - more players to bat before Kubel gets another chance to bat. I knew he was going for the cycle, but he struck out in the bottom of the 7th stranding a guy on third. I didn't think he would get another at-bat..
4 - 7 was the Twins record coming into Fridays game. The offense was streaky and the bullpen was brutal. There was nothing to suggest that the Twins were capable of putting up the...
5 - runs needed to tie the game. They had only scored four runs in the first seve
n innings of the game, and they had only two innings left.
300 + - the weight of the lady sitting to my right. Her fat was hanging over the armrest. I was not comfortable.
E - 9 - I was watching third base coach Scott Ulger as the ball bounced into the right field corner. He was holding Kubel at second, then quickly changed his mind and waved his hand, ushering him to third. Why the change of heart? Because Abreu had bobbled the ball. I was shocked when it was ruled a clean triple.
6 hours I had spent at the Toronto game on Wednesday. I took a kid early to see batting practice and stayed late to get autographs. I was the first person ever to spend six hours to see my team lose 12-2. I was metrodomed out.
0 - real, logical excuses for my having left that game early. I left right after the Angels scored their 9th run, in the top of the 8th. I got home and turned on the T.V. just in time to see Kubel bash a Grand Slam to win the game and complete the cycle, and I actually yelled, "NOOOO!!!!!"
I had stayed last week when there were no on and two out in the bottom of the ninth. I rode my bike to the Dome last Tuesday to watch Crede bash one over the centerfielders head in the 11th. But I was an idiot on Friday.
Monday, April 20, 2009
By the Numbers: I left the Kubel game early
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4 comments:
Hey, we've all been there, Haas. It could have happened to anyone.
I'm sure you'll be there the next time Kubel hits for the cycle and hits a go ahead grand slam.
...Wait, probably not.
Generally, I have some tolerance for people who leave baseball games early. I figure I am not in a position to judge their motives. But I do think fans who stay until it's really over are the better fans (Haas is one of them despite this lapse), the kind who understand the game and can find soemthing to enjoy even in a blowout. Last year, for example, we got to see John Danks pitch in a non-save situation and it was kind of fun to see how he handled that.
FrontRowSeats
First time ever Mike I could put you into the "typical Minnesota sports fan" category. Minnesota fans are almost as bad as LA fans and they dont even have real traffic to try and beat.
But, I suppose you should be allowed a free pass or two for all the Twins games attended from 1993-2000.
In my tenure of going to games without my parents (who left every game by the 7th inning), I have left only one game early. And I place that blame squarely on the broad who drove us there. I was needless to say, pissed at her.
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