A Liveblog: The CWS Title Game
I said way way back when that if the CWS Championship Series went to a 3rd game, I would make a (feeble) attempt to liveblog it. Eight thousand runs later here we are, a Wednesday night battle for the national title. Even though Fresno State has the momentum from winning last night, they are definitely shorter on arms than Georgia. In my championship series preview I took Fresno State in three, and even though I think Georgia is a better team, I can’t deviate from my prediction now. The liveblog begins below…
P.S., If you guys want to, for example, ask questions about the 08, or perhaps even the 09 Draft in the comments, or college baseball in general for those of you who don’t know as much about the sport, by all means, go ahead.
5:48 (By the way all the times will be Central time): And the first question from Hef is: Assuming that all the high schoolers who was drafted in the first round sign with their teams, who’s the best college player to be drafted in 09? Three names I would throw out right now are right handers Steven Strasburg from San Diego State and Alex White of North Carolina, along with USC catcher Robert Stock
5:53: It occured to me (thanks Gonzo) that I should throw out my e-mail address for questions, so you can either ask in the comments or send them to thecollegehockeyblog@gmail.com
5:57: Gonzo asks: What two college baseball teams hate each other in the same way the Ohio State and Michigan football teams do?
Good question, Gonzo. That would probably have to be Florida State and Miami. The two had a minor bench clearing fiasco in the ACC regular season, and FSU coach Mike Martin wouldn’t come out to shake hands with Miami’s staff after the Noles were eliminated.
5:58: This goes without saying: Erin Andrews is smokin tonight.
6:07: Nug sends in this gem: I’m going to be doing a shot every time the announcers say “the Bulldogs are going to win” as if they are the wittiest guys on Earth. Care to join me? Do you know anyone any part-time college baseball handicappers that picked Fresno State?
Well Hef probably wouldn’t like me drinking on the job, so I’ll pass on that. As far as the handicappers picking Fresno, I would doubt it, although at the start of the season they were seen as being a possible Omaha sleeper team, but tremendously underachieved during the first half of the season.
6:11: And the first pitch is a ball. Here we go folks, tell your friends, maybe get some of the people at TBL away from Gossip Girl
6:15: Sac bunting in the majors is bad enough, but why do guys even bluff doing it with aluminum, especially in the first inning?
6:18 Wow. I guess I’m not positive why you steal there either, especially when you’re dead in the water like that.
6:22: I guess I have to mention the announcers before we get too far into the game: Mike Patrick I think has done a pretty good job all CWS, and Orel Hershiser to me is the best color guy in baseball, period.
6:35: A fairly awkward looking swing results in an opposite field bomb for the one thumbed man. Oh the power of aluminum
6:36: Tommy Mendonca’s all time favorite athlete is Ty Cobb. He’s good people.
6:44: This kid for Fresno should be getting absolutely hammered. He’s leaving a lot of stuff in the middle of the plate, and I faced kids with better stuff when I was in high school
6:46: This ump is being pretty generous as well.
6:49: Muno has been feeling the pressure a little here. If you’re anything but a die hard Georgia fan you almost have to hope Georgia doesn’t score here for that kid’s sake. I sounded a lot like TBL there.
6:54: What’s with the backup catchers playing? I realize that kids are probably tired, but it’s the frickin national title game!
6:58: You music nerds might laugh at me, but the heck with it: I like that new OAR song. Gordon Beckham due up for Georgia next inning.
7:08: I take back all my bad words about Justin Wilson, he is dealing.
7:10: Hef asks: Who drafted Detweiler (if anyone) and why hasn’t he been spoken of more often.
Steve Detweiler is just a Sophomore, and not 21, so he was not draft eligible. But next year you’ll hear more about him.
7:15: Hef also says “talk about how fake and dumb this is” my thoughts: Someone has some sour grapes. Excellent baserunning there by Fresno and they could add onto their lead here.
7:17: Here’s a good question to address during the brief mound meeting: Which teams had the best first round picks and which had the worst? Also, what later picks could pan out?
You have to like the Rangers picking South Carolina 1B Justin Smoak, and I personally think Anthony Hewitt to the Phillies could turn out to be a monster, although his bat is significantly behind the other tools. On the flip side, everyone rips on the Jason Castro pick but I think the Astros simply really really liked him. I think one of the relievers will end up being a bust. Quite frankly I don’t have 100% confidence in Joshua Fields.
7:20: Turn the channel now, Mendonca can’t hit lefties
7:28: With two outs, Georgia really needs to get this guy home from third. Miles Starr and his .222 average probably isn’t what they want up there though.
7:29: With an ump giving the pitcher as much room as he has been tonight, you can’t take strike three there.
7:31: Really, someone sent me a college hockey question? Who’s going to win the Hobey this year?
I think I’m obligated to answer this one, although feel free to groan if you want. Obviously it’s way too early to tell, but a couple names to throw out are Colin Wilson of BU, Lee Jubinville of Princeton, Richard Bachman of CC and Alex Kangas of Minnesota. I actually really like Kangas’s chances to be honest.
7:34: I have no idea what Hef means. Is it just me or has this game been semi-boring? Or is it just cause I feel the pressure to try and make it interesting?
7:39: Beckham will be up again soon. Even though he will be a member of the Chicago White Sox, I really like watching him play and hope he has success in pro ball, which I think he will.
7:41: I forgot to mention that MLJ favorite Ike Davis reportedly has signed with the Mets.
7:43: ESPN just flashed a graphic that Gordon Beckhams dad played QB for South Carolina. Could Beckham be the second kid of a college QB in a few years to win a national title? Huston Street won a title as Texas’s closer, and his father played QB at Texas.
7:49: I thought Erik Wetzel was the best hitter for Fresno, but he’s 0-3 tonight. Ouch.
7:50: I wonder how soon Georgia will bring in Josh Fields?
7:53: I realize college baseball, and especially the WAC, has some offensive environments, but how in the world do you have 92 RBI in a college season?
8:00: Steve Detweiler has had a pretty decent game, to say the least. After last night’s offensive explosion it’s too early to call the game Billy Packer style, but it’s getting pretty close for Georgia.
8:02: If Hef is done, can I be too? The Georgia hitter just threw his bat in the Fresno dugout. Good thing everyone is ok.
8:07: Mendonca has played great at 3rd. Definitely helps cover up for the fact he can’t hit.
8:15: Interesting, Wordpress wouldn’t let me edit this post for awhile. P.S. now I know how hef felt towards the tail end of the draft liveblog.
8:18: Georgia hasn’t been very patient offensively tonight, and they’re swinging at a ton of pitcher’s pitches. No surprise then that they’re not squaring up on a lot of balls.
8:23: 1st and 2nd and Fresno gets out of it. 7 Shutout innings puts Wilson on the short list of best title game performances ever.
8:30: At this point, Steve Detweiler is pretty much a guaranteed hit.
8:34: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Georgia has just 6 outs left. Red Sox just went up 5-0 on the DBacks
8:45: Is Wordpress or my internet the reason why I couldn’t update? Anyways, Georgia finally put one on the board, and just so I have it for the record, I think Michael Beasley will be a much better pro than Derrick Rose
8:47: I kinda have to disagree with Orel here. A 5 run lead isn’t insurmountable, but the steal is kinda bush there.
8:51: Here comes Fields for the last outing of his college career, he should get a nice ovation from the UGA fans.
8:56: The last inning of the college baseball season is always a little sad for me. It’s the culmination of the entire draft season, and for me it’s tons more fun to watch college kids than major leaguers.
8:58: I suppose if everyone for Georgia gets on and Beckham hits a walk off that would be interesting, no? PS, Ombudswoman, call me!
9:00: Hey Clayton Allison, thanks for coming! Seriously though, it’s too bad the senior couldn’t finish it out.
9:04: Why would you swing at the first pitch when a new pitcher comes in? You have to be taking a strike there.
9:05: Fresno is just one out from the title. I predict a flyout to left.
9:07: Flyout to right it is. Hard hit ball, but just hung up in the air too much. Congrats to Fresno, first mens title in any sport for the schol and just the second overall.
9:10: Alright folks, that’s it for me, I’m ending it by saying Erin Andrews, marry me.
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Comments
Hef Assuming that all the high schoolers who was drafted in the first round sign with their teams, who’s the best college player to be drafted in 09?
RexKramerDangerSeeker How ironic that I was just coming in here to comment that people should expect delays as Fetch’s mom yells down to him that he still has chores to do.
Gonzo Fetch, are you taking emails at your Gmail acct? I’d like to submit some questions.
thenug This just in, I know a guy who know a girl who works a an Omaha waxing salon and Erin Andrews is now sporting a skullet.
Do it to it Fetch…
Gonzo I remember as a kid always feinting a bunt on the first pitch you see just to get a feel of the pitcher.
Gonzo Does Tommy like to slide spikes up and pounce on black people while chewing on peaches?
Hef If Fresno State wins, are they going to be everyone’s new favorite cinderella? ASU should have finished them off in game 2 when they had the chance.
NickP After that, we spoke easily. I pretended to be confident and funny, and she continued to smolder. She had moved out of the Queens apartment she shared with her ex-boyfriend and was looking at a new place in Carroll Gardens. She had run track in high school and college. She was less exotic when she spoke; her speech patterns suggested suburban malls.
NickP For me, Gabriela will always be walking away from me for the first time, her intoxicating scent dissipating, turning into the high hopes of possibility, my mind and muscles filling with the electric energy of what might be as the dark world opened up into the shining cityscape of New York.
NickP At Jay Street, we paused to allow the usual flux of people at the convergence of the A and F lines. On: gentrified Brooklyn coming home from the West side. Off: working-class Brooklyn and Queens headed to Bed-Stuy and Jamaica.
NickP Just the right mix of stilted sentence structure and unnecessary big words.
I gotta say, Matt Ufford = Writer!!!
fetch by the way the cougar called and i had to tell her id call her after the game. you’re welcome.
Hef Fetch, I must be honest. I set you up to fail. You’ve been so successful early that I needed you to take on a poorly thought out endeavor in order to take you down a notch. You’ll thank me when you’re older.
Hef No, the game has been boring. Really boring. A cinderella needs to come from behind (twss) not dominate a team that’s supposed to be better than them. With the exception of five innings, Fresno State has lead this series.
RexKramerDangerSeeker Anyone want to see me live blog the latest Bang Bus release? Really? Cool, I’m on it.
sportsgal116 insert a “were” between “live” and “blogging”
[Editor's note: Commenter obviously drunk.]
romanwarhelmet howdy y’all…for all of those who care..and only one person does…the limited edition photos of myself are on facebook….eat you hearts out
RexKramerDangerSeeker Even though you’re waaay older than 30, I still spanked it to your pics, if that’s any consolation. Total Man-Cougar in my book.
spencer096 roman…has anyone ever told you that you look like michael strahan (how bout dem cowboys)?
RexKramerDangerSeeker The drool gave it away. And your Bill Cosby sweaters. And the “I Like Ike” button. And the Mr. Rogers slip-on sneakers. And the pic of you holding your grandkid.
sportsgal116 Reasons I hate facebook:
1. they make you put your birth date, including the year, on your profile
2. unless you’re smart like gonzo and don’t use your real name when you sign in, your full name shows up in other people’s profiles
3. it’s totally not user friendly
spencer096 sportsgal…you should change your name to sportsmenopause. DAYUM you old, gurl.
Hef My wife wants to start a blog that revolves around “Masterpiece Theatre” on PBS. Would you guys read that? I would. Rex, when she does, she gets linked every day.
spencer096 if that was mean, i apologize.
i have no problem being mean to people, but i dont wanna insult good, tilling the land, TBL folk.
sportsgal116 Oh whatever spence, go fuck yourself.
And Nick, you just proved point number 3 on my list - i have to go in and fix my display options so that my birth date isn’t listed. It doesn’t just automatically keep that information private like it should.
On to the Cubs game.
spencer096 sportsgal…if i had a dollar for everytime you told me to go fuck myself, id be a rich man…and incredibly chaffed.
Hef KC Masterpiece Theatre…now that shit’s funny.
Roman: Don’t go there. You know how I feel about asians.
Hef Is OAR their name or does it stand for something? I know I’m not too old to ask because I’m way younger than Roman.
fetch Of a Revolution..
I don;t necessarily like them, I was just saying their one song was good.
Hef Roman, you could do a new post called “Wise beyond my years” as a joke because no one’s that wise.
sportsgal116 Wow, Greenie and Golic are singing the 7th inning stretch at the Cubs game. Well, Golic is singing and Geenie’s just waving his microphone around…
fetch the question for the guys in the booth for tonights twins game was from brick tambland
NickP sportsgal: But I know you’re [Editor's note: Removed] years old, because we’re Myspace pals. How is that any different from F-Book.
romanwarhelmet HA HA..SG is my age…I just started to look at assisted Living…you’re thoughts?
spencer096 i think ya’ll should start thinking about buying long term care insurance…the cost of assisted living is increasing every year and health care expenses, oh my!
sportsgal116 Because all myspace does is say your age, it doesn’t say your whole birth date (which could be used to steal your identity, by the way). And I made myself 98 years old on myspace to take care of the age issue.
My birth date has been removed from gay-as-fuck facebook. I am 25. I repeat, I am 25.
That is all.
spencer096 sportsgal…regardless, it’s never too soon to start thinking about what you’re gonna do when you can’t control your bowels, that’s all.
romanwarhelmet But SG…you graduated High School the same year I did how does that make you..ohhhh I get it..you…I see what you did there…25 everybody…25q
sportsgal116 spence, i will drive to cleveland, take your guitar and shove it up your ass. then we’ll see who has bowel control problems.
romanwarhelmet but the important thing is the verification that I am some fat internet loser..and that is what we all came here for tonight
spencer096 which guitar? i have 7.
/please dont say “all of them.” please dont say “all of them.”
sportsgal116 All of them, and I’m bringing my key-tar. You’re gonna need a colostomy bag.
spencer096 wait…you have a keytar? that’s badass. do you have a skinny tie also?
if i had a keytar id walk around my neighborhood in tighty whities, grow a mustache and get a perm playing the beverly hills cop theme song all day. a man can dream…
spencer096 colleen dominguez is pretty smokin and you know she’s a green beret in the sack…that’s quite attractive.
romanwarhelmet I agree about Colleen..she will give you your money’s worth Wendi Nix will expect you just to be happy to be there
fetch what bonnie bernstein? First of all, I’m assuming Erin Andrews doesnt count otherwise shed automatically win
spencer096 the only bad thing about bonnie is that Marcellus Wiley probably split her in twain.
romanwarhelmet GOnzo I heard them mention you specifically…Gonzo the biggest Bulldog fan of them all
sportsgal116 Dude, this is a wordpress blog. It’s the same way you do it on TBL. Just type what you want over there, then cut it paste it over here. Either that or pay attention to the html code that comes up when you quote on TBL’s site.
fetch gonzo you can write that the twins faced 4 former cy young winners in a row and they didnt lose to any of them
romanwarhelmet Gonzo…you could write about how awesome and sexy David Wright is and how quietly Jose Reyes has returned to his old form..unfortunately the rest of the team blows..but hey the salvaged a win against the Mariners…they have that going for them
thenug Gonzo, don’t forget to include the fact Diamondback Nation had a rare, and I don’t mean bloody steak rare, or virgin vagina at a state school rare, but I do mean appearence on national TV rare.
sportsgal116 gonzo, you could write that the Cubs tend to pitch better when Lou doesn’t even think about bringing in Neal Fucking Cotts.
Gonzo Nug, I will leave that one to Hef. I don’t read that blog and he seems to be very friendly with them. I’m sure he’ll have a nice post about it tomorrow. Perhaps you have some thoughts on the Los Angeles Doyers of Los Angeles?
clown sportsgal, you should make a bet with cbh on the rubber game. you know, if you have any metaphorical cajones.
we already know he likes to give blumpkins to a certain global icon.
sportsgal116 clown, making a bet would require me to change my name or avatar. that shit is complicated and annoying to fix. I’ll just watch and gloat instead.
thenug Oh I wasn’t Referring to The blog I was referring to Diamondback nation as a whole. You know like Red Sox Nation. It’s funny because no one cares and there really isn’t a Diamondback nation. It’s more like Diamondback Teepee.
The Dodgers? Russell Martin learned his catcher’s stance from his homeless street musician dad. That was just wrong. Even I can admit that.
Gonzo Stigs, I think he is implying his father would go BM by squatting in the bushes, like a catcher.
stigs i wasn’t really reading so i probably missed some shit. i’m on the phone wth my stupid f’in girlfriend.
sportsgal116 stigs, how long until you dump this gf? have you been dating her for a long time or is this just a summer thing?
stigs about 2 more minutes if this shit keeps up. we met in april. figured it would be long over by now. but it’s on the final stretch. i wouldn’t call her girlfriend though.
sportsgal116 oh so NOW she’s not your girlfriend!
I can introduce you to some chicks on the 1st!
stigs nice. sounds like a plan. that’s a tuesday, right? she wasn’t really ever g/f i would say. who f’in knows?
sportsgal116 Nevermind, i just saw your birth date. These girls would be too old for you.
stigs she is dragging me into a fucking trip with her stupid friends this weekend. it’s going to be hell.
clown stigs, make sure you wear your shirt buttoned all the way to the top when you meet the hotties.
Gonzo Stigs, I sure hope she doesn’t read this blog. Because I’d say a few things right now that would make her cry.
sportsgal116 I love how guys complain about being dragged on a trip when they could easily say, “No I don’t want to go.” Sigs, this attitude is not going to help you conquer cougardom.
RexKramerDangerSeeker Hef made me come in tonight to play babysitter/love guru. What do you boys need, besides a fist full of roofies and an invite to my next Pampered Chef party?
stigs sportsgal, i did say no. a whole bunch of times. then apparently i said i would go when i was drunk. but then i said no again. she started begging. it really was kinda pathetic. i couldn’t put up with it so i said yes.
RexKramerDangerSeeker Clown, I think your people prefer just the top button done, and all others undone. At least that’s what I learned in the movie “Colors”.
Gonzo Stigs, I’m a guy. I understand what you’re going through. You met in April, and by the end of June, it’s over. it was purely sexual. You two probably banged on the first date (while drunk). It continued for a lil while because the sex was good. For the past 2 months, she’s been showing hints of wanting to be a couple. You did everything right in order to avoid that, yet keep up the sex. Since you don’t have feelings for her like that, you’ve decided it’s time to let her go now, before you really hurt her feelings. Only the prospect of a threesome could keep this going any longer. and even then, you are never going to call her your girlfriend.
sportsgal116 listen, giving into this girl just because she wouldn’t let it go is the worst thing you could possibly do. now she’s going to think you really like her and want to be in a relationship with her.
RexKramerDangerSeeker Booooo sportsgal.
Stigs, don’t listen to that Bartles & James’ed up chick from Chicago. She’s just looking out for the girl. Stick it out. Be miserable. It’s what’s best for MLJ commenters. We love your misery and mistakes. Plus, it’ll give us something to further rip on you for at Jerkapalooza ‘08.
stigs well someone should send her a link to this blog then. she told my friend she wanted to settle down. this is bad news. i’m just going to be a huge pain in the ass this weekend. maybe she’ll get fed up with me and ask me to leave. good plan?
RexKramerDangerSeeker hang on, stigs. lemme critique your facebook pics again and see what your chances are of actually scoring with another chick. if you’re anything like gonzo, you might need to dig a pit in your basement and layer a good tranquilizer dart on top of that roofie base you’ll need her to have.
stigs i’m just going to be hammered all weekend. i’m going to be like everyones drunk uncle. SoCo and 7’s starting bright and early every morning.
stigs thanks, that’s just what i want. dudes critiquing my pictures. i’m not photogenic if that matters at all. as shown in this picture.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=36182001&op=7&o=all&view=all&subj=26704315&id=8610791
probably just wasted though
RexKramerDangerSeeker I’d stick with the clingy broad… or start digging that pit. Or both…
RexKramerDangerSeeker Too risque for a TBL roundup, but howabout pic 3?
http://www.barstoolsports.com/article/wake_with_pampita/2426/
[...] PING! I hope the BCS was watching The Fresno State “Don’t Call Me Cinderrella” Bulldogs became the national champions of college baseball at the College World Series (that sentance is a bit of an oxymoron). Steve Detwiler was a one man wrecking crew, with “one thumb” (he actually has two thumbs, but ESPN insists he has only one). The RF drove in all 6 of his teams runs, and recorded the final out, but Detwiler reminded interviewers that the victory was a team effort. It was a beaten down Bulldog team at that. They had injuries to their best pitchers, injuries to their best players, a low RPI, a low batting average, and a high ERA. ESPN announced that the team scored an average of 6+ runs a game which was good enough for 102nd in the nation (possibly the most unlikely championship ever). It turns out, that is just how Bulldogs like it, unless you are from Georgia. (For the entire game recap, check out this live blog) [...]
guess whose bitch of a mom is making him wash his car? That’s right. This guy, even after I had to explain I had to do this liveblog. But I’ll hurry and try to finish in time.
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