The Clock Never Runs Out in Baseball

Boy, was that ever true last night as we nodded off on the couch well past three hours into the Angels-Devil Rays game and it was only the seventh inning.

Well, it was a high-scoring game (Angels won 10-7), and the early scoring necessitated pitching changes galore (though Tampa Bay didn't change their starter until well into the game).

Angels fans earned their wings, though, last night. (For the past several seasons, Hooters has offered a free order of spicy chicken wings appetizer whenever the Angels score 10 or more runs in a home game. But who goes there for the food?)

As zzzzz-inducing as was last night's game, the Angels are near to winning their 3rd Division title in 4 years with only two weeks left in the season. So, we're pretty well assured of making it into the playoffs.

They've had an amazing season, really, leading almost all the way--despite numerous injuries to key players. But whenever they had to replace someone with a player from the minor leagues, that substitute would prove to be as good if not better than the original!

Still, after the All-Star Game break, our pitchers who were so invincible early in the season are showing they're only human.

There's also a lot of debate over how it's decided which team plays which in the playoffs. Angels fans pray it won't be the Red Sox at Fenway Park because they've proven hard to beat there. We'd prefer the team everyone else fears--the Yankees. In the Joe Torre-era at the Yankees, the Angels are the only team with a winning record against them (including this season).

But baseball's the only major popular sport in the U.S. that has no clock. As Yogi Berra said, "it ain't over till it's over."

Until next time...

Rick