Late last Wednesday night the Farmington Caridinals lost 4-0 to the Arizona Firebirds at Ricketts Park, thus ending their run in the Connie Mack World Series. The game was very even, very clean, and seemingly very quick. The following day I was on my way back to Dallas, where I had second-year orientation Friday morning. The following week was completely full with labs, lectures, and paper discussions, and it seemed like I had never really left the Baylor basement. As a dental student at Baylor, the only summer vacation that students get is the one between first and second years. Subsequent summers will be spent in clinic with patients, far from a baseball field and even farther from a team. The last two years of my life have very heavily involved coaching baseball back home in Farmington, both school ball and club ball, and the 18 or so years before that were spent playing. To the best of my knowledge, I am going to be away from the game now for the next three years at least. There are a lot of hopeful emotions and contemplation that I’m sure will take place between now and the next time I get to be a part of a team, but there will be an even greater amount of longing and frustration. The game has been very good to me, and I have spent a great deal of my life trying to be good to it as well. Aside from my family and very close friends, baseball has been the most important thing in my life since I can really remember, and it is difficult to accept that for at least a few years, it will take a backseat to my career in another field.

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As if the Chicago White Sox weren’t already having issues with their bullpen, there are rumors that All-Star reliever Matt Thornton may be headed to DL with discomfort in his left forearm.  Thornton, who hasn’t pitched since last Tuesday in Minnesota, had recently been called upon, along with right-handed set-up man J.J. Putz, to close games for the struggling White Sox.  The White Sox regular closer Bobby Jenks is still not considered to be 100% after the recurring back spasms that nearly landed him on the DL earlier this month.  As a result of Jenks’ lingering back issues and overall inability to record crucial outs(4.50 ERA, 0.1 WAR), manager Ozzie Guillen has been painstakingly exploring the teams’ other options at closer.  Perhaps it is time that Guillen, Kenny Williams and the rest of the White Sox organization consider a more radical option, 2010 1^st round draft pick, Chris Sale.

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We all have seen the All-State Insurance commercials with Dennis Haysbert, or as most of America knows him, President David Palmer from the television show, “24.”  Perhaps it’s just my baseball fanaticism that takes over, but when somebody condescendingly points out that he is the same guy from “24,” I can’t help but want to correct them with, “You mean that’s Pedro Cerrano from Major League.”  Since the All-State commercials first aired, I have found myself laughing at each one, unable to resist the urge of imagining Haysbert delivering each line in the stern, Pedro Cerrano voice.

Over the past couple months I have experienced a similar television phenomena with a particular series of State Farm Insurance commercials.  No, I’m not talking about the one where a group of college friends magically summon a State-Farm agent, a sandwich, their hot neighbor and a hot tub- in that order nonetheless.  I’m talking about the ones featuring that way-too-nice of a guy who bounces in and out of people’s conversations, while offering cliché pieces of advice and promoting State Farm Insurance… or as I like to call them,

“The Carlos Quentin Commercials.”

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Ever since I was a little kid, I have always reserved the hope that I might be lucky enough to catch a foul ball, perhaps even a yard ball, at a MLB game.  There is always that moment right as I get to my seats and check out the view where I evaluate how probable catching a foul ball will be.  Although I have come extremely close on a few occasions, and even caught a few batting practice home runs, I am yet to leave a professional baseball game with a foul ball.  When that glorious day finally comes, I want to have done it the right way- it must be a barehanded, challenging catch.

Whenever I see a fan snag a foul ball with a glove, I cannot help but think that they cheated and are therefore unworthy of my praise.  The well-timed, barehanded catches have always been the most impressive; they are the ones that receive an ovation from an entire seating level, cause the announcers to take notice, and ultimately secure a shout-out on MLB Tonight and Quick Pitch.

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Shortly after the bench-clearing brawl between the Reds and Cardinals, I received an email from a good friend and former teammate, asking about one of baseballs many, under-appreciated nuances.  Since it is a discussion that delves into the mentality surrounding the brawl, as well as a discussion about the overall makeup of professional baseball players, I felt that it would be appropriate to post it in it’s entirety on The Golden Sombrero.

Rosey,

So this is a few days after the Cards/Reds brawl, so I won’t even ask if you saw it, since I know you did.  But I was wondering if you knew anything about the shin-guard-tapping-as-a-sign-of-friendship thing that got pissed off Yadi?  I had never heard of that before and was wondering if you knew about it/encountered it anywhere.  I’m going to start looking for it…when I get the rare chance to see a game.

Keep on keepin’ on,

Ryan

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Ryan,

A batter tapping the catcher’s shin guards as he strolls up the plate is a subtle term of endearment within the game, much like when a first basemen chats it up or pats an opposing hitter on the butt after a base hit.  A similar type of courtesy can be observed when a catcher hands the batter his bat after running out a foul ball, when the batter picks up a catcher’s mask for him after an admirable foul ball attempt, and when a hitter picks up the ball at his feet after the catcher wears a foul tip.

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