“What has the Defensive Specialist learned?”
Key Learning 1
Do not mess with the Baseball Gods! Look, for all you agnostics out there who flatly deny the existence of a higher baseball power, the Defensive Specialist will put fingers to keyboard one day and outline his entire philosophy on the holy baseball spirit. For now, you’ll just need to put your faith in the best hands in the business on the issue. No matter how many times the Defensive Specialist sermonises on the importance of respecting baseball protocol and sanctity, there is always someone out there who flies in the face of it and pays the ultimate price. This past weekend we saw some serious sins that came back to bite the agitators:
- - Tim Cox (game 1 starting pitcher) running out onto the field for pre-game introductions and then giving up 7 runs (6 unearned).
- - Jarrett Commane (game 3 starting pitcher) pulling the same stunt and seeing his chance for a W evaporate.
- - The NSW public address announcer pumping up the tyres of NSW hitters by announcing their current batting average as all but one subsequently made an out.
- - South Australian coach, Mark Haylock rolling an infield/outfield slow roller by hand and then embarrassing himself on the catcher pop up attempt.
People, you have to respect the fundamental principles of the game!
Key Learning 2
Both teams appear to be a little short in the bullpen. There was a substantial drop off from NSW’s starting pitching to what they wheeled out in the later stages of the games. Granted, the Patriots were missing some decent names (Craig Anderson being one) that would have fleshed out the staff a little, but its not often that the perennial powerhouse has to roll out a couple of kids who were born after Nirvana released Nevermind (less of an issue now that flannel shirts have seen a resurgence). The Defensive Specialist felt like he was on a rollercoaster the minute the bullpen gate swung open, never sure what to expect from the arm that appeared.
As for South Australia? Well they rode their starters hard in all 3 games to minimise the exposure to the bullpen and with a 3 man rotation like they have who’d blame them? Hayden Beard got a little work, along with Richard Bartlett, but nothing to make the Defensive Specialist believe that getting into their pen isn’t a good thing.
Key Learning 3
If you drop the price on anything, people will buy it. Victoria Bitter or Vomit Bombs as it is eloquently referred to at Deep in the Hole HQ at 2 bucks a pop saw people running from every corner of the ballpark to ensure they could get a cheap drink.
Key Learning 4
Outfield defence hurt South Australia all weekend. Ben Wigmore in left field inspired one of the Defensive Specialist’s best lines of all times:
In this series, Wigmore has turned more outs into hits than Kanye West and Autotune.
Seriously, you have to be bad to evoke a Kanye West reference and for the Defensive Specialist to quote himself. Not only did Wigmore butcher his fair share of fly ball reads, but his compadre in centre, David Washington or D- Wash as he was affectionately referred to by the NSW PA dude got a number of poor looks in centrefield that not even his plus speed could make up for. If South Australia hopes to sniff a trophy this year, those fly balls need to be sucked up.
Key Learning 5
The catchers pop up in innie outtie is a dying art form. Look, the Defensive Specialist has only attended 2 series this year but thus far, there has been a real dearth of fungo control from coaches. Whatever happened to putting on a show during this relatively pointless activity? You know what the Defensive Specialist is talking about, dropping the wallet, getting under the ball and taking a legitimate porn hack on the thing to try to hit it as far in the air as humanly possible. The fans are there early to see a coach hit a goddamn dime piece. From this point RIGHT HERE, the Defensive Specialist wants to see a renewed commitment to smashing the pill as hard and as high as you can with the ultimate goal of landing it inside the home plate cut out. Com on coaches, NUT UP!
Key Learning 6
Both teams showed a lot in terms of starting pitching. Cox and Wayne Lundgren present a strong front. Commane didn’t entirely convince the Defensive Specialist with his shaky control but has the stuff to at least be in the equation – however, do you want him as your game 3 starter with all the marbles on the line? Nope, the Defensive Specialist didn’t think so.
South Australia’s 3 horses were impressive. Paul Mildren is a legit number 1 guy in this league and 47-year-old Darren Fidge and sidearmer Dushan Ruzic provide two very different looks in the rotation. The SA squad will be competitive as long as their starters can keep the opposition hitters at bay.
Key Learning 7
The Defensive Specialist has skirted the issue for long enough. It’s time to weigh in on the most asked question this week: Can South Australia win it?
No.
Before you South Australians start a hate campaign directed at the Defensive Specialist, let the big brain put some baseball intellect around that call. Perhaps a flat no was a little harsh, considering that your team hasn’t sniffed a championship since puss was a kitten back in 1980. Let the Defensive Specialist revise that to: Not likely.
The only way that South Australia can win this puppy is if their 3 starters pitch out of their minds in a playoff series and completely shut down a lineup. As far as the Defensive Specialist is concerned, the SA boys simply have too many holes offensively to compete. Sure, they may catch lightning in a bottle and run the table in a 3 game set, but the Defensive Specialist is putting the kahunas out there and saying that it wont happen. Collins, Wigmore and Welch are the only bats that the Defensive Specialist would concern himself with and all 3 showed enough holes in this series to alleviate significant concern. Put it this way, there was not one guy in that line up that the Defensive Specialist would hold out on a toilet break for. With that in mind, would you back them home?
Again, the Defensive Specialist didn’t think so.
That may have just blown the Defensive Specialist’s chance at subsidized accommodation in South Australia should the playoffs be held there.
Ok, the Defensive Specialist is ready to put the NSW Vs. SA series to bed. If you have any questions or comments, continue to hit the inbox or drop a comment at the bottom of the page. Still to come this week, the final poll to determine Australia’s best major leaguer. And stay tuned for something tasty next week to lead you into your Christmas festivities.
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