Professional Courtesy

I realized tonight that I’ve been looking at the EFL all wrong for over 11 years now.  I’ve always seen it as raw competition, red in tooth and claw, with the Alleghenys generally crushing the rest of us to reach the top, etc.

But I’ve had an epiphany.

 

 

Old Detroit: W 2, L (-1); 10 – (-3).  .384, .472, .774; 7 ip,. 0 er.        It came to me while I was contemplating Anthony DeSclafani’s fine 7 ip, 0 er performance for the Wolverines last night.  I noticed that, in the eighth inning Kevin Gregg surrendered a two-run home run… to pinch hitter Welington Castillo, a Wolverine!  This put DeSclafani’s win at risk, not a big problem from my point of view, but it would certainly be disappointing to DeSclafani. But then Tornado Toni Cingrani came in to put out the Cub rally. Kangaroo Aroldis Chapman closed out DeSclafani’s win with a one-two-three ninth inning.

I looked back over the box score. Kangaroo Billy Hamilton scored a run to put DeSclafani ahead. Pear Jay Bruce drove in a run, and fellow Pear Zack Cozart added a double. Cheese Arismendy Alcantara suppressed his natural dominance of the game to go 0 for 2 against DeSclafani.  Allegheny Dexter Fowler accidentally got a hit, as did Cheese Jorge Soler, but they were careful not to score a run.  Dragon outfielder Chris Coghlan threw out Jay Bruce at second, but made up for it by going hitless against DeSclafani.

I was genuinely touched, and I know DeSclafani was, too, by this kindness, and by the generosity of my fellow EFL owners to come to the aid of my rookie pitcher.  And then it occurred to me that this kind of thing has no doubt been going on for eleven years and I have never noticed it.  I am so sorry.  Forgive me, please!  Give me another chance. I can change.

 

Portland: “W”, 4 – 5.  .240, .333, .400; 0 ip 0 er.  I didn’t detect significant professional courtesy toward the Rosebuds.  I’m not sure this is the league’s fault.  The ‘Buds didn’t produce any pitchers needing support (or gentle treatment), and there wasn’t any hitting breakthrough that I noticed.  If anyone did a kind thing to the Rosebuds yesterday, maybe they can mention it in the comments.

 

Cottage: W 2, L 0; 9 – 6 . .233, .342, .300;  7.3 ip, 1 er.    Rookie Kendall Graveman got his first win as a Cheese last night with 5.1 shutout innings. Tornado Evan Gattis got him out of the first inning by grounding into a double play. Pear Jake Marisnick got him out of the second inning with a ground out. Gattis got him out of the third inning with another ground out. Marisnick rescued Graveman from the fourth inning by grounding out with a runner at third.   In the sixth Graveman got into trouble, but Allegheny Chris Carter helped by popping out just before Graveman was removed from the game.  Kangaroo Marcus Semien then ended the threat by turning a double play.

 

Peshastin:  L, 2 – 4.  .207, .258, .310; 0.3 ip, 0 er.  Not much kindness being shown the Pears’ way yesterday, either.

 

Canberra:   W, 2 – (-2);   .172, .250, .276;  19 ip, 5 er.        Rookie Shane Greene had a rough initiation into the EFL, with all the catcalls after his early selection in the draft.  He carried himself with quiet dignity, but he had to be hurting inside.  Last night he tossed three 8 shutout innings — again. That’s all he’s ever done as a Kangaroo.  But he didn’t do it all by himself. Rosebud Alex Avila caught his pitches and scored the run that put the Tigers ahead..  You don’t throw a three-hit, no walk shutout without the help of a good catcher.  Wolverine Jose Iglesias made at least one highlight-reel play behind him, and scored an insurance run. Drive Rajai Davis drove in the run that earned Greene a win.  Drive  Yoenis Cespedes, Dragon JD Martinez, and Allegheny Nick Castellanos got hits to support Greene. Wolverine Gregory Polanco and Dragon Neil Walker combined to go 0 for 7 against Greene.   Cheese Arquimedes Caminero served up that top-of-the-ninth insurance run so Greene cold relax in the bottom of the ninth, up 2 – 0 while a reliever finished up for him.  That’s nine EFL players from six teams  – and I’m sure the Pears and Tornados would have helped had they been given opportunity. It’s clear the whole league wanted to make up for the bumpy beginning of the relationship.

 

Haviland: L, 0 – 12. .194, .194, .323;   0.7 ip, 3 er.        Before last night Stephen Souza was having a rough start to his season.  He had gone 3 for 19, all singles, for a .158, .333, .158 batting line.  The first pitch he faced last night was a friendly meatball from Kangaroo Daniel Norris (one of only two hits Norris surrendered), which Souza drove over the center field fence.  That got him started on a 3 for 5 night which included a stolen base.

Unfortunately, fellow Dragon Carlos Carrasco was felled by a line drive to the jaw from the second batter of the game.  Both those first two batters came around to score after he left the game, giving him an infinite chulk and a very sore face.

 

Kaline: “L”, 5 – 4.     .258, .395, .323; 6.3 ip, 2 er.         Tom Koehler got his first win of the season last night against the Braves. I’m sorry to say Allegheny Freddie Freeman broke up Koehler’s shutout with a homer. But Rosebud Dee Gordon came to Koehler’s aid with 2 hits, and Wolverines Adeiny Hechavarria (2 for 5 with a double) and Giancarlo Stanto (3 for 2 with two walks and a double) also helped.

 

Flint Hill: L, 3 – 4; .250, .350, .375;  0.7 ip, 0 er.    Here’s another team that seemed to go without professional courtesies from its peers.  It is a little scary approaching a Tornado.  Maybe if Tornados didn’t look so big and wild and dangerous and unpredictable they’d find more empathy from others.

 

Pittsburgh: W (-1), L 1;  0 – 4.  .250, .250, .375;  10.3 ip, 9 er.   Stephen Strasburg didn’t have a very good day: 5 ip, 5 er.  I’m ashamed to say this was mostly due to Tornado Dustin Pedroia (homer) and Rosebud Mookie Betts (double and stolen base) beating him up. You can be sure they’ll be hearing from the Commissioner’s office about this bullying. But look at all these other EFLers who contributed to the Nationals scoring 7 runs to take Strasburg off the hook for a loss: Cheese Yunel Escobar (2 for 5); Kangaroo Bryce Harper ( 1 for 5); Tornado Ryan Zimmerman (2 walks); Pear Michael Taylor (2 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs —  the hit that put the Nats ahead).