Brandon Workman Transitions Perfectly
https://gfycat.com/recklessdopeyirishredandwhitesetter
Whenever a team acquires a new player, there’s always a bit of a transition period to be expected. Players have new signs to learn, new coaches to work with, new organizational approaches to adjust to. It’s not as simple as just getting on the field and producing, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. Brandon Workman is a consummate professional though, and needed no such transition time.
On his very first pitch as a member of the Phillies, Workman immediately followed the footsteps of all that came before him this season, giving up a double and allowing all the inherited runners to score. The Phillies would rally in the top of the 9th to tie the game up at 5, and manager Joe Girardi opted to leave his newest acquisition in for one more inning. Workman would get two outs, but ended up blowing the game, giving up a walk-off single to lose his first game in a Phillies uniform. Philadelphia has had a league-worst 7.92 ERA from their bullpen this year, and Workman didn’t want to come in and immediately change how things were working in Philly. Sometimes it’s best to blend into your environment first before you start making changes to it. Workman was clearly just trying to be a good teammate, and I have to commend him for that.
Family First
The Green and Gold fams can't cheer on our guys at the ballpark, so they sent their love via the lineup! #RootedInOakland
(h/t @Suns) pic.twitter.com/QTPnHJYjj3— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 22, 2020
I can’t stop watching this. Look how happy these players are! This is the human side to the game, a fantastic reminder that these players are humans too, and we should treat them kindly and with the respect they deserve. I love seeing how happy and surprised guys like Marcus Semien get, it just gives me all the warm fuzzies.
Side note, poor Austin Allen. Right before him, Tony Kemp gets two awesome introductions, and then Austin doesn’t even get his last name read out. Someone get that kid a teleprompter, stat.
Kurt Suzuki Defies All Odds
https://gfycat.com/basiccautiousesok
Catchers getting hit by foul tips is nothing new. They know what they are signing up for back there. I remember being asked by my Little League coach to play catcher in 7th grade, and boy was I sore after every game, but nothing was worse than getting hit by a foul tip. So I feel for Kurt Suzuki here, as he gets hit pretty hard in the forearm not once, but twice.. in a row! Talk about some bad luck, that’s absolutely brutal. Luckily for Suzuki though, he was able to remain in the game and seems to be doing just fine. He’ll probably have a nice big bruise there to show for it.
Father Time Drops In on Daniel Murphy
Dustin May 💯 hop.
Murphy is impressed ("100? whew") pic.twitter.com/48TJMpTKNf
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 23, 2020
That’s an old man, “I can’t believe what the kids are capable of these days,” type of reaction right there from Daniel Murphy. He gave a good cut there, trying to just make any kind of contact, but it’s hard to catch up to a 100 mph fastball with that kind of movement. Murphy may be seeing the light at the end of his playing-days tunnel here; he definitely caught a glimpse of it here.
Blooper’s Pretty Fly For a Mascot
Mascots have been on their A-game this season, bringing us all kind of fun stuff, from doing laundry in the stands to dressing up in Bryce Harper suits. Blooper decided today that he wanted to look as cool as he possibly could, and he’s definitely pulling off the look. I’m half-expecting to see Blooper running routes for the Falcons next month, but the Braves may need him for a playoff push. He definitely gives the Braves that bravado and swagger that any great team needs.
Jesse Chavez Still Thinks It’s the Preseason
Jesse Chavez is wearing the wrong jersey. This is the spring training / warmup jersey. pic.twitter.com/Pfd47ZOsic
— Levi Weaver (@ThreeTwoEephus) August 23, 2020
I gotta say, this makes so much sense. Jesse Chavez is still getting ready for the season, taking his sweet time getting ramped up during Summer Camp. His 8.71 ERA and 1.55 WHIP are of no concern to him, because he’s just biding his time for when the real games start. Meanwhile, I’m starting him in WorstBall and loving every second of it. I will say though, that jersey is actually pretty sweet. I wouldn’t mind seeing that as a legitimate alternate jersey for the Rangers. It’s a good look.
Edwin Be Nimble
Edwin be nimble
Edwin, he has
To jump over
Ump Laz Diaz