Huntsville Headlines 39.010: Archer's Journal

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Huntsville Headlines 39.010: Archer's Journal

Post by HoosierVic » Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:12 pm

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By Justin Archer
Special to BBA Weekly

Feb. 25, 2039

Play ball!

Spring training started with a … well, kind of a fizzle, really. We lost to San Antonio 6-5, our guys gave up 15 hits, and our ace Juan Nicto got out of the gate pretty slow (4 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks).

Sigh. But, you know what they say about spring training games: they’re like kissing your sister. They may look like real games, but they ain’t.

The terrible thing is, they started the game at 7 p.m., so I didn’t even get a chance to work on my tan out in the bullpen. What’s the world coming to when they play spring games at night?

No tan. Can’t hit the bars. I didn’t even get in the game.

What’s a redblooded American relief pitcher supposed to do for 3 hours and 17 minutes? There’s only so many sunflower seeds a guy can spit …

Feb. 26, 2039

Now that's more like it. Afternoon game. Nice sunshine, and yours truly got in some work: 2.2 innings against Phoenix and I had pretty good stuff, if I do say so – and I do!

So how did Justin Archer, ace reliever, start his 2039? By striking out the damn side! Came in for the top of the 5th, and the first guy I faced was Isaac Gerry (who, you’re probably wondering, the hell is that? Sorry, can’t help you there.) But I do know this: I sat his ass down on a 96 mph high heater. Swing and miss, see ya! Got the next two guys on swinging K’s, too.

It’s a simple game, really.

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Gave up my first hit of the season in the next inning to Voitto Strömberg, a rocket to deep short off a slider that didn’t quite slide enough. Our SS, Santiago Morales, got there, but Strömberg beat the throw. Didn’t matter, though. Next guy grounded to Morales, and fast as you can say 6-4-3, the bases were empty.

Got two outs deep into the 7th when I gave up another single, and Bret Richards (our manager) came out to get me. I’d thrown 37 pitches by then, and I guess they thought that was enough. I still felt good and I told Bret that, but he told me to settle down. “It’s a long season, Meat,” he told me. “Save some of those strikes for next time.”

Don’t mind if I do.

Feb. 27, 2039

Just so you all know, I’m gonna jump around in this journal a bit – I’m not going to bore you with every game (especially kiss your sister spring games), but when something interesting happens, I’ll jump on here and let ya know.

In that vein, one thing that was pretty cool about the game yesterday was the two starting pitchers – our guy, Manny Peña, and the Phoenix guy, Charlie Iron-Knife – are both knuckleball pitchers. There aren’t many in the league (3 or 4, something like that) and two of ‘em were doing their thing on the same day.

I asked Manny about throwing the knuckler today in the bullpen, and he was saying his is a little different because he grips the ball with all five fingers, instead of the usual three. Makes it harder to let go of it with no spin, but he says once you master it, you can throw it harder.

Don’t know about that, but his knuckler sure does dance like a son-of-a-gun. Our new catcher, Hotha Popo, looked a little like a deer in the headlights back there – not sure he’d ever caught a knuckler before. A couple clanged off his knee pads early on, and his eyes kept getting bigger and bigger.

Manny said he finally called him out to the mound and told him to relax.

“Just keep it front of you, man,” I told him. “If it don’t roll to the backstop, you’re good.”

I think that’s good advice for all of us, really.

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March 3, 2039

When Bret said to save some of those strikes for later, I didn’t think he meant this much later.

Anyway, I finally got into another game (4 days since the last one), and it was another 2.2 innings … no runs, no hits, 1 walk (I wuz robbed!) and one K against Vegas.

They pounded us 9-3, but what do you expect? They made the Landis last year and damn near won it. We, um, did not do either of those things …

On the plus side, they didn’t pound me, at least. I had some exciting moments in the top of the 9th, though. I got to 3-2 on Phil Logan, who was leading off, and then I swear to god, I nipped the outside corner with a slider that broke just right and I gave a little fist pump … and frickin’ Donny Mercer, the home plate ump, called it ball four.

But I was calm. I was cool. I called his mother and all his ancestors back to the first generation of Mercers every name I could think of … under my breath. And then Marcus Forryan grounded a weak-ass ball to third … that clanked off Santiago Morales, who’d shifted over to 3B by then. So, first and second, and I’m steamed.

But then I remind myself … spring training, Meat. Calm the f#$k down … got Ron Dumont to tap a slow roller to short, and a 6-4-3 double play. Logan’s at third, but what do I care? If I take care of Raúl Alilea, I’m outta the inning unscathed.

I start him off with some high cheese, and he’s in the hole 0-1. My next heater misses inside and he has to scoot back off the plate a little. That’s good. Keeps him thinkin’ up there. Then I break off a slider that’s a thing of beauty, and Alilea taps a little roller back to me, I toss it to first, inning over.

What’d I tell you?

It’s a simple game, really.

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Re: Huntsville Headlines 39.010: Archer's Journal

Post by jleddy » Sun Jun 23, 2019 3:30 pm

Really pulling for this guy...he got game and is a fun read.
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Re: Huntsville Headlines 39.010: Archer's Journal

Post by RonCo » Sun Jun 23, 2019 8:41 pm

Nice
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