Not much to say tonight...

Y'all can read the box scores and stats on some other Web sites. I'm not going to go into those things here. I find redundancy unnecessary, not to mention a minor irritation.

Pete Whisler, hitting coach for the Scorpions, sat out Tuesday's game at Long Beach, and he's sitting out tonight as well. That makes his suspension three games (Sunday at home, Tuesday and Wednesday at Long Beach), but since he was tossed in the 6th during Saturday's game at home let's round the suspension up to four games, shall we? Pretty harsh for a minor 'bump' that may or may not have happened. Again, referring to my previous post, I refuse to believe that Whisler used a racially-motivated expletive when he spoke with said boy in blue (emphasis on 'boy' and he's sure not 'blue' now that he's claimed some sort of a victory over a coach; just what kind of 'victory' I suppose only men can understand). But what's done is done and we need to move on. I think some lessons have been learned here, and I know that more than a few have become jaded because of this entire episode.

I'd go out on a limb and say - with no disrespect toward pitching coach Shannon Hunt - that Pete's absence on the field has been felt. Is it just me, or have the Scorpions' bats been slow to heat up while Pete's presence has not been seen or felt or heard? Refer back to the first few innings of last night's game. Three up, three down ring a bell? Anyone? Anyone? Ferris?

Speaking of the Scorpions' bats, and their unbelievable (but very impressive) start out of the gate (let's not go Barbaro here!), through the twelve games to date opponents have felt The Sting by a tally of 113-55 runs, a better than two-to-one ratio. I'm still evaluating the pitching staff, but there is no doubt in my mind that at the present time it's definitely an offensive juggernaut that's carrying the Scorpions club to victory. The talk of the town is their come-from-behind reputation thus far in this short season. I'm thinking that the team doesn't mean or intend for that to happen. Who in the heck wants to have to battle out of the basement every other night to scrape together a tally in the win column? But perhaps the players have gelled to the point where some unconscious form of collective osmosis is going on in the clubhouse. I.e., 'Let's struggle early on and then freak out the other team when we battle our way back with two outs in the ninth." Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...That kind of thing is totally going to throw off the opposing club! Okay, maybe it isn't happening that way, but I sure cannot explain it. Baseball karma, baby, baseball karma. We're all superstitious. Let's not shave until we lose a game. John, you got your lucky rabbit foot? Great! Just don't let PETA know about that pink colored thing you carry around in your pocket and play with and rub all of the time.

Tough break for Chris Langlois, huh? Throwing a decent game last night and ended up in hospital. Throwing-arm fracture. Evidently Langlois had visited the doctor prior complaining of some soreness and nothing was found (or diagnosed). Throws a pitch last night and breaks his arm! I'm thinking a stress fracture not visible. Those boys throw hard! Even the smallest stress fracture will put extreme pressure on the bones in the throwing arm (hey, I'm a mom of two boys, both baseball players). Too bad for Langlois. Seriously. Let's hope the offensive juggernaut referenced above will continue to carry the club.

With the GBL disposing of the DL this season let's hope Marshall finds a decent pitcher (RHP) to pick up the slack. I'm thinking a 2.00 ERA or better would be nice. I'm dreaming here, I am dreaming!! LOL! Anyone good enough to pitch like that wouldn't be toiling away in the indies or the minors. They'd be replacing Johnson or Schilling, fercryinoutloud!

Anyway, Langlois - it is my understanding - now resides in our fair city of Yuma so it will be interesting to see how that plays out. I expect Langlois will be a fixture at the ballpark even while he rehabs, and he'll likely be joining McLaughlin in the play-by-play booth. Not necessarily a bad thing. Always nice to have a second opinion. And if they don't agree on everything that's all the better! Nothing more fun than having two announcers going at it on the air. After all, the GBL tends to frown on bench-clearing brawls so a little excitement in the press box would be a refreshing change. On better thought, perhaps not. After all, didn't that play-by-play guy up in - was it Reno? - make national news when he ticked off the ump and got booted? His suspension was to suit up as an ump for a few innings. Hey, just like Halloween! :) Yes, that's my Jack-o-Lantern smile there. Pretty pathetic, but I haven't had the time to figure out all of these fancy features on the blog site.

Received an email today from a manager friend. I've been around the wonderful game of baseball long enough (counting my ancestors, since, oh, 1890) to know that long after the players go home (or hit the town at Applebees) the manager is reviewing stats and making adjustments and releasing players and basically figuring out what the heck he needs to do for the next game.

Said manager friend wanted to know what 'potion' Sorcerer Marshall is cooking up in the clubhouse office after hours to allow such a fabulous beginning to the season. I claimed ignorance, but I do know that if Marshall could bottle and sell this bit of magic he'd make more money than he did in his eleven years in the Majors. Managers in other indy leagues and in the Minors are seeing green at the success he's brought to the club. Kudos to Marshall. At this rate we won't have to wonder about which PLAYER will be called up, we'll be bidding adieu to Marshall, even if he does have a contract. Contracts were created to be sold, but I certainly hope that doesn't happen in this case. The Scorpions are obviously benefitting from Marshall's experience and knowledge of the game (no disrespect to my great friend Benny).

I must dash. I've been awake since 4:00 a.m. and there is an ice-cold pitcher of Appletinis with my name written all over it in my freezer.

Until we meet again...