OTI:one poem and notes:4/7/18

Open To Interpretation

Ohtani

Your high arc baseball
Splashing in the waterfall.
We are all smiling.

DolphinWords

Notes:  In the Angels' stadium parking lot, I spotted a twenty dollar bill laying on the asphalt.  I had just turned back from buying an opening day game ticket--seats too expensive.  I looked around, no one about, just a few at the ticket booths where I had been--no telling who it belonged to, so, wth, I went back, and thought to ask for a ticket to the game following the opener.  Twelve bucks for the upper deck.  Fourteen for next lower tier.  409-E-3.  I was a happy clam.  What can I say, I've got Ohtani fever!  I had no idea of who he was, until I thought to see the Dodgers vs. Angels last spring season game--that was too expensive too!  But reading about the matchup, I heard about Ohtani.  And listened to his exploit pitching against the Oakland A's on the radio.  What a remarkable game!  Wednesday: Ohtani in the game against Cleveland with the Angels already trailing by 6 in the third inning: two runners were on, a walk I think, and a dunk single by Pujols,  and  Ohtani fouled off a couple, as if to get the measure of things, and then, 'wack', the ball went out in right center over the new league scoreboard big screen.  He had been in trouble, in the game he pitched in Oakland, giving up three early runs on a homerun, but settled down, and the Angels came back and won going away.  Ohtani had like six strike outs, gave up one hit(no, 3 hits, back to back to back, the edge of disaster!), in six innings.   Wednesday night, I thought the Angels against Cleveland had no hope, down six, but Ohtani's home run worked magic.  In fact, the announcers noted that when down by six or more against Cleveland(?) the Angels had lost one hundred and nine consecutive games.  How such a stat is arrived at is as remarkable as the stat!  Anyway, Angels won that one.  So, so, I thought to go to the next game too, a day game.  But passed.  Funds are lean.  And listened on the radio, falling asleep midway, a bit after Ohtani tied up the game early on, 2 to 2, with his second big league home run.  Woke up to hear the end in like the 14th inning, a walk off home run victory for the Angels.  (Meanwhile, I listen to the Dodgers too...much gloom over there...not the least of which their failed courtship to sign Ohtani.  Ohtani is a phenom from Japan, capable of pitching and hitting--compared often to Babe Ruth.)   Again at the ticket booths I had turned back after thinking to get a ticket for the Friday night game against Oakland.  The twelve dollar seats were now twenty, and the fourteen, twentyfive.  'It's a giveaway night, Albert Pujols doll.'  'But, I don't want the doll.'  Four hours later I came back.  510-H-19.  And, a ticket too for Sunday, when Ohtani is to pitch.  Lower deck, twenty eight dollars, half price senior rate!  So, so, perched in 510-H-19, a wonderful view of Town, the Angels are down again early on, and Ohtani is up.  Swats a couple fouls to get the measure...and boom, out into the waterfall in dead center, 449 feet.  It was sweet the way the ball splashed in one of the waterfall's pools.  Ohtani's third home run.  Much fun.  Today on the radio, I listened to the Angels' desultory effort.  Their pitching is worn down.  But they kept it close until the seventh. Then Oakland broke it open.  What a dilemma!  The Angels will only DH Ohtani in games not near his pitching games.  This is nuts.  They needed him today.  Put him on first base, and put Pujols at DH.  But maintaining pitchers arms has become such a delicate art, that they wont put him out in the field, or have him in the line up at DH near to pitching turns.  This is wrong.  If nothing else, emotionally it will mess with his head.  He wants to play every game, and be with his team, and with his special talents, can--both pitch and hit.
Hmmph.  See what is to see tomorrow morrow!  Oh, and in Ohtani's third at bat against Oakland Friday night, with bases loaded, if I remember right, Oakland walked Ohtani on four straight pitches.  Which was smart.  Next Angels' batter hit into double play.  But a run came in on Ohtani's walk.  Oakland was up then by like three.  His previous at bat, he broke his bat and flied out.  The barrel landed out by second base.  His fourth at bat, a hard liner to first.  His fifth a strikeout, but, a run came home on a passed ball in the dirt.  I tell you, everything he does, rivets the fans' attentions!  
:)

DavidDavid