Cacace At The Bat: Break Out The Blue Books

A baseball (okay, Yankee) fan takes his first hourly exam after one-third of the postseason has unfolded:

IDs:

First Pitch: Term that indicates roughly when each baseball game will commence. Often occupies a “prime-time” slot. First pitch cannot be adequately understood without understanding “final out.” The “final out” usually takes place more than three hours after the “first pitch.” At this point, the “prime-time” span has been compromised, and younger baseball fans will have to read about the outcome of the game (initiated by our term, “first pitch”) “first thing” in the morning. Unclear is its broader significance, because there is no apparent reason why games cannot start at 7 p.m., rather than 8:20 p.m.

Clutch: Having the ability to perform well in difficult situations. Vivid examples include Derek Jeter turning into an option quarterback to save Game 3, and perhaps the Division Series, for the Yankees. “Clutch” can also be understood in terms of anything Curt Schilling (2-0, 18 IP, 3 ER, 9 H) has done with a baseball in the last week. Significant because “being clutch” is a necessary ingredient to postseason success.

RLISP: “Runners left in scoring position.” Often this term is associated with a team devoid of “clutch” players. Sourcebook articles indicate Oakland A’s as most lucid case study.

Who Cares: Braves-Astros.

Ichiro: Most exciting player to watch in baseball. A guy who has actually delivered after all the hype surrounding his signing by the Mariners (9-16 in the Division Series). Some confusion may arise with “MVP,” but that is best understood as Jason Giambi.

Tough Luck: The term is borrowed from general English vernacular, and retains the same meaning. It indicates a situation in which a noble performance ought to yield better results. Matt Morris facing Curt Schilling twice, and pitching his heart out in two losses for the Cards, is tough luck.

“Tough luck” is easily confused with “Are you kidding me?!” Jermaine Dye breaking his fibia on a foul ball is “Are you kidding me?!” The Indians wasting all their offense in a 17-2, Game 3 drubbing is “tough luck.”

“Shook:” The Seattle Mariners.

Stupid: Sportscaster Joe Buck asking Tony Womack if he was hugging his mother during a post-game interview. Womack was hugging his wife after singling in the series-clinching run against St. Louis.

Essays (Choose 2):

You will have a window of time equal to two FOX commercial breaks to complete each essay (roughly 20 minutes per question). Be clear, write neatly and include examples to support your argument.

1. Discuss, in abstract, the theory of “inevitability.” Tie it specifically to the role of the Yankees in the postseason. Include in your discussion a survey of recent Yankees playoff history, incorporating “clutch” and the return of their offense against Oakland.

2. If Miguel Bautista pitches like he did against St. Louis in Game 3 (6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H), will the Braves win one of the first three games against the Diamondbacks? Discuss the likelihood of Randy Johnson turning around his awful postseason career (2-7, with seven losses in a row) against a surging—but bad—Braves team.

3. Are we forced to look at the Mariners differently after their nailbiter of a first round against the Indians? Could it perhaps be the case that the Indians were not given enough credit for going into the ALDS as one of the best teams in the pros?

(Extra Credit)

Who was the team of the 1990s? Consider the Braves (nine NLCS appearances in 10 years, and one World Series title), and the Yankees (six straight playoff appearances, four titles in five years). Take into account Professor Steinbrenner’s bias when answering the question.