You know how sometimes you’ll be out and about and you’ll hear some snippet of an old song playing over a store’s sound system or in an elevator and for the next few hours — or days — you can’t get that song out of your head. The worst part about it is, invariably, some Barry Manilow song that you couldn’t stand in the first place. Yet, that tune will not go away, and you’re still awake at 2 a.m. with that voice in your head going, “I write the songs that make the whole world sing, yada yada yada.” You get the picture.
I’m having the same issue with the play that ended Saturday’s loss to Cleveland. I watched the play unfold on TV, and then later heard the replay of Charlie Slowes’ call on Nats radio, as Nook Logan was tagged out trying to get back to third base. “What was he doing? Where was he going? What was he thinking?”
Now Charlie’s voice is stuck in my head.
In case you missed it, here’s what happened: Trailing 3-1 heading into the ninth, the Indians get back-to-back singles to put two on with no outs against closer Chad Cordero. Victor Martinez then hits a 3-run homer to center, and the Tribe goes up 4-3. The Chief then retires the side. In the bottom of the ninth Brian Schneider singles off of Cleveland closer Joe Borowski. An out later Logan doubles to left-center, so now there’s runners on second and third. Cristian Guzman is intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing Felipe Lopez to the plate. Lopez hits a comebacker to Borowski who fields it off balance and throws to catcher Kelly Shoppach for the force on Schneider. Shoppach has no play on Lopez at first, but then looks toward third, and to his visible surprise, Logan is about eight feet past the bag. Shoppach double-clutches and throws the ball to Casey Blake who tags Nook out. Double play. Game over.
After the game, Logan told reporters that he went past the bag because he was sure Shoppach would throw the ball to first. Obviously, if that had been the case and the throw had been poor, he might have been able to score the tying run. If you saw the play go down, however, you’d know that the angle at which Borowski fielded and threw the ball — and the batted ball’s lack of speed — didn’t allow Shoppach enough time to throw to first. He looked that way, for certain, but had no shot at Lopez and was preparing to throw the ball back to Borowski when he saw how far Logan was past the bag.
Like that tune you can’t get out of your head, Logan’s vapor lock (there’s another word for it, but hey, this is a family newspaper) is indelibly etched into the brains of Nats fans — and club executives, more than likely. It’s the kind of a play that when personnel decisions are made, can count for a lot, and not in a good way.
Recently, I attended a game at the new ballpark in York, Pa., home to the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League. A young man sitting near me asked his father where the players in the league come from, since several of them had major league experience. His dad replied that the players probably had to try out for the team.
That, or leave a horrible image stuck in the brains of their major league bosses.
Hear Phil Wood Saturdays at 10 a.m. on SportsTalk 980 AM and weekly on Comcast SportsNet’s WPL through the World Series.
