Random Thoughts

It took me two days to realize that I never posted this week's column. I guess my lone reader never noticed, either. Anyway, on to the column. 1. You're batting leadoff for a team that is struggling to stay in a pennant race (let's be honest, here). The week before your team lost 6 of 7 games, though the boys bounced back and have won the last two games. Tonight you’re facing a pitcher that hasn't thrown a major league pitch all year. I would think that you would want to take one strike, maybe two, before swinging so you and your teammates can get some sense of what he throws. Not to mention that, despite being a 12-year veteran, the guy may have some nerves working against him. Thank you, Jimmy Rollins, for swinging at the very first pitch Sterling Hitchcock had to offer during last Thursday's game against San Diego. (And I agree that the point is moot since the Phils won the game, but, dammit, there is such a thing as smart baseball. Isn't there?) 2. During Tuesday night's game against Colorado -- which you may have read about -- several times in-between innings the video board showed an elderly woman in the stands. (This is being generous, folks. I swear I saw the Grim Reaper sitting next to her.) The crowd, with hardly anything else to cheer for, took to the golden oldie and screamed wildly for her. Is this what is passing for entertainment these days at major league ballparks? Why do we even need entertainment? Our team is trying to make the playoffs, you know. 3. In-between the top and bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night, the video board was plastered with image after image imploring the crowd to "Make Some Noise!!" Why? I don’t know who to be madder at here. Should I be more mad at the Phillies' video board operator(s) for assuming that the fans are stupid they don’t know when to cheer, or should I be more mad at the fans for actually buying into the message and cheering when it came on? This is a tough call since I do enjoy being a misanthrope, but I would like to think that when their team is going into the bottom of the ninth down by two runs they will know they need to cheer.