A Blast From the Past.

Three years ago I sat out in my father's home office, watching the computer screen. On was the game-day feed from MLB.com of the U.S.A. vs Mexico game in the World Baseball Classic. Roger Clemens had pitched in that game for the U.S.A. and had only given up two runs. Problem was the U.S.A. batters had only managed one run. However the U.S.A. were coming back it seemed. The ninth inning had come, Johnny Damon was on first base, and Vernon Wells was at the plate. I think we had a runner on third or second, or maybe we had just lost a runner in a fielders choice. I cannot recall but it looked like things may have been coming together for us. When the animated pitch on the screen finished in the strike zone as a blue dot meaning that the ball had been put in play, my heat beat doubled. I waited for the computer to update and tell me what the result of the ball being put in play was. Finally the words "In-play out(s) recorded" came up. That meant we would be down to one out, the U.S.A. had just one more chance to come back and beat Mexico to advance, and by doing so bump the soon to be Classic Champions Japan out of the World Baseball Classic. But then words appeared on my screen as a further update. "V. Wells grounds to second baseman (someone) to shortstop (someone) J. Damon out, to first basemen (someone) V. Wells out. Doubleplay. The U.S.A. would not have another chance. It was over, we were out.


Three years later.

I sat out in my father's home office, watching the computer screen. On was the game-day feed from MLB.com of the U.S.A. vs Porto Rico game in the World Baseball Classic. Ted Lilly had pitched for the U.S.A. that night, and given up three runs. The team from Porto Rico had added two more runs one of which had just been put up against Johnathan Broxton in the top of the ninth. That run was big for the Porto Rico team seeing as the U.S.A. had only pushed three runs across all game. Now Porto Rico had a two run lead. Again we were in the bottom of the ninth. Derrek Jeter had just flied out to the right fielder and the runner from second advanced. This was it, I had been here three year ago. A ground ball could end the game, and the U.S.A. would go home again with a loss. Every second seemed like a minute. J. Jollins would walk. Minutes seemed like hours. K. Yukalis would have to face a new relief pitcher as Fernando Cabrera. Fernando Cabrera found his command lacking however against the batter he was brought in to face. K. Yukalis was walk which forced in a run the score to 5-4. And David Wright came to the plate. Know what had happened three years earlier. What was going to happen this time. A homerun like Joe Carter? A single like Luis Gonzalez? A error like Bill Buckner? Or a doubleplay...like Vernon Wells? Wright's at bat. (Commercial may proceed clip.)