Five Things I Learned From The Braves/Pirates 19-Inning Game

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Julio Lugo of the Atlanta Braves scores the game-winning run in the 19th inning against Michael McKenry of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Turner Field on July 26, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

In a game as legendary as the 19-inning, Pirates/Braves war of attrition, you can't help but learn a little bit about life.

Jul 27, 2011 - Last night's game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves was an epic struggle -- one of the greatest games of the season, if not decade. It will be remembered for ending on one of the worst calls in the history of baseball, but isn't that short-sighted? What about everything the game taught us? Here are five things that I learned from Tuesday night's Pirates/Braves game:

1. Joel Hanrahan will turn into dust if he enters a game in a non-save situation
This is not a metaphor. This is not a turn of phrase. He is enchanted with a spell that will turn him into dust if he pitches in a non-save situation.

The good news is that if another pitcher collects the dust and snorts it, he becomes a proven closer.

The bad news is that Joel Hanrahan has a family that loves him, and Clint Hurdle respects that. This is why Hurdle allowed a short reliever, Daniel McCutchen, to throw 92 pitches when Hanrahan was available to relieve him. Hurdle was doing the humane and caring thing.

2. No one likes Jerry Meals and everyone is angry at him all the time

He even eats alone in the umpire's cafeteria. Or he would if such a thing existed. So sad.

3. This is the most anyone has cared about a Pirates game in decades.
Decades. Look at the trending topics on Twitter on Tuesday right before the game ended:

And then compare those to the topics that were trending on Twitter the last time the Pirates were one of the trending topics:

Congratulations, Pittsburgh. You're relevant again. As relevant as Patty Mayonnaise, which I absolutely refuse to look up.

4. Daniel McCutchen is a trusting, honest soul who literally did not believe that Julio Lugo was called safe

Most people look at this .gif and watch the play. You know, the one where the catcher tags the runner as he slides three feet from home plate. But look at McCutchen in the bottom-left corner. He's screaming for Michael McKenry to throw the ball to first base after the umpire has already ended the game with his safe call. McKenry is doing this because ...

5. Scott Proctor thought that first base was 12 feet from home plate

Cut him some slack. It's the first time he had ever ran the bases before: three at-bats prior to this, all strikeouts.

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Grant Brisbee

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Grant Brisbee has been the lead writer for McCovey Chronicles since 2005, when the San Francisco Giants-themed site became the second blog on the SB Nation network. He graduated from San Jose State... Read full bio

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Other features by Grant Brisbee

Revisiting Kerry Wood's 20-Strikeout Game - May 18
The Silver Lining Of Aroldis Chapman, Reliever - May 18
Overlooked: Brett Lawrie Is Also A Good Player - May 17
The Rays' Rotation Decision And Technology - May 17
The Freakish Parity Of The American League East - May 16

Comments

i think you mean "called safe" on #4

Choose me, Ash!

by Pikachu on Jul 27, 2011 8:21 AM EDT reply actions

…and it was actually Proctor’s second AB of the night. Amazing that he even made contact at all… although he made more contact with the ground. Reverse that call, and it’s most likely a 5-2-3 double play!

"Just take out the whole Tim McCarver part of the broadcast and boom, the director has freed up a whopping 45 minutes of airtime." - Rob Iracane of Yahoo! Sports, 7/13/11

by carpengui on Jul 27, 2011 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Unbelievable Night

This is why sports is the ultime reality television. You simply can’t make this stuff up. Nice article.

by Buccos2028 on Jul 27, 2011 8:55 AM EDT reply actions

6. The Home Plate Umpire can do whatever he wants when he wants to go to bed in a 19 inning game.

by StolenMonkey86 on Jul 27, 2011 9:03 AM EDT reply actions

I learned something..

about the seemingly indestructible nature of 10-year-old female vocal cords.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti

by sddbaker on Jul 27, 2011 10:54 AM EDT reply actions

Right about now....

that ten year old is learning what a sore throat REALLY feels like.

by katattack on Jul 27, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

How have you not heard of Patty Mayonnaise?!

Ugh, whippersnappers these days

by ManifestDestiny on Jul 27, 2011 10:59 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

This.

I had to join Baseball Nation to scold you Grant. Watch some Doug.

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
Go Roger Kieschnick! #4 Giants Prospect for 2010. (#18 for 2011) And son, please continue to break scoreboards on your way to San Francisco.

by WalrusMan on Jul 27, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Grant is too old.

by Natto on Jul 27, 2011 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Ya

seriously.. tsk tsk

Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend

by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Jul 28, 2011 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I hate you so much for reminding me Jerry Manuel exists

Thus Spoke Keith Hernandez

Twitter: ThomasTSKH

"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck

by Thomas Wachtel on Jul 27, 2011 11:21 AM EDT reply actions

Does Meals even look...

to see if Lugo touches home?

And the reason Patty Mayonnaise was even trending is hilarious. You’ll have to look that up on your own. NSFW.

by TMO_NYC on Jul 27, 2011 12:00 PM EDT reply actions

Dunno,

but he doesn’t actually make a call until Lugo steps back onto the dish.

HEY, FRENCHY! STAR TREK OR STAR WARS?

by DbacksSkins on Jul 27, 2011 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Disclaimer: Bucs fan

looked to me like Lugo moonwalked over the dish without touching it, then hurriedly stomped on it after Meals called him safe.

Not actually affiliated with whygavs.

by WHYG Zane Smith on Jul 27, 2011 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Who you calling a short reliever?

McCutchen is, like, 6’2" or something.

by DG Lewis on Jul 27, 2011 2:45 PM EDT reply actions

One Thing I Learned From Reading This Article

You are ignorant.
No, it’s not another “Doug” comment. I remember the show, but it wasn’t very good.
You are ignorant because Daniel McCutchen was given the job of long reliever after Karstens moved into the rotation.
“Get some facts, and then come back and see me.”

by twistoffate1 on Jul 27, 2011 4:23 PM EDT reply actions