I've never been a big fan of the single game on MLB's Opening Night — I much prefer the day-long orgy of aces on the true Opening Day. But last night's Barves-Nationals game was surprisingly worthwhile.
First, the Nats unveiled the new Nationals Park (lots of photos here), which will be stadium's name for another two or three weeks until Ted Lerner gets a corporate sponsor to shell out the appropriate millions of dollars for naming rights. Finally. RFK may have once been a great place for football, but it is the single worst stadium for baseball that I've ever seen. Plus the new park represents the first couple of acres on the Anacostia's banks in DC where it's actually unlikely you'll become the victim of violent crime.
Second, it was a hell of a ballgame. The Nats scored two runs in the first to grab a lead that they held until Paul Lo Duca allowed a run-scoring passed ball in the top of the 9th. With 24 straight Nats batters in a row retired by the Braves' staff, things looked headed to extra innings. Instead, Ryan Zimmerman ended it with a solo shot with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Game over. (Video here)
And finally: yes, the Commander-in-Chief made an appearance, throwing the ceremonial first pitch and visiting Jon Miller and Joe Morgan in the booth, where he called the stadium's first home run (Chipper Jones) and was verbally fellated by both announcers. Video of the first pitch is after the jump. It's kind of a downer — I was expecting a hailstorm of boos, but the booing gets overpowered by the cheering. Unless Bush got 30,000 tickets for his family, I'm guessing that was a sound effect added by ESPN.
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I like how doesn't even wind up, throws it as quickly as possible, and then immediately runs back underneath the ball park.
…it is the single worst stadium for baseball that I've ever seen.
Tropicana Field begs to differ.
The radio call made the boos seem much more overwhelming, so you may have something with the ESPN-added-the-sound theory, Matt.
I watched it live, and to me it seemed like all you could hear were the boos. Then I watched the replay on Sportscenter and the cheers were much louder. I’m guessing it (the cheering) really was put in by ESPN after the fact.
JON MILLER: "There have been many Presidents who've thrown out first pitches, but none of them, I believe, have done it any better than this President"
JOE MORGAN: "That was some heat!"
MILLER: (nods in agreement)
(awkward pause)
MILLER: "He can sure fuck up a war, though, can't he?"
MORGAN: "True dat….fuck up the war, the economy, the environment, our reputation and credibility….I wouldn't give that motherfucker control over the goddamn cable remote!"
MILLER: "Well said, Joe…..and here's Kelly Johnson to lead off the game…"
ESPN borrowed the applause track from the producers of Til’ Death.
We should determine our President based on whether he can clip the outside corner of the strike zone with a four-seam slider and the count 2-2. That would save a lot of time…
Or: DEATHMATCH!
I loved how in the first inning, they zoomed in on Perez's tag sticking out of his shirt, and felt it necessary to discuss this for the entire inning. ESPN's baseball crew sucks ass.
You can tell from that douchebag’s sour expression at 0:55 that *he* certainly heard the boo’s loud and clear. Later, aides attempted to persuade him that the crowd was actually saying “Boo-ush”. I’d love to hear from someone who was actually at the game.
There was a lot more cheering in-person than I expected. I'd say about 50-50.
Also, I hate seeing cities blow a bunch of money on new stadiums, but RFK really was a terrible place to watch a ballgame.
I was saying Bu-s(c)h.
(cracks one)
Ball
@tone5000: Maybe he should have practiced his…his love.
…it is the single worst stadium for baseball that I've ever seen.
You've never seen the Metrodome???
I was there last night, and depending on where you were in the stadium, there was definitely lots of cheers. Overall, there were more cheers than boos, in terms of volume. I certainly am not a fan of W, but I was cheering. When the President throws out the first pitch in any ballpark, for that one moment, it is a cool thing, and it is about sports, not politics. Cheney I booed my ass off at RFK. The President, even though he may be an incompetent fool, I will not boo, no matter what my politics may be.
The worst president in U.S. history. What noise would any crowd make other than boos?
@dbkim39
Way to be a good little German circa 1939…
Yeah, the "We Are Not Amused" look on the face of C-Plus Augustus said it all. The boos were loud enough for him to hear them.
It seems the candidate we'd most like to have a beer with has become the president we'd most like to dump a beer on.
I'm surprised Joe Morgon didn't go off into one of his rants about when he was President.
Or throw a battery at.
And speaking of Enrico Pallazzo…where are Reggie Jackson and Ricardo Montalban when you need them?
From where I was sitting, the boos were loud and very satisfying. I cheered when Zimm and Manny were introduced, but couldn't in good conscience do the same for that colossal assbag.
It's funny that ESPN added cheers. I heard Miller later in the game refer to the poor reception Bush had gotten. He and Morgan are so clueless they thought it was because Bush had led the crackdown on steroid usage. (Yeah – that's why he traded Sammy Sosa! That's it!) Um, no guys. Bush is just wildly unpopular.
dbkim39: why not boo the President?
@Papa Shango
+1 to infinity.
It's a well-worn expression by now: "Will someone please give this man a blowjob so we can impeach him?"
Papa Shango, thanks for the comparison to following Hitler. You're an idiot. To reiterate, I did not vote for Bush. I am not a fan of his politics. But this event was about sports and the Washington Nationals. He is the POTUS. For something like this, I cheer. I am sure Democrats would love to boo him at the State of the Union Address and other such things, but they don't. They may not clap, but they don't boo.
Hey, politics!!! Someone is pushing for a ban!
So we're all under the same rules as Congress during a State of the Union Address? I don't think so. Besides, if I want to follow congressional rules, I'll chase down a page.
Worst President in US history? What are you ten years old? You must not have lived through President James Earl Carter and the double digit inflation AND unemployment with nations falling to communism everywhere AND a lovely little hostage crisis. And you must be illiterate since you've never read about President James Buchanan and the little squabble he left the nation with in 1860. Heck, you probably think that this is the worst economy ever since someone won't give you money to pay for you the mortgage money you lost betting on the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Terp210 (not sure why Coach K is your avatar, even in jest), you should actually read my posts before commenting ignorantly. I never said anything about the people who booed. Just giving my reasoning for choosing not to boo. Especially after being compared to a Hitler follower. I chose to cheer last night. I defend your right to boo. I just think there's a time and place for everything.
Leonard should not read this:
[www.rollingstone.com];
Leonard: Yes. This is the worst president of this, or any lifetime. His administration has been, in a word, disastrous. Getting booed at the Nats game will be the best outcome of his time in office, if he's not impeached for capital offenses first
dbkim39, I know I'm coming to your defense a buck short and a bit late, but I get your point, and I respect your sense of decorum, for both the game of baseball and the office of the president. However, given the bubble that this particular president has built for himself and the delight his minions take in subjugating protesters into execrable "free speech zones", a baseball game is one of the only venues where he'll ever actually face a bit of unfiltered public opinion. So you'd better believe I'd boo as loud as I could, and if my voice wasn't hoarse the next day, I'd consider myself to have let my country down.