I was going absolutely crazy for that game from start to finish -- what a great one. For some reason I've been kind of distracted during games lately, folding laundry or fooling around on my laptop (maybe because they last 15 innings on average lately), but I was on the edge of my seat for this one the entire time, obsessed by every pitch, back in "you can't move that chair, WHAT IF WE'RE WINNING ONLY BECAUSE THAT CHAIR IS IN THAT PRECISE SPOT?! DO YOU REALLY WANT TO RISK IT???" mode.
Oh, and apparently Bonds did his thing, finally. I'm glad it happened at midnight during a game I wasn't watching, because that makes it seem more surreal. The comments by Murph delighted me, because I know a lot of guys don't want to speak out, and the ones who do are usually just the windbags who run their mouths about everything. The Murph is such a good, classy guy, but he doesn't back down when some bitchiness is called for. Preach it!
~~
Last night at the hotel in New York, the youngsters are up late in Scooter's room, eating room service food and celebrating the win . . .
Heap: Man, what a great start to the road trip! Frenchy, you were awesome.
Frenchy: Heh! I know!
Scooter: Yeah, I wish I could have contributed more.
Heap: What! All those double plays you helped to turn? Man, they saved us when Buddy was struggling. Good job.
Scooter: Aww, thanks.
There is a knock on the door, and Scooter hops up to answer it.
Scooter: Oh, hey, Druw. You want to--
Andruw: Did you guys see????
Scooter: See what?
Andruw: You're not watching the Nationals-Giants game??
Heap: No, we're watching Foster's.
Frenchy: Yeah, they're doing a marathon! It's like Cartoon Network knew we were gonna beat the Mets and wanted us to have a reward!!
Andruw: Um. Right. Well, Bonds just broke Aaron's record!
Scooter: Oh, wow.
Frenchy: Yeah, neat.
Heap: Well, I'm glad he did it in San Francisco and not in Atlanta. We'll have to answer enough questions about it during the Giants series as it is.
Andruw: But aren't you guys like, excited?? Angry? Anything?
Frenchy: /laughs
Andruw: What's so funny?
Frenchy: Huh? Oh, the rabbit on Foster's just fell down the stairs.
Frenchy: He's totally the best character.
Scooter: Whatever! The big purple guy is way funnier!
Andruw: Uh. Alright, then. Just wanted to make sure you guys knew . . .
Heap: Well, thanks, Andruw. See you later.
Heap: Hey guys, do you think we should have some significant reaction to Bonds breaking the record? I mean it is a big deal.
Frenchy: I got mine right here.
Frenchy: /pulls a folded piece of paper from his pocket
Frenchy: Wrote this sucker in June -- I've almost got it memorized.
Heap: So this is why you're so good with the press?? You write speeches and memorize them?
Frenchy: Duh, Heap. Doesn't everyone?
Heap: Scooter, what do you think?
Scooter: Hmm? Oh, I don't bother preparing quotes for the press. I never really . . . get interviewed all that often.
Heap: No, I mean about -- ugh, never mind.
Frenchy: Where are you going?
Heap: I'm just gonna make a call real quick . . .
A phone rings in a hotel room in Kansas City.
Good Davies: Hello?
Heap: Hey, Kyle. Did you hear about Bonds?
Good Davies: Yeah, I'm watching the game. Woo-hoo.
Heap: What's wrong, Kyle?
Good Davies: Nothing . . . I'm just having a hard time adjusting to life without my friends.
Heap: I know, but . . . haven't you gotten friendly with anyone in Kansas?
Good Davies: Yeah, they're nice, but . . . Heap . . . I gave up A-Rod's 500th homer.
Heap: Yeah, I read about that. That's actually why I'm calling . . .
Good Davies: It is?
Heap: Yeah, could you do me a favor? Every time you pitch to A-Rod . . . could you . . . throw him that same pitch?
Good Davies: What?! No! I'm not going to betray my new team!
Heap: /sigh
Heap: I thought you might say that. Well, it was worth a try. Look, I'll call you tomorrow, alright?
A cell phone rings in the midst of a Kansas City night club.
Evil Davies: What?
Heap: Hey, E.D., what's up?
Evil Davies: Who the hell is this? How did you get this number?
Heap: It's your old catcher, Brian McCann.
Evil Davies: Who McWhat? Look, I'm kind of busy--
Heap: I know, just listen for a sec. I have a semi-evil deed for you.
Evil Davies: Oh yeah?
Heap: Interested?
Evil Davies: Well . . . my evil-doing is kind of directionless now that I can no longer try to sabotage the NL East division race . . . what are you proposing?
Heap: You know how your brother gave up that homer to A-Rod recently?
Evil Davies: Oh, yes! I was vacationing in Barcelona at the time, but it gave me a chuckle when I returned to the states.
Heap: . . . Right, well, could you, like, um. Pitch for him every time the Royals play the Yankees? And give up as many homers as possible?
Evil Davies: With pleasure-- wait, this isn't some kind of underhandedly good deed is it?
Heap: What would make you think that? Anyway, it'll annoy your brother.
Evil Davies: Which is my default reason for living. Alright. I'll consider it. But if I find out this is somehow serving the greater good, you'll be sorry.
Heap: Okay, but . . . do you support Bonds holding the home run record for a long time?
Evil Davies: Oh God no! What do you take me for? I'm not THAT evil.
Heap: Then we shouldn't have a problem.
~~
This little tidbit from the AJC's article about Bonds hitting 756 cracked me up:
A woman who answered the phone at Aaron's home in Georgia shortly after Bonds' homer said that Aaron was asleep.
Video message or not, there's your statement right there.