Miami Part 2

While in Miami we attended a Marlins-Braves game. I wore my Miguel Cabrera shirt and we sat behind home plate in the surprisingly gorgeous Dolphins Stadium. At a typical Nats-Braves games at RFK, I would say that 20% of the crowd are Braves fans. In Miami, it was even more dramatic, with at least 30% of the crowd being Atlanta fans. It is hard to believe, seeing as how whenever you turn to TBS in the summer, Turner Field appears to be 80% empty. I'd day that only the Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs travel better than the Braves. In all fairness though, it is understandable how the Braves travel so well, given that 80% of the population of Atlanta lives in mobile homes.

Anyway, I actually witnessed a great game. Pitching for the Marlins was Byung-Hyun Kim (Yes, the Ex-Closer for the Diamondbacks), and for the Braves was Tim Hudson. Kim pitched a solid 6 innings, and left the game with a 2-1 lead. After a myriad of no name relievers, Armando Benitez came into pitch for the Marlins and I knew we were doomed. I barely follow baseball, but I remember the 95-98 Orioles very well, as they were the first team I followed. And Benitez represents everything I hate about baseball. There is no reason, NONE, for him to be in the Major Leagues. He managed to blow 13 save opportunities in a single 5 game ALCS against the Yankees in 96, and then broke his own record by blowing 145 save opportunities in the the 6 game 97 ALCS against the Indians. He has never done anything good. Yet here we are, ten years later, and he is still pitching, making millions of dollars a year, living in a giant mansion with great cars and a beautiful wife, and blowing save opportunities. Needles to say, he gave up 5 runs (thereabout, I stopped keeping count), and the Marlins lost 6-5.

The problem with baseball is that there are too many bad players. Too many teams=too many bad players. Not that basketball is free from this problem, but basketball you only play 5 players, so no one can really see how bad Shavlik Randolph, Shelden Williams and JJ Reddick really are.