Home Run Derby

I love Minor League Baseball …

You get to see washed up pros, creative hecklers, vicious bench clearing fights, smokin hot Mexican cheerleaders, and … oh, maybe some baseball, too.

There’s also a lot of players who will NEVER make it to the Show.

Let’s go to the Atlantic League (indepedent high-AA baseball) and see one of the worst pitching performances ever thrown in the history of baseball. I don’t think I’m exaggerating either.

July 2, 2007. Newly acquired Lance Odom is pitching for the Lancaster (Pa) Barnstormers against the Somerset Patriots. Bottom of the 12th inning. Game tied 6-6.

• Odom hits the leadoff man, former Met 2B Danny Garcia.
• Odom commits an error on a pickoff attempt; Garcia advances to second base.
• Sacrifice bunt; Garcia advances to third base.

And with one out and a runner on third, the fun begins. Watch as Odom tries to intentionally walk the next two batters in order to load the bases …

I think it’s kinda funny that the Barnstormers’ logo features a Barn … because that pitcher couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if he was standing inside of one. Where the heck is Crash Davis when you need him?

I never pitched, so I ask … Is it that tough to change up your motion to lob a ball a couple feet outside the plate?

Wild pitches happen during intentional walks (just ask Roger Clemens) … but not like this. Four straight intentional balls which barely made it to the catcher, the last of which bounced in front of the plate! And then he threw one intentional ball to the next batter – but that caromed behind the batter, allowing Garcia to score easily for the win.

The Barnstormers probably weren’t expecting much of Odom, who they signed on June 29th. He hadn’t pitched professionally since 2005 and had a career 6.08 ERA in 70 relief appearances before the ‘Stormers signed him.

His first pitch in a Barnstormers uniform was belted for a Home Run. Three nights later he threw the walk-off wild pitch you just saw.

He never pitched for Lancaster again before they released him on July 19. In his two appearances, he pitched two innings … going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA.

Thanks to Barnstormin’ for the play by play of the 12th inning.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 6th, 2008 at 10:48 pm and is filed under MLB Weirdness, Minor Leagues, Pitching. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.