He's a Burr (Against My) Ass

I have reason to believe this will not be the only time someone has nothing nice to say about Emmanuel Burriss (pronounced: burr/ass).

Emmanuel Burriss has had several opportunities to make the Giants' big league club but for some reason he manages to do something that puts a nasty flavor in the powers-that-be's collective mouths.

This Spring he began the Cactus League aflame.  Hitting and running the bases like a man determined to make the club once and for all.  And while nobody questions his determination it's those brain cramps he gets when the chips are down that makes the novice fan feel like something just aint right.

On April 11, 2012, Tim Lincecum had his worst start in his major league career.  Two and one-third innings before being removed.  He allowed 6 runs. Sure, he was throwing to a rookie catcher.

But it was the same rookie catcher that just caught Barry Zito's sterling game Monday afternoon, one might question. Ah yes, but who do you think has the livelier stuff?

In listening to the game my displeasure was in the inconsistency of the person positioned behind the catcher. The guy trying to separate balls from strikes.  A guy who has been given the nickname "Balking Bob," because he calls balks like he's crying wolf.  A certain false alarm. When Bob Davidson is behind the plate he is a kind of wolf in sheep's clothing to be adamantly sure. Why is that? Because he hides behind his facemask an intent to disrupt a game in the most benign manner.  He thinks he has to contribute to the outcome.

He's an umpire whose idea of a strike zone would make his cohorts question the validity of his efforts. Fortunately, for Lincecum, his replacement (Dan Otero) got the batter to hit a grounder and the infield turned it into an inning ending double-play.  At the end of 3, Colorado: 6  San Francisco:0.

But the fireworks were being put into place.  Nate Schierholtz led off with a booming home run only to be followed by Brandon Crawford's liner over the right field fence. Hit after timely hit, with the questionable base on balls sprinkled into the arsenal and WOW!, after 3 and one-half innings, Colorado: 6  San Francisco: 7.

At this time of the game Guillermo Mota was called upon. And the with the first batter he induced a grounder to the second-baseman, our man Burriss.  There really is no such thing as a routine grounder.  Even the plebe attending his first game wouldn't agree to such a thing if some salty cantankerous fellow was barking the book of baseball with peanut shells a-flying within earshot of the interested fan.  But in a situation where a team came from a 6-0 deficit, you have to catch a ball that is hit to you with less than reasonable difficulty.  However long one chooses to play baseball he/she will learn not to give opportunity to the opponent when they come from behind to take the lead. When this happens, it is akin to saying you were just glad to be playing and were not playing to win.


Kevin Marquez