There are times when I really prefer the college game. Not the ping of a metal bat, I could happily go the rest of my life without hearing that sound again. But the game itself is real baseball, not to be confused with what you sometimes see on NESN which is Selig-ball.

Take last night for example, somehow Beckett manages to hit not one, not two, but three batters in one game. You may think that was because he didn’t have much command, but with his 6 K’s and only one walk, that’s kind of hard to believe. No, the reason is because the home plate umpire, like most major league umpires not named Harry Wendelstedt, completely ignore rule 6.08(b) which states that

(b) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (1) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (2) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball;
If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball. If the ball is outside the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes no attempt to avoid being touched.

Hell, Shoppach (pictured above), even leaned into the pitch. But don’t worry about it Blue, it may have only cost the Sox the division.

As for tonight, I’m afraid to see what the Indians try to do against Wakefield.