Baseball Writing
Just a wonderful sample of baseball prose, courtesy of the Washington Post's Chico Harlan:
"There was 22-year-old rookie Collin Balester walking to the mound, bottom of the first, just his 15th big league start and his first in any game resembling this one. He lucked out with a leadoff lineout to center. He served up back-to-back singles, both hit hard. He was serving up fat pitches to the most powerful lineup in the National League, and already, the stadium sensed it. Pitching coach Randy St. Claire visited the mound. Ryan Howard, baseball's top home run hitter, twisted his cleats into the left side of the batter's box.
"There was 22-year-old rookie Collin Balester walking to the mound, bottom of the first, just his 15th big league start and his first in any game resembling this one. He lucked out with a leadoff lineout to center. He served up back-to-back singles, both hit hard. He was serving up fat pitches to the most powerful lineup in the National League, and already, the stadium sensed it. Pitching coach Randy St. Claire visited the mound. Ryan Howard, baseball's top home run hitter, twisted his cleats into the left side of the batter's box.
Balester threw his second pitch to Howard knee high, just inside.
Howard unloaded -- one looping swing, one crack -- and the ball soared high toward center, into the swirling, spectral mist. Nobody even needed to see it land. Citizens Bank Park erupted. Center fielder Lastings Milledge chased Howard's 48th home run to the 398 sign in center, but it sailed into Philadelphia's bullpen. Several relievers already had their fists raised high. Philadelphia led 3-0, and by the middle of the next inning, it was 6-1 thanks to a Chase Utley bases-loaded, bases-clearing double."
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