YJ and I went to the US-China baseball match last night at Wukesong Stadium. I was at Wukesong this past spring for the LA Dodgers-San Diego Padre AAAA international tour, and the experience last night was more or less the same…with the addition of a few thousand rowdy China supporters making up in exuberance what they might have lacked in actual baseball knowledge.
And I tell you, folks: those fans were treated to a real old-fashioned barnburner.*
The score wasn’t close (9-1 USA) but we had a little of everything. Former MLB manager, one-time “Batman” guest villan, and now coach of the China team Jim Lefebvre got tossed in the sixth for arguing with the umpire. US outfielder Nate Schierholtz, attempting to score on a sac fly from catcher Taylor Teagarden, completely took out Chinese catcher Yang Yang in a close play at the plate. The Chinese fans in my section–perhaps not up on the rules–wanted Schierholtz called for a foul or at least to receive a yellow card. I reminded them that if the catcher has the ball and is attempting to block the plate, the runner can use any means at his disposal short of shooting the guy to knock the ball loose and score.**
The Chinese had already lost Wang Wei, their starting catcher and one of their more experienced players, an inning before in another close play with Matt Laporta (remember that name) sliding in hard to home. After Schierholtz leveled him, Wang’s backup Yang Yang, jumped up and had to be restrained from going after Schierholtz. Lefebvre came out to argue, though I don’t think he was arguing the nature of the slide per se, but rather whether Schierholtz was out or not. No dice: the argument became heated, Lefebvre got in the umps face, the ump tossed Lefebvre, and now China’s got a beef.
Keep in mind there were already something like five or six hit batters at this point, two by the US team and the rest by the Chinese pitchers. To be fair, some of those were just glancing brushes of the jersey, not full on plunks. Those would come later.
Bottom of the 7th, Chinese reliever Chen Kun gets revenge for Yang Yang, sending one right into Matt Laporta’s dome. Did I mention the US manager is Davey Johnson? Colorful guy, I’ve never competely forgiven him for being the manager of the ’86 Mets. Anyway, Johnson comes charging out of the US dugout–at this point I seriously thought we’d see the benches clear–and runs toward the mound like he wants a piece of Chen Kun, only to have the home plate umpire hold him back. LaPorta’s on the ground, looking very unconscious, and Chen is standing halfway to home plate with a ’who me?’ grin on his face.
Long story shorter, Chen and China’s pitching coach/acting manager Steve Ontiveros both get ejected. Fortunately, the US team took the high road, refusing to get baited into a beanball contest and possibly starting World War III. Instead US batters just broke out the lumber and put a few crooked numbers up on the scoreboard, sending most of the crowd to the subway by the eighth inning.
Other notes:
- Sang ”Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with gusto at the 7th inning stretch, the only one in my section to do so, but sometimes you just got to say, “What the…”
- Concessions continue to be a problem. Supplies run out unexpectedly and the requirement to pour all beverages at some (but not all?) stands into cups instead of distributing bottles grinds the whole process to a halt.
- The Chinese team had some early trouble putting the bat on the ball, so for the first few innings the crowd cheered each foul ball and really oohed and ahhed when someone sent a ball back over the screen.
- Scalpers were EVERYWHERE. Probably over 100 offers for tickets between the subway and the gate, probably due to the US-Germany basketball game being held next door.
- I’ll be going back tomorrow night for US-Japan.
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*Keeping in mind that my actually being there wasn’t exactly a benefit to transcribing what took place. The stadium replay sucked, didn’t show any close plays, and the announcers weren’t really into announcing things like “We’ve just ejected the entire coaching staff for Team China,” so if I missed a few details or got some names wrong, I ask for your indulgence.
**I had a similar moment when I was a college student in Singapore. Playing for my dorm team, I was heckled by the opposing fans chanting “Yankee go home.” First of all, I’m a Red Sox fan, so being called a ”Yankee” really pissed me off. Sure enough, I slapped one down the right field line and started running. I’m a rugby player and the catcher was maybe 120 pounds soaking wet but he decided to man up, take the throw and block the plate. Bad idea. I scored and he ended up watching the rest of the game wearing a suit of ice packs. I’m not proud of it, but them’s the rules…
Beijing 2008: The national pastime takes a few lumps…: YJ and I went to the US-China baseball.. http://tinyurl.com/5ld4jo
“I scored and he ended up watching the rest of the game wearing a suit of ice packs. I’m not proud of it, but them’s the rules…”
We learn a little bit more about our resident historian every day.