Pinecone's In Baseball Gloves?

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Camilla is a 15 year old hockey fan that is new to baseball...I feel like baseball needs more young female fans so I'm forcing her to write.  But she needs help & encouragement from Nats fans to learn about the game so she can enjoy the National Pastime for the next 85 years of her life...So give her a hand and comment on the post or Tweet her up at @camcoco10...

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Last nights Nats game against the Tampa Bay Lightning was pretty interesting. A player got ejected for having a pinecone in his glove, the Lightning stalk the Nats as much as they do the Yankee's, the color commentators sing lullabyes to each other, and Nats pitcher Wangster isn't a good starting pitcher.

First, you should all be proud of me for suffering my freezing cold basement to watch the Nats game. Luckily, I had my trusty red fleece and a bucket of ice cream to help stave off the cold. As I watched the game move forward, I actually knew what was going on! I saw a double play unfold and my dad didn't even have to tell me what it was. I'm quite the baseball efficianado, guys!

So, if a starting pitcher gives up a run or two in the first 5 innings, he's doing ok. Right? What I picked up with my developing baseball radar was that Wangster wasn't doing a very good job pitching because a lot of guys got on base and as a result, got goals-ha, runs.

Fast forward to tonight, I kinda only watched the 8th and 9th inning due to flute practice and the necessary act of making mac'n'cheese. But I only watched 7 innings yesterday so I technically watched the whole game, right?

anywho, I saw Clippard who looks adorkable with his glasses (glasses buddies!) throwing some zingers. I actually got into the game and was pretty excited to see him get the third strike on el pudgo. But after he pitched that awesomesocks ball I don't know the name of, no one came out and hugged him!

There were no hugs, head rubs, nothing! I don't understand, why don't they hug in baseball? Like, hello! Y'all won a ball game! Where are the hugs and rubs? Please, explain the lack of love.

Question time!

1. How many starters, middle dudes, and closers are on each team/the Nats?
2. Why do the Nats color commentators sing each other lullabyes? Is that a routine thing in baseball?
3. What are the names of all the pitches?
4. When the Catcher is flashing his fingers, he's sending signals for balls, right? Do the signals differ for each team?
5. What's the deal with the pinecone? Why is that bad and stuff?
6. What's the most difficult position to play in baseball?

Thanks!

Follow Camilla at @Camcoco10 to answer my questions and/or make fun of me


Read the rest of No Crying In Baseball

Wait...there are two leagues?!

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Camilla is a 15 year old hockey fan that is new to baseball...I feel like baseball needs more young female fans so I'm forcing her to write.  But she needs help & encouragement from Nats fans to learn about the game so she can enjoy the National Pastime for the next 85 years of her life...So give her a hand and comment on the post or Tweet her up at @camcoco10...

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Sorry for not amusing you with pontificating about stuff I know jack about. I had finals this week and they wrapped up yesterday, the Seniors graduated and *drum roll please* I'm a JUNIOR! I am that much closer to college and never having to eat onions ever again. Yes! Anywho, to this baseball business.

Ok, let me get this straight. Not only does the MLB have a zillion teams, but there are not one, but TWO leagues? Over kill, much? Being a hockey gal, I get two conferences. Ya know, the good ole' East and West. None of this AL whichy-majig and NL thingy do's. And inter-league play? I mean, in my mind, that's like the KHL and NHL randomly saying "let's all play together!" I don't understand. Tell me!

I'm also confused by the fact there's no regulation size to MLB arena thingy's (what are these massive things called? Parks? Greens? Fields? Fancy grass?). At least, that's what I've been told. So, a baseball fancy grass can be as big as China or as small as my kitchen? I don't understand. PS-what's a green monster in Philly?

Now with the uniforms, what's the big idea confuzzling me with he whole whites at home grey on the road thing? Why do they do that? Explain. Please.

I watched Major League and the elderly pitcher (who's quite a hoot) was putting all kinds of interesting things (like vagisil and chili peppers) on the ball to do something? Why did he put stuff on the ball and why did that help or whatever? PS-Do you hit more curve balls if you practice voodoo or not?

Lastly, is Teddy ever gonna win a Presidents race? He's my favorite and he never wins :(

Okey dokey, that's it for now folks. Now that I have nothing to do for 3 months I'll be watching a lot of baseball and being extremely confused. I should probably find a schedule for the Nats so I can actually watch games more regularly.

Tweet/follow me at @Camcoco10 to answer my questions and/or laugh at me.

New To Baseball: What Is HRE?

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Camilla is a 15 year old hockey fan that is new to baseball...I feel like baseball needs more young female fans so I'm forcing her to write.  But she needs help & encouragement from Nats fans to learn about the game so she can enjoy the National Pastime for the next 85 years of her life...So give her a hand and comment on the post or Tweet her up at @camcoco10...

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To say I don't know a lot about baseball is an understatement. I know more about the life cycle of sea turtles than I do about HRE (editors note:  she means hits, runs, errors but thinks that HRE is a thing people say) and pinch hitters. You're probably thinking "Oh geez, Camilla. Just stick to something you're half way decent at". But ya gotta start somewhere, right? And, considering I want to be a sports journalist, knowing about America's favorite pastime might be a tad helpful.

The reason I got to go to the second game of the shortened series against the Braves, was because my dad's office was having a mini shindig and everyone was going to come out and drink over-priced beer and eat over-priced hot dogs while watching baseball. I can't wait to get a job.

Anyway, the beginning of our Odyssey started out with my dad being econimcally savvy and parking over a mile away from Nats park. But hey, it was free!  30 sweaty minutes later, we arrived at the glorious doughnut shaped park known as Nats park for the bottom of the first.

We got there just in time because I got to see Lambo-whats-his-face get his first MLB career homer and then Harper in short order hit it out of the park. Well, over a little fence thingy but it counts (stats and names courtesy of my dad).

I was all like "whoooo! Nats aren't sucking!" and then I went to get food. A bowl of honey nut cheerios is simply not enough to fuel a 15 year old chicka on a mile trek through DC. Being my clumsy self, I managed to spill all my dern fries and get mustard everywhere, but I was back in my seat sometime in the second where nothing happened. I mean, I'm sure something happened, but no one scored a goal-erm, I mean got a home run so I was like "falalala these guys need to shave".

Then the Braves scored in the third and my dad was like "Yeahhh" and then nothing happened the rest of the game except my yerning for cotton candy. So, after the bottom of the fourth and before the top of the fifth, I was like "you know what, cotton candy sounds like a fantabulous idea".

I started wandering around Nats park and got in the longest line EVER.  Some creepy old guy got behind me and was way to close for comfort. But alas, after an inning wait and apparently the Braves scoring twice, I had myself some spun sugar.

I got back to my seat and was shocked to see the Braves were leading 3-2. Not cool, yo. The only time people actually do stuff in baseball games is when I'm getting food! It's a conspiricy, man.

Then pretty much nothing happened the rest of the game except Bryce Harper apparently tried to stretch something or another which was a boo boo.

Baseball's still awfully confusing...

Question time!

• What in the flibberty gibbet does HRE stand for? I can never get it right
• Why can't a pitcher still pitch after he was pinch hit? Why does pinch hitting even happen in the first place?
• Why do so many pitchers play? I get having a closer and starter and a relief pitcher if he does bad stuff, but there were like 4 today!
• How do you play defense in baseball? There isn't a defense, I don't get it...
• When catchers go talk to the pitchers, what are they talking about? The latest People Style-Watch? How the Devils need to win the Cup? where to get dinner?
• Why are batting orders relevant? How does the batting order get chosen? Can you change it during the game or is that illegal.

(Wow...She looks like I did in the early days of Caps Basketball...So help her out peeps!  Encourage her!  Follow her @camcoco10 on Twitter.  Talk Nats!)