Remembering May 9, 2003. They day I won a game for the Cincinnati Reds

I know what you are asking yourself. Jacob, I have been reading this blog for months now and you never told me you pitched in the majors?
Let me answer that by saying first, many thanks for reading this blog for months. And second, sadly I might add, I have never thrown a pitch in the majors. My 3 career home runs in division III baseball are as close as I came to being into the show.

So now I am sure you racking your brain. How could you have won a game for the Reds? Did I give Adam Dunn the same speech Mr. Burns gave to Daryl Strawberry?
No, no speech was given.

As all good stories go, "So there I was.."

Myself and several friends decided to take in a game at the Great American Ballpark on May 9, 2003. Exams were done for the semester and Cincinnati was only a 2-hour drive from Delaware, Ohio. Most of us had never been to the GAB and two of my friends are big Reds fans. The game wasn't sold out and we got great seats in the right field bleacher directly next to the Brewers bullpen. To be exact, I was sitting on the end of the aisle and immediately to my left was the bullpen about 20 feet straight down (this will come into play a bit later).

This story truly begins in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Kearns hits a towering home run into the Brewers bullpen, giving the Reds an early 3-0 lead. Curt Leskanic actually caught the ball in the bullpen. I immediately called out, "Hey Curt throw it up here." Typically in these situations smaller children or attractive woman are the two likeliest candidates to receive a home run or foul ball from a player. I am neither small, a child, or an attractive woman. However, Curt Leskanic looks right at me and goes to throw me the ball. Perhaps he was flattered I actually new his name? I may never know Leskanic's true motivations. Whatever the reasoning Curt throws the ball right at me, with one minor problem. He shorted me by about 10 feet. It was only a twenty foot throw! Ok, I told myself, not to worry, I am sure he is a bit embarrassed, but I know he will reach me on the next throw. He probably just misjudged the distance. To reassure Curt I hold out my hands, and really give him a good target. And that is when Curt Leskanic made an enemy for life...

Leskanic catches the ball following his ten-foot throw. Turns around and then perfectly tosses the ball to a small child sitting a few rows up from where we were sitting. What just happened? Did I really just get punked by Curt Leskanic? Did he think this was funny? Did he have any idea whom he was dealing with?
Answers to the previous questions are:
1. Curt Leskanic was having some fun on your behalf
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. No, not a clue.

At this moment my friends and I decided to make it a very miserable and sad day in the Milwaukee bullpen. For the next several innings we berated Curt with all kinds of taunts and jabs. "Hey Leskanic I hope you can make the 60 ft throw from the mound to the plate." "Hey Leskanic...you stink!" You know, really let him have it.

Normally I do not condone this type of behavior, these guys are just trying to do their job. But, as any three year old would say, "He started it!"

Then Christmas came early to Cincinnati. Leskanic was warming up to pitch the 8th inning. That's when we really started pouring it on. Critiquing every pitch he threw. Giving him grief every time he bounced a curve or missed the catchers target. It was probably the most attention anyone has ever paid to Curt Leskanic during a major league game. Naturally, Leskanic entered the game and had a 1,2,3 inning, including 2 strikeouts. The wind was immediately deflated from our proverbial sails. The picture above depicts his celebration following the second strikeout. I had to tip my hat to Leskanic. He was the better man that day. He both talked and walked. However, we re-grouped and decided that he may have won the battle, but the war was far from over. We decided that any reliever toeing the rubber for the Brewers would have to deal with our wrath on Leskanic's behalf. Why should the rest of the pen get off so easy. After all, they were all there when Curt shorted me with that throw. It was a whole new ball-game.

And in the ninth inning we made our major league debut. After rattling the cages of Mike DeJean, he promptly went out and gave up a two-run lead to send the game into extra innings. Success! After the Brewers scored a run in the top of the 10th, we knew we had our work cut out for ourselves against Luis Vizcaino. Fortunately, Mr Vizcaino was no the same consummate professional that Curt Lesaknic was. Now, I can't write everything we said to Mr Vizcaino, this is a family blog. However, the last thing we told him before he took the mound in the bottom of the 10th was, "You can blame all of this on Curt Leskanic and his pathetic arm." Buzz-ing.

When you look up the box score from May 9, 2003 you will read that Jose Guillen won the game for the Reds with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. What you won't read, is how four men were wronged by Curt Leskanic in the first inning and sought their vengence againt him and the Brewers organization. If we had talked trash to the Brewers bullpen 10 times, they might win 9. But not this time. For May 9, 2003 belonged to us.