Sometimes two sets of eyes are not enough. Sunday was one of those times.
Cubs TV broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly noticed things that the White Sox crew did not. And vice versa.
While Sox analyst Darrin Jackson initially figured that Carlos Zambrano was griping about balls and strikes in the third inning, but Brenly quickly realized that home plate umpire Joe West had penalized Big Z for going to his mouth.
The Cubs’ duo also noted that first baseman Mark DeRosa had a rubber band on his right hand to hold some padding in place.
The Sox guys, though, made two key observations in the fifth. Hawk Harrelson said that after Zambrano’s final warmup pitch, West went ahead and fired the ball down to second base. No word on whether the ump threw a strike.
And after Tadahito Iguchi fouled a pitch to the on-deck circle, A.J. Pierzynski swung at it and knocked it back to catcher Michael Barrett, his former sparring partner.
“Just another way to get noticed,” Jackson said of Pierzynski. “I tell you, he just couldn’t let it go.”
Said Harrelson: “I’ve been in this game for 48 years and I’ve just seen two things I’d never seen before — in one inning.”
What else did Harrelson & Co. see Sunday? Let’s compare some of the calls.
Bottom of the first
Action: Daryle Ward singles home Angel Pagan with a blooper to right.
Harrelson: “A little duck-snort.”
Brenly: “Those big, strong hitters have a way to make a pitcher’s pitch into a hitter’s pitch.”
Comment: Just call it a big, strong duck-snort.
Top of the second
Action: Left fielder Alfonso Soriano allows Rob Mackowiak’s foul pop to fall without much of an effort.
Harrelson: “Soriano misreading that one.”
Jackson: “Big-time.”
Kasper: “Boy, oh, boy. Soriano seemed to give up on that ball.”
Brenly: “Just a couple more steps at the speed he was going, and he could have been in position to make the catch. Hopefully that won’t hurt the Cubs.”
Comment: Oh, it hurt all right. Imagine dropping a dumbbell on your big toe. Mackowiak singled and the Sox scored twice in the inning.
Bottom of the eighth
Action: Ozzie Guillen visits the mound after David Aardsma walks Pagan with an eight-run lead.
Harrelson: “Ozzie is giving him something very positive to think about. Some of those conversations that happen on the mound are priceless.”
Jackson: “Sometimes I wish I could have been an infielder just for that.”
Kasper: “This might be one of those Lou Piniella-like visits.”
Brenly: “Yeah, I don’t think this is about mechanics.” Kasper: “I want festival seating for this one.”
Comment: Who’d sell more tickets, Ozzie Guillen or Ozzy Osbourne?
Bottom of the ninth
Action: Cliff Floyd goes around on strike three and argues with West, who ejects him.
Harrelson: “If Cliff feels that way, get it off your chest.”
Brenly: “I think Cliff’s argument is: At least get some help. You’d like to think that the home plate umpire is focused on the pitch and can’t really see the ball. Awww, here we go. Yeah, follow the guy all the way back to the dugout and then throw him out of the game. That’s ridiculous.”
Comment: Spoken like a former manager.
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tgreenstein@tribune.com
