Semifinals

[rutt]

Last night's game was as exciting as any MLB game I've ever seen. The A's had the worst record in regular season play, 2 and 12.



But they heated up in the playoffs and lost only to the the Devil Rays, making it all the way to the semifinals.

The Expos were 7 and 7 in the regular season, a solid middle of the pack team.



But they have toughend up in the post season. On Tuesday evening they beat my son's Diamondbacks, and last night they beat the Braves. Both games were tied in the sixth inning, so you can see how competitive these playoff games have been.

After 4 innings, it was A's 4, Expos 2. The Expos fans were worried.



The playoffs have been grueling and both team's pitchers were running on fumes.





By the 4th, the Expos' pitcher regained his control.



And they really focused at bat.



And evened the score in the bottom of the 5th.





Now the Expos' defense really came together and they retired the A's 123 in the top of the 6th.



Bottom of the 6th. The As' defense was determined.





The As' fans held their breath.



And you could cut the tension in the dugout with a knife.



But the Expos were wanting it real bad.



Base hit, then a steal and now there was a runner on second with 2 out.
This kid really wanted to go.



A grounder got through up the middle and he took off.



Could he make it? Rounding third. Gonna be close.


But the outfielder wasn't fast enough and he knew he would make it.



The Expos made the finals!







Now they have to beat the horrible (wonderful) Devil Rays twice to win the championship (Saturday and maybe Sunday.) Meanwhile, the Devil Rays have rested since Wednesday and will pitch Sam on Saturday. Sam has a 76 mph fast ball, remember?



Go Expos!

[ginger_55]

I like the one where "they really focused at bat", I think, it is the one where the hitter is focused on the ball, or the pitcher, who is in the photo. It shows, to me, a relationship between the two. I am either the worst, or the best, of critics, as I don't like baseball at all. But I can be impressed by a darn good photo, but not easily. I also like the group shots, the horizontals. Funny, you mentioned in another post that you are usually ready in the vertical position, that people are vertical. I am just the opposite. Due to the influence of television and movie screens, I see first off in the horizontal position. It is a matter of speed to turn my camera around, lol. ginger

[rutt]

Originally Posted by ginger_55

I like the one where "they really focused at bat", I think, it is the one where the hitter is focused on the ball, or the pitcher, who is in the photo. It shows, to me, a relationship between the two.

This one is growing on me, too. It needs a little "post", but shows the intensity of this game.

Originally Posted by ginger_55

I am either the worst, or the best, of critics, as I don't like baseball at all. But I can be impressed by a darn good photo, but not easily.

Thank you, Ginger! I've notice that you are hard to please. Believe it or not, I don't really love baseball either. But I've come to love this level of baseball (middle school Little League). The kids are mature enough to focus, some of them have become quite good, the games are friendly but competetive. There is still room for the kids who aren't so good (at least around here; my son is mediocre at best, but had a blast this year and made good friends both with his teammates and coaches. I've heard many little league stories that weren't so happy.)

Originally Posted by ginger_55

I also like the group shots, the horizontals. Funny, you mentioned in another post that you are usually ready in the vertical position, that people are vertical. I am just the opposite. Due to the influence of television and movie screens, I see first off in the horizontal position. It is a matter of speed to turn my camera around, lol. ginger

It was easy to get the camera turned for the group shots in this post. Plenty of time for that. (When you are trying to shoot action, everthing else seems to slow down.) But I have zillions (ok, maybe 10s) of examples
where I missed the action shot I wanted because the camera was horizontal. I suppose it has to become a reflex, not something you do with your concious brain at all. I've seen pros shooting at Red Sox games and they are constantly rotating their cameras at the same time they aim those incredible huge super teles on monopods at shots that last only 100ths of a second. Pretty awesome what years of parctice can accomplish. (I know a Zen story that makes this point, but I'll post only by popular demand.)

Why, oh why, aren't digital sensors square like medium format? Hasselblad had the right idea. The lens throws a circular image. Inscribe a square in the circle and you are getting all the image you can from your expensive lens. Add lots of resolution and you can always crop later to make orientation. Then you concetrate on getting the shots and decide about orentation later when there is time.

Innteresting, I don't have a TV and don't love movies. So maybe that's part of why vertical works better for me.