A Josh Johnson Slider You Can Just Keep Watching

by
August 26, 2012

All things considered — or just, like, one thing considered — Marlins right-hander Josh Johnson had rather a poor game Saturday night (box). He pitched only three innings, for example, but conceded two homers. And also ten hits, he allowed. And also six runs.

Another thing that happened in the game was very newly acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a home run in his inaugural Dodger plate appearance. And Andre Ethier went 4-for-4. And Clayton Kershaw struck out — as he does — struck out over a quarter of the batters he faced.

All of which is to suggest that there’s no shortage of readymade narratives for Saturday night’s Dodger victory over the Marlins. And yet, for those right-thinking readers whose main concern is to isolate moments of breathless and conspicuous genius, the story of the game might very well be Josh Johnson’s first-inning slider to Hanley Ramirez.

This first-inning slider, in fact:





 

Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.

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MikeS
11 years ago

All mark and humor aside, it strikes me that one of the beautiful things about baseball is that this one pitch, no matter how magnificent, could be negated if Johnson hangs the next one and Ramirez goes yard. In that instance, if not for Cistulli, this moment would be lost. Like tears in the rain.

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Bryz
11 years ago
Reply to  MikeS

Except it was a full count, and that slider struck out Hanley.

Hooray baseball!

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