Corco, We Owe Each Other A Beer.

Considering how many posts we've seen here from someone other than me, I'm not sure if Corco and Citizen K are still around these parts, but I do know they're very much alive (click their names if you don't believe me). I'd like to hear CK's take on Everett's signing, since something tells me this isn't exactly the type of guy CK really wants on the team. I'd be very surprised if he even knows about it, though, with his succombing to the Seahawks' ideology and all -- for good reason, of course. But, then, I digress...

Corco and I had the pleasure of attending the last Rainiers game of the season, sitting smack dab behind home plate. It was Game 4 of the PCL title game, and although we got there in the 5th inning (due to Corco's plane landing in the middle of rush hour traffic -- er, um, I mean landing at Sea-Tac during the time in which I-5 traffic is, well, difficult), we nearly got our 9 innings in.

The Rainiers were down in the series 3-0 and needed the victory to avoid being swept. They were down in the game when PositivePaul's favorite current M's minor leaguer TJ Bohn tied the ball game with a double in the 7th. The Rainiers battled the Nashville Sounds, while the guy behind us kept shouting "Knox -- YER OUT!" to Ryan Knox (who was called out at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch in th 5th -- just as Corco and Paul were arriving), and PositivePaul was acting Corco's age by serenading Corey Hart with "I Wear my Sunglasses At Night" and Steve Scarborough with the Simon & Garfunkel classic "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" every time both of them reached the on-deck circle. It really was a good duel, until the 13th.

Andrew Lorraine came in to relieve Sean Green. A-Cab's throwing error might've thrown Lorraine off, though it likely will surprise no one that he walked the next batter (Tony Zuniga). Of course, he could've just as easily been distracted by my yelling "Hey Lorraine -- Ya better get this guy out, 'cause Baek's warming up. Ya don't want Baek to finish it for ya!" Whatever the reason, there were now two on for the hottest hitter in the PCL, Nelson Cruz. Sure enough, Rohn (in a move that still baffles me to this day, but shouldn't be surprising with Rohn's interesting style of making sure he uses 4-5 pitchers in every game) brought in Baek.

I forget how many pitches it took, but (to borrow from Darth Sidious, aka Emporer Palpatine) everything proceeded exactly as I'd forseen. Baek gave up the 3-run HR that eventually cost the Rainiers the game. And the PCL title. And the season. I don't know if that was more fitting, though, than a bloated Bucky's pinch-hit strikeout to really end the game (with Justin Leone on).

As we stood up from our seats, we turned to each other and (I'm not sure who initiated it, but we both were thinking the same thing) said "Baek will be one of the first DFA's of the offseason". Well, we were wrong -- there were others that went first -- but still, to make a long story short, we both got our wish today. Baek has finally been DFA'd, to make room for Carl Everett.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't want to be arrested for providing alcohol to a minor. Since I have neither the cash nor the vacation leave to fly to Germany (where the drinking age is more relaxed) when you finally turn 21, Corco, we will settle this mutual debt :-)