Paying Tribute to the Greatest Game Show Ever*
Snow days and sick days.
Somehow, The Price is Right survived even though only bad weather or feeling under the weather prompted me to watch.
Growing up, it was must-watch on weekdays when you happened to be home at 11 AM. And it was always a special treat since being available at that time was not an everyday thing.
Bob Barker was consistently brilliant, while Drew Carey was an excellent host of the American version of “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” As for Carey on “The Price Is Right,” he seems to be slightly miscast, but alas, I don’t get snow days or sick days anymore so it does not bother me quite so much.
*The asterisk was necessary because I truly believe it is the greatest MORNING game show ever. Jeopardy (with OR without Trebek’s ‘stache) has to be #1, right? And “Press Your Luck” the orginal being the greatest dumb game show, only because of the ahead of its time Whammy graphic generation. (For what it’s worth, SNL’s “Secret Word” gets points for Hader’s hosting, but loses many more points for Wiig’s over-the-top theatrics. Just my opinion.)
*****
The price is absolutely right for today’s series opener against Winston-Salem, with Matt Barnes set to make his sixth start for the Salem Sox and the cost of admission being just a dollar. Following yesterday’s 12-1 demolition over Myrtle (Listen to the highlights here), the Sox hope that Barnes can bounce back from his shortest Carolina League outing yet (4 IP last Wednesday in Lynchburg) and knock off the team that dealt him his only loss.
They say that the Carolina League is about adjustments, with only seven other teams that you play 20 times each over the course of the season. Well, this is Barnes’ third start against Winston-Salem in one month at this level. He struck out 12 Dash in six super innings in his debut on May 5, and he took the tough-luck loss in a 1-zip setback on May 24. How will he adjust to the league’s second-best offense (after Salem) and how will the Winston hitters adapt to his arsenal?
We’ll find out at 7:05 tonight…
With apologies to Plinko-lovers, “The Price Is Right” themed game notes are below…
Always helping to control the pet population,
Evan
*****
June 4, 2012 7:05 PM Winston-Salem Dash (33-22) vs Salem Red Sox (31-23) Game #55
LewisGale Field Salem, VA Home Game #28
Probable Starters: RHP Matt Heidenreich (4-1, 4.02) vs RHP Matt Barnes (2-1, 1.93)
The Price Is Right: It’s another Roanoke Times Dollar Monday at LewisGale Field, giving fans a chance to attend tonight’s pivotal Southern Division ballgame for just a buck with a coupon from the Roanoke Times or Roanoke.com. The Sox and Dash have split their first six meetings this season, with each club winning two out of three on its home field. The Dash possess a game and a half lead in the standings with two weeks remaining in the first half. Salem has never won a first-half Southern Division title since joining the division in 1993. The last first-half crown for Salem came as a member of the Northern Division in 1988. Carolina League All Stars that year included Scott Cooper, Bernie Williams, and Kent Mercker.
Showcase Showdown: Rather than spinning a wheel and searching for a buck, spend a dollar to enter the gates and watch the premier pitching matchup in game one of this crucial four-game series. Matt Barnes and Matt Heidenreich go head-to-head for the second time, just 11 days since Heidenreich outdueled Barnes in Winston’s 1-0 victory on May 24. Barnes has far superior numbers on the year, as he currently is 4-1 with a 1.15 ERA—2nd-best in the minors— between Greenville and Salem. Barnes’ WHIP of 0.75 is #1 in the minors and his strikeout total (78 in 54.2 IP) is tied for fifth. Heidenreich has permitted 14 runs in his last two starts, but has owned Salem in two starts, going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA against the Sox.
Barker’s Beauty: On “Bark in the Park” Sunday, the pups in attendance were treated to one of Salem’s finest offensive performances of the season. While the Sox fell one run and two hits shy of those respective season highs, the eight doubles and ten extra-base hits were 2012 bests. Also of note was the dispersal of the offense, with 11 different players (nine starters and two defensive replacements) recording hits. Travis Shaw, Xander Bogaerts, and Michael Almanzar led the way with three knocks apiece.
Now….Or Then: One year ago on June 4, Michael Almanzar was batting just .192 with 32 hits on the season. He was demoted to Low-A in late June with a .182 average (40-for-220) in 61 games. Now, Almanzar is enjoying the best run of his pro career. Riding a 10-game hitting streak, the 21-year-old third baseman is batting .312 (54-for-173) with 16 doubles and three homers. He only managed eight doubles and two homers in the Carolina League last year. Since May 25, Almanzar is batting .486 (18-for-37) with four doubles, one homer, and seven RBI. Perhaps more impressively, he’s only struck out four times and has walked three times.
“Come On Down”: Salem probably won’t hit .347 for the entire month of June, but for the first three days, it isn’t bad. The Sox recorded 51 hits in the four-game, three-day series against Myrtle Beach, including 24 for extra-bases. In contrast, Salem had 72 extra-base hits in the entire month of April, only three times greater than Salem’s three-day total to begin the month with a bang offensively. Salem’s season average of .283 is tops in the league. With 132 doubles, Salem is 14 ahead of Winston’s second highest total in the circuit.
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