Twist and Shout

Twist and Shout
Life is never straight (Joey Kulkin photo)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Vignettes from Vermont: Happ'enstance


BENNINGTON -- The Tampa Bay Rays broadcast team of Dewayne Staats, Brian Anderson and Todd Kalas put on a masterful display of near-silence in the dramatic few minutes after Rays hitter Desmond Jennings hit a liner off Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ's head.

Happ crumpled at the base of the mound and barely moved as the ball bounced and rolled down the right-field line. Yeah, it was one of those ricochets. Jennings sprinted to third.

Keith Cerniglia commented on a photo I posted on Facebook, of Happ on a stretcher: The Yahoo score read "Jennings triples to the pitcher."

A hush fell upon Tropicana Field as the other 8 Jays and several trainers rushed to the mound. Happ cupped his left ear and looked at the blood.

Staats, Anderson and Kalas were wonderful in keeping chatter to a bare minimum, going upward of 90 seconds without saying a word, while the FOX director utilized just about every camera at the Trop to show activity at the mound and the dramatic faces of players, coaches and fans. The announcers spoke only when they felt it necessary. Strong TV.

Happ left the field on a stretcher. As of 9 o'clock his status has not been reported.

Here's how it looked and here is the aftermath in smartphone photos ...


























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