For any of the lucky few that got to go to the game this morning, here are some random observatiosn...

Perhaps the others who went can chime in with some of their own.

* Paid five bucks and got a box seat toward the home plate end of the Bats dugout in the first row. I paid more for the dogs and lemonade than I did for the ticket and parking. Apparently, they run 2 for 1 promotions for these afternoon specials. WOOHOO!

* Homer was, in a word, unhittable. He allowed one hit in 5.2 innings, struck out 7. The one hit he allowed was a popped up bunt that went over his head and landed between the mound and the second base bag. Only two balls were hit out of the infield all day against him. Awesome performance.

The rumor that they started passing out ironing boards in the Columbus dugout was sadly false. It wouldn't have mattered.

Homer got lots of PFP during the game, and it did not all go so well. The first batter of the game, he committed two errors on the same play when he misfielded a bunt and threw it into the camera well behind first base. That runner scored.

Homer redeemed himself by getting that run back and tacking on another when he whipped a 2 run single.

Homer has a weird pigeon-toed batting stance. Front foot is angled in, and it looks like he has both heels almost off the ground.

Homer was dealing it. Fastball was clocked on the scoreboard at 96 in the 1st, 95 in the fifth, but he was working mostly in the 91-93 range. His breaking pitches were coming in at 76-78.

Speaking of the breaking pitches, he clearly needs some more work on them, but not as much as you might think. He started off a hitter with one for a strike, and threw more than a few others in there to keep them off stride. He did bounce a few, though.

* Joey Votto = professional hitter. They didn't want any part of him. Went 2 for 4 on the day with 2 R scored.

Earl Snyder = not a professional hitter. He looked baaaad on a couple of ABs there, but he did hit a 2 run jack before I left.

The 6-7-8 hitters for the Bats were not striking fear into anyone's hears. Their BAs were like .178, .144, .125.

Bellhorn can't hit for average in the monors, either. .244 was the gametime tale of the tape.

Maj came in and got the last hitter for Homer. I left during the 7th inning stretch, having seen all I came to see.

All in all, a great game. Glad I took the time to go see them!