The Closer: How Not To Intentionally Walk Someone

Notes from a day in baseball ...

• 1. Where Have You Gone Kelly Leak, A Nation Turns It's Lonely Eyes To You. Well, it's Friday, the day we ask the musical question: Can't the Orioles do anything right? For the record, we know that they can; it just wasn't evident against the Marlins. We take you now to the 10th inning, as Baltimore's Todd Williams tries to issue an intentional walk to Miguel Cabrera. Nothing unusual about that; Cabrera had been put on intentionally 14 times this season, second only to Barry Bonds. But in a scene we haven't witnessed since Little League (specific team: Chico's Bail Bonds), Cabrera reached out on one of the looping softball offerings and slapped it up the middle for a single, breaking a 5-5 tie, as Florida ended up winning 8-5. (Video via SportTech)

• 2. Make Way For Dr. K. We knew that Scott Kazmir rookie card was a wise investment. The Devils Rays' rookie, 22, became the youngst June nine-game winner since 1989 (Tom Gordon and John Smoltz), taking a two-hitter into the eighth in Tampa Bay's 4-1 win over the Diamondbacks.

• 3. We Hear He Also Wears The Mr. Met Costume Between Innings. If you are not year ready for "National League champion New York Mets," then how about "NL MVP David Wright."? Pedro Martinez won for the second time since April 28, and Wright (.338) had two homers and four RBI to lead New York past Cincinnati 6-2.

• 4. Somewhere, Bobby Knight Just Threw Up A Little. To illustrate the contrasting managerial styles of Ozzie Guillen and Grady Little, we give you this: Derek Lowe had just finished pitching the eighth inning for the Dodgers, and Little told him he was coming out. Lowe didn't want to. So Little shrugged and left him in, and Lowe completed a 4-2 win over the Mariners, his fifth straight winning decision.

• 5. This Is Baseball On A Whole Different Level. Some day they'll write poems about the '06 Royals and Pirates. Kansas City's 15-7 win over Pittsburgh on Friday featured 13 walks, two wild pitches, four errors, three hit batsmen and an 8-4-5 double play (don't ask).