We Surrender

The Cardinals played the ninth game of their ten game homestand today as they head into the all-star break. Every single game of this homestand was played in 100+ degree temperatures and before today every game but one was over 3 hours long. The game that wasn't 3 hours long went 2:54. This has been one of the most difficult if not the most difficult homestand to televise in my 25 years of Cardinals baseball. Lousy baseball teamed with super uncomfortable hot weather can really wear on a TV crew. The camera operators bear the brunt of the heat as they are outside but the whole crew is affected. The last out in today's game/telecast was was completed in 2:29 which was really a blessing. However, after the first two batters were retired the next two had basehits. So here we were in the TV truck - faced with a possible quick game, with the tying run on second and the lead run on first and a full count on the batter. Our color analyst pointed out that with the runners off with the pitch (because of the 2-out full count) it would be impossible to throw the lead runner out at the plate. Someone stated "They are going to tie this thing up." At that point the attitude in the TV truck was "if they do, they do." Usually the TV crew is eagerly anticipating the final out. Not today....we surrendered. The batter fouled out and the game was over. No cheers from the truck. Just a big sigh of relief.