Reaction to the First Left-Handed Home Run of the Pirates' Season

The first Pirate home run by a left-handed batter was hit last night in Arizona.  First baseman Garrett “G.I.” Jones hit a solo home run in the top of the 8th inning to extend the Pirates’ lead to 5-3 over the Diamondbacks.

Wanted a video, but it's not on Youtube yet.
So, this is all there is.

Jones seems to be that sort of power hitter. He rarely hits a home run with runners on base.  This may be because it seems to be somewhat difficult for Pirates’ hitters to get on base in front of the team’s power hitters. 

Regardless, I have always thought of G.I. Jones as “Mr. Solo Homer.”  The unofficial nickname came to be in 2009, his rookie season, when he hit a walk-off home run in extra innings.  Some drunk hipsters started chanting “Solo homer” when Jones came up to bat.  The chant spread throughout PNC Park, and Jones delivered what the crowd had been asking for.  

I walked past the hipsters on my way out of the stadium and one girl said, “Did you see what just happened?  It’s all because of us.  We started ‘Solo homer.’  And it happened.”

Typical hipster, always taking credit for something before it is cool.

Let’s go Bucs! 

Left-Handed Supergroup: The Bassist

Guess who?  Who else would this supergroup’s bassist be?  Sir Paul McCartney, bassist and singer for the legendary Beatles.

I remember when my dad pointed out to me that McCartney strummed the strings with his left hand.  It was an infomercial for a Beatles’ compilation and the spot used some music videos.  I didn’t care at the time because the picture was in black and white, and I just considered that to be too old for me to like.

If I could go back in time I would slap myself.

In addition to the hundreds of awards he has won throughout his career, with the Beatles and as a solo artist, McCartney was the last member of the group to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

I’m sorry what?  Last?  I mean second I can understand because of John Lennon’s assassination, but last?  I don’t think that’s right, but I digress.

Anyway, this will be the last Beatles question mark for the supergroup as both Lennon and George Harrison were right-handed guitarists.

Left-Handed Supergroup: The Drummer

Left-handed musicians have always interested me.  I played the violin (right-handed because it was the only way my music teacher would teach me) from the age of 9 until I graduated from high school.  I started thinking about a hypothetical supergroup consisting of lefty musicians.  The supergroup would have 4 members in it.  While I realize this group may not make much sense, since the musicians didn't all play the same style of music or peak in popularity at the same time, keep in mind this is just for fun.

The band’s drummer would be Phil Collins, the legendary drummer / singer of progressive, art rock group Genesis.

Throughout his career, Collins has won 7 Grammy Awards, 3 American Music Awards, an Academy Award, and 2 Golden Globe Awards, among numerous others.  And don’t forget, he wrote and performed the songs for Disney’s Tarzan.    

Now, what made the decision tough was the fact that legendary Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr is a left-hander.  But, Starr plays a right-handed drum kit.  I didn’t want to include lefties that play right-handed instruments.  I also didn’t want to include more than one person from a band.  (A hint at another member of the supergroup?)

Waving the Magic Wand(y)...With the Left Hand

I am a die-hard Pittsburgh Pirates fan, even though the team hasn't made a playoff appearance, let alone had winning season, since I was 9-months-old.  Here is a left-handed recap of tonight’s Pirate game:

Pittsburgh got its first win of the MLB season tonight.  Left-hander Wandy Rodriguez pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Pirates defeated the Cubs 3-0.

Starter Wandy Rodriguez

Left-handed hitting right fielder Garrett Jones singled in the bottom of the 4th inning, and scored, what was ultimately the winning run, after center fielder Andrew McCutchen (he's not a lefty, but had to mention him) doubled in the next at-bat.

Right fielder Garrett Jones

Left-handed reliever Tony Watson came into the game in the 7th after Rodriguez got into a 2-out-bases-loaded jam, and got the final out of the inning.  Watson had a (very rare) plate appearance in the bottom of the 7th inning, after short stop Clint Barmes hit a ground-rule double, and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Barmes to third base.  Barmes later scored on a Starling Marte single to put the Bucs up 3-0.

Relief pitcher Tony Watson

Closer Jason Grilli came in to save the game and secure the shutout and the win for Rodriguez.

Raise the Jolly Roger!

A Left-Hander's Pen

Smudge marks on my hand make me crazy.  Fortunately, left-handed pens are sold.  The most common left-handed pen that comes up when you do a Google image search is one with a curved neck.

Is it Photoshopped?

These type of pens allow you to keep your hand elevated, while still being able to see what you are writing.  The ink is supposed to dry faster, too.  You can buy a 2-pack of Maped Visio pens for $7.50 at LeftysLeftHand.com.  

In my opinion, the lefty pen is a cool concept, but this version has an awkward design to it.  Also, I feel like you can get a 10-pack (or maybe even more) of normal pens for just about the same price, without having to order them online.  There's got to be a regular pen with fast-drying ink, right?

What do you think?  Will you try it?  If you’re right-handed, would you want to try it? 

Another Typing Post

This time the keyboard picture was taken
from the right side.

“Stewardesses” is the longest word that can be typed using only the left hand.

What is the longest word that can be typed using only the right hand?

I don’t know.  I could look it up, but that’s not what this blog is for.

Anyone else want to figure it out (Google it)?  Let me know what the word is, or at least what you think the word is, in the comments.

Hey, I Can Do That

I found this fact from Leftys.com: Left-handers are generally more capable of using their right hand for tasks than right-handers are using their left.

In my opinion this bit of trivia is true.  I write with my left-hand, but I can use either hand when I use silverware or scissors or brush my teeth.  But athletically, especially when playing wiffleball or softball, I throw with my right hand and bat right-handed.  I know for a fact that I am not the only lefty whose dominant hand was their right hand in sports.  All the left-handers in my Spanish 5 class in 12th grade, also played sports right-handed.  We had a very deep conversation that day (not in Spanish, ironically).  

However, I know of one case where the opposite is true (righty capable of using the left hand).  Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez throws right-handed, but he bats left-handed.  This comes in handy (no pun intended) at PNC Park because the distance from home plate to the right field wall is shorter than the distance to the left field wall, and left-handed batters tend to hit most of their home runs to right field.