BARRY LAMINACK
Hard Knocks: It's become easy to root for Baker Mayfield
Aug 30, 2018, 7:57 am
Baker Mayfield is becoming a star on Hard Knocks. Joe Robbins/Getty Images
To borrow a phrase from my grandfather:
“DADGUMMIT”!
Dadgummit Hard Knocks! Stop making me like players/coaches that I don't want to like!
In 2015 it was Bill O’Brien.
Last year it was Jameis Winston.
This year?
Baker Mayfield.
Before I watched this season’s Hard Knocks, Training Camp with the Cleveland Browns I wasn’t a big Baker Mayfield guy. Maybe it was because he reminded me (almost too much) of Johnny Manziel, both on and off the field. Maybe I was letting my Aggie fandom, and thus my dislike for OU, cloud my judgment? Whatever the reason, I have never felt invested enough to see him succeed...until now.
I have to admit that after seeing him on Hard Knocks these past few weeks, and getting a peek into what he’s like on and off the field, I’m actually rooting for the guy to succeed. Sure it might be the magic of editing, but to me he's checking all the boxes of a guy you would root for.
Wants to win, no matter what? Check.
Plays the game “the right way”? Check.
Tough, smart and ultra-competitive? Check, check, and check.
So, will this love affair last?
Probably not.
I'm already back to not caring about Jameis Winston, and if you’ve listened to my show at all you know I’m not the biggest fan of Bill O’Brien (especially when it comes to him dealing with reporters).
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go press my orange and white number 6 jersey.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.