Published: July 26, 2009 12:36 am      

You had to see Laffey’s gem to enjoy it

Don’t know if you have access to MLB Extra Innings on satellite TV in your home or where everybody knows your name, but for those of us who are fortunate enough to have some access to it, we were doubly fortunate to be able to watch the absolute gem pitched Friday night by Cleveland Indians lefthander Aaron Laffey.

Laffey had a career-high seven strikeouts in seven innings, as the Indians escaped last place in the American League Central for the fourth time this season with a 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Facing Seattle for the second time since the All-Star break, Laffey (4-2, 3.71) retired the last 13 men he faced and faced the minimum number of hitters over his last 6-1/3 innings, striking out four of the last seven hitters he faced. He gave up just three hits and three walks, using a season-high 106 pitches.

Catcher Victor Martinez said, “That's as good as I've seen him. He was having trouble throwing the sinker for strikes in the first inning. I called for the slider and that helped him find his release point for his fastball.

“He was there tonight from the first pitch to the last.”

And so were many of Aaron’s friends, thanks to MLB Extra Innings and to the very generous local business proprietor who has been kind enough to make it available to all of us so we have the chance to follow Aaron’s career.

By the way, speaking of television — cable television, that is — I’ve come to grips that no other sports programing will ever be available on my vacant channel 37, where Comcast SportsNet was once located. I’ve come to grips that we folks here in Western Maryland are losing out on once-valued coverage of the University of Maryland and other enjoyable Baltimore-Washington metro sports programming because we have to have more Pennsylvania stations so there is never any doubt about any of the Pittsburgh Steelers games being televised.

Ah. Funny we should mention the Steelers. Please refresh my memory, if you will. Who was that team the Steelers beat in the AFC Championship game last season?

That’s right. It was the Baltimore (Maryland) Ravens whose games are viewed here in the Cumberland area on Baltimore’s WJZ, channel 13, an affiliate of CBS.

For quite some time, though, every time I turn to channel 13 — maybe to watch a little something I like to call the news — I see these words on my screen: “WJZ IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE DUE TO ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE DIGITAL TRANSITION. THANK YOU!”

You’re welcome. I enjoy being a sucker.

Now we all have issues we must contend with in day-to-day living; I understand this. So I’m willing to be understanding about the lack of a channel 13 for now.

There better, however, be something to watch on channel 13 — namely WJZ out of Baltimore — by the time the NFL season begins, or I and many other increasingly disgruntled viewers will have to look elsewhere, perhaps permanently, for the Ravens games.

Rudderless?

The Washington Post reports associates of pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the first overall selection in the June draft, have expressed concern to Washington Nationals managing principal owner Ted Lerner about what the source called a “rudderless” organization.

You think? Interim general manager, interim manager, ’62 Mets-like performances on the field, a brief history of ineptitude in signing its top draft pick, a federal investigation over whether scouts and executives accepted kickbacks from bonuses that were originally promised to Latin American signees, late rent payments to the District of Columbia, a top sports executive in place who is basically ignored by tightwad ownership?

I don’t know where Strasburg’s people are getting their information, but what would possibly lead them to believe the Nationals are a rudderless organization?

The Nats have until Aug. 17 to sign Strasburg, who is being advised by super agent Scott Boras, which in itself will make things difficult. If they fail to sign their No. 1 draft pick — for the second year in a row — they would receive a 2010 compensatory pick to go along with their regular first-round pick, meaning the Nationals would likely have the top two picks in next year’s draft. But for them to select Strasburg again, they would have to have his permission.

Think that’s going to happen?

Let’s see, I spent a year in St. Paul, Minnesota playing independent ball because you wouldn’t sign me last year ... Sure, go ahead and draft me again. I love icefishing in June.

No. I don’t think that’s going to happen, either.

Thus, in next year’s draft, Strasburg would be available to be selected by the next team, potentially the San Diego Padres. And, oh yes, Strasburg was raised in San Diego and attended San Diego State.

So, you really believe the Washington Nationals are going to sign Stephen Strasburg?

I do, too. The Easter Bunny told me they would the other day while I was at Santa Claus’ house.

Mike Burke is sports editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Write to him at mburke@times-news.com