Something about the Dodgers’ championship run last year bothers Blake Snell.
asserted
Something → bother → Snell
“It’s always how you finish,” Snell said.
asserted
Snell → ’ → ?
Snell made two starts in the World Series a year ago, and he didn’t pitch well in either one.
asserted
he → make → one
The pair of losses robbed him of the satisfaction he felt after winning each of his three previous starts of that postseason.
asserted
he → rob → postseason
His only solace was that he contributed 1 ⅓ innings of relief against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series.
asserted
he → contribute → Series
Reminded that he couldn’t feel his fingers in the World Series, Snell revealed that was also the case in the previous round when he limited the Milwaukee Brewers to one hit over eight scoreless innings in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
“If I could do it in the CS,” he said, “I could have done it in the World Series.”
uncertain
I → remind → Series
Snell understands what’s at stake in October.
asserted
what → understand → October
Reputation.
Legacy.
And that matters to the 33-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner who will be entrusted by the Dodgers to save their season when he starts for them against the Brewers on Wednesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
asserted
he → matter → Series
Snell knows how the public views him.
asserted
public → know → him
He’s painfully aware that people think he’s a video-game-addicted slacker who emerges from hibernation in August to begin preparing for the playoffs.
asserted
who → ’ → playoffs
“It’s not like I’m just having surgery because I want to have surgery,” Snell told The California Post.
asserted
Snell → ’ → Post
“I want to pitch.
asserted
I → want → ?
I want to win Cy Youngs.”
asserted
I → want → Youngs
A year after he was sidelined for four months because of shoulder problems, Snell missed three months this season to recover from a procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow.
asserted
Snell → sideline → elbow
He said he feels misunderstood, disrespected even.
asserted
he → say → ?
He’s particularly offended by the perception that he doesn’t take baseball seriously.
asserted
he → offend → baseball
“When it comes to me as a pitcher, I know how good I am,” he said.
asserted
he → come → pitcher
“I haven’t been able to prove it as much (as I would like).
asserted
I → prove → it
It’s just short sample sizes, and that’s been the frustrating part.”
asserted
that → ’ → ?
He pointed to how he’s only made one All-Star team and that was as a replacement player.
asserted
that → point → player
“I’ve never been selected as an All-Star straight up,” he said.
asserted
he → select → Star
“That’s the craziest thing.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
I got selected when someone got hurt.
asserted
someone → select → ?
That’s not making the All-Star team.”
asserted
That → make → team
The son of a former minor-league pitcher and longtime coach, Snell said he would like for his baseball acumen to be as appreciated as his ability to throw a baseball.
asserted
acumen → say → baseball
“I just wish people would watch me pitch and then understand the work that I put into being a good pitcher, great pitcher, is a lot more than they’ve ever experienced or give me credit for,” he said.
asserted
he → wish → credit
“Because I watch the game, I understand the hitters.
asserted
I → watch → hitters
I understand who they are right now in the present.
asserted
they → understand → present
I understand who they are as a hitter.”
asserted
they → understand → hitter
He said he doesn’t just like baseball.
asserted
he → say → baseball
“Love it,” he said.
asserted
he → love → it
When he’s not training in the offseason, he said, he’s coaching players from the youth baseball program he founded.
asserted
he → train → program
“My offseason,” Snell said, “is baseball the whole time.”
asserted
Snell → say → ?
His long-term ambition is to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
asserted
ambition → elect → Fame
He also wants to pitch until he’s 45 years old.
asserted
he → want → ?
“I have a lot to do to make sure my body can hold,” Snell said.
asserted
Snell → have → lot
“The last two years, I’ve gotten 10 starts a year.
asserted
I → get → starts
That’s not Hall of Fame in my mind.
asserted
That → ’ → mind
How do I attack it?
asserted
I → attack → it
How do I get my body right?
asserted
body → get → ?
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
