A Team

LaTroy Hawkins wanted to take the blame.

“I didn’t do my job, plain and simple,” Hawkins told reporters after last night’s extra-inning loss in Baltimore. “I’m embarrassed. I made no good pitches. I made all terrible pitches. The guys, they played their butts off tonight, and I came in and let it go just like that.”

Hawkins shook his head and repeated:

“Just like that.”

But baseball games are never won or lost “Just like that.”

They are battles that go for hours. The games are sometimes pushed to 10 innings or 11 innings and then they end with one pitch. The man who throws that pitch usually takes the blame, but everyone shoulders the responsibility.

That’s why they’re called a team.