1.   If this was baseball, the next hitter would have gotten a fastball to the temple.

2.   And the Orioles hitters were getting very impatient.

3.   A big hitter got a big hit.

4.   A good hitter got a home run off a good pitcher.

5.   A hitter may get a dozen swings in a game.

6.   Buhner, for one, can see a chance for hitters to maybe get a little revenge for all those nuclear third strikes Clemens used to throw.

7.   But nothing would speed the game up more than making hitters get to the plate promptly and stay in the box once they get there.

8.   But the right-handed hitter got only two at-bats, sitting down in favor of lefty Paul Sorrento when the Royals changed pitchers in the next inning.

9.   Even the hitters got into the act.

10.   He allowed a couple runs, but only a few hitters got a good piece of the ball.