Thursday, June 12, 2008
Hit by pitch with the bases loaded: the most exciting play in baseball
And it's even more exciting when it happens in the bottom of the 11th inning, thus becoming a walk-off hit by pitch, as it did in today's Braves-Cubs game.
I watched this game because Levi e-mailed me this morning to tell me that WGN was doing a "retro" telecast to commemorate their 60th anniversary of broadcasting Cubs games, in time for me to use DirecTV's web site to schedule my DVR to record it.
As it turned out, it was much less elaborate than when Fox gave the "retro" treatment to a Cubs-Dodgers game circa 2000. For the first two innings, WGN presented the game in black and white, with only a couple of camera angles; they also had their character generator on the simplest possible setting (white text only, but with a modern-day drop shadow), which continued through the entire game. And they used a cool "WGN 9 TV" logo that I hadn't seen before -- at least, I didn't recognize it from any of the old Chicago TV Guides I have in my collection.
Also, this was the AT&T poll (which should have been the "Bell System" poll, but I know it can be hard getting sponsors to go along with such things):
"Bikini" won in a landslide.
I watched this game because Levi e-mailed me this morning to tell me that WGN was doing a "retro" telecast to commemorate their 60th anniversary of broadcasting Cubs games, in time for me to use DirecTV's web site to schedule my DVR to record it.
As it turned out, it was much less elaborate than when Fox gave the "retro" treatment to a Cubs-Dodgers game circa 2000. For the first two innings, WGN presented the game in black and white, with only a couple of camera angles; they also had their character generator on the simplest possible setting (white text only, but with a modern-day drop shadow), which continued through the entire game. And they used a cool "WGN 9 TV" logo that I hadn't seen before -- at least, I didn't recognize it from any of the old Chicago TV Guides I have in my collection.
Also, this was the AT&T poll (which should have been the "Bell System" poll, but I know it can be hard getting sponsors to go along with such things):
Which of these new things are you enjoying the most?
A. Velcro
B. Vinyl 33-1/3 LP
C. Bikini
D. Scrabble
E. NASCAR
"Bikini" won in a landslide.
Labels: braves, cubs, directv, tv
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
And you thought those those scenes of Charlie Brown's clothes flying off were exaggerated
A ball from Jeff Bennett nearly takes off Jason Michaels's vest. Video on Flickr.
Labels: braves, jason michaels, jeff bennett, pirates, uniforms
Monday, April 02, 2007
Opening Day 2007: Hour 3
12:00 -- Salsa, chips, and cheese -- lunch of champions!
12:07 -- Say what you will about TBS, I enjoy their "scorecard" graphics.
12:09 -- On WGN, they're interviewing Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, who at one point refers to baseball as "the industry," which is just a horrible way to refer to baseball, although I'm sure it feels like it from his perspective.
12:16 -- Hey, Ken Griffey Jr. is in right field for the Reds! He's still around?
12:17 -- The Reds catcher still has the old Mr. Redlegs design on his mask (well, the old new Mr. Redlegs design, without a mustache, which has now been replaced by the new old Mr. Redlegs design).
12:20 -- Ah, the Midwest!
12:25 -- Mrs. Owner of the Dodgers is being interviewed at hipster hangout named Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood, where I've been once. Various Dodgers people went to various establishments today to watch the game with the fans. Given the game action on the TVs in the background, I can tell that this interview is not airing live.
12:32 -- A woman with a loud and high-pitched voice is sitting very close to a microphone that TBS is using to capture crowd noise, and she's cheering for Tom Gordon: "Come on, Flash!"
12:41 -- At this moment, both the Braves-Phillies and Blue Jays-Tigers games are tied at 3 with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th.
12:44 -- At this moment, a cat has jumped onto my lap to watch her beloved Tigers.
12:49 -- Tigers and Blue Jays go into extra innings. The Braves-Phillies game already went into extra innings, while I wasn't paying attention.
12:54 -- Bud Selig is in the booth at the White Sox-Indians game. Hawk Harrelson tells him he's the best commissioner since 1959, with the late Bowie Kuhn second. Uh-huh.
12:57 -- W.B. Mason has helpfully added "Office Supplies" to their outfield wall advertising this year. Now we can assume that things there are just like they are at Dunder Mifflin, as seen on TV's "The Office."
12:07 -- Say what you will about TBS, I enjoy their "scorecard" graphics.
12:09 -- On WGN, they're interviewing Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, who at one point refers to baseball as "the industry," which is just a horrible way to refer to baseball, although I'm sure it feels like it from his perspective.
12:16 -- Hey, Ken Griffey Jr. is in right field for the Reds! He's still around?
12:17 -- The Reds catcher still has the old Mr. Redlegs design on his mask (well, the old new Mr. Redlegs design, without a mustache, which has now been replaced by the new old Mr. Redlegs design).
12:20 -- Ah, the Midwest!
12:25 -- Mrs. Owner of the Dodgers is being interviewed at hipster hangout named Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood, where I've been once. Various Dodgers people went to various establishments today to watch the game with the fans. Given the game action on the TVs in the background, I can tell that this interview is not airing live.
12:32 -- A woman with a loud and high-pitched voice is sitting very close to a microphone that TBS is using to capture crowd noise, and she's cheering for Tom Gordon: "Come on, Flash!"
12:41 -- At this moment, both the Braves-Phillies and Blue Jays-Tigers games are tied at 3 with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th.
12:44 -- At this moment, a cat has jumped onto my lap to watch her beloved Tigers.
12:49 -- Tigers and Blue Jays go into extra innings. The Braves-Phillies game already went into extra innings, while I wasn't paying attention.
12:54 -- Bud Selig is in the booth at the White Sox-Indians game. Hawk Harrelson tells him he's the best commissioner since 1959, with the late Bowie Kuhn second. Uh-huh.
12:57 -- W.B. Mason has helpfully added "Office Supplies" to their outfield wall advertising this year. Now we can assume that things there are just like they are at Dunder Mifflin, as seen on TV's "The Office."
Labels: bacon, blue jays, braves, bud selig, cubs, indians, jamie mccourt, ken griffey jr., ken harrelson, phillies, reds, tigers, tom gordon, white sox
Opening Day 2007: Hour 1
When Opening Day came around a year ago, I was unemployed with no immediate prospects. Within a month, I had been hired for a full-time temp job. And by the time the World Series rolled around, I was hired as an actual employee.
So it's clear that baseball is a force for good. Let's see what it can do for me this year.
10:00 -- Tampa Bay Devil Rays at New York Yankees (ESPN and YES)
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (TBS)
Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers (FSN Detroit)
Florida Marlins at Washington Nationals (MASN)
Time for everyone's pre-produced "Opening Day" intros.
10:05 -- The Tigers manage to get under way first.
10:06 -- The Blue Jays have the first at-bat of the season -- a walk.
10:08 -- And the Blue Jays steal against Ivan Rodriguez. This season is going great for the Tigers so far.
10:09 -- The Marlins steal third! Looks like this is going to be the Year of the Stolen Base, as the L.A. Times sort of predicted today.
10:11 -- Carl Crawford leads off for the Devil Rays with a hit against the Yankees.
10:12 -- Crawford steals second!
10:15 -- Rocco Baldelli, whose name is on the back of the Devil Rays T-shirt I'm wearing, hits to the warning track. The Yankees announcers say it could have been a home run if the humidity were lower today.
10:19 -- I have to go get my laundry out of the dryer. Meanwhile, things fall apart for the Devil Rays.
10:30 -- The Yankees score two runs, which the YES graphics briefly award to the Devil Rays.
10:40 -- Hey, it's Adrian Fenty, the mayor of Washington, D.C., in the stands at RFK Stadium, being interviewed with a radio mike that's not quite working properly.
10:49 -- The Devil Rays get their first run of 2007. First of many, I'm sure.
10:52 -- Not particularly baseball-related, but I get an automated phone call from the L.A. Times telling me that the "TV Times" section is being discontinued after next week, but I'll still be able to get TV listings online. They don't know I have a TiVo.
So it's clear that baseball is a force for good. Let's see what it can do for me this year.
10:00 -- Tampa Bay Devil Rays at New York Yankees (ESPN and YES)
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (TBS)
Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers (FSN Detroit)
Florida Marlins at Washington Nationals (MASN)
Time for everyone's pre-produced "Opening Day" intros.
10:05 -- The Tigers manage to get under way first.
10:06 -- The Blue Jays have the first at-bat of the season -- a walk.
10:08 -- And the Blue Jays steal against Ivan Rodriguez. This season is going great for the Tigers so far.
10:09 -- The Marlins steal third! Looks like this is going to be the Year of the Stolen Base, as the L.A. Times sort of predicted today.
10:11 -- Carl Crawford leads off for the Devil Rays with a hit against the Yankees.
10:12 -- Crawford steals second!
10:15 -- Rocco Baldelli, whose name is on the back of the Devil Rays T-shirt I'm wearing, hits to the warning track. The Yankees announcers say it could have been a home run if the humidity were lower today.
10:19 -- I have to go get my laundry out of the dryer. Meanwhile, things fall apart for the Devil Rays.
10:30 -- The Yankees score two runs, which the YES graphics briefly award to the Devil Rays.
10:40 -- Hey, it's Adrian Fenty, the mayor of Washington, D.C., in the stands at RFK Stadium, being interviewed with a radio mike that's not quite working properly.
10:49 -- The Devil Rays get their first run of 2007. First of many, I'm sure.
10:52 -- Not particularly baseball-related, but I get an automated phone call from the L.A. Times telling me that the "TV Times" section is being discontinued after next week, but I'll still be able to get TV listings online. They don't know I have a TiVo.
Labels: blue jays, braves, carl crawford, devil rays, ivan rodriguez, marlins, nationals, phillies, rocco baldelli, tigers, yankees
Monday, February 12, 2007
Wrigley Field has been around a long time
From YouTube, via the Uni Watch blog, here's six and a half minutes of home movie footage shot at Wrigley Field. It starts off with 1930 Flag Day ceremonies prior to a game against the Boston Braves, including the raising of a 1929 NL championship pennant, and then switches to 1929 World Series action against the Philadelphia A's (either Game 1 or Game 2, both of which were Cubs losses).
Labels: athletics, braves, cubs, youtube
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The new MLB TV contract
Well, TBS might as well be carrying the divisional series and the league championship series, given how often the Braves are featured.
Eight more years of baseball on Fox, and thus, eight more years of Tim McCarver!
Eight more years of baseball on Fox, and thus, eight more years of Tim McCarver!
Labels: braves, tim mccarver, tv
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Spring is here, I hear
The Vernal Equinox has passed. It's time for predictions.
Some ground rules:
1) Pick the Braves to win. Seriously. Just give up not doing so. I hate this rule, but if I'd followed it even once since 1991, I'd have picked better.
2) Pick the Royals for last.
3) If you're really inspired, list the order of finish for each division in each league. If you're lazy, pick each division winner and the wild card for each league.
4) Pick the MVP and Cy Young. Don't pick Rookie of the Year, unless you pay more attention to the minor leagues than I do.
5) As you do your calculations, remember that Operation Shutdown is, so far as I know, still in effect. The Pirates will not have the use of theservices of Derek Bell.
Play Ball, boys!*
*and girls. Girls are encouraged to post. Got lots of female friends who are rabid fans, don't want to slight 'em.
Some ground rules:
1) Pick the Braves to win. Seriously. Just give up not doing so. I hate this rule, but if I'd followed it even once since 1991, I'd have picked better.
2) Pick the Royals for last.
3) If you're really inspired, list the order of finish for each division in each league. If you're lazy, pick each division winner and the wild card for each league.
4) Pick the MVP and Cy Young. Don't pick Rookie of the Year, unless you pay more attention to the minor leagues than I do.
5) As you do your calculations, remember that Operation Shutdown is, so far as I know, still in effect. The Pirates will not have the use of theservices of Derek Bell.
Play Ball, boys!*
*and girls. Girls are encouraged to post. Got lots of female friends who are rabid fans, don't want to slight 'em.
Labels: braves, operation shutdown, predictions
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
2004 in Review, part 1
Now that things are finally a bit quieter at work, I'm finally going to do a season-ending wrap-up. And I've decided that the way to do it which will be the most fun for me is to pair bad and good things about the season and string them out over many, many posts until I get bored, or all of you get bored, or pitchers and catchers report. So here goes.
Bad:
The *#$)@&@#% Braves won their weak-ass division again. Remember at the All-Star Break, when Dan pointed out that the Braves' struggles in the first half were one of the good things about the 2004 season so far? Yeah. That was nice. But now they've won their division every year since 1991 (except for 1994, when this much better Expos team would have beaten them, had it not been for Bud Selig). The last time the Braves didn't win their division, I had just gotten my driver's license. Only true political junkies knew who Bill Clinton was. Bob Hope wasn't even 90 years old yet. John Smoltz's Abe Lincoln beard had just gone out of style, along with high, starched collars and medicinal leeching.
And they've done it with a constantly changing cast. Smoltz is the only Braves player who's been on every one of those teams. *#$)@&@#% Braves.
Good:
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays escaped the cellar for the first time in team history. And the American League's Eastern Division had a new order of finish for the first time since 1998.
Toby: Levi, Surely you are as outraged as I am that a Cardinal didn't win the MVP... Do you think having three legitimate candidates ended up hurting each of their chances?
Levi: I have to admit, Toby, that I think Bonds was the MVP. He was just that much better.
I am surprised that Beltre finished second, since both Edmonds and Pujols were better than he was, and Rolen was just as good.
Edmonds is the one I think got jobbed: in my view, he was the second-best player in baseball this year, hands-down. But he finishes a distant fifth.
Dan: Down the stretch I was pulling for Beltre, because he sure carried the Dodgers on their back (and as he was on my fantasy team, I was paying close attention). But when I put it all in perspective, the Giants are, really, a last-place team without Bonds. He's just killer. I don't like him, but he's just in another world.
Of course, I'm no Cardinals fan. So I didn't see which of they three were most deserving, were deserving at all, etc.
And I have my own issues with Jime. So I'd call Vlad or Tejada 2nd best, but that's just me.
Dan: OT: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/news/bal_news.jsp?ymd=20041111&content_id=912833&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp -- an update on the Orioles' owbn Stahl.
Levi: Dan, it sounds like you dated Jimmy Edmonds, or were roommates with him, or the Porsche he sold you was a lemon.
Or do you have other problems with him?
Dan: Did I never tell you the story about the "Jime" fan?
I was at the one 2000 NLCS game the Mets lost (or, to your POV, that the Cardinals won), at Shea. There was some dude who was being insanely annoying, strangely combative guy wearing a shirt he made that said JimE (with no spaces) and a big No. 15. Under that it said MVP. He was a real pain in the ass and we (Mets fans) gave him an earful. And our seats sucked, so we were all collectively edgy as it is.
So that's why I don't like Jim Edmonds -- or, Jime. Not a very good one, but at least there's SOME story behind it.
Oh, and he had sex with my sister.
-Dan
Bad:
The *#$)@&@#% Braves won their weak-ass division again. Remember at the All-Star Break, when Dan pointed out that the Braves' struggles in the first half were one of the good things about the 2004 season so far? Yeah. That was nice. But now they've won their division every year since 1991 (except for 1994, when this much better Expos team would have beaten them, had it not been for Bud Selig). The last time the Braves didn't win their division, I had just gotten my driver's license. Only true political junkies knew who Bill Clinton was. Bob Hope wasn't even 90 years old yet. John Smoltz's Abe Lincoln beard had just gone out of style, along with high, starched collars and medicinal leeching.
And they've done it with a constantly changing cast. Smoltz is the only Braves player who's been on every one of those teams. *#$)@&@#% Braves.
Good:
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays escaped the cellar for the first time in team history. And the American League's Eastern Division had a new order of finish for the first time since 1998.
Original comments...
Toby: Levi, Surely you are as outraged as I am that a Cardinal didn't win the MVP... Do you think having three legitimate candidates ended up hurting each of their chances?
Levi: I have to admit, Toby, that I think Bonds was the MVP. He was just that much better.
I am surprised that Beltre finished second, since both Edmonds and Pujols were better than he was, and Rolen was just as good.
Edmonds is the one I think got jobbed: in my view, he was the second-best player in baseball this year, hands-down. But he finishes a distant fifth.
Dan: Down the stretch I was pulling for Beltre, because he sure carried the Dodgers on their back (and as he was on my fantasy team, I was paying close attention). But when I put it all in perspective, the Giants are, really, a last-place team without Bonds. He's just killer. I don't like him, but he's just in another world.
Of course, I'm no Cardinals fan. So I didn't see which of they three were most deserving, were deserving at all, etc.
And I have my own issues with Jime. So I'd call Vlad or Tejada 2nd best, but that's just me.
Dan: OT: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/news/bal_news.jsp?ymd=20041111&content_id=912833&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp -- an update on the Orioles' owbn Stahl.
Levi: Dan, it sounds like you dated Jimmy Edmonds, or were roommates with him, or the Porsche he sold you was a lemon.
Or do you have other problems with him?
Dan: Did I never tell you the story about the "Jime" fan?
I was at the one 2000 NLCS game the Mets lost (or, to your POV, that the Cardinals won), at Shea. There was some dude who was being insanely annoying, strangely combative guy wearing a shirt he made that said JimE (with no spaces) and a big No. 15. Under that it said MVP. He was a real pain in the ass and we (Mets fans) gave him an earful. And our seats sucked, so we were all collectively edgy as it is.
So that's why I don't like Jim Edmonds -- or, Jime. Not a very good one, but at least there's SOME story behind it.
Oh, and he had sex with my sister.
-Dan
Labels: braves, devil rays
