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
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Also in attendance
At tonight's Cubs game, though I didn't notice it, both Stacey and our friend Becky assured me that the message board between innings at one point read:
I don't think he was in our section.
The Chicago Cubs welcome Smellosaurus Rex
I don't think he was in our section.
Labels: cubs, Smellosaurus Rex
Monday, April 09, 2007
Wrigley Field
As I'm about to head out into the cold and show to enjoy yet another Opening Day at Wrigley Field, I thought it would be appropriate to point out Michael Barrett's thoughts about the future of the ballpark.
The Tribune asked him, and some other Cubs, about the ballpark because of the uncertainty created by impending new ownership. Barrett, it turns out, thinks the ballpark should stay exactly the same.
The same, that is, except for one little improvement:
Well, that should be easy enough.
The Tribune asked him, and some other Cubs, about the ballpark because of the uncertainty created by impending new ownership. Barrett, it turns out, thinks the ballpark should stay exactly the same.
The same, that is, except for one little improvement:
"Ideally, especially for this time of year, you'd like to see a dome put on the outside of it," Barrett said. "Don't change anything about Wrigley Field. Just reinforce it and have a dome covering it."
Well, that should be easy enough.
Labels: cubs, Michael Barrett, Opening Day, Tribune, Wrigley Field
Monday, April 02, 2007
Opening Day 2007: Hour 5
2:00 -- Unfortunately, there are only two games going on right now. Or maybe it's fortunate, so I can follow each one better.
2:06 -- So if there exists a baseball-themed ad for Esurance.com, why did I see their basketball-themed ad several times already today during other baseball games?
2:15 -- DirecTV is offering a fight on Saturday night on pay-per-view for $24.95, "or," as the announcer says, "as part of your regular Showtime subscription." Showtime is $12 per month, with only a one-month-at-a-time commitment.
2:19 -- The Aflac trivia question on NESN is "Other than Schilling, Martinez, and Clemens, who was the last Sox pitcher with back-to-back Opening Day starts?" If you have to qualify it that much, perhaps you should find another way to ask the question, or perhaps you should ask a different question.
2:20 -- You can tell it's a little windy in Kansas City when the fountain water gets blown into the shot from the centerfield cameras.
2:23 -- Hey, it's a pinball-themed Pepsi commercial, which makes me want to play pinball more than it makes me want to drink Pepsi.
2:26 -- I happen to see on the ESPN ticker that the Tribune Company is going to be getting rid of the Cubs at the end of the season. So let me be the first to predict a World Series victory in 2008. Yes, for the 100th anniversary of the last one.
2:30 -- The answer to that trivia question is Dennis Eckersley, who pitched on back-to-back Opening Days in 1982 and 1983 -- actually, he was the Opening Day starter from 1979 through 1983.
2:34 -- NESN's score bar is bugging me because the number of outs isn't right next to the inning count. As far as I'm concerned, the number of outs is very closely related to the inning count. Compare ESPN's version, which is better.
You can also see the batter a lot better on ESPN, at the cost of the grass looking really, really bright.
2:49 -- Eric Byrnes of the Diamondbacks makes a throw from right field with such force that he winds up doing a somersault. It's very impressive.
2:54 -- Apparently, the fountains at Kaufmann Stadium were "worked on" over the winter, so it's no wonder they're getting in the way of the camera shots.
2:59 -- Southwest Airlines has new nonstop service from Denver to Tampa starting in May. Except they say "Tampa Bay" in the commercial, which would seem to indicate that they're using a floatplane, given that Tampa Bay is a body of water. I think I complained about this last year, but this time I have a screenshot as evidence.
2:06 -- So if there exists a baseball-themed ad for Esurance.com, why did I see their basketball-themed ad several times already today during other baseball games?
2:15 -- DirecTV is offering a fight on Saturday night on pay-per-view for $24.95, "or," as the announcer says, "as part of your regular Showtime subscription." Showtime is $12 per month, with only a one-month-at-a-time commitment.
2:19 -- The Aflac trivia question on NESN is "Other than Schilling, Martinez, and Clemens, who was the last Sox pitcher with back-to-back Opening Day starts?" If you have to qualify it that much, perhaps you should find another way to ask the question, or perhaps you should ask a different question.
2:20 -- You can tell it's a little windy in Kansas City when the fountain water gets blown into the shot from the centerfield cameras.
2:23 -- Hey, it's a pinball-themed Pepsi commercial, which makes me want to play pinball more than it makes me want to drink Pepsi.
2:26 -- I happen to see on the ESPN ticker that the Tribune Company is going to be getting rid of the Cubs at the end of the season. So let me be the first to predict a World Series victory in 2008. Yes, for the 100th anniversary of the last one.
2:30 -- The answer to that trivia question is Dennis Eckersley, who pitched on back-to-back Opening Days in 1982 and 1983 -- actually, he was the Opening Day starter from 1979 through 1983.
2:34 -- NESN's score bar is bugging me because the number of outs isn't right next to the inning count. As far as I'm concerned, the number of outs is very closely related to the inning count. Compare ESPN's version, which is better.
You can also see the batter a lot better on ESPN, at the cost of the grass looking really, really bright.
2:49 -- Eric Byrnes of the Diamondbacks makes a throw from right field with such force that he winds up doing a somersault. It's very impressive.
2:54 -- Apparently, the fountains at Kaufmann Stadium were "worked on" over the winter, so it's no wonder they're getting in the way of the camera shots.
2:59 -- Southwest Airlines has new nonstop service from Denver to Tampa starting in May. Except they say "Tampa Bay" in the commercial, which would seem to indicate that they're using a floatplane, given that Tampa Bay is a body of water. I think I complained about this last year, but this time I have a screenshot as evidence.
Labels: cubs, curt schilling, dennis eckersley, diamondbacks, eric byrnes, kauffman stadium, southwest airlines
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 2
11:00 -- Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds (ESPN 2, WGN, and FSN Ohio)
L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers (FSN Prime Ticket)
Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
11:01 -- Vin Scully! "And a pleasant good day to you wherever you may be." Now it really is baseball season.
11:13 -- Hey, a new family movie starring Ice Cube! Looks about as good as the Devil Rays.
11:15 -- There sure are a lot of car commercials on YES. But I thought no one in New York drove.
11:19 -- The Blue Jays caps have a "T" instead of a "J," I notice. Too bad, because I liked the "J." Maybe that's still the home cap.
11:21 -- Two female fans in the upper deck of Comerica Park are interviewed. One of them refers to it as "Tiger Stadium" and is quickly corrected by the interviewer.
11:24 -- Since the Reds are wearing their new mustachioed Mr. Redlegs patches, perhaps they should all have grown mustaches to match.
11:25 -- The Superstation WGN Scoreboard graphic has a problem, I say.
I contend that "Sponsored By:" should either be right-justified so it's against the sponsor graphic, or that graphic should say "Sponsored by Scotts" (which would work fine even with the graphic there on the right).
11:29 -- C.C. Sabathia looks a little large.
11:31 -- The White Sox announcers start talking about how one should not judge a book by its cover when it comes to C.C. Sabathia. I guess I've been properly chastised! However, Darin Erstad promptly hit a 2-run homer off him to pull the White Sox to within 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st.
11:37 -- Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley is in the stands at U.S. Cellular Field, but does not have to be interviewed by someone with a radio mike.
11:39 -- The Yankees infield has been a bit error-prone today, which has helped the Devil Rays tie.
11:40 -- First appearance of Joe Maddon, coming out for an explanation from the umpire about a player being called out on a bunt that hits him in fair territory.
11:42 -- Rocco Baldelli hits an RBI single, and the Devil Rays are leading.
11:44 -- Amtrak -- the Washington Nationals of transportation!
11:49 -- Hey, Dr. Cox from "Scrubs" is in that movie with Ice Cube. Well, John C. McGinley, I mean. I assume he's not playing the same character he plays on "Scrubs." Not to be confused with John C. Reilly, who is not to be confused with Andy Richter, who is not to be confused with John Candy.
11:54 -- Comcast SportsNet's "Scores on the Fours" should perhaps be renamed "Scores on Most But Not All of the Fours."
L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers (FSN Prime Ticket)
Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
11:01 -- Vin Scully! "And a pleasant good day to you wherever you may be." Now it really is baseball season.
11:13 -- Hey, a new family movie starring Ice Cube! Looks about as good as the Devil Rays.
11:15 -- There sure are a lot of car commercials on YES. But I thought no one in New York drove.
11:19 -- The Blue Jays caps have a "T" instead of a "J," I notice. Too bad, because I liked the "J." Maybe that's still the home cap.
11:21 -- Two female fans in the upper deck of Comerica Park are interviewed. One of them refers to it as "Tiger Stadium" and is quickly corrected by the interviewer.
11:24 -- Since the Reds are wearing their new mustachioed Mr. Redlegs patches, perhaps they should all have grown mustaches to match.
11:25 -- The Superstation WGN Scoreboard graphic has a problem, I say.
I contend that "Sponsored By:" should either be right-justified so it's against the sponsor graphic, or that graphic should say "Sponsored by Scotts" (which would work fine even with the graphic there on the right).
11:29 -- C.C. Sabathia looks a little large.
11:31 -- The White Sox announcers start talking about how one should not judge a book by its cover when it comes to C.C. Sabathia. I guess I've been properly chastised! However, Darin Erstad promptly hit a 2-run homer off him to pull the White Sox to within 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st.
11:37 -- Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley is in the stands at U.S. Cellular Field, but does not have to be interviewed by someone with a radio mike.
11:39 -- The Yankees infield has been a bit error-prone today, which has helped the Devil Rays tie.
11:40 -- First appearance of Joe Maddon, coming out for an explanation from the umpire about a player being called out on a bunt that hits him in fair territory.
11:42 -- Rocco Baldelli hits an RBI single, and the Devil Rays are leading.
11:44 -- Amtrak -- the Washington Nationals of transportation!
11:49 -- Hey, Dr. Cox from "Scrubs" is in that movie with Ice Cube. Well, John C. McGinley, I mean. I assume he's not playing the same character he plays on "Scrubs." Not to be confused with John C. Reilly, who is not to be confused with Andy Richter, who is not to be confused with John Candy.
11:54 -- Comcast SportsNet's "Scores on the Fours" should perhaps be renamed "Scores on Most But Not All of the Fours."
Labels: amtrak, brewers, c.c. sabathia, cubs, darin erstad, devil rays, dodgers, indians, joe maddon, nationals, reds, richard m. daley, rocco baldelli, vin scully, white sox, yankees
Thursday, March 29, 2007
The predictions
Yes, my Sports Illustrated baseball preview issue arrived a week ago, but their predictions were printed on a dark green background in white text that came out a little blurry in my copy. And that's why it's taken me so long to post these!
Also, I realize I haven't yet used Bill James's quick-and-dirty prediction formula as I've done previously.
The biggest surprise in the Sports Illustrated predictions is the position of the Cubs, but I guess that's the eternal optimism for you.
Their World Series pick is for a freeway series, Angels over the Dodgers. Incidentally, they've changed the parking procedures at Dodger Stadium this year (and raised the parking rate from $10 to $15 in the process), so any late-arriving fans can be ascribed to the parking attendants not knowing what they're doing, rather than the usual apathy.
My schedule is clear for Monday and MLB Extra Innings will definitely be on DirecTV, if nowhere else, so I'm ready for another year of Opening Day blogging.
(Note primarily to myself for future reference: here's how I fixed the problem with the table.)
Also, I realize I haven't yet used Bill James's quick-and-dirty prediction formula as I've done previously.
| Sports Illustrated | Bill James formula |
| AL East | |
| 1. N.Y. Yankees | 1. N.Y. Yankees (96-66) |
| 2. Boston Red Sox | 2. Boston Red Sox (89-73) |
| 3. Toronto Blue Jays | 3. Toronto Blue Jays (85-77) |
| 4. Baltimore Orioles | 4. Baltimore Orioles (71-91) |
| 5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays | 5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (63-99) |
| AL Central | |
| 1. Cleveland Indians | 1. Chicago White Sox (93-69) |
| 2. Detroit Tigers | 2. Minnesota Twins (92-70) |
| 3. Chicago White Sox | 3. Detroit Tigers (87-75) |
| 4. Minnesota Twins | 4. Cleveland Indians (83-79) |
| 5. Kansas City Royals | 5. Kansas City Royals (60-102) |
| AL West | |
| 1. L.A. Angels | 1. L.A. Angels (91-71) |
| 2. Oakland Athletics | 1. Oakland Athletics (91-71) |
| 3. Texas Rangers | 3. Texas Rangers (80-82) |
| 4. Seattle Mariners | 4. Seattle Mariners (75-87) |
| NL East | |
| 1. N.Y. Mets | 1. N.Y. Mets (92-70) |
| 2. Atlanta Braves | 2. Philadelphia Phillies (86-76) |
| 3. Philadelphia Phillies | 3. Atlanta Braves (83-79) |
| 4. Florida Marlins | 4. Florida Marlins (80-82) |
| 5. Washington Nationals | 5. Washington Nationals (74-88) |
| NL Central | |
| 1. St. Louis Cardinals | 1. St. Louis Cardinals (89-73) |
| 2. Chicago Cubs | 2. Houston Astros (84-78) |
| 3. Milwaukee Brewers | 3. Cincinnati Reds (78-84) |
| 4. Houston Astros | 4. Milwaukee Brewers (77-85) |
| 5. Pittsburgh Pirates | 5. Chicago Cubs (70-92) |
| 6. Cincinnati Reds | 6. Pittsburgh Pirates (67-95) |
| NL West | |
| 1. L.A. Dodgers | 1. San Diego Padres (86-76) |
| 2. Arizona Diamondbacks | 2. L.A. Dodgers (82-80) |
| 3. San Diego Padres | 3. Arizona Diamondbacks (76-86) |
| 4. Colorado Rockies | 3. San Francisco Giants (76-86) |
| 5. San Francisco Giants | 5. Colorado Rockies (73-89) |
The biggest surprise in the Sports Illustrated predictions is the position of the Cubs, but I guess that's the eternal optimism for you.
Their World Series pick is for a freeway series, Angels over the Dodgers. Incidentally, they've changed the parking procedures at Dodger Stadium this year (and raised the parking rate from $10 to $15 in the process), so any late-arriving fans can be ascribed to the parking attendants not knowing what they're doing, rather than the usual apathy.
My schedule is clear for Monday and MLB Extra Innings will definitely be on DirecTV, if nowhere else, so I'm ready for another year of Opening Day blogging.
(Note primarily to myself for future reference: here's how I fixed the problem with the table.)
Labels: bill james, cubs, dodgers, predictions, sports illustrated
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
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Losing baseball
Some notes from last night's Cubs-Pirates game, which featured the two worst teams in the league performing a sloppy "After you"/"No, I insist"/"No, no, you first"/"Well, if you insist, I'll muff this bunt" routine to see who would get the privilege of losing:
1) In my shoulder bag was a grocery sack of sage from Stacey's garden for my seatmate, Michelle. The bag inspector at the gate looked at it askance.
BI: "What's that?"
Me: Sage."
BI:"What?"
Me: "Sage. It's from a garden, for my seatmate."
BI: "What?"
Me: "Sage."
BI:"Like you put on food?"
Me:"Yeah. You can smell it."
[BI Smells it. Makes a face.]
BI: "I'm gonna have to ask about this."
Me: [Astonished] "You're kidding. Really. You're not serious."
BI: "I am, too."
She called her manager over, he took one look at it and, presumably deciding that I could neither blow up the stadium with it nor injure anyone by throwing it at them, waved me into the park.
2) During the game, the season ticket holders who sit in my section--those who bothered to attend, that is--had a discussion of whether this is the worst Cubs team we've had to watch. I've been attending games at Wrigley Field since 1993, and I've had season tickets since 1999, and I, like all the rest, weighed in with a resounding "Yes." You could argue that the 1997 team was worse, but it at least had Sammy Sosa doing his strikeout/homer/strikeout routine. This team didn't even have Derrek Lee for most of the year, and Ryan Theriot's remarkable mustache can only go so far towards making up for such bad baseball.
3) The good thing about the Cubs suffering through their third straight disappointing (and second straight flat-out bad) season is that the fair-weather fans are starting to see the storm clouds. The announced attendance for last night's game was only 32,000 or so, way down from the 40,000+ the Cubs were drawing earlier in the year. But I'd be surprised if the actual attendance was half that. In the center field bleachers the night before, the cameramen had shown a guy stretched out flat, sleeping, and he could have easily reprised his nap in any section of the bleachers last night. Meanwhile, there were only about five beer vendors working the whole of the upper deck, and nary a Super Ropes guy in sight.
It's kinda nice to be able to stretch out a little again. It reminds me of the wonderful days of 1997, pre-Kerry Wood and that first wild card run, when you could decide to go to the game day of, with three or four friends, buy upper deck tickets and sit pretty much anywhere.
So for all you folks who love Wrigley Field but have given up on attending in recent years--I'm looking at you, Bob and Luke--this is your warning: the glory days may soon be back. Start practicing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."
4) Then, in the 8th of what had been a forgettable ballgame, Matt Capps hung a curve to Derrek Lee, who immediately reminded him of why his pitching coach had advised against such behavior. It was a beautiful night in a beautiful ballpark, and that moment was a good reminder of why we were there.
1) In my shoulder bag was a grocery sack of sage from Stacey's garden for my seatmate, Michelle. The bag inspector at the gate looked at it askance.
BI: "What's that?"
Me: Sage."
BI:"What?"
Me: "Sage. It's from a garden, for my seatmate."
BI: "What?"
Me: "Sage."
BI:"Like you put on food?"
Me:"Yeah. You can smell it."
[BI Smells it. Makes a face.]
BI: "I'm gonna have to ask about this."
Me: [Astonished] "You're kidding. Really. You're not serious."
BI: "I am, too."
She called her manager over, he took one look at it and, presumably deciding that I could neither blow up the stadium with it nor injure anyone by throwing it at them, waved me into the park.
2) During the game, the season ticket holders who sit in my section--those who bothered to attend, that is--had a discussion of whether this is the worst Cubs team we've had to watch. I've been attending games at Wrigley Field since 1993, and I've had season tickets since 1999, and I, like all the rest, weighed in with a resounding "Yes." You could argue that the 1997 team was worse, but it at least had Sammy Sosa doing his strikeout/homer/strikeout routine. This team didn't even have Derrek Lee for most of the year, and Ryan Theriot's remarkable mustache can only go so far towards making up for such bad baseball.
3) The good thing about the Cubs suffering through their third straight disappointing (and second straight flat-out bad) season is that the fair-weather fans are starting to see the storm clouds. The announced attendance for last night's game was only 32,000 or so, way down from the 40,000+ the Cubs were drawing earlier in the year. But I'd be surprised if the actual attendance was half that. In the center field bleachers the night before, the cameramen had shown a guy stretched out flat, sleeping, and he could have easily reprised his nap in any section of the bleachers last night. Meanwhile, there were only about five beer vendors working the whole of the upper deck, and nary a Super Ropes guy in sight.
It's kinda nice to be able to stretch out a little again. It reminds me of the wonderful days of 1997, pre-Kerry Wood and that first wild card run, when you could decide to go to the game day of, with three or four friends, buy upper deck tickets and sit pretty much anywhere.
So for all you folks who love Wrigley Field but have given up on attending in recent years--I'm looking at you, Bob and Luke--this is your warning: the glory days may soon be back. Start practicing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."
4) Then, in the 8th of what had been a forgettable ballgame, Matt Capps hung a curve to Derrek Lee, who immediately reminded him of why his pitching coach had advised against such behavior. It was a beautiful night in a beautiful ballpark, and that moment was a good reminder of why we were there.
Labels: cubs, derrek lee, matt capps, pirates, ryan theriot, security theater, Wrigley Field
Monday, August 28, 2006
Gary Bennett, the gods have chosen to smile on thee
After Gary Bennett's out-of-nowhere performance against the Cubs this weekend (.700/.750/.833, with a homer and a game-winning single Saturday and a game-winning grand slam Sunday night), I hope each player on the Cardinals roster--including the guys on the DL--bought him a stiff drink last night.
And then I hope he staggered around the bar, drunk as a lord, shouting, "Don't you mess with me--I'm freaking Mike Piazza!"
And then I hope he staggered around the bar, drunk as a lord, shouting, "Don't you mess with me--I'm freaking Mike Piazza!"
Labels: Cardinals, cubs, gary bennett, mike piazza
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Fun at the old ballpark
Seconds ago, as I was sitting in my kitchen editing a post for my other blog, listening to the Cubs play the Rockies, I heard the following exchange between Pat Hughes, Ron Santo, and a surprise mystery guest:
That's why I listen to the Cubs even when they're 48-67.
Pat Hughes: Colorado has eight runs on twelve hits and one error, though I think the scorer might change that one.
Ron Santo: Yeah, I think he might.
Official Scorer (in background): I'm not gonna change it.
That's why I listen to the Cubs even when they're 48-67.
Labels: cubs, pat hughes, radio, rockies, ron santo
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Notes on a gray Saturday
1) On the broadcast of today's Cubs/Padres game:
Pat Hughes: Be careful with this guy, Ron: he spells his name Cla--no "y," but it's pronounced "Clay." I thought it was a mistake. It disturbed me. I couldn't sleep last night. These things are important.
Ron Santo: You're bothered a lot of the time, aren't you?
Pat Hughes: Can't you tell?
2) Cardnilly heard two people in the stands at Busch Stadium talking about Juan Encarnacion:
3) Operation Shutdown may be over, unless Derek Bell can talk the judicial system into letting him continue his workless protest.
4) Pedro has a green thumb. Now if only he'd grow out his hair again, I could wholeheartedly root for him.
5) Congratulations to Jim, who made the 600th post to this blog earlier in the week.
Pat Hughes: Be careful with this guy, Ron: he spells his name Cla--no "y," but it's pronounced "Clay." I thought it was a mistake. It disturbed me. I couldn't sleep last night. These things are important.
Ron Santo: You're bothered a lot of the time, aren't you?
Pat Hughes: Can't you tell?
2) Cardnilly heard two people in the stands at Busch Stadium talking about Juan Encarnacion:
Inmate-looking guy [re-emerging from the concourse]: Say, who hit that last home run?
Mildly frightened bystander: Oh, one of the new guys. I forget his name…
ILG: Was it Incarceration?
MFB: Yep. That was the guy.
3) Operation Shutdown may be over, unless Derek Bell can talk the judicial system into letting him continue his workless protest.
4) Pedro has a green thumb. Now if only he'd grow out his hair again, I could wholeheartedly root for him.
5) Congratulations to Jim, who made the 600th post to this blog earlier in the week.
Labels: cubs, juan incarnacion, operation shutdown, padres, pat hughes, pedro martinez, ron santo
Thursday, April 20, 2006
My first game of 2006
Yes, Dodger Stadium has new seats this season, in lovely pastel colors which really do look like they're from 1962. They also renumbered the seats, so that instead of having aisle numbers, with seats starting at "1" on one side and "101" on the other side, the reserved level now has section numbers like a normal stadium. (Things were even weirder on the field and loge levels, with one row letter covering two rows, one with seat numbers increasing and the other with seat numbers decreasing -- presumably, that situation has been dealt with as well.)
Yes, quite a few Chicagoites will show up at Dodger Stadium when the Cubs are in town, wearing the world's cutest baseball cap...
Someone near us had a radio, so I know that Vin Scully described 6-foot-7 Cubs pitcher Sean Marshall as "a tall drink of water"...
This game had something for everyone, from bone-jarring collisions to wildly errant throws. Best of all, though, is the fact that the Dodger Stadium music selection committee has provided the world with a new, particularly appropriate song to play for bases on balls: Tegan and Sara's "Walking with a Ghost," in the form of the White Stripes' cover version. Why is it particularly appropriate? Because walks haunt.
Labels: cubs, dodger stadium, dodgers, game report, music, walks haunt
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Do not adjust your set
Levi was at the Cardinals-Cubs game today. I watched the Comcast SportsNet broadcast from home.
Levi had to watch the Cardinals not score any runs in the top of the 9th inning and lose 3-2, but I saw something else instead of the last two outs...
I remember being impressed back in 1989 that ABC had a slide specifically reading "World Series" at the ready to throw up on screen when they lost their feed from San Francisco. As you can see, Comcast SportsNet is not as classy as ABC. (And no wonder they're experiencing technical difficulties -- their cnntrol room looks blurry and smeared.)
Levi had to watch the Cardinals not score any runs in the top of the 9th inning and lose 3-2, but I saw something else instead of the last two outs...
I remember being impressed back in 1989 that ABC had a slide specifically reading "World Series" at the ready to throw up on screen when they lost their feed from San Francisco. As you can see, Comcast SportsNet is not as classy as ABC. (And no wonder they're experiencing technical difficulties -- their cnntrol room looks blurry and smeared.)
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Jacque!
Cardinals fans have spent the past couple of weeks worrying that the Cardinals might, as rumor had it, sign Jacque Jones from the Twins. Jacque Jones is not a very good baseball player, and he was destined to be overpaid.
So the Cubs signed him! For three years! For $16 million!
Dan Szymborski of Baseballprimer.com has a hilarious analysis of the signing at their Transaction Oracle. I can't figure out how to permalink to the post, so you should go here, then scroll down just a bit until you find the Jones signing. It's worth it.
So the Cubs signed him! For three years! For $16 million!
Dan Szymborski of Baseballprimer.com has a hilarious analysis of the signing at their Transaction Oracle. I can't figure out how to permalink to the post, so you should go here, then scroll down just a bit until you find the Jones signing. It's worth it.
Labels: Cardinals, cubs, jacque jones, twins
Thursday, October 27, 2005
In the news
In addition to today's front pages, newseum.org has newspaper front pages from certain historic dates since they've been collecting front pages.
Here are the newspapers in the U.S. that ran a front-page news photo relating to the White Sox's win today, October 27, 2005 (as opposed to a photo used in a referral box at the top of the page or down the side): Arizona Daily Star (Tucson); Los Angeles Times; The Record (Stockton, CA); San Diego Union-Tribune; Ventura County Star; Denver Post; Rocky Mountain News; Hartford Courant; The Ledger (Lakeland, FL); Augusta Chronicle (Georgia); Chicago Sun-Times; Chicago Tribune; Daily Herald (Chicago); Peoria Journal-Star; Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL); Rockford Register-Star; The Times (Munster, IN); Quad City Times (Davenport, IA); St. Louis Post-Dispatch (with the special added bonus of Weatherbird wearing a Sox shirt); Las Vegas Review-Journal; The Press (Atlantic City, NJ); New York Times; Albany Times-Union; Columbus Dispatch (Ohio); The Morning Call (Allentown, PA); Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Jackson Sun (Tennessee); Abilene Reporter-News; Austin American-Statesman; Corpus Christi Caller-Times; Dallas Morning News; Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Houston Chronicle; Rumbo (various Texas cities); San Antonio Express-News; San Angelo Standard-Times; Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City); USA Today; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and The Post-Crescent (Appleton, WI).
Now, here's the list for the Red Sox from Thursday, October 28, 2004: Anniston Star (Alabama); Anchorage Daily News; Daily News (Los Angeles); Los Angeles Times; Oakland Tribune; Record Searchlight (Redding, CA); Sacramento Bee; San Diego Union-Tribune; San Francisco Chronicle; Fresno Bee; The Press-Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA); Ventura County Star; Rocky Mountain News; The Gazette (Colorado Springs); The Day (New London, CT); Hartford Courant; Norwich Bulletin (Connecticut); Record-Journal (Meriden, CT); Republican-American (Waterbury, CT); Washington Post; Charlotte Sun (Florida); The Ledger (Lakeland, FL); Miami Herald; The News-Press (Ft. Myers, FL); El Nuevo Herald (Miami); Palm Beach Post; St. Petersburg Times; Bradenton Herald (Florida); Augusta Chronicle (Georgia); Honolulu Advertiser; Idaho Statesman (Boise); Chicago Sun-Times; Chicago Tribune; Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL); Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA); Portland Press-Herald (Maine); Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME); The Sun (Baltimore, MD); Boston Globe; The Enterprise (Brockton, MA); The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA); The Sun (Lowell, MA); Kalamazoo Gazette; Pioneer Press (St. Paul, MN); Springfield News-Leader (Missouri); St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Las Vegas Review-Journal; Reno Gazette-Journal; Concord Monitor (New Hampshire); The Telegraph (Nashua, NH); Union Leader (Manchester, NH); The Press (Atlantic City, NJ); The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ); Albuquerque Journal; Buffalo News; Hoy (New York, NY); New York Sun; New York Times; Post-Standard (Syracuse); Poughkeepsie Journal; Times Herald-Record (Middletown, NY); Albany Times-Union; Charlotte Observer; News & Observer (Raleigh, NC); News & Record (Greensboro, NC); Winston-Salem Journal; Cincinnati Enquirer; Columbus Dispatch (Ohio); Dayton Daily News; Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH); Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK); Beaver County Times (Pennsylvania); Tribune-Review (Greensburg, PA); Philadelphia Inquirer; Morning Call (Allentown, PA); Providence Journal; Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN); Abilene Reporter-News; Al Día (Dallas, TX); Amarillo Globe-News; Austin American-Statesman; Beaumont Enterprise; Dallas Morning News; Fort Worth Star-Telegram; San Antonio Express-News; The Monitor (McAllen, TX); Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX); Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City, UT); Salt Lake Tribune; Rutland Herald (Vermont); Culpeper Star-Exponent (Virginia); Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA); News Leader (Staunton, VA); Richmond Times-Dispatch; USA Today; Olympian (Olympia, WA); Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA); Columbian (Vancouver, WA); Charleston Gazette (West Virginia); Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and The Post-Crescent (Appleton, WI).
I had a point, but after typing all those in, I forget exactly what it was. Something about the Red Sox list being longer and it being evidence of what a well-publicized "curse" can do for you. Oh, and I also want to note that both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times used the same front-page headline for the White Sox victory ("Believe It!") -- so now that they've both used that, what do they do when the Cubs win? Actually, there may not be such a thing as newspapers by the time the Cubs win.
Here are the newspapers in the U.S. that ran a front-page news photo relating to the White Sox's win today, October 27, 2005 (as opposed to a photo used in a referral box at the top of the page or down the side): Arizona Daily Star (Tucson); Los Angeles Times; The Record (Stockton, CA); San Diego Union-Tribune; Ventura County Star; Denver Post; Rocky Mountain News; Hartford Courant; The Ledger (Lakeland, FL); Augusta Chronicle (Georgia); Chicago Sun-Times; Chicago Tribune; Daily Herald (Chicago); Peoria Journal-Star; Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL); Rockford Register-Star; The Times (Munster, IN); Quad City Times (Davenport, IA); St. Louis Post-Dispatch (with the special added bonus of Weatherbird wearing a Sox shirt); Las Vegas Review-Journal; The Press (Atlantic City, NJ); New York Times; Albany Times-Union; Columbus Dispatch (Ohio); The Morning Call (Allentown, PA); Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Jackson Sun (Tennessee); Abilene Reporter-News; Austin American-Statesman; Corpus Christi Caller-Times; Dallas Morning News; Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Houston Chronicle; Rumbo (various Texas cities); San Antonio Express-News; San Angelo Standard-Times; Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City); USA Today; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and The Post-Crescent (Appleton, WI).
Now, here's the list for the Red Sox from Thursday, October 28, 2004: Anniston Star (Alabama); Anchorage Daily News; Daily News (Los Angeles); Los Angeles Times; Oakland Tribune; Record Searchlight (Redding, CA); Sacramento Bee; San Diego Union-Tribune; San Francisco Chronicle; Fresno Bee; The Press-Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA); Ventura County Star; Rocky Mountain News; The Gazette (Colorado Springs); The Day (New London, CT); Hartford Courant; Norwich Bulletin (Connecticut); Record-Journal (Meriden, CT); Republican-American (Waterbury, CT); Washington Post; Charlotte Sun (Florida); The Ledger (Lakeland, FL); Miami Herald; The News-Press (Ft. Myers, FL); El Nuevo Herald (Miami); Palm Beach Post; St. Petersburg Times; Bradenton Herald (Florida); Augusta Chronicle (Georgia); Honolulu Advertiser; Idaho Statesman (Boise); Chicago Sun-Times; Chicago Tribune; Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL); Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA); Portland Press-Herald (Maine); Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME); The Sun (Baltimore, MD); Boston Globe; The Enterprise (Brockton, MA); The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA); The Sun (Lowell, MA); Kalamazoo Gazette; Pioneer Press (St. Paul, MN); Springfield News-Leader (Missouri); St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Las Vegas Review-Journal; Reno Gazette-Journal; Concord Monitor (New Hampshire); The Telegraph (Nashua, NH); Union Leader (Manchester, NH); The Press (Atlantic City, NJ); The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ); Albuquerque Journal; Buffalo News; Hoy (New York, NY); New York Sun; New York Times; Post-Standard (Syracuse); Poughkeepsie Journal; Times Herald-Record (Middletown, NY); Albany Times-Union; Charlotte Observer; News & Observer (Raleigh, NC); News & Record (Greensboro, NC); Winston-Salem Journal; Cincinnati Enquirer; Columbus Dispatch (Ohio); Dayton Daily News; Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH); Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK); Beaver County Times (Pennsylvania); Tribune-Review (Greensburg, PA); Philadelphia Inquirer; Morning Call (Allentown, PA); Providence Journal; Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN); Abilene Reporter-News; Al Día (Dallas, TX); Amarillo Globe-News; Austin American-Statesman; Beaumont Enterprise; Dallas Morning News; Fort Worth Star-Telegram; San Antonio Express-News; The Monitor (McAllen, TX); Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX); Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City, UT); Salt Lake Tribune; Rutland Herald (Vermont); Culpeper Star-Exponent (Virginia); Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA); News Leader (Staunton, VA); Richmond Times-Dispatch; USA Today; Olympian (Olympia, WA); Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA); Columbian (Vancouver, WA); Charleston Gazette (West Virginia); Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and The Post-Crescent (Appleton, WI).
I had a point, but after typing all those in, I forget exactly what it was. Something about the Red Sox list being longer and it being evidence of what a well-publicized "curse" can do for you. Oh, and I also want to note that both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times used the same front-page headline for the White Sox victory ("Believe It!") -- so now that they've both used that, what do they do when the Cubs win? Actually, there may not be such a thing as newspapers by the time the Cubs win.
Labels: cubs, red sox, white sox
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Good thing the Cubs didn't make the playoffs
Nomar Garciaparra has had plenty of time to hang around at home just in case someone falls into Boston Harbor.
Labels: boston, cubs, nomar garciaparra
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Holy cow!
Actual quote from an e-mail from my father: "Better you should have never been born, than to post something good about
Harry Caray." Obviously, I can't resist now. Bill James on Harry Caray, from the 1985 Baseball Abstract:
Dad, you'll be pleased to know that Bill James lost me somewhere around "Vince Scully." Surprised he didn't also refer to "Melvin Allen." Also, it seems Milo Hamilton must have run over his dog or something.
Another quibble is that broadcasters don't go into the Hall of Fame per se, they just win the Ford Frick Award. Harry Caray won in 1989, and despite Bill James's best efforts, Milo Hamilton won in 1992.
Harry Caray." Obviously, I can't resist now. Bill James on Harry Caray, from the 1985 Baseball Abstract:
Cable television has arrived to the distant Balkan outland that I call home, and I have been watching Harry Caray whenever I get the time. It's the first significant exposure to Harry that I've had in fifteen years, and I realize with a sense of shock how much of my own attitude about the game and about my profession, which I thought I had found by myself, I may in fact have picked up from hundreds of hours of listening to Harry Caray as a child.
Or perhaps it is a false pride, but I love Harry Caray. You have to understand what Harry Caray was to the Midwest in my childhood. In the years when baseball stopped at the Mississippi, KMOX radio built a network of stations across the midwest and into the Far West that brought major league baseball into every little urb across the landscape. Harry's remarkable talents and enthusiasm were the spearhead of their efforts, and forged a link between the Cardinals and the midwest that remains to this day; even now, some of my neighbors are Cardinal fans.
This effect covers a huge area and encompasses millions of people, many times as many people as live in New York. A Harry Caray-for-the-Hall-of-Fame debate is in progress. To us, to hear New Yorkers or Californians suggest that Harry Caray might not be worthy of the honors given to Mel Allen or Vince Scully is a) almost comically ignorant, sort of like hearing a midwesterner suggest that the Statue of Liberty was never of any real national significance and should be turned into scrap metal, and b) personally offensive. That Harry should have to wait in line behind these wonderful men but comparatively insignificant figures is, beyond any question, an egregious example of the regional bias of the nation's media.
But besides that, the man is really good. His unflagging enthusiasm, his love of the game, and his intense focus and involvement in every detail of the contest make every inning enjoyable, no matter what the score or the pace of the game. His humor, his affection for language and his vibrant images are the tools of a craftsman; only Garagiola, his one-time protégé, can match him in this way. He is criticized for not being objective, which is preposterous; he is the most objective baseball announcer I've ever witnessed. He is criticized for being "critical" of the players, when in fact Harry will bend over backwards to avoid saying something negative about a player or a manager. But Harry also knows that he does the fans no service when he closes his eyes and pretends not to see things. A player misses the cut-off man, Harry says that he missed the cut-off man, the player complains to the press, and some sweetlicking journalist, trying to ingratiate himself to a potential source, rips Harry for being critical of the player.
Harry is involved in another controversy now over the firing of Milo Hamilton, onetime heir apparent to Jack Brickhouse. Hamilton as a broadcaster is a model of professionalism, fluency, and deportment; he is, in short, as interesting as the weather channel, to which I would frequently dial while he was on. Milo's skills would serve him well as a lawyer, an executive, or a broker. He broadcasts baseball games in a tone that would be more appropriate for a man reviewing a loan application. He projects no sense at all that he is enjoying the game or that we ought to be, and I frankly find it difficult to believe that the writers who ripped the Cubs for firing Hamilton actually watch the broadcasts. Is Harry to be faulted because the fans love him and find Hamilton a dry substitute?
People confuse "objectivity" with "neutralism." If you look up "neutral" in the dictionary it says "of no particular kind, color, characteristics, etc.; indefinite. Gray; without hue; of zero chromel; achromatic. Neuter." That pretty well describes Milo Hamilton. To Harry Caray, the greatest sports broadcaster who ever lived. This Bud's for you.
Dad, you'll be pleased to know that Bill James lost me somewhere around "Vince Scully." Surprised he didn't also refer to "Melvin Allen." Also, it seems Milo Hamilton must have run over his dog or something.
Another quibble is that broadcasters don't go into the Hall of Fame per se, they just win the Ford Frick Award. Harry Caray won in 1989, and despite Bill James's best efforts, Milo Hamilton won in 1992.
Labels: bill james, Cardinals, cubs, harry caray, jack brickhouse, mel allen, milo hamilton, radio, vin scully
Friday, September 23, 2005
Puzzling evidence
From the 1985 Bill James Baseball Abstract, which I know from the sticker inside the back cover that my father purchased at Haslam's Book Store in St. Petersburg, Florida, which within a few years would be located in the shadow of the Florida Suncoast Dome/Thunderdome/Tropicana Field (well, the shadow's not that big, but it's close enough)...
After that, Bill James goes into a paean to Milo Hamilton's replacement on the Cubs TV broadcasts, Harry Caray, which I'll post later.
Fate, or chance? The Cubs in 1945 met the Tigers; the Cubs in 1984 would have met the Tigers if they had won one more game. Chance, or destiny? A new commissioner of baseball, Happy Chandler, was named in April of 1945, but had other commitments that kept him busy until that October; a new commissioner of baseball, Peter Ueberroth, was named in March of 1984, but prevented from beginning the job until October by other commitments. Coincidence, or fortune? Steve Trout pitched a 5-hit, complete-game victory for the Cubs in the 1984 playoffs; his father, Dizzy Trout, pitched a 5-hit, complete-game victory against the Cubs in the 1945 World Series. Luck, or predetermination? The 1945 season was the last hurrah for a popular Cub infielder named Stan Hack; the 1984 season was the last hurrah for a popular Cub infielder named Larry Bowa. "Hack" and "Bowa" each have four letters in their names, even if you spell them backwards. Coincidence, or sheer pap? The 1984 Cubs fired their television broadcaster, Milo Hamilton; the 1945 Cubs released a catcher named Len Rice; it goes against my grain to accept that as a mere coincidence. Goodnight.
After that, Bill James goes into a paean to Milo Hamilton's replacement on the Cubs TV broadcasts, Harry Caray, which I'll post later.
Labels: bill james, cubs, milo hamilton, tigers, tropicana field
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Luck
At last night's Cubs/Reds game, two rows in front of me, sitting with a couple of season ticket holders whom I recognize but don't know, was a guy who had neglected to bring his shirt. He had, however, brought--and was displaying in their full glory--his late-seventies porn-star curls and moustache and his oddly incongruous gothic-lettered "Chi Town" tattoo, which was in the spot on the back where a tramp stamp would go on a gal.
His appearance alone, and his obvious joy in it, would have been worthy of note. But then he added to his allure by catching not one but two foul balls. Our section hardly ever gets foul balls hit anywhere near it, but last night Mr. Chi Town No-Shirt got one while strolling the aisle just to the left of us and a second that bounced right up to him in his seat. I had hopes that he would trade one of them to a drunk for a shirt, but it was not to be.
His appearance alone, and his obvious joy in it, would have been worthy of note. But then he added to his allure by catching not one but two foul balls. Our section hardly ever gets foul balls hit anywhere near it, but last night Mr. Chi Town No-Shirt got one while strolling the aisle just to the left of us and a second that bounced right up to him in his seat. I had hopes that he would trade one of them to a drunk for a shirt, but it was not to be.
Labels: cubs, reds, Wrigley Field
Friday, August 12, 2005
The days they come, the days they go
Some days, you look out your office window and wish you'd taken the day off to go see the Cardinals and Cubs at Wrigley Field, like you used to always do back when tickets were more readily available after the first day of tickets sales and such outings didn't, therefore, have to be so rigorously planned.
Other days, you don't.
Other days, you don't.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
I don't have a wooden heart
Don't ask me why I specifically remember this: on July 3, 2003, Levi and I were at Wrigley Field for a Cubs-Cardinals game when somehow the talk among Levi and his season ticket buddies turned to Viagra spokesman Rafael Palmeiro, and specifically, various baseball terms that had now turned into double entendres where he was concerned. I piped up with "He really got some good wood on that one," which was enjoyed by all. Actually, I probably remember it because it's one of those rare times I managed a bon mot at exactly the right moment, rather than 90 seconds later and after the conversation had gone in a completely different direction.
Anyway, slightly over two years later, on July 27, 2005, Bob Costas appeared on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and used basically the same line.
I've got my eye on you, Costas!
Anyway, slightly over two years later, on July 27, 2005, Bob Costas appeared on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and used basically the same line.
I've got my eye on you, Costas!
Labels: bob costas, Cardinals, cubs, rafael palmeiro, viagra
Friday, July 22, 2005
God on baseball
Because I like a good Biblical quote as much as--hell, let's be honest: more than--the next nonbeliever, I enjoyed seeing The Pinstriped Blog making use of Job a couple of days ago. For those of you whose joy in Yankee misfortune rivals Satan's joy in Job's boils, you can instead think of this quote as it applies to yesterday's Cubs bullpen disaster.
APPROPRIATE BIBLICAL QUOTATION FOR MANAGERS
WHO CALL IN THE WRONG PITCHER FROM THE BULLPEN
“Truly I cannot help myself; I have been deprived of resourcefulness.”--Job, 6:13.
The author also, with thanks to Robert Benchley, gleefully takes Hebrews 8:13 out of context:
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."*
APPROPRIATE BIBLICAL QUOTATION FOR MANAGERS
WHO CALL IN THE WRONG PITCHER FROM THE BULLPEN
“Truly I cannot help myself; I have been deprived of resourcefulness.”--Job, 6:13.
The author also, with thanks to Robert Benchley, gleefully takes Hebrews 8:13 out of context:
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."*
Labels: cubs, jesus, robert benchley, yankees
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
What do players think?
To tide y'all over until I get around to writing about the Sox/Tigers game a couple of us attended Monday night, I'll point you to the blog written by new Cubs outfielder Jody Gerut. He hasn't updated it in a year or so, but I'm impressed with what's there. He's a capable writer, and he gives some real insight into what it's like to be a ballplayer. His piece on why he thought Hideki Matsui shouldn't have been eligible for the Rookie of the Year award (but because he was eligible, it was right that he won it) is more clearly articulated and sensible than many a sportswriter's position on such matters (I'm looking at you, Mariotti!).
I hope he picks it up again now that's he got a new team and a new town. Maybe he can tell us about becoming a Cub despite his childhood allegiance to the White Sox.
I hope he picks it up again now that's he got a new team and a new town. Maybe he can tell us about becoming a Cub despite his childhood allegiance to the White Sox.
Labels: cubs, hideki matsui, jody gerut
Monday, June 13, 2005
Hospitality
I believe it is every team's--and every fan's--duty to make a trip to an out-of-town ballpark to watch his team as the visitors an enjoyable experience. I believe it's incumbent upon fans not to shower abuse (or beer) in greater quantity than they would shower same on any hometown fan. I believe the correct response to "Is this Aisle 527?" doesn't involve profanity.
But I don't believe that hospitality should extend to playing a song the visiting team is familiar with from its home ballpark, so imagine my surprise when "Sweet Caroline" began blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers last night. Now, if the P.A. guy had, right after "Touching warm . . . touching you!" given the turntable a solid kick, sending the needle skittering and screeching across the vinyl, then it would have been okay. But just playing the song, straight, is like the French translating all the road signs just in from the Maginot Line into German.
thatbob: "Blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers..."?
Wrigley Field shouldn't even have speakers that blast. That would solve your problem right there.
But I don't believe that hospitality should extend to playing a song the visiting team is familiar with from its home ballpark, so imagine my surprise when "Sweet Caroline" began blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers last night. Now, if the P.A. guy had, right after "Touching warm . . . touching you!" given the turntable a solid kick, sending the needle skittering and screeching across the vinyl, then it would have been okay. But just playing the song, straight, is like the French translating all the road signs just in from the Maginot Line into German.
Original comments...
thatbob: "Blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers..."?
Wrigley Field shouldn't even have speakers that blast. That would solve your problem right there.
Labels: cubs, music, red sox, Wrigley Field
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
The waiting game
Last night's Cubs game, an 11-9 loss to the Reds, is most clearly summed up with the following:
The Cubs, in the course of getting 15 hits, one walk, and two extra baserunners on errors, allowed the Reds' staff to get by with only 118 pitches.
The Reds, meanwhile, forced the Cubs staff--seven pitchers in the game, including four different lefties from the bullpen--to throw 202 pitches.
Adam Dunn--a BRPA 2004 favorite--managed to eat up 33 pitches all by his lonesome, going 2-4 with two walks and a home run.
The Cubs have, in the 13 years since I moved here and became a fan, never even come close to addressing their most consistent problem: their impatience. Only Grace--and New Sammy for a few years--understood the value of getting into a hitter's count.
Now, to be fair: when Eric Milton is pitching against you, the best method really might be to close your eyes and swing at whatever, since he gives up an astonishing number of homers (four last night). But when hacking is your approach for every plate appearance by every hitter, you should probably have a talk with your hitting coach and your general manager.
Meanwhile, in St. Louis, the Cardinals drew eight walks and won 5-3 over Milwaukee, running their record to an NL-best 13-5.
thatbob: And I thought Milwaukee was unbeatable!
The Cubs, in the course of getting 15 hits, one walk, and two extra baserunners on errors, allowed the Reds' staff to get by with only 118 pitches.
The Reds, meanwhile, forced the Cubs staff--seven pitchers in the game, including four different lefties from the bullpen--to throw 202 pitches.
Adam Dunn--a BRPA 2004 favorite--managed to eat up 33 pitches all by his lonesome, going 2-4 with two walks and a home run.
The Cubs have, in the 13 years since I moved here and became a fan, never even come close to addressing their most consistent problem: their impatience. Only Grace--and New Sammy for a few years--understood the value of getting into a hitter's count.
Now, to be fair: when Eric Milton is pitching against you, the best method really might be to close your eyes and swing at whatever, since he gives up an astonishing number of homers (four last night). But when hacking is your approach for every plate appearance by every hitter, you should probably have a talk with your hitting coach and your general manager.
Meanwhile, in St. Louis, the Cardinals drew eight walks and won 5-3 over Milwaukee, running their record to an NL-best 13-5.
Original comments...
thatbob: And I thought Milwaukee was unbeatable!
Labels: adam dunn, brewers, Cardinals, cubs, eric milton, reds
Monday, September 20, 2004
A baseball dream
I'll write later this week about our Montreal weekend, which featured at least a couple of points of interest to baseballrelated fans, but today I'm busy with work, so I'll just share the dream I had right before waking this morning.
I was dreaming about the Cubs/Marlins doubleheader today. The Marlins announced their starting lineup for game one:
Leading off: a sesame red bean ball
Batting second: a cute, furry kitten
Batting third: Stacey
I thought to myself, "But . . . but . . . but . . . those aren't major-league ballplayers! The Marlins are throwing this game!"
Then I woke.
Now, I love eating a sesame rice ball, and I love petting a cute, furry kitten, and I love playing catch with Stacey. But my dream thought was right: none of those is a major-league-quality ballplayer.
Marlins should be announcing their starting lineup for game one in minutes. You heard it here first.
thatbob: Wait, were Mike Piazza and Ichiro Suzuki playing for the Expos, too? Because maybe they decided to field Stacey's All Cuite Team for a change.
None of them may be major-league quality players (except Piazza), but any one of them (except Suzuki) could get me to switch my allegiance from the Cubs to the Expos. And I bet the cute, furry kitten pulls a lot of walks, but I doubt (s)he's as good at fielding as a certain canine playing shortstop somewhere up in St. Paul.
Dan: You're goddamn right about Snoopy.
stacey: aw bob, i'm not on the all cute team! that's just silly.
levi, i have to say that i'm disappointed it that it took the mention of MY NAME to bring you to your senses. sure, a sesame ball can lead off, followed by a furry kitten. but once they mention your wife, you suddenly realize it's a bad idea?
thatbob: Stace, I just figured you'd be the manager of your All Cute Team, which I think means you could put yourself in if the situation, or cuteness, required.
Levi: I think it was Cap Anson (and if it wasn't, it should have been) who a couple of times, as player/manager, announced himself as entering a ballgame just in time that he could hop off the bench and catch a foul popup that was headed his way.
Rules--those damnable things--now prevent such action.
I was dreaming about the Cubs/Marlins doubleheader today. The Marlins announced their starting lineup for game one:
Leading off: a sesame red bean ball
Batting second: a cute, furry kitten
Batting third: Stacey
I thought to myself, "But . . . but . . . but . . . those aren't major-league ballplayers! The Marlins are throwing this game!"
Then I woke.
Now, I love eating a sesame rice ball, and I love petting a cute, furry kitten, and I love playing catch with Stacey. But my dream thought was right: none of those is a major-league-quality ballplayer.
Marlins should be announcing their starting lineup for game one in minutes. You heard it here first.
Original comments...
thatbob: Wait, were Mike Piazza and Ichiro Suzuki playing for the Expos, too? Because maybe they decided to field Stacey's All Cuite Team for a change.
None of them may be major-league quality players (except Piazza), but any one of them (except Suzuki) could get me to switch my allegiance from the Cubs to the Expos. And I bet the cute, furry kitten pulls a lot of walks, but I doubt (s)he's as good at fielding as a certain canine playing shortstop somewhere up in St. Paul.
Dan: You're goddamn right about Snoopy.
stacey: aw bob, i'm not on the all cute team! that's just silly.
levi, i have to say that i'm disappointed it that it took the mention of MY NAME to bring you to your senses. sure, a sesame ball can lead off, followed by a furry kitten. but once they mention your wife, you suddenly realize it's a bad idea?
thatbob: Stace, I just figured you'd be the manager of your All Cute Team, which I think means you could put yourself in if the situation, or cuteness, required.
Levi: I think it was Cap Anson (and if it wasn't, it should have been) who a couple of times, as player/manager, announced himself as entering a ballgame just in time that he could hop off the bench and catch a foul popup that was headed his way.
Rules--those damnable things--now prevent such action.
Labels: cats, cubs, dreams, marlins, stacey shintani
Monday, August 16, 2004
Guest post by Luke, links by me
Says Hanger-on Luke, referring to yesterday's Cubs/Dodgers game
Jim: Much better than the guy Matt Bailey and I encountered on L.A.'s Red Line on Sunday who heard us comparing the L.A. subway system with the Chicago 'L', the D.C. Metro, and Atlanta's MARTA, and proceeded to semi-coherently mumble something about taking the subway to other countries. He was speaking quietly, though, and ended up getting off the train at Vermont & Sunset.
Later, a friend of Matt's who was in Chicago called him, and told a tale of woe about his companions who bought tickets to the Cubs game from a scalper for $80...and soon discovered the tickets to be counterfeit.
Levi: According to a couple of reverse directories online, the phone number the guy was shouting doesn't exist. Or if it does, it doesn't turn up a listing.
I suppose I could test by calling it, but Bud Selig might answer the phone, and I wouldn't like to have to be responsible for my behavior in that situation.
Luke, hanger-on: Whoops, I misremembered the phone number, which is remarkable considering how many times it was bellowed into my ear: It's in fact (414) 225-8900.
Steve: Quien es mas retarded? The guy described in the above post or the dudes who bought $80 counterfit tickets?
Levi: Mas retarded? Kyle Farnsworth. Hands down.
Or is that mas estoned?
If I had a baseball blog I'd write about the fan I sat in front of
today. He was a real piece of work, a young man clearly mentally disabled but
both in love with and enraged by his Cubs, sort of a Rain Man with a
mean streak and Cubby-blue blood.
When I got to my seat he was already ranting--to nobody in particular
--about Corey Patterson and how he's not a lead-off batter. Then he was
going off on how Aramis Ramirez should be starting: "Dusty, you are not
a doctor! Aramis is not hurt!" Once the umps took the field, he started
yelling at them, reciting from memory the rule book's description of
the strike zone.
All this from Aisle 534.
He kept a tally of questionable balls and strikes. With each one --
more than 20 of them -- he'd explode: "This is ridiculous! We're going to
replace you with a computer! With QuesTec, Fox Box AND! OR! a fifth
umpire in the booth AND! OR! instant replay! And we're sending you to the eye
doctor! And we're sending you back to umpiring school. AND WE'RE GOING
TO CALL THE COMMISSIONER! 1414! 225! 3900!"
Every. Single. Time. After the fifth time the entire section could
mouth along with him, as not a single word -- nor his intense volume -- would
deviate over the course of the game.
He also was very displeased that the Commissioner was not there as
scheduled for Greg Maddux Day, as he had a few things he needed to tell
Bud. He expressed dismay that Jim Hendry never wants to talk to him.
Another screed: "Dusty is the stupidest manager ever. Why doesn't he
want to win? I have an IQ of 120 -- I am smarter than Dusty! We will always
hate you, Dusty! WE WILL ALWAYS HATE YOU!"
And you should have seen him go nuts when Farnsworth came in and
proceeded to implode.
Since he wasn't swearing or threatening fans, there wasn't really
anything security could do, other than try to get him to calm down. He would
not.
It gets better: When he wasn't yelling at the umps or Dusty, he was
calling up ESPN radio and other sports media on his cell phone and
leaving long messages calmly describing Dusty's many felonies -- occasionally
pausing to scream toward the field. It seemed, however, that every time
he did this, the Cubs would proceed to do something good. Thus, Monday
morning some schlub at ESPN is going to have to listen to all these
messages, and as he listens to this fan moan about Corey Patterson, he
will hear in the background Corey Patterson rapping a single to center.
As he listens to a rant about the bullpen, he will hear in the background
Kent Mercker getting a strikeout to end the inning.
It was nothing short of amazing. I think I was the only one in my
section who appreciated him, even though he was yelling right into my ear. I
had to concede he was one of the best-informed fans in the stadium. Much
better him than some drunk frat boy yelling "You suck, Pujols!"
IT WAS RIDICULOUS!
Original comments...
Jim: Much better than the guy Matt Bailey and I encountered on L.A.'s Red Line on Sunday who heard us comparing the L.A. subway system with the Chicago 'L', the D.C. Metro, and Atlanta's MARTA, and proceeded to semi-coherently mumble something about taking the subway to other countries. He was speaking quietly, though, and ended up getting off the train at Vermont & Sunset.
Later, a friend of Matt's who was in Chicago called him, and told a tale of woe about his companions who bought tickets to the Cubs game from a scalper for $80...and soon discovered the tickets to be counterfeit.
Levi: According to a couple of reverse directories online, the phone number the guy was shouting doesn't exist. Or if it does, it doesn't turn up a listing.
I suppose I could test by calling it, but Bud Selig might answer the phone, and I wouldn't like to have to be responsible for my behavior in that situation.
Luke, hanger-on: Whoops, I misremembered the phone number, which is remarkable considering how many times it was bellowed into my ear: It's in fact (414) 225-8900.
Steve: Quien es mas retarded? The guy described in the above post or the dudes who bought $80 counterfit tickets?
Levi: Mas retarded? Kyle Farnsworth. Hands down.
Or is that mas estoned?
Labels: aramis ramirez, bud selig, corey patterson, cubs, dodgers, dusty baker, greg maddux, jim hendry, kent mercker, kyle farnsworth, radio
Monday, August 09, 2004
Weddings, etc.
My brother got married last weekend in Indianapolis. Stacey and I and all the family had a great time dancing and making fun of Matt and generally enjoying welcoming a great new sister-in-law.
I had the honor of being the best man. While the groomsmen were locked away in a room in the bowels of the church away from the ladies, we got to watch the Cubs/Giants game. Despite the interest in the game displayed by most of the groomsmen, the wedding was not delayed, and I had to sneak back during picture-taking afterwards to see whether Greg Maddux had moved up a notch on this list.
The weekend was a good reminder of how useful a knowledge of sports can be in social situations. Say what you will about alcohol as a social lubricant; give me a little bit of knowledge of recent developments in sports over an Old Fashioned any day when I'm going to be hanging around a group of people I don't know very well.
P.S. Derek Zumsteg at USS Mariner has a good post about the bizarre obstruction call on Jose Lopez that handed the Devil Rays the game. (The archive link doesn't work, so scroll down to Saturday's posts.) There's also a good, if lengthy and inconclusive, discussion at Baseball Primer. My understanding of the rules on obstruction is that obstruction of a baserunner is necessarily a physical act, and that, as no one (Including the umpires!) has a right to a clear view of the field, obstructing a base runner's view can't be obstruction. Maura, is there an official D-Rays company position you'd like to share?
Jim: Thanks for the link to the Baseball Think Factory comments. Seems like a fun group there, if they can come up with both a reference to the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and the phrase "Vince Naimoli's daughter is crying like a baby."
Levi: Do you agree with me that, though some evidence is introduced to bolster both sides of the argument, the "That call [stunk]!" side is stronger?
Levi: Oh, and Toby, something you'll appreciate: Sunday morning I went for a run with Thys Bax. Thys humored me by allowing me to set the pace for our 12-mile run, but I still ended up really pushing myself because, well, I didn't want Thys to get completely bored. Then when we were mostly done, Brandon showed up on the trail and ran part of the way with us. I was, of course, way outclassed.
Toby: Thys, by the way, folks, is 59 years old. Brandon is his son (graduated a year after Matt if memory serves me correct).
thatbob: A little bit of knowledge of recent developments in sports in unfamiliar social situations is just not as likely to lead to spontaneous making out with cute girls as a few Old Fashioneds are. But I guess if it's also less likely to lead to throwing up all over everyone, then it has its place.
I had the honor of being the best man. While the groomsmen were locked away in a room in the bowels of the church away from the ladies, we got to watch the Cubs/Giants game. Despite the interest in the game displayed by most of the groomsmen, the wedding was not delayed, and I had to sneak back during picture-taking afterwards to see whether Greg Maddux had moved up a notch on this list.
The weekend was a good reminder of how useful a knowledge of sports can be in social situations. Say what you will about alcohol as a social lubricant; give me a little bit of knowledge of recent developments in sports over an Old Fashioned any day when I'm going to be hanging around a group of people I don't know very well.
P.S. Derek Zumsteg at USS Mariner has a good post about the bizarre obstruction call on Jose Lopez that handed the Devil Rays the game. (The archive link doesn't work, so scroll down to Saturday's posts.) There's also a good, if lengthy and inconclusive, discussion at Baseball Primer. My understanding of the rules on obstruction is that obstruction of a baserunner is necessarily a physical act, and that, as no one (Including the umpires!) has a right to a clear view of the field, obstructing a base runner's view can't be obstruction. Maura, is there an official D-Rays company position you'd like to share?
Original comments...
Jim: Thanks for the link to the Baseball Think Factory comments. Seems like a fun group there, if they can come up with both a reference to the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and the phrase "Vince Naimoli's daughter is crying like a baby."
Levi: Do you agree with me that, though some evidence is introduced to bolster both sides of the argument, the "That call [stunk]!" side is stronger?
Levi: Oh, and Toby, something you'll appreciate: Sunday morning I went for a run with Thys Bax. Thys humored me by allowing me to set the pace for our 12-mile run, but I still ended up really pushing myself because, well, I didn't want Thys to get completely bored. Then when we were mostly done, Brandon showed up on the trail and ran part of the way with us. I was, of course, way outclassed.
Toby: Thys, by the way, folks, is 59 years old. Brandon is his son (graduated a year after Matt if memory serves me correct).
thatbob: A little bit of knowledge of recent developments in sports in unfamiliar social situations is just not as likely to lead to spontaneous making out with cute girls as a few Old Fashioneds are. But I guess if it's also less likely to lead to throwing up all over everyone, then it has its place.
Labels: cubs, devil rays, giants, jose lopez, stacey shintani, stahls
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Maddux: CCC
I TiVoed the Cubs-Giants game today, because they're still inconveniently scheduling baseball games for hours while I'm working. This would not have been a bad choice for a national Game of the Week, but I guess Fox and MLB are still firmly committed to the "regional" concept for the Saturday afternoon Fox coverage. Too bad it's nearly impossible to see any Saturday afternoon game other than the one being shown in your local area (they're not carried on the MLB Extra Innings pay-per-view package).
I am really, really tired of people in the front row leaning way over to try to get foul balls, or worse, fair balls that have rolled foul and are still in play. During this game, someone went all the way over the rail to try to get a foul ball, but jumped right back over. Fox practically made him into a folk hero, to the point of including him in the "play of the game" poll...and his play was, of course, the choice of a majority of the cell-phone-using people who bothered to vote. I contend he should have been thrown out of the stadium.
Maybe I'm slightly jealous of people who get to sit that close, but I'd still like to see the year-by-year numbers of fan interference calls...although I guess they'd have to be adjusted for the fact that most of these new stadiums have more seats closer to the action than the stadiums they replaced.
Anyway, speaking of people who get to sit close, the one celebrity Fox could find in the stands was Jim Belushi (and he was sitting in an upper deck anyway). Didn't any Fox stars want to go to this game? If I were a cast member on a Fox show, I would have demanded tickets for me and Caroline Dhavernas, late of "Wonderfalls," who I believe still technically counts as a Fox star. (Wait a minute, by that same logic, I could also go to the game with Paget Brewster of "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" and Sarah Silverman of "Greg the Bunny"! All right, enough of my rich fantasy life.)
In conclusion, if Levi were near a computer this weekend, he'd probably be saying something about Larry Walker.
Levi: Does Jim Belushi even count as a celebrity? Even for Fox?
Jim: Jim Belushi is the star of a surprisingly popular sitcom on ABC. He's got his name in the title of the show and everything! A lot more people have heard of him than have heard of Caroline Dhavernas, that's for sure.
Toby: Is Paget Brewster related to Punky Brewster? Or is that a whole separate family of Brewsters?
Levi: When I returned from the rehearsal dinner at midnight (Stacey had fled earlier with the niece and nephew, because she was worn out from, well, being around the niece and nephew.), I turned on the highlights and almost passed out. Larry Walker? I wanted to call my brother or bang on his hotel room door or something. But then I thought more sensibly, decided he needed a good night's sleep on his wedding weekend, and went to bed instead.
But I did wake Stacey to tell her.
Jason: Why would Fox be pointing out an ABC 'star'? Couldn't they find a shot of Calista Flockhart eating a hot dog?
I am really, really tired of people in the front row leaning way over to try to get foul balls, or worse, fair balls that have rolled foul and are still in play. During this game, someone went all the way over the rail to try to get a foul ball, but jumped right back over. Fox practically made him into a folk hero, to the point of including him in the "play of the game" poll...and his play was, of course, the choice of a majority of the cell-phone-using people who bothered to vote. I contend he should have been thrown out of the stadium.
Maybe I'm slightly jealous of people who get to sit that close, but I'd still like to see the year-by-year numbers of fan interference calls...although I guess they'd have to be adjusted for the fact that most of these new stadiums have more seats closer to the action than the stadiums they replaced.
Anyway, speaking of people who get to sit close, the one celebrity Fox could find in the stands was Jim Belushi (and he was sitting in an upper deck anyway). Didn't any Fox stars want to go to this game? If I were a cast member on a Fox show, I would have demanded tickets for me and Caroline Dhavernas, late of "Wonderfalls," who I believe still technically counts as a Fox star. (Wait a minute, by that same logic, I could also go to the game with Paget Brewster of "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" and Sarah Silverman of "Greg the Bunny"! All right, enough of my rich fantasy life.)
In conclusion, if Levi were near a computer this weekend, he'd probably be saying something about Larry Walker.
Original comments...
Levi: Does Jim Belushi even count as a celebrity? Even for Fox?
Jim: Jim Belushi is the star of a surprisingly popular sitcom on ABC. He's got his name in the title of the show and everything! A lot more people have heard of him than have heard of Caroline Dhavernas, that's for sure.
Toby: Is Paget Brewster related to Punky Brewster? Or is that a whole separate family of Brewsters?
Levi: When I returned from the rehearsal dinner at midnight (Stacey had fled earlier with the niece and nephew, because she was worn out from, well, being around the niece and nephew.), I turned on the highlights and almost passed out. Larry Walker? I wanted to call my brother or bang on his hotel room door or something. But then I thought more sensibly, decided he needed a good night's sleep on his wedding weekend, and went to bed instead.
But I did wake Stacey to tell her.
Jason: Why would Fox be pointing out an ABC 'star'? Couldn't they find a shot of Calista Flockhart eating a hot dog?
Labels: caroline dhavernas, cubs, foul balls, giants, jim belushi, larry walker, paget brewster, sarah silverman
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Cards/Cubs notes
I'm only here at the office half a day today, so all I've got today is a few quick notes from last night's game:
1) Wendell Kim has failed to master any of the three elements of a third-base coach's job. As I see it, those elements are knowing the speed of the runners on your team, knowing the quality of the throwing arm of the opposing outfielders, and knowing, at the very least, how many outs have been made already in an inning. Breaking down last night's Wavin' Wendell moment, we see that Kim sent a slightly hobbled runner, Aramis Ramirez (Element 1), against the great arm of Reggie Sanders (Element 2) when there were no outs in the inning (Element 3). Hilarity ensued.
Kim was apologetic after the game.
2) In the 4th inning, after Jim Edmonds deposited a ball onto Sheffield, he admired his shot too long for Carlos Zambrano's taste. Now, my seatmate, Michelle, and I didn't notice anything, and even as we watched the slow-motion replay on the TV hanging above our heads, we didn't think Edmonds had been out of line. Zambrano thought differently, so he yelled at him, almost precipitated a brawl, and then in the 8th, after giving up another home run, this one to Rolen, he hit Edmonds. I agree with Phil Rogers today (Wow. That's the first time that's happened that I know of. And I thought it was weird when I found myself agreeing with something Pat Buchanan said recently. These are strange days indeed.) in the Tribune: if you're pitching for a team whose superstar does a wiggly little hop every time he homers, you should probably keep quiet about demonstrations by your opponents.
3) Zambrano was ejected immediately after hitting Edmonds--who, to his credit took his base in manly, "I'm above this shit--and we're about to have a 9-game lead" fashion, singlehandedly preventing a brawl--which led Michelle and me to consider the rules. Zambrano knew he would be ejected for hitting Edmonds, as both benches had been warned earlier. Because there was no one getting ready in the bullpen, Mike Remlinger, when called upon, was given all the time he needed to get warmed up.
Michelle and I agreed that that's an understandable policy. After all, it's not in anyone's interest to have pitchers getting injured because they only got eight warm-up tosses. But we also agreed that such a policy could lead to abuse by managers: in this case, Zambrano had just given up the lead. He wasn't going to be lifted from the game, but it's easy to imagine a circumstance in which the manager, his pitcher suddenly falling apart on the mound, has him get ejected from the game in order to avoid having to keep him out there for another batter or two while the reliever gets ready.
But I came up with a solution to this problem. The reliever who enters following an ejection gets all the time he needs to warm up . . . but the opposing manager gets to pick who that reliever is. Jeff Fassero, are you hiding down there behind the tarp? Come on down! Mel Rojas, are you in the clubhouse wrapped in a towel? Tony LaRussa would like to see you!
Next time I harangue the Commish in a dream, I'll suggest that change in the rules.
4) And a quick note on selectivity and patience at the plate. I was tracking pitches while keeping score last night. Cubs leadoff man Mark Grudzielanek saw only eight pitches while making four outs. Meanwhile, Cardinals leadoff man Tony Womack, in the course of going 0-3 with two walks, used up 21 pitches. That lack of patience has dogged nearly all the Cubs all year long, and it goes a long way towards explaining how Chris Carpenter was able to get through eight innings last night on only 97 pitches and four earned runs despite giving up 12 hits. Well, that and point #1 above.
1) Wendell Kim has failed to master any of the three elements of a third-base coach's job. As I see it, those elements are knowing the speed of the runners on your team, knowing the quality of the throwing arm of the opposing outfielders, and knowing, at the very least, how many outs have been made already in an inning. Breaking down last night's Wavin' Wendell moment, we see that Kim sent a slightly hobbled runner, Aramis Ramirez (Element 1), against the great arm of Reggie Sanders (Element 2) when there were no outs in the inning (Element 3). Hilarity ensued.
Kim was apologetic after the game.
2) In the 4th inning, after Jim Edmonds deposited a ball onto Sheffield, he admired his shot too long for Carlos Zambrano's taste. Now, my seatmate, Michelle, and I didn't notice anything, and even as we watched the slow-motion replay on the TV hanging above our heads, we didn't think Edmonds had been out of line. Zambrano thought differently, so he yelled at him, almost precipitated a brawl, and then in the 8th, after giving up another home run, this one to Rolen, he hit Edmonds. I agree with Phil Rogers today (Wow. That's the first time that's happened that I know of. And I thought it was weird when I found myself agreeing with something Pat Buchanan said recently. These are strange days indeed.) in the Tribune: if you're pitching for a team whose superstar does a wiggly little hop every time he homers, you should probably keep quiet about demonstrations by your opponents.
3) Zambrano was ejected immediately after hitting Edmonds--who, to his credit took his base in manly, "I'm above this shit--and we're about to have a 9-game lead" fashion, singlehandedly preventing a brawl--which led Michelle and me to consider the rules. Zambrano knew he would be ejected for hitting Edmonds, as both benches had been warned earlier. Because there was no one getting ready in the bullpen, Mike Remlinger, when called upon, was given all the time he needed to get warmed up.
Michelle and I agreed that that's an understandable policy. After all, it's not in anyone's interest to have pitchers getting injured because they only got eight warm-up tosses. But we also agreed that such a policy could lead to abuse by managers: in this case, Zambrano had just given up the lead. He wasn't going to be lifted from the game, but it's easy to imagine a circumstance in which the manager, his pitcher suddenly falling apart on the mound, has him get ejected from the game in order to avoid having to keep him out there for another batter or two while the reliever gets ready.
But I came up with a solution to this problem. The reliever who enters following an ejection gets all the time he needs to warm up . . . but the opposing manager gets to pick who that reliever is. Jeff Fassero, are you hiding down there behind the tarp? Come on down! Mel Rojas, are you in the clubhouse wrapped in a towel? Tony LaRussa would like to see you!
Next time I harangue the Commish in a dream, I'll suggest that change in the rules.
4) And a quick note on selectivity and patience at the plate. I was tracking pitches while keeping score last night. Cubs leadoff man Mark Grudzielanek saw only eight pitches while making four outs. Meanwhile, Cardinals leadoff man Tony Womack, in the course of going 0-3 with two walks, used up 21 pitches. That lack of patience has dogged nearly all the Cubs all year long, and it goes a long way towards explaining how Chris Carpenter was able to get through eight innings last night on only 97 pitches and four earned runs despite giving up 12 hits. Well, that and point #1 above.
Labels: aramis ramirez, Cardinals, carlos zambrano, chris carpenter, cubs, jim edmonds, mark grudzielanek, mike remlinger, reggie sanders, scott rolen, tony womack, wendell kim
Monday, July 19, 2004
What just happened?
Saturday at Wrigley Field, I saw Greg Maddux throw a shutout in 2:05, which I think is the shortest game I've ever seen. If the Cubs hadn't scored some runs in the 8th and thereby forced a pictching change, it would have been around 1:45.
If all the games we see on our trip move that quickly, Jim and I might have to find some nearby minor-league games, just to keep busy. How does 21 games in 11 cities in 10 days sound, Jim?
Jon Solomon: I went to a Yankees game on opening day in the late 1980s. Yanks won 2-0. Game was over in +/- 1:50. Rafael Santana hit into an around-the-horn triple play to end the 8th.
Jim: It could be 21 games in 21 cities with the minor-league games added. Now, some are close -- the Clearwater Phillies and Tampa Yankees aren't too far from St. Petersburg, home of the Devil Rays; and I think you know about the locations of the minor-league teams in the Chicago area -- but as far as I know, the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees are the only minor-league teams to be in the same city limits as a major-league team.
Jon Solomon: I am proud to report that there are FOURTEEN minor league teams within 2.5 hours of my home in Lawrenceville, NJ. Trenton. Camden. Lakewood. Montclair. Reading. Wilkes-Barre. Harrisburg. Wilmington. Atlantic City. Somerset. Newark. Augusta. Brooklyn. Staten Island. Woo!
If all the games we see on our trip move that quickly, Jim and I might have to find some nearby minor-league games, just to keep busy. How does 21 games in 11 cities in 10 days sound, Jim?
Original comments...
Jon Solomon: I went to a Yankees game on opening day in the late 1980s. Yanks won 2-0. Game was over in +/- 1:50. Rafael Santana hit into an around-the-horn triple play to end the 8th.
Jim: It could be 21 games in 21 cities with the minor-league games added. Now, some are close -- the Clearwater Phillies and Tampa Yankees aren't too far from St. Petersburg, home of the Devil Rays; and I think you know about the locations of the minor-league teams in the Chicago area -- but as far as I know, the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees are the only minor-league teams to be in the same city limits as a major-league team.
Jon Solomon: I am proud to report that there are FOURTEEN minor league teams within 2.5 hours of my home in Lawrenceville, NJ. Trenton. Camden. Lakewood. Montclair. Reading. Wilkes-Barre. Harrisburg. Wilmington. Atlantic City. Somerset. Newark. Augusta. Brooklyn. Staten Island. Woo!
Labels: cubs, greg maddux
Thursday, June 24, 2004
"That strike zone [stunk]"
The Cardinals and Cubs played a wild game in St. Louis last night, a game which the Cardinals won 10-9, scoring the winning run on a passed ball by catcher Paul Bako, who entered the game in the 9th after starting catcher Michael Barrett and relief pitcher Kent Mercker were thrown out for arguing about the poorly-called strike zone. Midway through that inning, when Mercker didn't get the call on what should clearly have been an inning-ending third strike to Reggie Sanders, I had thought to myself, "Mercker's going t