When I used to hang out at a Brooklyn bar named O'Connor's in Park Slope (no longer there, sadly), I used to always show up in the afternoon, ready to give various trivia questions I made up to the older bartender, Chris. Of course, he' was an old time baseball fan from the '50s, so he had plenty of trivia questions for me as well. I always preferred coming up with the questions myself, rather than just relay information someone else had told me....that's the advantage of being a dog walker, you have plenty of time to think.
One of the questions I asked had been mentioned in my blog about a year ago, which was, "Who's the only player to win an MVP and never make an All Star Game?' The answer is Kirk Gibson, and almost no one ever got it (Maybe having to do with him being maybe the worst MVP pick of all time, but anyway...). I'm not sure there is any one method to figuring out the answer to these, but I'm gonna try for a trivia question that I thought of, also on the subject of MVP. The question being, :"Since 1931, when the MVP starting being voted on by the BBWA, (Baseball writers of America) who is the only franchise to have at least one MVP in each decade (excluded the current one)? The answer can be deduced in 5 easy steps:
Step one: "Eliminate all expansion teams".
Since there's no way to win an MVP if your team doesn't exist for the first three decades, then the Angels, Rangers, Mets, Astros, Royals, Pilots/Brewers, Padres, Expos/Nationals, Mariners, Blue Jays, Marlins, Rockies, Rays and D'Backs are all eliminated. 30 teams just became 16; the "original" franchises from 1901, if you will.
Step Two: Go back to the last decade.
This actually made it very easy, especially in the National league, as the Giants (Kent, 2000, Bonds, 2001-2004), Cardinals (Pujols, 2005, 2008, 2009) and Phillies (Howard, 2006 and Rollins, 2007) were the only three teams to have an MVP that decade. Which means the Cubs, Reds, Pirates, Braves and Dodgers are out. The AL was a little trickier, although 3 of the teams were expansion (Ichiro in 2001 for Mariners, A-rod 2003 for the Rangers and Vladimir Guerrero, 2004 for the Angels), so they're gone. That just leaves the Yankees (A-rod, 2005 and 2007), Red Sox (Pedroia, 2008), A's (Giambi, 2000, Tejada, 2002) and Twins (Morneau, 2006, Mauer, 2009) left. Some may ask, "Hey, aren't the Twins an expansion team?" The answer is no. They actually used to be the Washington Senators, but moved to Minneapolis in 1961. Shortly thereafter, a "New" Senators emerged, becoming the Rangers in 1972. Two different franchises...
Step Three: Back another decade.
In the NL, no Cardinal or Phillie player won in the '90s. The Giants had Barry Bonds in 1993 (Probably the only legitimate one he had in a Giants uniform, but anyway...) The Yankees and Twins did not have a player win the award between '90-99, so that leaves the A's (Henderson in '90, Eckersley in '92) and Bosox (Mo Vaughn, in '95...though Albert Belle from the Indians clearly deserved it more...sometimes it pays to be a nice guy) as the two AL survivors. And then there were three...(sorry for the Genesis reference).
Step Four: Back yet another decade...or two
I know it seems monotonous, but we're close. Actually, there's no change from the remaining three, as Boston (Clemens in '86), Oakland (Canseco in '88) and Giants (Mitchell, at the tail end of the decade, in '89) all had BBWA approval. In the '70s, we lose the Giants (all around rough decade for the team, save for the earlier years), but The Sox ( "Gold dust twins", Lynn and Rice in '75 and '78 respectively) and A's (Vida Blue in '71) remain.
Step Five: The answer is revealed.
Alas, the A's, who went from being the Kansas City A's to the Oakland A's in 1968, did not have an MVP in that turbulent decade, but the summer of love gave us Carl Yazstemski from Boston, as the Most Valuable player. Yaz used to be the answer to one of the most obvious trivia questions; "Who was the last player to win the Triple Crown in Baseball?", until Miguel Cabrera did it last year (and looks to be doing it again this year)
So the answer to this question of course is, the Boston Red Sox. In the spirit of full disclosure, the remaining Bosox MVP's are: Jackie Jensen in '58 (easily the most obscure MVP The Sox ever had; many, including myself, believe Mantle deserved it, but I guess it was destiny), Ted Williams in '46 and '49 (but he did NOT win it during his two triple crown years, or in 1941, when he batted .406. Screw DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, the "Splendid Splinter" was robbed) and Jimmie Foxx in 1938. Foxx also won two other MVP awards in the '30s with, you guessed it, the last team to fall in this trivia question, the A's (Then, of course, in Philadelphia). That's why baseball trivia trumps all other sports; history meeting coincidence on a regular basis...
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Someday, they'll name a surgery after me
There is an event coming up that is making me both leery of the future and question my own mortality...it happens every year on May 22nd; my birthday. There are a number of celebrities who share my birthday, including Lawrence Olivier, Wagner, and Morrisey, but for baseball players, I had to do a little research. According to Baseball-reference.com, there have been 44 players born on that date. Four of them played before 1901, but the rest were active during the modern era (ie, when the American and National leagues merged). As for act active players now, there are two: Colin Cowgill and Eric Sogard. Vaughn Eshelman, who was a Rule 5 draft pick and pitched a few seasons for the Red Sox in the mid '90s, is, and will remain, (barring a 44 year old rookie breaking in this year) the only big leauger who shares my EXACT birthday, 5/22/69.
Other notables include Chad Tracy, an infielder for several teams in the '90s, Jim Colburn, a pretty good starter for the Royals in the '70s, among other teams. Walt Hriniak, who was more well known as a hitting coach for the Red Sox than as a player. Jose Mesa saved over 300 games for The Indians, Mariners and Phillies. Ed Morgan had a short career, but batted .349 with 26 homers and 136 RBI's for the 1930 Indians (He also led the league with a whopping 66 strikeouts...in comparison, current Indians player Mark Reynolds already has 44 and still has 3/4 of the 2013 season left).
Then there's journeyman pitcher Julian Tavares, who played for over 15 years for the Indians, Cardinals, Red Sox and others as a reliever and spot starter. It was one of those spot starts that I witnessed, as the Sox played the Yankees in Yankee stadium in 2007 on, you guessed it May 22nd. I was by myself, so I wore my Expos shirt...I'm no martyr. Tavares won that day on our birthday, being aided by a Mike Lowell homer. I also remember Okijima being ineffective, which was a rarity; Oki was money that year.
Though by far the most famous players sharing my birth date are a hall of famer, and a man more famous for a procedure done to him than his antics on the field. The first player is Al Simmons, who played on Connie Mack's 2nd Philidelphia A's Dynasty from the late '20s, early '30s. He went by the nickname "bucketfoot", which he received because of his unique batting stance. Simmons was no joke, though, batting .334 for his career, with 307 homers and over 1,800 RBI's. He was over shadowed by his more famous team mates, such as fellow Hall of fame inductees, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane and Lefty Grove.
Perhaps the most famous player born on May 22nd, is Tommy John, a name that is mention dozens of times over the course of the year, mostly with the word "surgery" following it. John was a hot shot starter for the LA Dodgers in the early to mid '70s, until he hurt his arm in '75. He had two options; quit, or try this brand new surgery in which the ulner collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon elsewhere in the body. It was the invention of Doctor Frank Jobe, who first tried the procedure in 1974. When Tommy came back from surgery, he was good as new. Better in fact, as he won many more games after the surgery than before. He ranks 7th on the all time list among lefties with 288 wins...and most importantly, was a reference on the great, short lived T.V. show, "Police Squad", which inspired the Naked Gun films...no w THERE's fame...
Other notables include Chad Tracy, an infielder for several teams in the '90s, Jim Colburn, a pretty good starter for the Royals in the '70s, among other teams. Walt Hriniak, who was more well known as a hitting coach for the Red Sox than as a player. Jose Mesa saved over 300 games for The Indians, Mariners and Phillies. Ed Morgan had a short career, but batted .349 with 26 homers and 136 RBI's for the 1930 Indians (He also led the league with a whopping 66 strikeouts...in comparison, current Indians player Mark Reynolds already has 44 and still has 3/4 of the 2013 season left).
Then there's journeyman pitcher Julian Tavares, who played for over 15 years for the Indians, Cardinals, Red Sox and others as a reliever and spot starter. It was one of those spot starts that I witnessed, as the Sox played the Yankees in Yankee stadium in 2007 on, you guessed it May 22nd. I was by myself, so I wore my Expos shirt...I'm no martyr. Tavares won that day on our birthday, being aided by a Mike Lowell homer. I also remember Okijima being ineffective, which was a rarity; Oki was money that year.
Though by far the most famous players sharing my birth date are a hall of famer, and a man more famous for a procedure done to him than his antics on the field. The first player is Al Simmons, who played on Connie Mack's 2nd Philidelphia A's Dynasty from the late '20s, early '30s. He went by the nickname "bucketfoot", which he received because of his unique batting stance. Simmons was no joke, though, batting .334 for his career, with 307 homers and over 1,800 RBI's. He was over shadowed by his more famous team mates, such as fellow Hall of fame inductees, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane and Lefty Grove.
Perhaps the most famous player born on May 22nd, is Tommy John, a name that is mention dozens of times over the course of the year, mostly with the word "surgery" following it. John was a hot shot starter for the LA Dodgers in the early to mid '70s, until he hurt his arm in '75. He had two options; quit, or try this brand new surgery in which the ulner collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon elsewhere in the body. It was the invention of Doctor Frank Jobe, who first tried the procedure in 1974. When Tommy came back from surgery, he was good as new. Better in fact, as he won many more games after the surgery than before. He ranks 7th on the all time list among lefties with 288 wins...and most importantly, was a reference on the great, short lived T.V. show, "Police Squad", which inspired the Naked Gun films...no w THERE's fame...
Friday, May 10, 2013
Active players going to the hall...
This summer will be the first one in a decade and a half that there will be no one inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I could go on a rant about this, but I already did that back in January. Instead, I'd like to ponder what active players could possibly be enshrined in the future. So here we go, team by team...
Yankees: Jeter and Mariano are shoo-ins, but from there, it gets a little tricky. Oh sure, Ichiro will go in on his first try, but it'll be as a Mariner. C.C. will have to put in a few more years to be considered, and even then, it's a big fat "maybe" (no pun intended). Petitte will fall the way of Jack Morris and Tommy John; maybe he'll get in, but it'll take a while. Cano will need a few more years of being Cano, and Texieria will have to avoid injuries.
Red Sox: Could Papi be the first D.H. to make the hall? Who knows...probably not. As for Pedroia, see Cano above. Everyone else is to young or just not up to HOF standards. Ellsbury has two good years for every injured one...If he changes that pattern, he could be an interesting choice...but let's not get carried away.
Orioles: A talented team, if a little too young (the first of many times I'll say this, btw), Baltimore has Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Chris Davis and a host of talented young players...history will determine their future...sorry for sounding so pretentious.
Blue Jays: Bautista was a late bloomer, and besides, his averages have been going down. Reyes gets hurt too much, Buerle seemes to have peeked, and everyone else is a little green or a little gray (haired). Although, R.A. Dickey is a knuckleballer, so it's quite possible he could pitch into his '50s...
Rays: Both Longoria and Price could be good choices if their health holds up. The biggest problem; will it be with Tampa? They are a small market team, and one of the few franchises with no HOF members. So, hopefully the team holds onto at least one of them...I could see Longo as the Rays 'George Brett.
Tigers: This team has had the last two AL MVPs in Verlander and Cabrera, both of which may be bound for Cooperstown. It also helps that they're both on a very good team that's picked to win it all in 2013 and beyond. I feel that Fielder will suffer from Mo Vaughn's disease (too much time at the buffet table)...actually, I could have said his dad, Cecil, but Vaughn came to mind first.
Royals: For the first time in years, K.C. is a threat. However, the team is too young to have a HOF worthy player at this point. Big game James needs to pitch many more big games to qualify, and Alex Gordon, Moustakis, etc. need to make it to the postseason and or All Star game a number of times to attract more attention to their talents.
White Sox: I believe Konerko will eventually make his way in (although, hopefully after worthy retired players like Fred McGriff), and there's a couple of other players a bit too young to make a call on...mostly pitchers (Sale comes to mind).
Indians: If Absdrubal Cabrera has the same kind of endurance as former Indian great Omar Vizquel (who I believe will go in eventually), then, he has a chance...the rest of the team is filled with Nick Swisher types that are useful, if unspectacular players...the one exception is catcher and former Latin Rock guitarist, Carlos Santana.
Twins: Mauer is one of the greatest hitting catchers ever, with 3 batting titles already under his belt. And although he's catching less and less these days, he'll probably spend most, if not all of his career with the same team, which is attractive to HOF voters. Now if the team could only get good again...
Rangers: If you told me five years ago that Adrian Beltre was HOF worthy, I would have laughed. He has seemed to resurrect his career with first, Boston, then Texas. Big Puma needs about three more good years to make him truly HOF worthy, but he'll go in as an Astro. Their pitching staff is strong, but not seasoned enough for consideration, and Nelson Cruz just hurt himself as I wote his name...
A's: The epitome of a talented, yet too young to even speculate about future enshrinement, players. Coco Crisp's fro should be entered into the Afro hall of fame, right next to Oscar Gamble's (unless Crisp has reverted back to braids). "Rage" Balfour does hearken back to the "Mad Hungarian", Al Hrabowsky days of closers, but he's not been consistent enough for Cooperstown.
Angels: Pujols will go in as a Cardinal, and Josh Hamilton has to find his groove again. All others are talented, but young, or just good players. Maybe Weaver, whose absence is being felt big time, as this talented team has gotten off to a horrible start in 2013, could string together some great years.
Mariners: Ichiro is playing out his twilight years in the Bronx, King Felix needs to put about five years of greatness in a Seattle uniform, and I can't really name anyone else with a straight face...O.K., maybe Jason Bay...I'll be honest, I don't have a straight face now.
Astros: I'm not even going to dignify this with a response...
Braves: There's been a lot of hoo-ha about Tim Hudson getting 200 wins, and how he's HOF bound, but let's not start etching his name into a plaque just yet. Maybe when he gets to 250 or so (and even that's sometimes not enough). The Upton Brothers (well, Justin anyway), Jason Heyward etc. could maybe/sorta make a mark, but I think Brian McCann, as a good hitting catcher, may be the best bet among their offensive player.
Nationals: Too fast, too soon (I think that's the name of The New York Dolls second album), is a good way to describe the chances of Harper, Strasburg, Gonzalez and the rest of the Nats...the only player who is old enough to consider is Jason Werth...and he ain't going.
Phillies: As far as the Phighting Phils have falling from their 2007-2010 heyday, they have at least three Cooperstown hopefuls; Howard, Rollins and Mike Young (who, if he goes in, will do so as a Ranger) . I would have thought Halladay was on his way there, til the last few years, in which he has looked more like Anthony Young than Cy Young.
Mets: David Wright may be the Ryne Sandburg of his generation; a great player, doomed to spend his entire career on a team that never makes it to the World series, yet maybe makes it to the Hall. He has the advantage of being at a position (3rd base) that has the least amount of players inducted. The rest of the team is...well, ask me in 7 years about Matt Harvey...
Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton...yeah, he's only in his mid twenties, but really, he's the only serious contender.
Cardinals: Beltran is a sorta/maybe, Fred McGriff/Harold Baines type, and Pujols is on the Angels ..and John Jay and Ryan Ludwick are younger than my nephew, so shut up.
Reds: People make a fuss over Votto, but I believe the real Hall candidate is Brandon Phillpis; Gold glove, good bat...almost a less speedy version of Reds Hall of famer, Joe Mogan. Here's just hoping he doesn't get into broadcasting too.
Pirates: The Bucs are good this year, thanks to their bullpen, with closer Jason Grilli leading the way. However, the star of the team is undoubtedly Andrew Mcutcheon, who is maybe too young to start retiring his number in Pittsburgh. Him staying in the steel city may go a long way to ponder an inclusion in the hall.
Cubs: Alphonso Soriano...yeah, I know, but it's all I could come up with. Theo's got a lot of work to do.
Rockies: Although Tulowitski is a great player, and maybe someday, blahblahblah...the real definite is Todd Helton. Sure, his numbers may have been inflated by playing in the mile high city, but even into middle age, he's been a productive player, who should get to 3,000 hits. As for their pitching...they're in Denver...'nough said.
Giants: Lincecum has two Cy Youngs, but he needs to get back to his late '00s form to get to HOF status. Posey has all the makings of a HOF catcher, but you never know. All others are speculations and/or past their prime...
Diamondbacks: Inconclusive, to say the least...maybe if Heath Bell stays and remembers how to be good, and "Tat man"...sorry, forgot his name...
Dodgers: A team filled with players that should have been potential Hall of famers, but decided not to be, somehow... Carl Crawford (who should have stayed in Tampa), Matt Kemp (inconsistent), Kershaw (needs more good years) and Hanley Ramirez, who I have nicknamed "Poison", as in he's poison to a clubhouse, no matter how talented he is. ( Not to be confused with Paul Waner and Lloyd Waner, who were known as "Big Poison" and "Little Poison",)
Padres: Chase Headley had a good year last year...hey, ten more of those, and he's a big maybe...everyone else is...well, everyone else...
O.K., I may have missed someone, but I don't believe it's anyone major...yet. Which makes this list a little superfluous, but hey, you read it!
Yankees: Jeter and Mariano are shoo-ins, but from there, it gets a little tricky. Oh sure, Ichiro will go in on his first try, but it'll be as a Mariner. C.C. will have to put in a few more years to be considered, and even then, it's a big fat "maybe" (no pun intended). Petitte will fall the way of Jack Morris and Tommy John; maybe he'll get in, but it'll take a while. Cano will need a few more years of being Cano, and Texieria will have to avoid injuries.
Red Sox: Could Papi be the first D.H. to make the hall? Who knows...probably not. As for Pedroia, see Cano above. Everyone else is to young or just not up to HOF standards. Ellsbury has two good years for every injured one...If he changes that pattern, he could be an interesting choice...but let's not get carried away.
Orioles: A talented team, if a little too young (the first of many times I'll say this, btw), Baltimore has Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Chris Davis and a host of talented young players...history will determine their future...sorry for sounding so pretentious.
Blue Jays: Bautista was a late bloomer, and besides, his averages have been going down. Reyes gets hurt too much, Buerle seemes to have peeked, and everyone else is a little green or a little gray (haired). Although, R.A. Dickey is a knuckleballer, so it's quite possible he could pitch into his '50s...
Rays: Both Longoria and Price could be good choices if their health holds up. The biggest problem; will it be with Tampa? They are a small market team, and one of the few franchises with no HOF members. So, hopefully the team holds onto at least one of them...I could see Longo as the Rays 'George Brett.
Tigers: This team has had the last two AL MVPs in Verlander and Cabrera, both of which may be bound for Cooperstown. It also helps that they're both on a very good team that's picked to win it all in 2013 and beyond. I feel that Fielder will suffer from Mo Vaughn's disease (too much time at the buffet table)...actually, I could have said his dad, Cecil, but Vaughn came to mind first.
Royals: For the first time in years, K.C. is a threat. However, the team is too young to have a HOF worthy player at this point. Big game James needs to pitch many more big games to qualify, and Alex Gordon, Moustakis, etc. need to make it to the postseason and or All Star game a number of times to attract more attention to their talents.
White Sox: I believe Konerko will eventually make his way in (although, hopefully after worthy retired players like Fred McGriff), and there's a couple of other players a bit too young to make a call on...mostly pitchers (Sale comes to mind).
Indians: If Absdrubal Cabrera has the same kind of endurance as former Indian great Omar Vizquel (who I believe will go in eventually), then, he has a chance...the rest of the team is filled with Nick Swisher types that are useful, if unspectacular players...the one exception is catcher and former Latin Rock guitarist, Carlos Santana.
Twins: Mauer is one of the greatest hitting catchers ever, with 3 batting titles already under his belt. And although he's catching less and less these days, he'll probably spend most, if not all of his career with the same team, which is attractive to HOF voters. Now if the team could only get good again...
Rangers: If you told me five years ago that Adrian Beltre was HOF worthy, I would have laughed. He has seemed to resurrect his career with first, Boston, then Texas. Big Puma needs about three more good years to make him truly HOF worthy, but he'll go in as an Astro. Their pitching staff is strong, but not seasoned enough for consideration, and Nelson Cruz just hurt himself as I wote his name...
A's: The epitome of a talented, yet too young to even speculate about future enshrinement, players. Coco Crisp's fro should be entered into the Afro hall of fame, right next to Oscar Gamble's (unless Crisp has reverted back to braids). "Rage" Balfour does hearken back to the "Mad Hungarian", Al Hrabowsky days of closers, but he's not been consistent enough for Cooperstown.
Angels: Pujols will go in as a Cardinal, and Josh Hamilton has to find his groove again. All others are talented, but young, or just good players. Maybe Weaver, whose absence is being felt big time, as this talented team has gotten off to a horrible start in 2013, could string together some great years.
Mariners: Ichiro is playing out his twilight years in the Bronx, King Felix needs to put about five years of greatness in a Seattle uniform, and I can't really name anyone else with a straight face...O.K., maybe Jason Bay...I'll be honest, I don't have a straight face now.
Astros: I'm not even going to dignify this with a response...
Braves: There's been a lot of hoo-ha about Tim Hudson getting 200 wins, and how he's HOF bound, but let's not start etching his name into a plaque just yet. Maybe when he gets to 250 or so (and even that's sometimes not enough). The Upton Brothers (well, Justin anyway), Jason Heyward etc. could maybe/sorta make a mark, but I think Brian McCann, as a good hitting catcher, may be the best bet among their offensive player.
Nationals: Too fast, too soon (I think that's the name of The New York Dolls second album), is a good way to describe the chances of Harper, Strasburg, Gonzalez and the rest of the Nats...the only player who is old enough to consider is Jason Werth...and he ain't going.
Phillies: As far as the Phighting Phils have falling from their 2007-2010 heyday, they have at least three Cooperstown hopefuls; Howard, Rollins and Mike Young (who, if he goes in, will do so as a Ranger) . I would have thought Halladay was on his way there, til the last few years, in which he has looked more like Anthony Young than Cy Young.
Mets: David Wright may be the Ryne Sandburg of his generation; a great player, doomed to spend his entire career on a team that never makes it to the World series, yet maybe makes it to the Hall. He has the advantage of being at a position (3rd base) that has the least amount of players inducted. The rest of the team is...well, ask me in 7 years about Matt Harvey...
Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton...yeah, he's only in his mid twenties, but really, he's the only serious contender.
Cardinals: Beltran is a sorta/maybe, Fred McGriff/Harold Baines type, and Pujols is on the Angels ..and John Jay and Ryan Ludwick are younger than my nephew, so shut up.
Reds: People make a fuss over Votto, but I believe the real Hall candidate is Brandon Phillpis; Gold glove, good bat...almost a less speedy version of Reds Hall of famer, Joe Mogan. Here's just hoping he doesn't get into broadcasting too.
Pirates: The Bucs are good this year, thanks to their bullpen, with closer Jason Grilli leading the way. However, the star of the team is undoubtedly Andrew Mcutcheon, who is maybe too young to start retiring his number in Pittsburgh. Him staying in the steel city may go a long way to ponder an inclusion in the hall.
Cubs: Alphonso Soriano...yeah, I know, but it's all I could come up with. Theo's got a lot of work to do.
Rockies: Although Tulowitski is a great player, and maybe someday, blahblahblah...the real definite is Todd Helton. Sure, his numbers may have been inflated by playing in the mile high city, but even into middle age, he's been a productive player, who should get to 3,000 hits. As for their pitching...they're in Denver...'nough said.
Giants: Lincecum has two Cy Youngs, but he needs to get back to his late '00s form to get to HOF status. Posey has all the makings of a HOF catcher, but you never know. All others are speculations and/or past their prime...
Diamondbacks: Inconclusive, to say the least...maybe if Heath Bell stays and remembers how to be good, and "Tat man"...sorry, forgot his name...
Dodgers: A team filled with players that should have been potential Hall of famers, but decided not to be, somehow... Carl Crawford (who should have stayed in Tampa), Matt Kemp (inconsistent), Kershaw (needs more good years) and Hanley Ramirez, who I have nicknamed "Poison", as in he's poison to a clubhouse, no matter how talented he is. ( Not to be confused with Paul Waner and Lloyd Waner, who were known as "Big Poison" and "Little Poison",)
Padres: Chase Headley had a good year last year...hey, ten more of those, and he's a big maybe...everyone else is...well, everyone else...
O.K., I may have missed someone, but I don't believe it's anyone major...yet. Which makes this list a little superfluous, but hey, you read it!
Friday, May 3, 2013
42 : A review...
So, I finally got around to seeing the Jackie Robinson movie, and for the most part, I have positive things to say. I basically got what I was expecting, but maybe was looking for a little more, as I pretty much knew the story backwards and forwards going in. Anyone expecting a deep analysis of Robinson's childhood, and how he how he overcame the hardship of growing up without a father, only to become a multi sports star at UCLA and also serve his country in WWII, will be a little disappointed. The movie starts with Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey ( a believable, if a little cartooney Harrison Ford ) looking for the first black to play in the majors..."Ray", this is not...
However, it also doesn't waste time on superfluous details, and basically gets down to the business of baseball, showing Robinson ( Chad Boseman ) playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues, only to be selected over such worthy contemporaries as Roy Campenella ( too nice ) and Satchel Paige ( too old ) to try out for the Dodgers AAA affiliate, the Montreal Royals. Now, I don't want to give anything away, but Jackie makes the team, and then gets called up to Brooklyn a year later, wins the first rookie of the year award, leads Dodgers to pennant and so on...
The acting is pretty top notch, with both Boseman and Harrison making a formidable pair ...but the real treat is watching Chris Merloni ( Det. Stabler of Law and order: SVU fame ) as Leo Durocher, the controversial Dodger manager who was suspended for the 1947 season by commissioner Happy Chandler because of his affair with married actress Loraine Day. Durocher was such an interesting character, and Merloni was so convincing, there maybe needs to be a "Leo the lip" bio in the works. Seriously, Leo played with Babe Ruth ( who nicknamed him the "All American out" ), was part of the "Gashouse gang" Cardinal team of 1934, and managed both the Dodgers and Giants in the '40s and 50s...(not to mention being the manager of one of the biggest choke teams of all time, the 1969 Cubs ).
Another part of the film I enjoyed was the attention to detail on recreating Ebbets Field, Shibe Park, Crosley Field, et al There will definitely be an Oscar for set design in this movie's future. Also, they made the Brooklyn neighborhoods (one of which of which I live in ) look like they're right out of the '40s...although to be fair, my brownstone hasn't really changed since then, according to my downstairs neighbor, who's lived in this apartment for over 50 years..
And of course, there's the race issue. There's a scene in which Phillies manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk ) taunts Jackie with more "N words" in a single at bat than N.W.A and Strom Thurmond combined. Then there was the scene against the Reds, where it was a coming home of sorts for Kentucky native Pee Wee Reese. A father and son are at the game, and once the father starts hurling racial slurs toward Robinson, the son follows suit...Of course, there's the famous scene in which Pee Wee puts his arm around Jackie and tells him everything is alright, and shows the hostile crowd that this is his friend. In reality, I believe what Reese said to Jackie was simply, "Fuck em"! This is a PG movie, however, so that didn't happen.
Now the last bit of information led me to believe that this film, for the most part, was made for kids, and that's fine; MLB really needs to reach out to it's younger audience ( young black audience, especially ). One of the funniest things that happened to me at the the theater, didn't occur during the movie, but afterwards, as a liberal, white Park Slope dad tried to explain to his 10 year old son why the son of the racist Reds fan joined his dad in the bigotry. This conversation started while i was in the stall, and continued outside...the father backtracking while trying to make his point and not delude his son. I guess that means the film was a success in that sense. For me, I enjoyed it; maybe a little too Hollywoodish , but then again, everything to me is. And if it's gonna be glitzy, it might as well be about baseball. Now when's that Durocher film gonna come out...?
However, it also doesn't waste time on superfluous details, and basically gets down to the business of baseball, showing Robinson ( Chad Boseman ) playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues, only to be selected over such worthy contemporaries as Roy Campenella ( too nice ) and Satchel Paige ( too old ) to try out for the Dodgers AAA affiliate, the Montreal Royals. Now, I don't want to give anything away, but Jackie makes the team, and then gets called up to Brooklyn a year later, wins the first rookie of the year award, leads Dodgers to pennant and so on...
The acting is pretty top notch, with both Boseman and Harrison making a formidable pair ...but the real treat is watching Chris Merloni ( Det. Stabler of Law and order: SVU fame ) as Leo Durocher, the controversial Dodger manager who was suspended for the 1947 season by commissioner Happy Chandler because of his affair with married actress Loraine Day. Durocher was such an interesting character, and Merloni was so convincing, there maybe needs to be a "Leo the lip" bio in the works. Seriously, Leo played with Babe Ruth ( who nicknamed him the "All American out" ), was part of the "Gashouse gang" Cardinal team of 1934, and managed both the Dodgers and Giants in the '40s and 50s...(not to mention being the manager of one of the biggest choke teams of all time, the 1969 Cubs ).
Another part of the film I enjoyed was the attention to detail on recreating Ebbets Field, Shibe Park, Crosley Field, et al There will definitely be an Oscar for set design in this movie's future. Also, they made the Brooklyn neighborhoods (one of which of which I live in ) look like they're right out of the '40s...although to be fair, my brownstone hasn't really changed since then, according to my downstairs neighbor, who's lived in this apartment for over 50 years..
And of course, there's the race issue. There's a scene in which Phillies manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk ) taunts Jackie with more "N words" in a single at bat than N.W.A and Strom Thurmond combined. Then there was the scene against the Reds, where it was a coming home of sorts for Kentucky native Pee Wee Reese. A father and son are at the game, and once the father starts hurling racial slurs toward Robinson, the son follows suit...Of course, there's the famous scene in which Pee Wee puts his arm around Jackie and tells him everything is alright, and shows the hostile crowd that this is his friend. In reality, I believe what Reese said to Jackie was simply, "Fuck em"! This is a PG movie, however, so that didn't happen.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
2004 Red Sox: "Where are they now?"
With the recent events from the Marathon bombing manhunt still fresh in our minds, I figured I'd do a little piece about the city (and team ) I grew up in/with...Everyone knows that in 2004 the Red Sox broke an 86 year curse, and so on...but what ever happened to that team? Only a handful of the players on that team are even still playing in the Majors, and only one player-David Ortiz- is still playing for Boston. So, at the risk of sounding like a vapid, VH-1 special, I present to you: "The 2004 Red Sox; where are they now?"
Catchers: Jason Varitek stayed with the Sox until he retired in 2011. He caught two no hitters before 2004, and two after, giving him the record for no nos caught by a backstop. He also made the All star team a couple of more times after '04, including 2008, when he made the team despite his batting average looming in the Mike O'Berry zone. Mirabelli continued to be Wakefield's catcher until he went to the Padres; only to come back to the Sox when Wakefield requested his return (catching knuckleballs is an arduous task, apparently ).
First base: Kevin Millar played one more year for Boston, then played a couple for the Orioles and Blue Jays. After retirement, he got the job he was made for; being a big mouth, talking about baseball and being silly on MLB network's "Intentional talk". Doug Meintkevitz played a few more years after '04 with the Yankees and Mets, becoming only the 13th (I think) player to be on the Sox, Yanks and Mets.
Second base: Mark Bellhorn played one more half season, then parts of a season with the Padres and Yankees. No word on him playing "Booger" in a Revenge of the nerds remake. Pokey Reese retired after the series, leaving the legacy of having one of the coolest baseball names in Red Sox history.
Third base: Bill Mueller left the Sox after '05 to play one final seaon in L.A., where they undoubtedly mispronounced his last name as well ( pronounced "Miller", in case you care ). Kevin Youklis didn't play in the post season that year, but would have his share of playoff moments with the Sox, until Bobby Valentine drove him out of town to Chicago...now he's on the Yankees, where their "no beard" policy isn't doing him any favors.
Shortstop: Nomar Garciaparra was traded at the deadline, ensuring he would never play in the World series for the Sox. He played for the Cubs, Dodgers, (comeback player of the year in 2006) and the A's, before retiring. He now is an analyst for ESPN's "Baseball tonight". He also changed his name to "Mr. Mia Hamm", just to avoid confusion. Orlando parlayed his late season heroics in '04 into a multi year contract with the Angels. Then he played a season each for every team that ever existed...
Left field: Manny continued his hot hitting until mid 2008, where he went from "Manny being Manny", to "Manny being a pain in the ass". I believe he's playing for the Hamilton Meat Hammers of the extremely minor international league now. Gabe Kapler played a year or two for the Sox, then retired to become a scout, only to come back to the Majors, where, as a member of the Rays, he made history...He was the one who hit the almost home run that Dwayne Wise robbed in the 9th inning of Mark Buerle's eventual perfect game.
Center Field : Johnny Damon played '05 for the Sox, then signed a big four year deal with the Yankees, helping them win it all in '09. He then played a year each with the Tigers, Rays and Indians. However, he was hard to recognize without the beard at first; that is, until he attempted a throw from the outfield (ouch). Dave Roberts could win a Nobel Prize in Physics, and all anyone will remember is that steal in game four of the 2004 ALCS. He then played for the Giants and/ or Padres...but as I said...
Right Field: Trot Nixon left the Sox after the '06 season; then he played one season each for the Indians and Mets, going the way of Brian Daubach ( both ended their careers w/ the Mets ). BTW, Trot was a lot bigger than he looked. His crouched stance made him look a lot shorter than his 6 ft 4 inches. I didn't look it up, but I believe "Trot" is not his real name.
D.H. : Big Papi is still with the Red Sox. He added to his legacy by saying, "This is our fucking city", during the ceremony at Fenway before the first game they played there since the bombing. Brian Daubach was released before the end of the season. He will always have a spot in my heart for saying he liked my set at the Comedy Connection back in 1999. He ended his career with the Mets..
Starting pitchers: Pedro signed a four year contract w/ the Mets, but spent a lot of that time injured, which hurt their chances to overtake the Cardinals in the '06 NLCS ( although, they almost did anyway ). He did make it back to the World Series in '09 with the Phillies, which must have been a bitter bill for Mets fans to swallow. Curt Schilling retired after the '07 Series win over the Rockies. He called it quits because of injuries...and probably because Jesus told him to. Derek Lowe pitched for the Dodgers, Braves, Indians, Yankees ( Jeez, how many players from this team played for New York later? ), and now the Rangers. No word on whether he sold his house in Quincy Ma. yet.
Tim Wakefield retired after the 2011 season, when, without warning, he became an unlikely movie star ("Knuckleball") and T.V. host ("The next knuckler"). Granted, his range is limited (ha)...Bronson Arroyo left after the '05 season to carve out a pretty good career with the Cincinatti Reds, where he is to this day. I know he misses Boston, especially Newbury Comics ( or was that Todd Benzinger? I get my former Sox-turned- Reds confused ).
Relief pitchers: 2004 was Keith Foulke's last good season. He must have been a real challenge for parents at the game trying to keep their kids from swearing. Mike Timlin eventually ended his 97 year baseball career with the Sox in the late '00s. My sister still has the hots for him, I think. Alan Embry was the one on the mound when the finally beat the Yankees in the '04 ALCS. Then he ended up playing for the Yankees for the sole purpose of pissing me off. Mike Myers left the Sox to portray Austin Powers in a Hockey mask for " Halloween 17: Yeah Baby!" Curtis Leskanic probably didn't become a mechanic, but he should have, you know...
Manager: Terry Francona got out of Boston with his dignity before the collapse of 2012. He spent one year in the booth, then decided he wasn't punished enough in life and took the Indians managing job ( I keed...)
GM: Theo Epstein actually has a more daunting task as the Cubs GM. If he even gets them to the World Series, they may erect a statue to him, right next to that drunk Harry Carey. Hey, I love me some Harry Carey, but he made Keith Richards look like a teetotaler (not that I'm one to talk).
...and the rest: There are dozens of players that played for the 2004 Red Sox, but I can't really go into them all...if you want to see the exploits of Cesar Crespo, Ricky Gutierrez and Pedro Astacio, may I suggest Baseball-Reference.com, Baseball Almanac or even Wikipedia. I'm just here to be a wise ass and try to educate where I can. And, as Homer Simpson once said : "People can use facts to prove something that's even remotely true..."
Catchers: Jason Varitek stayed with the Sox until he retired in 2011. He caught two no hitters before 2004, and two after, giving him the record for no nos caught by a backstop. He also made the All star team a couple of more times after '04, including 2008, when he made the team despite his batting average looming in the Mike O'Berry zone. Mirabelli continued to be Wakefield's catcher until he went to the Padres; only to come back to the Sox when Wakefield requested his return (catching knuckleballs is an arduous task, apparently ).
First base: Kevin Millar played one more year for Boston, then played a couple for the Orioles and Blue Jays. After retirement, he got the job he was made for; being a big mouth, talking about baseball and being silly on MLB network's "Intentional talk". Doug Meintkevitz played a few more years after '04 with the Yankees and Mets, becoming only the 13th (I think) player to be on the Sox, Yanks and Mets.
Second base: Mark Bellhorn played one more half season, then parts of a season with the Padres and Yankees. No word on him playing "Booger" in a Revenge of the nerds remake. Pokey Reese retired after the series, leaving the legacy of having one of the coolest baseball names in Red Sox history.
Third base: Bill Mueller left the Sox after '05 to play one final seaon in L.A., where they undoubtedly mispronounced his last name as well ( pronounced "Miller", in case you care ). Kevin Youklis didn't play in the post season that year, but would have his share of playoff moments with the Sox, until Bobby Valentine drove him out of town to Chicago...now he's on the Yankees, where their "no beard" policy isn't doing him any favors.
Shortstop: Nomar Garciaparra was traded at the deadline, ensuring he would never play in the World series for the Sox. He played for the Cubs, Dodgers, (comeback player of the year in 2006) and the A's, before retiring. He now is an analyst for ESPN's "Baseball tonight". He also changed his name to "Mr. Mia Hamm", just to avoid confusion. Orlando parlayed his late season heroics in '04 into a multi year contract with the Angels. Then he played a season each for every team that ever existed...
Left field: Manny continued his hot hitting until mid 2008, where he went from "Manny being Manny", to "Manny being a pain in the ass". I believe he's playing for the Hamilton Meat Hammers of the extremely minor international league now. Gabe Kapler played a year or two for the Sox, then retired to become a scout, only to come back to the Majors, where, as a member of the Rays, he made history...He was the one who hit the almost home run that Dwayne Wise robbed in the 9th inning of Mark Buerle's eventual perfect game.
Center Field : Johnny Damon played '05 for the Sox, then signed a big four year deal with the Yankees, helping them win it all in '09. He then played a year each with the Tigers, Rays and Indians. However, he was hard to recognize without the beard at first; that is, until he attempted a throw from the outfield (ouch). Dave Roberts could win a Nobel Prize in Physics, and all anyone will remember is that steal in game four of the 2004 ALCS. He then played for the Giants and/ or Padres...but as I said...
Right Field: Trot Nixon left the Sox after the '06 season; then he played one season each for the Indians and Mets, going the way of Brian Daubach ( both ended their careers w/ the Mets ). BTW, Trot was a lot bigger than he looked. His crouched stance made him look a lot shorter than his 6 ft 4 inches. I didn't look it up, but I believe "Trot" is not his real name.
D.H. : Big Papi is still with the Red Sox. He added to his legacy by saying, "This is our fucking city", during the ceremony at Fenway before the first game they played there since the bombing. Brian Daubach was released before the end of the season. He will always have a spot in my heart for saying he liked my set at the Comedy Connection back in 1999. He ended his career with the Mets..
Starting pitchers: Pedro signed a four year contract w/ the Mets, but spent a lot of that time injured, which hurt their chances to overtake the Cardinals in the '06 NLCS ( although, they almost did anyway ). He did make it back to the World Series in '09 with the Phillies, which must have been a bitter bill for Mets fans to swallow. Curt Schilling retired after the '07 Series win over the Rockies. He called it quits because of injuries...and probably because Jesus told him to. Derek Lowe pitched for the Dodgers, Braves, Indians, Yankees ( Jeez, how many players from this team played for New York later? ), and now the Rangers. No word on whether he sold his house in Quincy Ma. yet.
Tim Wakefield retired after the 2011 season, when, without warning, he became an unlikely movie star ("Knuckleball") and T.V. host ("The next knuckler"). Granted, his range is limited (ha)...Bronson Arroyo left after the '05 season to carve out a pretty good career with the Cincinatti Reds, where he is to this day. I know he misses Boston, especially Newbury Comics ( or was that Todd Benzinger? I get my former Sox-turned- Reds confused ).
Relief pitchers: 2004 was Keith Foulke's last good season. He must have been a real challenge for parents at the game trying to keep their kids from swearing. Mike Timlin eventually ended his 97 year baseball career with the Sox in the late '00s. My sister still has the hots for him, I think. Alan Embry was the one on the mound when the finally beat the Yankees in the '04 ALCS. Then he ended up playing for the Yankees for the sole purpose of pissing me off. Mike Myers left the Sox to portray Austin Powers in a Hockey mask for " Halloween 17: Yeah Baby!" Curtis Leskanic probably didn't become a mechanic, but he should have, you know...
Manager: Terry Francona got out of Boston with his dignity before the collapse of 2012. He spent one year in the booth, then decided he wasn't punished enough in life and took the Indians managing job ( I keed...)
GM: Theo Epstein actually has a more daunting task as the Cubs GM. If he even gets them to the World Series, they may erect a statue to him, right next to that drunk Harry Carey. Hey, I love me some Harry Carey, but he made Keith Richards look like a teetotaler (not that I'm one to talk).
...and the rest: There are dozens of players that played for the 2004 Red Sox, but I can't really go into them all...if you want to see the exploits of Cesar Crespo, Ricky Gutierrez and Pedro Astacio, may I suggest Baseball-Reference.com, Baseball Almanac or even Wikipedia. I'm just here to be a wise ass and try to educate where I can. And, as Homer Simpson once said : "People can use facts to prove something that's even remotely true..."
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Will 20 win seasons go the way of the Dodo bird...?
The baseball season is less than three weeks old, and already there have been a few almost no-hitters; Yu Darvish on opening day and Clay Buchholz last Sunday come to mind. No-nos have been on the rise in the past few years. In 2012, there were seven, two of them being perfect games. On the other hand, there were only four twenty game winners last year-the two Cy Young winners, David Price and R.A. Dickey, along with Gio Gonzalez and Jared Weaver. It used to be you almost had to have at least twenty wins to even be considered for the award. In fact, it wasn't until the late '70s that a starter won the award with less than twenty: Tom Seaver. Nowadays, you can have a guy go 13-12 and win the award (Felix Hernandez in 2011). As the years go by, twenty game winners are becoming less and less frequent. It didn't used to be that way...it didn't used to be that way at all.
Back in 1971, something that only happened once before ( The 1920 White Sox ) and most likely will never happen again occurred; four pitchers won twenty-plus games. The team was Earl Weaver's Baltimore Orioles. A team built on pitching, defense, and the three run homer. ( it was not a good idea, btw, to ask Earl about his "team's speed" ) The four pitchers in question were former Cy Young winner Mike Cuellar, future multiple Cy Young winner (and underwear model ) Jim Palmer, Dave McNally (Famous as one of the first free agent holdouts in the mid '70s), and the newly acquired Pat Dobson.
The quartet led the O's to their third consecutive pennant, although they would be upset by Clemente and the Pirates in the series. To show you how winning twenty back then wasn't that out of the ordinary, none of the four pitchers from Baltimore won the Cy Young award. That honor went to Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics, who had one of the greatest pitching performances ever, winning 27 games, with over 300 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.82. He also won the MVP that year...all at the tender young age of 21. Blue would never have a season like that again, although he did become the first pitcher to start All Star games in both the AL ('71 and '75 for the A's ) and the NL ('78 for the San Fransisco Giants ).
Blue also had 24 complete games, which is about a third of the total all 30 teams had combined in 2012. Having a good bullpen is almost as important as having quality starters. Now as far as why there are more no-hitters than 20 game winners, I have a theory- strikeouts. There have been an alarming amount of hitters striking out over 200 times. For the longest time, Bobby Bonds had the record for strikeouts in a single season with 189. That was back in 1969. The record was broken by Adam Dunn in 2004...then Ryan Howard...then it was shattered by Mark Reynolds a few years back with 223. In fact, Reynolds had more strikeouts in his first two full seasons than Joe Dimaggio did in his entire career. The only flaw in this theory is that Mark has never played for the Rays, who get no-hit more than any other team for some reason, even when they're contenders.
Maybe they're coddling pitchers...I know Nolan Ryan thinks so. He threw more no-no's than anyone, back when they weren't so frequent. I believe he's trying to turn the Rangers into a throwback team; starters throwing more innings, not depending on the bullpen unless it's necessary, etc. You know, maybe Ryan should be the next commissioner. Lord knows Selig has lost his grip on reality; pretty soon, every team but the Astros and Padres will make the playoffs. So, maybe that's the solution...replace Stephen Hawking's stunt double with a man, who, at the age of 62, threw out the first ball in the 2010 World series that was clocked at 83 miles an hour. He probably didn't even need an Advil afterwards...
Back in 1971, something that only happened once before ( The 1920 White Sox ) and most likely will never happen again occurred; four pitchers won twenty-plus games. The team was Earl Weaver's Baltimore Orioles. A team built on pitching, defense, and the three run homer. ( it was not a good idea, btw, to ask Earl about his "team's speed" ) The four pitchers in question were former Cy Young winner Mike Cuellar, future multiple Cy Young winner (and underwear model ) Jim Palmer, Dave McNally (Famous as one of the first free agent holdouts in the mid '70s), and the newly acquired Pat Dobson.
The quartet led the O's to their third consecutive pennant, although they would be upset by Clemente and the Pirates in the series. To show you how winning twenty back then wasn't that out of the ordinary, none of the four pitchers from Baltimore won the Cy Young award. That honor went to Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics, who had one of the greatest pitching performances ever, winning 27 games, with over 300 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.82. He also won the MVP that year...all at the tender young age of 21. Blue would never have a season like that again, although he did become the first pitcher to start All Star games in both the AL ('71 and '75 for the A's ) and the NL ('78 for the San Fransisco Giants ).
Blue also had 24 complete games, which is about a third of the total all 30 teams had combined in 2012. Having a good bullpen is almost as important as having quality starters. Now as far as why there are more no-hitters than 20 game winners, I have a theory- strikeouts. There have been an alarming amount of hitters striking out over 200 times. For the longest time, Bobby Bonds had the record for strikeouts in a single season with 189. That was back in 1969. The record was broken by Adam Dunn in 2004...then Ryan Howard...then it was shattered by Mark Reynolds a few years back with 223. In fact, Reynolds had more strikeouts in his first two full seasons than Joe Dimaggio did in his entire career. The only flaw in this theory is that Mark has never played for the Rays, who get no-hit more than any other team for some reason, even when they're contenders.
Maybe they're coddling pitchers...I know Nolan Ryan thinks so. He threw more no-no's than anyone, back when they weren't so frequent. I believe he's trying to turn the Rangers into a throwback team; starters throwing more innings, not depending on the bullpen unless it's necessary, etc. You know, maybe Ryan should be the next commissioner. Lord knows Selig has lost his grip on reality; pretty soon, every team but the Astros and Padres will make the playoffs. So, maybe that's the solution...replace Stephen Hawking's stunt double with a man, who, at the age of 62, threw out the first ball in the 2010 World series that was clocked at 83 miles an hour. He probably didn't even need an Advil afterwards...
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
( Fairly ) recent changes to the game I like...
O.K., I decided to be positive this week and post recent changes in the game that I DO like. Recent is a relative term, so let's say within the past thirty years or so. Since then, there have been five commissioners, four new teams, revenue sharing, etc; but this entry will be all about the better trends in the game, and there have been a few. Last week I wrote things I'd change, and posted five examples, so this week I'll do the same. So here they are, five (fairly recent) changes to the game that I like:
1) New Stadiums: Back in the late '60s, early '70s, a lot of the owners tried to save money but building multi-purpose stadiums that could not only field their baseball team, but also the city's football (and whatever else's) team. These were your basic cookie cutter stadiums, which looked almost identical to each other- same circular shape, artificial turf, and in some cases, football yard lines on the field during September. These parks were featured in cities like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and St. Louis...then there were the domes: Minnesota, Seattle, Houston and Montreal. Even some of the real grass stadiums seemed a little cold and antiseptic in places like Cleveland, Oakland, Etc. Well all that started to change in the early '90s, starting with Camden Yards in Baltimore, Jacobs Field in Cleveland, and on from there. These were all beautiful, throwback stadiums with plenty of charm;each one unique in it's own way.
I know the main reason behind these parks is to get more revenue for their teams from the league, and a handful have had to change their name because of corporations buying each other out (which is irritating, to say the least). But I welcome the change, and look forward to visiting all of these ballparks...hell, I'll even go to Enron Field...I mean, Minute Maid Park...uhhh is it still called that?....whatever...I'll even go to Houston, how about that...
2) New Uniforms: The Marlins notwithstanding, today's team uniforms are a million times more appealing to look at than those horrible double knits without buttons that teams used to wear in the '70s and '80s. Never mind the horrible fashion choices of the Pirates, A's and (especially) Astros; the form fitting unis made all but the most fit player look like a company softball player after he's had a few. I don't know when this change occurred, exactly, but every time a team like the Royals or Phillies have a "throwback"day, I appreciate the new duds even more.
3) MLB Network: If you told me 10 years ago that there would be a cable channel devoted 24/7 to baseball, I wouldn't have believed it. Then again, if you asked most people 30 years ago about an all sports cable channel being successfull (ESPN) you would have gotten the same response. What I like about the station is it's connection to the past, which is more important in baseball than any other sport. Programs like "Prime 9", "Baseball Seasons" and the various specials and documentaries they show give younger viewers a better understanding of where the game came from. Of course they show games, highlights, and original programming that's pretty cool, with lots of ballplayers from my youth and beyond giving their opinion. They also realise that the majority of the viewers are men, so they hired many baseball-savvy women to work there, mainly from other teams (Heidi Watney and Hazel Mae both used to work for NECN, the Red Sox and Bruins network). Hazel was my favorite, but she's no longer there...now my fav is Alana Rizzo; great knowledge of the game, strong speaking voice, and easy on the eyes (to say the least...Yowsa!).
4) Minor League exposure: Going to a major league game is great, but sometimes you don't have the funds; MLB games can get pricey, especially if you have kids or want to drink (you can only choose one, ha). Fortunately, there is minor league ball. In almost every size able city it seems, there is some form of a professional baseball team;whether it's one affiliated with a Major squad, or just independent, you can experience baseball at a reasonable price. Also, there are silly games for the kids, like people dressed as hotdogs racing between innings, and, in A ball and above, you might see a future star, or maybe one who's already in the majors and coming back from an injury. My favorite are the Brooklyn Cyclones, the "A" ball team for the Mets. Playing their home games in Coney Island, a Cyclones game gives you a unique experience; with it's location next to the boardwalk and full view of the amusement park in the background.
5) The fact it hasn't changed all that much: Alright, this is kind of a cop-out, but seriously, with all the changes good and bad, there really is not that much difference between today's game and the one Honus Wagner and Satchel Paige played . Still 9 innings, still 3 strikes you're out, still no instant replay, ( can I get a hallelujah ) , still the same basic game that's been played for over 180 years. There have been multiple changes to other sports in recent years ( especially hockey ), but baseball pretty much stays the same...now if we could only get rid of Bud Selig....
1) New Stadiums: Back in the late '60s, early '70s, a lot of the owners tried to save money but building multi-purpose stadiums that could not only field their baseball team, but also the city's football (and whatever else's) team. These were your basic cookie cutter stadiums, which looked almost identical to each other- same circular shape, artificial turf, and in some cases, football yard lines on the field during September. These parks were featured in cities like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and St. Louis...then there were the domes: Minnesota, Seattle, Houston and Montreal. Even some of the real grass stadiums seemed a little cold and antiseptic in places like Cleveland, Oakland, Etc. Well all that started to change in the early '90s, starting with Camden Yards in Baltimore, Jacobs Field in Cleveland, and on from there. These were all beautiful, throwback stadiums with plenty of charm;each one unique in it's own way.
I know the main reason behind these parks is to get more revenue for their teams from the league, and a handful have had to change their name because of corporations buying each other out (which is irritating, to say the least). But I welcome the change, and look forward to visiting all of these ballparks...hell, I'll even go to Enron Field...I mean, Minute Maid Park...uhhh is it still called that?....whatever...I'll even go to Houston, how about that...
2) New Uniforms: The Marlins notwithstanding, today's team uniforms are a million times more appealing to look at than those horrible double knits without buttons that teams used to wear in the '70s and '80s. Never mind the horrible fashion choices of the Pirates, A's and (especially) Astros; the form fitting unis made all but the most fit player look like a company softball player after he's had a few. I don't know when this change occurred, exactly, but every time a team like the Royals or Phillies have a "throwback"day, I appreciate the new duds even more.
3) MLB Network: If you told me 10 years ago that there would be a cable channel devoted 24/7 to baseball, I wouldn't have believed it. Then again, if you asked most people 30 years ago about an all sports cable channel being successfull (ESPN) you would have gotten the same response. What I like about the station is it's connection to the past, which is more important in baseball than any other sport. Programs like "Prime 9", "Baseball Seasons" and the various specials and documentaries they show give younger viewers a better understanding of where the game came from. Of course they show games, highlights, and original programming that's pretty cool, with lots of ballplayers from my youth and beyond giving their opinion. They also realise that the majority of the viewers are men, so they hired many baseball-savvy women to work there, mainly from other teams (Heidi Watney and Hazel Mae both used to work for NECN, the Red Sox and Bruins network). Hazel was my favorite, but she's no longer there...now my fav is Alana Rizzo; great knowledge of the game, strong speaking voice, and easy on the eyes (to say the least...Yowsa!).
4) Minor League exposure: Going to a major league game is great, but sometimes you don't have the funds; MLB games can get pricey, especially if you have kids or want to drink (you can only choose one, ha). Fortunately, there is minor league ball. In almost every size able city it seems, there is some form of a professional baseball team;whether it's one affiliated with a Major squad, or just independent, you can experience baseball at a reasonable price. Also, there are silly games for the kids, like people dressed as hotdogs racing between innings, and, in A ball and above, you might see a future star, or maybe one who's already in the majors and coming back from an injury. My favorite are the Brooklyn Cyclones, the "A" ball team for the Mets. Playing their home games in Coney Island, a Cyclones game gives you a unique experience; with it's location next to the boardwalk and full view of the amusement park in the background.
5) The fact it hasn't changed all that much: Alright, this is kind of a cop-out, but seriously, with all the changes good and bad, there really is not that much difference between today's game and the one Honus Wagner and Satchel Paige played . Still 9 innings, still 3 strikes you're out, still no instant replay, ( can I get a hallelujah ) , still the same basic game that's been played for over 180 years. There have been multiple changes to other sports in recent years ( especially hockey ), but baseball pretty much stays the same...now if we could only get rid of Bud Selig....
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