MetaFilter posts tagged with baseball

Commie Ball

reenum — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:08:05 -0800

Cuban players have long been a mainstay in baseball. After Fidel Castro made it impossible for people to leave the island, the flow of players stopped to a drip. That changed with the defection of Rene Arocha in 1991. The potential to make big money has led to more defections. Joe Cubas is the most prominent agent working with these players. Michael Lewis recently wrote a great article in Vanity Fair about the lives of baseball players in Cuba and looks at the saga of defector Yuniesky Betancourt and his agent, Gus Dominguez. Players are still defecting.

Fading Away

reenum — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:13:01 -0800

Mark McGwire was one of the most feared sluggers in the game during his career. In 1998, the home run chase between McGwire and Sammy Sosa helped baseball recover from the 1994 strike. But, when a reporter found a bottle containing andro in McGwire's locker, some chinks in his armor began to emerge. The andro story wasn't enough to overshadow McGwire and Sosa's record breaking seasons. McGwire received many accolades, from having a highway named after him to having cameos on TV shows. After it became well known that baseball players had engaged in widespread steroid abuse from 1990 on, a public outcry began to overshadow the sport. McGwire was not immune to these allegations. The saga culminated with Senate hearings in 2005, where McGwire refused to discuss his alleged steroid use. After his Senate testimony, McGwire retreated to his home in California and refused to speak to the media. Once thought to be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, McGwire received only 23 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility in 2008. With his recent hire as the Cardinals' hitting coach, McGwire will attempt to repair some of his tarnished legacy.

The Curious Case of Matt Harrington

reenum — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:24:45 -0800

When people think of the pitfalls of the baseball draft, it is hard not to remember the story of Matt Harrington. Harrington was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the Rockies and the Padres in successive years, only to go back into the draft after failing to reach an agreement each time. As the years went by, his stock kept falling. Harrington's flirtation with the majors ended in 2004 when he was drafted with the 1,089th pick by the Yankees. Joe Posnanski wrote about Harrington's saga in 2006, saying that this was a parable about athlete greed. ESPN wrote a piece about it earlier this year, showing Harrington's rapid decline in draft position and struggles as a result of the negative publicity he received. Harrington currently works at Costco for $11.50 an hour.

"Because no one will ever care whether anyone hits a home run out of the 'new Yankee Stadium'"

bardic — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:56:37 -0800

Why Yankee Stadium sucks: "Its design is profoundly un-American. Baseball has traditionally played a unifying role. The ballpark is where people of different classes and races and religions actually mingled. The box seats, where the swells sat, weren't physically separated from the proles. The new stadium is like an architectural system of class apartheid."

Nails Goes to Wall Street

reenum — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:54:21 -0800

Lenny Dykstra was lauded for his heroics with the Mets and Philles. After his career, Dykstra became well-known as a post-career athlete success story. Then the truth started coming out... Dykstra's post career exploits included making stock picks and starting a high end magazine targeted towards athletes. Then, in April of this year, it all came crashing down. In separate articles from GQ and ESPN, Dykstra's financial empire was revealed to be a house of cards. Dykstra subsequently filed bankruptcy in July. For a copy of Lenny's petition, you can go here (Warning: This link is a PDF). Lenny only sees these events as a minor speedbump, and promises to be back on top in no time.

The regular people are in the 400s

yeti — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:09:54 -0800

"It began with a photograph. You've seen it. The new Yankee Stadium. The House Next To The House That Ruth Built. The picture showed the most expensive seats empty, with the rest of the stadium packed." Wright Thompson shares his experience splurging on a Legend Suite seat at the new Yankee Stadium. Yankees ticket prices over the years. The Onion's take on the slashed ticket prices in May.

"I've never been so excited on a 3-1 count in my life."

starman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:27:42 -0800

"I think clearly it's going to be Tuiasosopo today, he's swung the bat well the last few times and he's got an opportunity to play. I expect him to hit his first big league home run today."

Mariners television analyst Mike Blowers makes a goofy pregame prediction... that comes true.

"He stood there like a house by the side of the road."

axiom — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:26:28 -0800

Yesterday, the Detroit Tigers paid tribute to beloved former voice of the team, Hall of Famer Ernie Harwell. In characteristically classy fashion reminiscent of Lou Gehrig, Harwell used his farewell remarks (transcript) to thank fans for their support throughout his 42 years broadcasting Tigers games, especially in light of his recent diagnosis with inoperable bile duct cancer. Harwell was the NBC television broadcaster when the (then) New York Giants' Bobby Thomson hit the Shot Heard Round the World to win the 1951 NL pennant, and though no recording of his call remains, he captivates recalling the circumstances surrounding the broadcast of the game. In 1960 he became the voice of the Tigers, and in 1968 notably called both Denny McLain's MLB record-tying 30th win of the year and the Tigers' pennant victory, rallying the city behind the team one year after the Detroit riots. Harwell also notably called the Tigers' victory in the 1984 World Series (previously) over the San Diego Padres, and called his last game on September 29, 2002, a 1-0 loss to the Blue Jays. Anyone who grew up in or around Detroit and its baseball team would instantly recognize the voice and signature calls of Ernie Harwell.

The Philly Phanatic

Mayor Curley — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:49:29 -0800

Analyst Tim McCarver calls the Philly Phanatic "The best mascot in baseball." However, former Slim-Fast pitchman and ex Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda hates him. On being in the Phanatic costume Tom Burgoyne, who has had the role since 1993, says "I feel like I'm reliving my childhood." However, the Philly Phanatic is not always the funniest thing happening at Citizens Bank Park.

Blasphemy!

klangklangston — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:41:51 -0800

Curt Flood's suit of Baseball. In 1970, baseball's best center fielder, Curt Flood filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball and its reserve clause.

I love baseball!

Chocolate Pickle — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:06:23 -0800

Today in the bottom of the 9th inning, Phils second baseman Eric Bruntlett scored an unassisted triple play against the Mets. It's only the fifteenth in MLB history. Runners on first and second were both signaled to steal. The batter hit a line drive right to the second base bag, and Bruntlett speared it. He stepped on the bag (putting the lead runner out) he then tagged the runner coming in from first. This is even more rare than "perfect games" for pitchers, of which there have been 18.

Play Ball!

ZenMasterThis — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:20:43 -0800

You've seen the national anthem sung at baseball games, but have you ever heard the national anthem played on a baseball bat? (SLYT)

Camp Sundown visits the Yankees

zarq — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:20:58 -0800

"The Yankees' best game this season came after the lights were dimmed." On July 24th, the New York Yankees hosted Camp Sundown in the Bronx -- a group of kids with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). XP is a life-threatening sun-sensitivity disorder, in which DNA cannot repair damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light. Kids with the disease develop malignant melanomas and carcinomas if they are exposed to sunlight or bright fluorescent lights. "Camp Sundown gets its name because the youngsters that attend cannot go outdoors during the daytime or even stand under fluorescent lights because ultraviolet radiation, any UV radiation, is their mortal enemy. It will give them severe burns, it will give them squamous cell skin cancer, it will cause malignant tumors to grow in their eyes and mouths, and make many of them blind as their condition reaches its late stages. The sun and blue skies we wish for in spring and summer will cruelly ravage their bodies. The kids, these fragile, beautiful kids, who want nothing more than to be whatever we like to call ordinary in this world, are afflicted with a genetic condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosum that takes the lives of most people with the disorder before they reach the age of 20. It is rare, so rare there are only between 150 and 250 sufferers in this country, maybe two or three thousand around the world."
For more information, see the XP Society, and their Camp Sundown page. The NJ Star-Ledger site has a video of the event.

Listen to baseball again

acro — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:37:02 -0800

FreeBaseballRadio.com is a site that was created to help find internet broadcasts of live baseball games. Specifically those that are available for free.

Perfect.

uaudio — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:23:02 -0800

Pitcher Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox has thrown a perfect game. A tremendous sporting achievement; this has happened only 19 times in the history of major league baseball. Buehrle is the 17th pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) and the first since Randy Johnson in 2004.

Where have you gone, Delino DeShields?

escabeche — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:37:38 -0800

Where have you gone, Delino DeShields? Seven years ago, Delino DeShields was released by the Chicago Cubs, ending a 13-year, 5-team journey through Major League Baseball during which he earned almost $29 million. He's now the hitting coach for the Billings Mustangs in the rookie-level Pioneer League, making as much money for the season as he used to make per game. The Washington Post goes to Montana to find out why. (multimedia version with pagination here.)

“I remember from the get-go, it wasn’t a normal crowd.”

NotMyselfRightNow — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:19:37 -0800

Thirty years ago today was the infamous "Disco Demolition Night" at Chicago's Comiskey Park. It didn't go exactly as planned: "In the warm air that night, baseball’s routine and soothing sounds mixed with the tribal cadence of off-color chanting, the drifting scent of marijuana and the sight of vinyl records descending through the summer dusk like Frisbees." It wasn't the first time a 70s baseball promotion went astray. Considered by some "the worst idea ever," "Ten Cent Beer Night" at Cleveland Municipal Stadium five years earlier ended when "a large number of intoxicated fans – some armed with knives, chains, and portions of stadium seats that they had torn apart – surged onto the field, and others hurled bottles from the stands." (Previously on MeFi)

Flip Flop Fly Ball - Sports infographics.

Ufez Jones — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:35:04 -0800

Flip Flop Fly Ball - Baseball infographics and other visual treats. Highlights: How tall is the Green Monster?, Assembling and dismantling the '86 Mets, and Wu-Tang Clan vs. E-Street Band.

Now if they'll do a map of European football.

zardoz — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:28:46 -0800

For baseball fans and/or map geeks: The United Countries of Baseball. Technically a Pepsi Blue-ish ad, but not really that noticeable.

Wow. This is uh... This is a black day for baseball.

wayofthedodo — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:48:05 -0800

June 4, 1974. Rangers at Indians. Ten Cent Beers.

Now watch us YOUUUU!

cashman — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:53:43 -0800

Last Thursday, USF & UCONN's baseball teams were stuck in a 5 & 1/2 hour rain delay during the Big East semifinals. What to do. What to do. BASEBALL DANCE-OFF! (12:16 video) They crank dat, there's some limbo, riverdancing, ticking, choreographed, solo - oh it's all in there.

The Sinister End-of-the-World Homerun

Miko — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:50:03 -0800

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved" .... and mad enough to play fantasy baseball. In the new book Kerouac at Bat: Fantasy Sports and the King of the Beats, a NY Public Library archivist considers documents revealing the author's detailed obsession with the imaginary exploits of players like Pictorial Review Jackson and teams like the "Pontiacs, Nashes, and cellar-dwelling LaSalles" in his finely grained, fictional Summer League.

Meet Stephen Strasburg

Lacking Subtlety — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:43:10 -0800

Meet Stephen Strasburg. He throws 103 miles per hour. He has a devastating slider, curve, and change-up. He is the sure first #1 draft pick going to the Washington Nationals. Why is this soooooo significant? Scouts peg him as joining the rotation immediately and thus completely skipping the minors. Unreal. It is an small, elite list who have done so and practically unheard of in the modern era. His popularity in baseball circles is becoming cultish. Recently the sports guy Bill Simmons decided to coin him a nickname and they decided on "The Anchorman", referring to the Will Ferrell movie, which took place in San Diego (he goes to San Diego State). Editorial Notes: I've made comments in the past about young pitchers and pitch counts but he walks so few pitchers and they keep a tight reign on him. Plus he clearly has the kind of frame which can handle the work load/speed. However, there are those with some worries.

The benches have been warned

kosem — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:59:48 -0800

At least one of these things is true, and possibly both: (a) This was the most tense game of baseball ever played; or (b) relations between Jews and the Klan have deteriorated dramatically since 1926. Bill Francis, a research librarian at the Baseball Hall of Fame, unearths a tantalizing newspaper clipping. No update as to how a cat named Flaherty ended up on the "Hebrew All-Star Nines" or, unfortunately, as to the result.

Chris Hayes is funny

HighTechUnderpants — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:49:49 -0800

Chris "Disco" Hayes is a relief pitcher at the AA level in the Kansas City Royals organization. As a submarine pitcher, his unorthodox delivery is easy to spot. He's developed quite the following-as much for his blogging as his pitching. It all started when he was selected as a blogger in the Arizona Fall League, and blogged an 'interview' with Uber-Prospect Matt Wieters.