Posts Tagged ‘baseball’

Shades of the Yanks & Red Barber in Baltimore and Kevin Brown

Posted: August 8, 2023 by datechguy in baseball, media, Uncategorized
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I first heard of the Kevin Brown business on the drive home last night hearing he was suspended for something he said on his broadcast.

Things being what they are these days I had presumed he had said something either affirming conservative values or noting liberal insanity, things which are VERBOTEN by those who run sports media these days.

Then however they played the clip of what he said and all of us in the car were confused. Barber noted that if the O’s won that night it would be their first series victory in Tampa bay since 2017. My thought was, hey this is a positive thing highlighting the difference between the bad old days and what they have now.

Apparently any mention of the bad old days was too much for the o’s and denials by Baltimore not withstanding. broadcasters from all kinds of teams are having fits over it and are shocked that a team would so such a thing.

Apparently none of them remember what happened to Red Barber.

His entry at the encyclopedia Britannia reads thus:

Known for his integrity, Barber left the Dodgers after he was urged to make his commentary more supportive of the team, and he was fired by the Yankees after he reported that the last-place team had attracted a mere 413 fans for a September game.

A little more detail on the story is here:

That September 22 [1966], the day Michael Burke became president, 413 specked 65,010-seat Yankee Stadium. On WPIX television, Barber thought it “the perfect place for Burke to start, nowhere to go but up.” Red asked director Don Carney to pan the stands. No shot. He asked again. Zip. Later he said, “I found out [Yanks radio/TV head] Perry Smith was in the control room. He told them not to show the seats

Well he may not have gotten the shot but Barber spoke up anyways:

Barber recalled from using 1930s radio teletype, leaning into his mic: “I don’t know what the paid attendance is, but whatever it is, it is the smallest crowd in the history of Yankee Stadium, and this crowd is the story, not the game.” Red’s act defied. Next week, like Mel Allen in fall 1964, he misjudged. Asked to breakfast by Burke, Barber, like Allen then, anticipated a new pact—indeed, thought Burke was going to ask about player personnel! Instead, the new Yanks head said. “We have decided not to renew your contract.” Barber convened the press, said that “I have a record of thirty-seven years of fine work. I am not going to allow Mr. Burke, or anybody, to trifle with it,”

Now in fairness there is always the possibility that the O’s will be able to produce some other reason for this nonsense, but let’s not pretend that this is a shock, after all if the Yanks were willing to do this to a broadcast legend like Red Barber how less likely are the O’s going to feel guilty over doing something similar with Brown if the owner digs in his heels?

Actually now that I think about it I guess Brown was suspended for advancing a conservative value: The same conservative value that Barber was fired for, telling the truth.

Elly De La Cruz and Playing Baseball Right

Posted: July 9, 2023 by datechguy in baseball
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One of the great young stars of Baseball is Elly De La Cruz. Not only has he already hit for the cycle in his rookie year he has helped raise a team that lost 100 games last season to first place.

Yesterday he did something that screamed Jackie Robinson, stealing 2nd, 3rd and home but most amazingly he did it on only two pitches.

I’ve watched that video a few times and while I noticed that he seems to have long legs and an athletic gait, what really struck me was the baseball sense. Let’s look at the video:

now the steal of 2nd wasn’t anything special other than the good jump but take a look at the 47 second mark of the video and check out where the 3rd baseman is when the catcher is getting up to throw.

There is nobody covering third. de La Cruz noticed this and immediately took off. Yeah the 3rd baseman right have broken for the bag if he had been ready and saw de la Cruz break. With a shorter distance he might have gotten there first and perhaps could have set himself to get a throw, but he wasn’t ready and de la Cruz saw this and took the base.

Remember this is a one run game at the time, you would think a team would be careful about these things but the Milwaukee infield was not and de la Cruz was ready to strike.

Now look at what he does once he’s there. The 3rd baseman is still nowhere near the bag and he starts down the line. at the 2:14 mark the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher who turns his back and heads back to the mound casually. The moment de la Cruz notices the pitcher isn’t watching he breaks for the plate. The pitcher turns at the 2:19 mark and rushes a throw that doesn’t have a chance.

That’s some of the most intelligent baseball I’ve seen in years. Elly de la Cruz is only 21 years old but he’s clearly one of the smartest players on that field and more importantly he’s paying attention to the game and making wise decisions.

This is exactly how this game should be played and the fans of Cincy are lucky to have that kind of player on the field. Will he develop into a Larkin or a Rose, it’s way too early to tell but for now let’s just take joy in it all.

Quick Bits of Advice Under the Fedora, Picking a Lawyer, Why Coaches Exist, Killing Golden Geese, Al Capone Gangster and Legacies

Posted: July 1, 2023 by datechguy in baseball, culture, the courts, under the fedora
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Some Advice:

If hiring a lawyer, make sure that none of them had to get therapy from their law school as a student over SCOTUS rulings they didn’t like.

There is a reason why third base coaches exist to let you know if it’s a good idea to take that extra base. If he puts up a stop sign with two outs in the last of the 9th when you represent the tying run listen to him.

If you are counting on $1000+ from a relative as a wedding gift, it’s a bad idea to inform them that they are not welcome at your wedding because you would be frightened by their presence because they vote conservative and not invite them on those grounds.

Not only will for forfeit that thousand dollar payday, but you will forfeit any future paydays that might have come up.

Reality doesn’t care if something is proven in court or not. Reality IS. If you base reality on court decisions or the lack thereof you will find yourself played for a fool.

Finally if your business or organization relies heavily on recommendations from current customers or users to family members for new bodies, don’t mistreat said existing customers. They’ll advise people to stay away.

God’s Mysterious Ways and Man Having a Lot to Answer For

Posted: April 27, 2023 by datechguy in baseball, catholic, catholic devotions
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Rabbi: Jesus, please explain why you stopped the reading before Isiah spoke of the day of vengeance of our God, especially during a time of such oppression?

Jesus: The day of vengeance is in the future. I’m not here for vengeance, I’m here for salvation.

The Chosen Physician, Heal Yourself 2022

Yesterday my family and I were at the minor league ball park in Worcester thanks to a 4 pack of tickets my youngest won at work. There was according to weather.com a 20% chance of rain and those numbers came up so we waited 45 minutes for the game to start and very much enjoyed the heat lamps that were all around the covered to warm ourselves up.

By the bottom of the 7th it wasn’t looking well for the home team who couldn’t manage to get the key hit to drive in the tying runs when the chance presented itself so I moved up to where the heat lamps where. Most of them were still had groups of people but one of them near home plate was empty so I parked myself there as I urged the home team to throw strikes while on the mound and have a good eye at the plate.

Within a minute or two I was joined by a tall gentleman about my own age and we started talking about the game, the various players and the online league which I run (posting to come soon) etc which is the type of thing that the pace of baseball allows and is one of the joys of going to any ballpark. His son-in-law had season tickets so he often was able to catch a game and spoke highly of the various season ticket combos offered.

At one point my wife decided to refill her water bottle at the water bottle refill station. Seeing me with the fellow she walked by and made a flirty remark about me and my hat. The fellow grinned as guys do when that happens to a fellow and I explained that the flirting lady was my wife of 35 years. At that point the reason for my presence there became clear.

One of the things I talk about on my “Your Prayer Intentions” radio show and have as part of my regular prayer rotation is an offering to notice the works of God all around us and one of those works is to put people where they need to be.

At this point the man’s face became more serious and a change came over him. He told me two years ago that his wife of 38 years had in his own words “died suddenly”. I didn’t press him on what had happened but as it was near the end of the month I asked if he was catholic to offer his wife a place on our monthly indulgence calendar for me. It turned out he was and eagerly jumped at my offer and so I took her name and will be remembering her there and in next week’s radio show along with him family. When my oldest walked by he too took the name to ad it to his prayer list.

The fellow was very grateful. It was very clear that he misses her terribly and that there is a giant hole in his life from her loss, which his son in law has helped fill with the season tickets and as we were leaving found us again to thank us for our kind words and prayers which he needed desperately and that God had seen fit to put us there at that rainy game so I could be under that sun lamp to be there and offer consolation and prayer. Daily baseball is an excellent tonic and distraction for a soul in pain but sharing that pain when one might not normally do so is even better.

But that’s not all that went through my mind when this was happening.

The age of the gentleman, about my own or maybe a year or two older or younger and the “sudden death” of his longtime spouse immediately suggested the COVID shot to me. It’s a story I’ve read about and seen time and time again online and while I did have a vaccinated in-law die of COVID his many other complications before the outbreak didn’t make his death all that “unexpected”, this was the first person I had met who had experienced such an unexpected loss.

Now in fairness I don’t know if in this case the culprit was the shot as I wasn’t about to interrogate him on the matter but it hits me that there are thousands of people who like him have suddenly lost spouses, children and loved ones “unexpectedly” who CAN trace the problem to the shot and have to live every day with that loss that shouldn’t have happened and frankly didn’t have to.

When I ponder that I think of Biden and Fauci and Trudeau and every petty tyrant in government and in corporate America who made people choose between the jab and their livelihood and/or education and think of how much pain and suffering they have to answer for.

It’s in those moments that a good Catholic has to remember that Christ died for ALL sinners without exception and pray that all those involved in those events take advantage of the mercy that Christ offers while they have the chance because the alternative to Christ mercy for our sins is his justice according to our deeds.

And the clock is ticking.

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