Archive for Audio and/or Visual

Dodgers prospect Yasiel Puig, flipping the bat even in his MLB.com profile image.

In today’s sporting journalism, there is all manner of coverage: injury coverage, transaction coverage, rumors coverage, steroids coverage. “Where is all the bat-flip coverage, though?” one is inclined to ask. To which question, the author would like to whisper the answer (i.e. “NotGraphs”) softly into all of America’s respective ears. Given the wild expense of such a project, however, and the implications it might have in terms of violation of privacy, etc., allow me just to present the three following animated GIFs of Dodgers outfield prospect Yasiel Puig — all captured shamelessly and totally sans shame from Puig’s media page at MLB.com.

Including this footage of Puig flipping his bat with the Cuban national team:

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A typical fan at Camelback Ranch, spring home of the White Sox and Dodgers.

Avoiding the very hot and equally fiery desert sun at spring-training games in the greater Phoenix area is not merely an issue of personal comfort, but also public safety. Towards the end of his appearance on this week’s edition of FanGraphs Audio (available later Tuesday), managing editor Dave Cameron — himself having just returned from Phoenix — discussed which of the region’s stadia offered the best accommodations, so far as shade is concerned.

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This week has somehow turned into Found Week for this writer, but I pass on another gem. Today is Kirby Puckett’s birthday. He would have been 54. Some — perhaps rightly so — contend his Hall of Fame legitimacy. Other — more rightly so — scowl at the off-the-field acts for which he was accused.

Nevertheless, this clip involves David Letterman, and a player that still carries a lot of clout in my neck of the woods.

Let it be known that from this day forward, all my fantasy teams will be labeled the Creepy Pockets.

There are situations in life where one is forced to say “hmmm.” These situations can be classified as curious, or causing curiosity. They can also be classified as perplexing, or causing perplexion. Some of these situations may best be described by the C&C Music Factory.

The video below did not cause any of these sensations for me. This video did not make me go “hmmm.”

This video of Hanley Ramirez homering off Jhoulys Chacin prompted me to go “mmmm,” a noise similar to one made after taking a bite from a delicious cut of meat, or hitting a very good drive on the golf course, or perhaps in a post-coital moment of self-actualization. There is no sense of befuddlement after seeing this video. Everything is properly fuddlded. This video does not cause mixed emotions. It may cause many emotions, but not of them mixed. They all point to the same idea: “That was an impressive thing, what I just saw.”

It is a thing that makes you go “mmmm.”

While acquainting himself with the internet last night, the author found his way to a post by Mop Up Duty’s Callum Hughson from late 2010 regarding retired Cuban shortstop German Mesa. As notes Hughson, Mesa is regarded not only as the best defensive shortstop ever to have played in the Cuban domestic league, but was also an above-average offensive player for much of his career, which lasted from 1986 to 2002, when he retired.

What one learns from the video embedded here is that — regardless of how many runs he saved and/or produced — Mesa is capable of convincing a lone, tired internet surfer that life is not sinkhole of misery.

What else one learns (both from Hughson and the rest of the internet) is this:

• He was nicknamed El Mago (the Magician) and El Imán (the Magnet).
• He played for Industriales for his entire career (except when he played for Metropolitanos, their farm team).
• He slashed .285/.386/.423 in 4,344 career at-bats, probably.
• He was banned for life for 1.5 years between October of 1996 and March of 1998.
• He had terrific rapport, as the video here indicates, with Industriales second baseman Juan Padilla.

Behold: A movie regarding a Honus Wagner baseball card. Be also hold: The most epic score of any baseball card movie you will ever belisten:

Which brings us to the next, most impressive question: WHY ARE WE NOT MAKING SUPER AWESOME RETRO CARDS?! And moreover: WHEN WILL ALL THE GIFS I MADE APPRECIATE IN VALUE?

Here is my first entry into the New T206 line. Consider Heyward, Jason:

See as well:
“The $220,000 Baseball Card”
“The Feast of Wagner, Patron Saint of Interior Flight”

Glove slap to my man Will Smith (no relation).

Life is a journey of discovery, according to the rustic hand-painted mass-produced wooden signs in the antique store I walked past yesterday. So it proved to be, for as I later wandered aimlessly through the wild internets, I made a fortuitous and fortunate query:

I don’t know what providential force brought the name of Niedenfuer to my fingertips; the world works in mysterious ways. But Niedenfuer I sought, and for my trouble fell upon one imdb page. Surely, I thought to myself, this can only be an appearance in a World Series highlight video or, at best, a quick interview in a hand-taped biopic. Surely one could not expect a film career to rival that of fellow reliever Craig Lefferts. I was lost, I can see now. My heart was full of doubt.

If the fifties were a time of worried cigarette smoking, fallout shelters, and Jailhouse Rock, then one can forgive the current generation their One Direction. For the current generation daily breathes in the midichlorians of that benevolent force, the Internet. And today the Internet earned that capital I, for it presented me – unworthy and lost soul that I am – with the following motion picture event. I share it with you, a humble and converted prophet, a fisher of men. I share with you: Casey at the Bat.

http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi3685287449/

The video linked above is presented by Hulu and is an hour long. You will want to clear some time in your schedule to accommodate it, and then watch it posthaste. But if you, too, are plagued with doubt, please read past the cut and allow me to convert you. Soon you will find yourself changed, and your spirit unbound.

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Andrew Miller pitched for Boston on Sunday, March 3rd, 2013, against the New York Yankees. He threw 15 pitches and struck out all three batters he faced. His entire appearance lasted just three or four minutes.

This is that same appearance, condensed into ca. 30 seconds.

Video stolen without malice from MLB.com.

Because he uses his time wisely and has all of his priorities entirely straight, the author has dedicated a not insubstantial portion of his life to acquainting himself (and the expensively educated NotGraphs readership) with the center-field camera shots of all 30 major-league teams.

Because he continues to use his time wisely, the author has dedicated a less substantial — but not inconsequential — portion of this very afternoon to acquainting himself (and now the expensively educated NotGraphs readership) with the camera angles currently being employed during spring-training broadcasts on MLB.TV.

The reader will note that there are only 10 images below. In fact, this appears to represent nearly all of the parks that will be broadcasting games for the moment. Other clubs scheduled to debut broadcasts in the near future are as follows: the Toronto Blue Jays (March 2nd), the Atlanta Braves (March 3rd), and the San Diego Padres (March 3rd).

As one might expect, the spring camera shots are less excellent than those utilized at the major-league level — with literally none of them employing the straight-on center-field angle that has become more popular at the game’s highest level, and allows spectators the best possible views of pitch movement. This isn’t a complaint, but rather an observation.

Among the best below are the Phillies’ center-field angle and — for the tightness of the shot, if not the angle itself — the Nationals’ camera.

Baltimore Orioles

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Pitching against the Mets on Wednesday, Cardinals right-handed prospect Michael Wacha recorded five strikeouts in 3.0 innings.

Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez was impressed by Wacha’s outing, as the following audio demonstrates — of Hernandez himself, and then Beck’s sexy hit “Mixed Bizness” from sexy millennial album Midnite Vultures, which (a) happened to be the next track in the author’s iTunes playlist and (b) seemed peculiarly appropriate given the circumstances.

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