Archive for Audio and/or Visual

Every tournament must begin with its blowouts. It’s the way of the number one seed in the first round. So don’t cry a tear for Mike Flanagan, he’s already gone. The goofy happiness of the 1981 Fleer Bruce Sutter was just too much for him to overcome. Honestly, how do you say anything negative in the face of such unbridled optimism and joy? Not happening.

And now we have our final blowout in the making. Once again, we find ourselves with a couple relievers touting full facial hair. Unfortunately for one, the other owns a legendary nickname. It may be a fait accompli, but let’s play this one out, shall we? Because then we can get on to the closer matchups and root for some underdogs.

#8. 1989 Topps Steve Bedrosian
Guys? Guys? Are we sure about this? I mean, he’s crazy. The Mad Hungarian they call him. I don’t really want to get in the ring with him. I mean, sure, I like my full beard. And I am a closer – pretty good one, had 28 saves last year. But come on, dude has enough screws loose to put up a house. I don’t know, I don’t feel good about this. Guys? Guys?

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http://youtu.be/-l3IXTQDsDg

Desks? Thrown!

Pitches outside the strike zone? Taken!

Scott Hatteberg? Frigging lionized!

I do love me some baseball, Nancy, and I do want to know where you’re going with this.

Grazie x 1000 to The Playlist via Erik Malinowski of Wired.com’s Playbook.

In the ninth inning of Sunday’s AAA Norfolk Tides-Durham Bulls game, Tides manager Gary Allenson was overcome with the insatiable urge to travel. Thanks to modern technology, the whole episode is available online for repeat viewings.

Allenson’s journey was precipitated by a deep flyball off the bat of Tyler Henson, which cleared the centerfield wall, but not the fence above and a bit behind it. By the ground rules, this is an automatic double. Mr. Allenson was believing none of it, and went to see for himself.

Over at IndyWeek.com, Adam Sobsey’s excellent recap (which I encourage you to read) of the night’s events has the money quote:

“My point with the umpire, when they changed it to being a ground-rule double, was: How do you know that’s the ball [that Henson hit]?” Allenson said. “… That’s why I climbed the wall: maybe I could find a ball out there, too. Maybe there are five balls out there. Maybe I’ll find a ball that’s a little wet and I’ll rub it up and it’ll be dry.”

Some observations:

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Behold the following documentary series which offers insight into both the inner workings of the world of baseball and the intriguing back-stories of Carl Crawford’s relationship with the Rays.

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Embedded here, please find footage of every plate appearance from a recent wiffle match-up between the Portland Gothams and Bucktown Blue Jays of the Columbia Cowlitz Wiffleball Association (CCWA), one of our country’s very strongest wiffleball associations.

The game featured two of the league’s top pitchers in the Jays’ Mike Benkoski (first among qualified starters in ERA) and Gothams’ Thomas King (fourth).

Among the many splendors you’ll find here are:
• Portland’s Joe Occi getting hit in the head and grousing about it (0:46).
• Particularly excellent pitches from King at the following marks: 0:15, 0:20, 1:33, 1:38, 2:54, 3:54, 4:49, and 4:56.
• Joe Occi diving after, and missing entirely, a batted-ball (3:35).
• Excellent pitches from Benkoski, at the following: 2:24, 3:21, 4:13, 5:13, 5:18.
• Occi addressing the heavens in frustration directly after the nasty pitch from Benkoski at 5:18.

*Bold indicates extra nasty pitches.

Steamy. Pause.

The parallels are not obvious. Roberto Clemente was Puerto Rican, Elvis was Mississippian. Clemente played baseball, Elvis played rock and roll. Clemente had 3,000 hits on the nose, Elvis more like 26 of the #1 variety. The baseball player was known for his all-around solid game and humanitarian missions to his home land. The rock star was known for his brilliant voice, terrible movies and rampant drug abuse. No, they don’t seem very similar.

But take a look at this picture, and there’s some of the same heat that you get from a young Elvis. Look at the screaming women. Look at the slightly parted lips. Look at the (feigned?) indifference. Feel the confidence exuding from Clemente’s look. Feel the fire.

Then watch this video. Is there nothing these two icons have in common other than dying young within five years of each other? Consider this diptych homage a humble argument that there is, at least superficially, something in common between the young King and the young Sweetness. Even if it is only the adoration of women everywhere.

H/T to Plumb in the Uprights

As America’s Kid Brother Jackie Moore brought to our attention yesterday in a piece on the latter’s (unwitting) walk-off double, Nyjer Morgan is the sort of man prone to losing his mind.

Some due diligence courtesy of our Investigative Reporting Investigation Team reveals another curiosity from the giant, hypothetical file folder marked “All Things Nyjer Morgan” — namely, some kind of excerpt from a real or not real music video featuring Tony Plush himself.

Regard:

Your eyes do not deceive you, reader: that’s footage of Morgan doing the robot while wearing a silver Elvis wig, set to a song that sounds a lot like “I’m Not a Player” by deceased rapper Big Pun — except for, instead of Big Pun, it’s actually Nyjer Morgan revealing the truth about his nom de champ.

There are answers to the questions you’re asking, reader. Assuredly. Whether they exist in this, or an alternate, reality is a thing we can’t say with any certainty, however.

The chief surprise for this author — among the so fresh and mostly clean-clean Player NERD leaderboard at the main site, that is — the chief surprise was the presence of Gerardo Parra’s name amongst said leaders. I’ve generally not cared for the light-hitting, kinda anonymous-seeming Parra; however, looking over his fielding numbers, it’s not surprising that his WAR per 650 PAs is so excellent.

Though the sample of 1511.1 innings isn’t entirely reliable, Parra’s posted an excellent 22.5 UZR (18.3 UZR/150) in left field from the beginning of 2009 up till the present — a stupid-high 24.4 of which has come in just the last 934.1 innings, dating back to the beginning of 2010.

The numbers suggest that it’s Parra’s range which translates most directly into runs, although these two plays from just the last week or so (along with his Fan Scouting Report from last season) reveal that Parra also has a powerful and accurate arm.

The real question, of course, is whether one ought to refer to same as a Gun, Cannon, Laser, or Rocket.

From May 25th, against the Rockies:

From May 30th, against the Marlins:

There are numerous reasons why I’ve chosen to post the video below:

1) Even though it’s from last season, the walk-off celebration you’re about to witness is most awesome. One Kendrys Morales, who’s been in my thoughts recently, would certainly approve of.

2) Charming NotGraphs commenter Bronnt brought said walk-off celebration to my attention, and I’d like him to know how much I appreciated him doing so.

3) As Chairman Cistulli pointed out in these very pages, MLB.com videos are now embed-able! It’s a brilliant day to be alive.

As you may be aware, the Nationals, because of a searing antipathy for all things Bull-Moose, have conspired never to allow Teddy Roosevelt to win the Presidents’ Race. I can think of plenty of injustices in the world, but few measure up to this one.

Well, recently the enterprising Mr. Roosevelt, taking his cues from Great Men of History like Gob Bluth and Jim Bowden, showed the plucky boldness that has allowed this fine republic of his to vanquish anything, save for morbid obesity and a bunch of other stuff …

As you can see, the fix was in. As for Screech the Eagle, who is clearly an asshole, a few words of grave warning … First, I know the Great Ejector, and you, sir, are no Great Ejector. Second, are you aware what Prez Roos does to lower-evolved varmints who get between him and what’s his? Let us remind you:

Your move, cuckoo bird.

Patriot’s gratitude to Dave Brown and the barrel o’ monkeys that is his Twitter feed.