I can handle him in smalltz doses but yeah too much. Since I really don’t care who wins I’ve been sound off for the time I actually watched
World Series 2025 Thread
- Thread starter KCJeep
- Start date
The Brothers K is an epic baseball-themed novel by David James Duncan with deep thoughts about life, love, truth, meaning, etc.
The title evokes Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, but I stick to lowbrow stuff like the baseball one, so I can't say how similar they are.
But anyway, there's this hilarious part where the patriarch, an old veteran minor-leaguer, explains what the strike zone is:
"It ain't the nice box you see in the official rules.
It's a thing in the umpire's mind.
It can vary in shape. One ump, his was a triangle with the base slightly underground.
Another one, the triangle had the pointy part down.
Sometimes, it's alive, and can change from pitch to pitch.
Another guy, his had tentacles ..."
And then Pappy reminisces about how Ted Williams used to condition the ump by making a little grunt on every ball. On a close one that probably caught the corner, Williams would grunt, and the ump would automatically call it a ball.
*******
There's been debate for decades about replacing the home plate umpire with a machine to call strikes and balls. But human umpires, subject to error, are part of the game.
TBH I am amazed how well the players and
Last night it there were a few more questionable balls and strikes, than the best umped games I've seen, but I think it averaged out pretty well.
I think the Jays have a good shot, as the only pitcher that can really shut them down, seems to be Yamamoto. That was impressive in game 2.
It is part of the game, and I am amazed how well players/coaches take a bad call. I guess the fact that a bad call is usually made up for at the next opportunity, allows this as they trust the ump knows what they are doing.
Last night it there were a few more questionable balls and strikes, than the best umped games I've seen, but I think it averaged out pretty well.
I think the Jays have a good shot, as the only pitcher that can really shut them down, seems to be Yamamoto. That was impressive in game 2.
It's interesting how the Jays have overperformed compared to all the "Dodgers in four straight" predictions.
I'm reminded of the run-up to the Canada-Russia Summit Series in September 1972. People were predicting "Canada in eight straight" and "the Soviets will be lucky to score a goal".
In 1967 Jacques Plante had come out of retirement to play for an amateur Canadian team against Red Army. The Canadians won 2-1, but Plante had seen how good the Soviets were.
He was one of the few realists going into the series in '72.
I just want all seven games.
Football seems too soon.
Hockey just ain't my sport. Sorry.
Basketball is fixed.
I'll just shut up, but our Pickleball Winter League starts Saturday!
Football seems too soon.
Hockey just ain't my sport. Sorry.
Basketball is fixed.
I'll just shut up, but our Pickleball Winter League starts Saturday!
Nope, I watch the SportsNet feed from Canada with Dan and Buck! Can't stand the announcers on Fox. Hockey is even worse!
Patman
Staff member
I’m so glad that Sportsnet has been able to do the broadcasts for the entire post season. In previous post seasons they weren’t able to do the broadcasts and it was weird for Jays fans to have to listen to completely different personalities calling the games instead of the ones who we have come to love. I met Buck once at a game, he was hanging out in my section where I had my seasons tickets (amazing that he came up to the 500 level that day!)
Buck is a real class act.
How does one get that network here in the US?
Last spring during the Stanley Cup playoffs I listened to the Winnipeg Jets' games whenever I could.
The local guys are hard to listen to, with lots of frantic breathless yelling, along with seldom saying the score, which is really annoying when you tune in partway through the game.
The Epiphany: When I listened through my phone, via NHL.com, I discovered I had the choice of listening to either team's broadcast.
Feeling like a traitor, I tried the Dallas Stars' broadcast. What a difference! The announcer and colourman were excellent - it was night and day.
In the 1950s, there was a famous New York area radio and TV baseball announcer, "Red" Barber. On radio, he kept a 3 minute egg timer to make sure he gave the score every 3 minutes.
Around 1966, he was the TV announcer for the New YorK Yankees. The Yankees were a slumping team at that point, and attendance at a day game at Yankee Stadium was especially poor. (413 in a stadium with 65,000 seats) The place was almost empty. Red insisted that the cameras pan around the stadium to show how empty it was. This apparently embarrassed the team ownership (at that time, Columbia Broadcasting) and his broadcasting contract was not renewed.
Around 1966, he was the TV announcer for the New YorK Yankees. The Yankees were a slumping team at that point, and attendance at a day game at Yankee Stadium was especially poor. (413 in a stadium with 65,000 seats) The place was almost empty. Red insisted that the cameras pan around the stadium to show how empty it was. This apparently embarrassed the team ownership (at that time, Columbia Broadcasting) and his broadcasting contract was not renewed.
Heck of a start for the Jays! That has to be some kind of record.
Absolute beach balls
Red Barber was portrayed in the Jackie Robinson movie that came out around 2013.
I've been skimming through the old Life magazines available online through Google. The ads are particularly interesting. One, from 1954, features Red Barber explaining why he made the switch to Camels. There are some shots of players endorsing Camels as well, including Mickey Mantle and Harvey Haddix.
Patman
Staff member
Yesavage is amazing! It’s hard to believe that game was only his EIGHTH big league start! I’m sure I mentioned this but he started the season in single A ball. Wow. Just insanely good. Just one more win and the Jays are the champions
Anyone old enough to remember Dizzy Dean? His English grammar was so bad there was a teacher’s movement to get him off the air. Didn’t work as fans loved him.
One time when the camera panned to a young couple kissing way up in the stands. Dizzy said he knew a couple like that. The guy would kiss her between the strikes and she would kiss him between the balls.
One time when the camera panned to a young couple kissing way up in the stands. Dizzy said he knew a couple like that. The guy would kiss her between the strikes and she would kiss him between the balls.
This Jays squad has been a joy to watch this year. One more to bring it home!!
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