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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
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4) arguing for the sake of arguing
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7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
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On Friday, I highlighted the Variety package on the Dodgers' 50th anniversary. Eric Enders contributed a feature on Hall of Fame-honored Dodger broadcaster Jaime Jarrin. Space considerations forced Eric to throw out about 90 percent of his interview when crafting his wonderful story, but no such constrictions apply here. Enjoy, at length, Enders' interview with Jarrin, on the occasion of Jarrin being honored at Dodger Stadium (and in doing so, you'll see why June 24 is such a special day).
* * *
Tell me a little bit about your background and how you got involved in baseball.
I grew up about 40 miles south of Quito. I finished school in Quito because there was no high school in the town where I was born, Cayambe. I became interested in radio when I was 15 years old. A cousin of mine was a very well-known radio announcer in Quito, and he would take me to the radio station with him, and I fell in love with the microphone. I was always a very good reader. So then I took a six-month course on announcing, and I won a contest to work at HCJB, the Voice of the Andes, a very, very powerful radio station in Ecuador. I started working there when I was 16 years old. Then I became the announcer for the National Congress of Ecuador, the Senate, and I did that for three years.
HCJB is a radio station owned by an American organization, so there were many English-speaking people there. The American consulate in Quito used to come to the station quite often, and we became friends. And one day—half-seriously, half-kidding—I told him I wanted to come to the United States. He said, 'Come and see me,' so I went to see him, and 24 hours later I had my visa as a permanent resident. I came to Los Angeles because I knew there was a large Spanish-speaking community here.
I came to L.A. on June 24, 1955, and I started looking for work in radio, but there was only one radio station in Spanish in those days, KWKW. I went there and applied for a job, but there were no openings, so I started working in a factory, doing physical work for about six months, and I kept going back to the station. Finally, in December of '55, I was able to get a part-time job at the station. In a few months they gave me more time, more time, more time. Finally, I had a full-time job. By 1958, when the Dodgers moved to the West Coast, I was the news and sports director.
I didn't see any baseball in Ecuador, because in Guayaquil they play a little bit, but in Quito baseball is not known at all. So when I came to this country, I saw people around TV sets and radio sets, watching and listening to the World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Yankees. And I said to myself, that must be a great sport, because there are so many people so intensely watching this game.
So I started going to the games in Los Angeles. We had two Triple-A teams, the Hollywood Stars and the Angels. They used to play at Gilmore Field and the Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. I started going on Saturdays and Sundays to watch, without knowing that eventually the Dodgers would move to the West Coast. So the Dodgers move to the West Coast, and I knew some baseball, and one day the owner of the radio station, Mr. William Beaton, called all employees to his office to let us know that he has signed a contract to do the Dodger games in Spanish.
He said they needed two announcers, and looking at me, he said "I want you to be one of the announcers." I said, "Mr. Beaton, thank you very much, but I think I'm not ready to be in front of the microphone and call a game." I was already doing boxing every Thursday night, and I was very successful doing boxing. He said, "You know, you have talent for doing sports," and I said, "Yes, I know, but give me some time." He said, "Okay, but next year I want you to be with the Dodgers." So he took me to meet Mr. Walter O'Malley, and by 1959 I was ready, and I was hired, and here I am 50 years later still doing the baseball games.
What was it like learning baseball as an adult? Did you find it difficult to catch on at first?
Of course, everything is difficult at the beginning, but after a while I caught on and it wasn't too difficult. I had the ability to do it, and it was a matter of knowing the game. So I started studying. In 1958 I started reading every book about baseball, and listening to every game, and watching. In those days there was only one game on TV, on Saturday, that was it. So I listened on the radio. That's how I started.
What has your relationship with Vin Scully been like over the years?
I don't have enough words to say what he has meant to me and my career. He has been, really, the greatest helper I have ever had. It was a blessing to have him next to me. At the beginning, we didn't travel with the team. We used to recreate the games, the first six or seven years we didn't travel with the team. So we used to have a line between the city where they were and the radio station. We used to go to the station's studio to do the game. We had cartridges with sound effects for a single, for a double, for a triple, for a home run… So we used to hear Vin and Jerry Doggett doing the game and we would translate simultaneously. [Other teams] used to recreate the games for years before that, but they were always at least half an inning or an inning behind. But in our case, we weren't behind, we were right there calling balls and strikes simultaneously. When there was a difficult play like a triple with men on base, then we had to wait until the play was over to come up with the narration, so it was difficult.
Vin was very, very helpful to us. He knew that we didn't have all the materials we needed, so before each game he was very kind—he didn't have to do this—but he was very kind to give us the lineup in advance, because when they gave it on the air it was too fast and you couldn't get the lineup. So he would take the time to say, 'OK, Jaime, here's the lineup,' and he would give me additional information about the weather, the possibility of a rainout, the attendance, things like that. He was extremely nice. Then when I started traveling with the team, we became very, very good friends. Quite often, we have a night off and we'll be dining together, myself, Vin, and the traveling secretary, Billy DeLury. So he has been my inspiration, he has been my mentor, he has been my teacher, my friend. He has meant so much to me. It has been very, very special.
Now you and he are the two longest-tenured broadcasters in all of baseball. Did you ever see that coming when you first started?
To be honest with you, I never dreamed I would stay this long. You know, I was doing boxing, and I was very successful. I was doing lots of boxing championship fights from all over the world, especially for Argentinian television. I did the Thrilla in Manila from Manila between Muhammad Ali and Frazier, I did fights from Rome, from Monte Carlo, from Milan. I think I've done between 40 and 50 championship fights. When I started doing baseball, I thought it would probably be a matter of six, seven, eight, 10 years at the most and then I would move to something else. Spanish TV was coming on in the '60s. I think Channel 34 in Los Angeles came on the air in 1963 or '64. So I thought probably I would move to television or something like that.
It never, never crossed my mind that I would last this long with the Dodgers. But I fell in love with the game, and I still feel privileged to be doing what I love to do, and to have the best seat in the house, and to be treated with respect. I respect everybody and they respect me, and so there has been no problem at all. The Dodgers have been great, from Mr. O'Malley to Fox and now the McCourts, they have been wonderful to me. So why change? I am a very steady person. I was with KWKW for almost 51 years. I have been with the Dodgers for 50 years. I've lived in the same house for 43 years. I've been married to the same woman for 50-plus years. So I've been steady. If I like something, I stay with that, and it has really been a blessing to be with the Dodgers all this time.
In 1981, you started serving as Fernando's interpreter. How did that come about?
When Fernando came to the major leagues in 1980, he became very, very well-known, not in '81 but in '80, when he came to the majors and pitched in the last series of the season against the Astros and did so well. In my book that's when Fernandomania started, not in 1981 but in 1980 with that series against the Astros. Then 1981 came along, and he had to be the starting pitcher in the first game because Jerry Reuss was hurt and Burt Hooton wasn't able to go to the mound. So they chose Fernando to start the game and he was so successful at the beginning that the press was all around him. It was very, very difficult for him because he couldn't speak any English.
The first game, I think it was Manny Mota or somebody else who helped translate his words for the press after the game because I was doing the game upstairs. But for his second start, Fred Claire approached me and said, "Jaime, I would appreciate it very much if you could help Fernando at his press conferences because you work for the Dodgers, you're with him everywhere, you're traveling with the team. So could you help him?" And I said fine, great. So when he was pitching I would leave the booth in the eighth inning and go down to the clubhouse to help him. That happened in Los Angeles and in every city where we were playing.
How long did that go on for?
That went on for, I think, about two years. Then he started speaking English and there was no need for me to be helping him.
What was your impression of his impact on the Dodgers and on the game of baseball?
Oh, that was an unbelievable thing. It was something sensational. I honestly think that we will never see a year like 1981 again. The impact that he had, not only in Los Angeles, but everywhere, was unbelievable. Being in Chicago, Montreal, New York, Houston… oh, it was a madhouse. Dodger Stadium was always sold out when he was pitching. I think he opened the doors for so many Latinos to come to the major leagues, because they saw this kid who didn't speak the language, and who was very young, become so successful.
I think he is the player who probably created more new baseball fans than any other player, because so many Mexicans, Central Americans, and South Americans who didn't care much about baseball, became interested in the sport because of Fernando. The impact that he had was unbelievable. He helped us very much, because thanks to him, we were able to create a very large radio network in Mexico. In Mexico we had almost 60 stations covering our games in every corner of Mexico. We became very successful because of that. Whenever Fernando was pitching, we had an audience in the millions.
I grew up in El Paso, and I was four years old in 1981. I think within the next year or two, the Dodgers had a radio affiliate there, but it wasn't an English-language broadcast. It was in Spanish—it was you. I'd listen to the games at night, even though I didn't speak Spanish fluently. That's how I got to listen to Dodger games as a kid, because Fernando was so popular.
Yeah, because of Fernando, it happened to you, and it happened to thousands and thousands. I was invited to speak to Spanish classes at UCLA, at USC, because all of a sudden they were very interested in our culture and everybody wanted to be bilingual and learn some Spanish. It was really amazing. So many Anglos started listening to us because they wanted to polish their Spanish, or they wanted to learn some Spanish, and that was a very good way to do it.
What are your thoughts on the growth of the Dodgers' Latino fan base over the years since then?
That's one thing that I am very proud of. I think we planted the seeds, and we are now seeing the results of that. When I started doing baseball in 1959, the Latino fans coming to the Coliseum were probably six to eight percent. Now at Dodger Stadium, the Latino attendance at Dodger Stadium is between 38 and 40 percent. Thirty-eight to 40 percent! The same thing goes for cities like San Diego, Houston, Miami, Chicago, New York. The Dodgers were the first organization to have bilingual coverage on a regular basis. So we were the first ones to do it, and I think because of our success, some other ball clubs started respecting the Hispanic market in the United States, particularly here in Southern California.
What's your favorite thing about Los Angeles?
The weather! The weather is unbelievable. I love it.
Who was your favorite player to watch over the years?
Well, at the beginning, it was Roberto Clemente, even though I didn't get to see him much because he was with the Pirates, but he was in the National League. He was really something to see. His presence… it was amazing. His way of playing, hitting, and throwing was a delight to see. He was my first idol.
On the Dodgers, not an idol, exactly, but the player I liked the most when I was first starting was Willie Davis. He was extremely nice to me. He knew that I was very green, he knew that I was very young, so he took me under his wing and he helped me a lot. He was very special to me. And Don Drysdale, also, was an extremely nice person. Later on, of course, we became colleagues when he started doing the television for the Dodgers. We became very good friends also. And then, of course, Fernando Valenzuela, who is now working with me. I admire him as a ballplayer and also as a person. He has taken advantage of the opportunity that he had, he's invested his money very well, he's a very decent person. He's a gentleman all the way. And as a ballplayer he was really very special.
What's it like working with him now, and were you disappointed that for many years he didn't want to be associated with the team?
You know, Fernando will always be a very special friend of mine because I have been with him from the very beginning. The first game he pitched was in Atlanta and the first batter he faced was the catcher, Bruce Benedict. He hit a fly ball to center field. So I have been with him all the time that he was with the Dodgers, then he left the Dodgers and he didn't want to be associated with the Dodgers until Derrick Hall was able to convince him to come back. I don't know the reasons why he was away, but I was very pleased when he decided to come back to us because he is so, so well-liked in Los Angeles. He's so popular. It's amazing, really. That's why he doesn't stay until the end of the game. He leaves in the eighth inning because if he leaves when everybody's leaving he'll be mobbed and he won't be able to leave the stadium. It's been great to have him with me. I saw him when he was a player, and now he's starting another facet of his career with me also.
He always seemed very shy. Has he overcome that as a broadcaster?
He's always been shy. He's still very shy. He is some type of an introvert. He doesn't like the spotlight on him, and he's a very reserved person. He's more vocal now. He has improved in that regard. He just started with us—well, five years ago. Time flies. He was really very nervous. But little by little he's been opening, opening, opening, and now he's more relaxed. He's doing a very solid job.
Of all the games you've called over the years, which was the most memorable, or what was your favorite call that you've made?
The perfect games are always very unique. I did the perfect game by Sandy Koufax, the perfect game by Tom Browning of the Reds against the Dodgers, and another perfect game by Dennis Martinez against the Dodgers. … Those games are really special. And the no-hitter by Ramon Martinez also. And of course, the game in 1988, the Gibson home run in the first game of the World Series, that's very special to me. And more recently, the game that we had two years ago against the Padres when the Dodgers hit four home runs in a row to tie the game, and then Garciaparra hit another home run in the 10th inning to win it. That game was really unbelievable.
The perfect games were very exciting in the eighth and ninth innings, and the same with the four-home-run game. And when Hershiser had his streak of innings, when he erased Drysdale's record, those games were unbelievable. The entire '88 year, Hershiser had a year that… my goodness. Very few people will match that. He won the Cy Young Award, he set the record for scoreless innings… he even helped win a game in relief against the Mets. So that entire year was great for Hershiser. And he is one of my favorite, favorite players.
Do you remember the words you used to describe Gibson's home run?
To be honest with you, no, I don't remember. I did exactly what I always do, but probably I was more excited. But I don't remember anything in particular.
I know you used to cover other news events. What were some of the most memorable things you covered?
When I came to the United States I started doing news on KWKW. I was able to create a complete news department at the station, and I did the special events. I was the first one to go to Mexico to broadcast the grito ceremony on the night of September 16 from the national palace there. I was at Shea Stadium when the Pope came for the first time to America. I was with President Johnson when the United States gave a piece of land along the border, the Chamizál, to Mexico. I attended the meetings between President Díaz Ordaz of Mexico and Richard Nixon in Puerto Vallarta, then another one in Coronado, California. I was also able to attend the meetings between President López Mateos of Mexico and Lyndon Johnson in Los Angeles. Then I was assigned to cover the funeral of President Kennedy from Washington. That was the most challenging job I have ever done, because in 1963 when I was assigned to go to Washington, my English was extremely limited, and I didn't know anybody in Washington. It was very cold, I arrived there without knowing anybody, and I was able to cover the funeral from the cathedral and from Arlington Cemetery. That was a very difficult job to do, and also the most exciting job I have ever done. I got invited to the White House three times. Twice by Nixon, and once with Fernando to lunch with Presidents Reagan and López Portillo of Mexico. So I had a very exciting career in news before I dedicated myself full-time to sports.
When did you start doing sports exclusively?
I went full time with sports… oh, probably in 1974.
Do you have any regrets about that?
I have always been a journalist, and I loved that. Sometimes I miss it, but I don't regret leaving it in favor of baseball because, you know, I'm a very practical person. When the kids started to grow up and they were in high school and getting ready to go to college, I had to improve my income. And doing news, I was getting the union scale, plus a bonus because I was news director of the station, but that's it. No other way to make more money, and in sports it's wide open. Then I fell in love with baseball and I said this is my cup of tea, and I decided to leave the news. Also, the news was more difficult for me because of all the traveling.
How old were you when you learned English, and how difficult was it for you?
When I was in Ecuador, I took English in school for eight years, and I thought I knew some English before coming to this country. But when I got here, I was lost, to be honest with you. It's so different, you know, to learn English in this country compared to school over there. It was very difficult. So my advice to anyone who wants to come to this country is to really hit the English and try to learn as much as possible because that's the main barrier that we have, those of us who come here as immigrants.
Yet now you speak it well enough that you could broadcast in English.
No, no, no, I don't speak it well. My problem is that I speak Spanish all day long. I spoke it at home because I wanted my children to be bilingual, and thank God they are. And then I speak Spanish in my job all the time. If you want to learn a language, you have to isolate yourself from your own language. Go someplace where nobody speaks your language. Then you will be able to learn. So it's very difficult, and I tried to do my best. That's why I don't do any work in English. They have offered me jobs doing English, and I said no, no, no, no. I prefer doing Spanish because I like to be perfect in my work, and I don't command the English language the way I should in order to be in front of a microphone.
Any final thoughts?
It has been a great experience to be with the Dodgers for 50 years. Everybody's surprised to see that Vin Scully has been with the Dodgers for 59 years and I've been with them for 50. It's really amazing to see that our two announcers have more seniority than everybody else. That's very unique. The recognition that I've received really humbles me, and I'm very thankful to this country. This June 24th will be my 53rd year in this country, and I never thought I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the first Hispanic to win the Ford Frick Award while living. And then to have a star in Hollywood—I'm the only Ecuadorian with a star in Hollywood. So it's been great.
I believe Fernando's disenchantment with the Dodgers came from when he was released by the team in 1991 and the team refused to pay Valenzuela's contract (he signed as a free agent and it wasn't guaranteed.) The Dodgers had Lasorda and others testify that Valenzuela wasn't physically able to compete anymore.
In his bio by Plaschke, Lasorda claims it's the only time he ran down one of his players in public.
http://tinyurl.com/5mbz7d
But Jaime Jarrin is a terrific person and announcer, and as much as I've always appreciated him I'm ashamed to say I had no idea he'd been doing it for quite that long. Amazing!
Great interview, Eric, I'm jealous, too.
Vin and Jaime, two of the real legends.
Lasorda claims that management (presumably Fred Claire) made him do it and he said he regretted it.
Take that for what it's worth.
Dude hit another homer tonight. This guy flat out rules.
OT 77 - "Let's also give a big welcome back to the hardest working man in baseball: Eric Byrnes."
Joe Morgan says that its JP. Perhaps the two of them should arm wrestle.
http://tinyurl.com/5rtmk5
So... how is Jarrin? Is he any good? We've had comments on all the Dodger announcers at one time or another but I don't remember anyone writing about Jarrin. What's he like as a PBP man? An inquiring mind wants to know...
Don't get me wrong, it's not that guys like Johnson never make it, it's just a lot more rare than guys with the better secondary stats. That being said, 10 K's in 7 IP is a step in the right direction for sure!
Devaris Strange-Gordon has five errors in seven games at short.
Ogden is 0-7.
Great job, Eric.
Am I the only one that noticed that it appears on the x-mo that DeWitt is wrappping the bat on the "load" portion of his swing? Maybe I'm just seeing things, but if I'm not and he can knock that off, he could regain some signifigant bat speed.
Just say'in.
I only know enough about this stuff to be dangerous. (disclaimer)
Jones, Kent, and even Penny
The good news is that if only one of the three can "break out" it would create a signifigant improvement for the team overall. Sounds crazy, but i'm putting my money on Jones.
I would echo that Jarrin is very good at PBP. He gives all the basic information and he has a very comfortable style.
The Gibson home run call was probably something like his usual
"Golpe! Canseco! Atras! Atras! Atras! CUADRANGULAR!"
Honestly though, I haven't listened to him enough to be a good judge.
In the last week we have had the most amazing series of downpours and thunderstorms. It must be related to the midwests flooding. People I deal with keep refering to "The Day After Tomorrow".
Excuse me? I don't recall that we have an open relationship.
You are not the first. ;-)
All the "Thank you for nots" over here are "Thank you for" over there.
My apologies Jon, I will be more direct.
DeWitt is Wrapping the bat, in fact, he is pointing the tip of the bat at the pitcher, locking his wrists, which he then needs to uncoil. In this situation, he now needs to move the bat head farther to meet the ball. By keeping his motion on the load more neutral, the bat head needs to move a shorter distance to meet the ball. If he is expending the same amount of energy on both swings, it only stands to reason that the bat will get to the ball faster with a neutral load. This will result in more hard hit balls and fewer foul balls to the left field stands. More like his May numbers.
You did this to him.
Milton Bradley is playing like he's out of his mind!
Every day.
So, what's the problem, then?
I don't know.
On the plus side, I hear he's perfectly comfortable with where the trash cans are located in relation to his locker.
Can't teach that.
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
LA Angeles
This is where the Dodgers are going with the best young talent in the game.
I'm all for not one great Russell, but two!
Instead Greg Brock has turned himself into the Clemenceau of Dodger Thoughts and keeps demanding big reparations from the Giants.
When I first started listening to the Dodgers back in 1959 I had no idea they had a Spanish broadcast. Still didn't when I left in 1962. I wish I had; I'd surely have picked up at least baseball Spanish at that age (9 - 12).
When I first started listening to the Dodgers back in 1959 I had no idea they had a Spanish broadcast. Still didn't know when I left in 1962. I wish I had; I'd surely have picked up at least baseball Spanish at that age (9 - 12).
My prediction is that he rakes all Summer, has a nice year next year, is up with the big club fall of '09, and makes us all forget we traded Ethier for a middle reliever.
Positivity.
"Jerome Williams should get the Linkmeister Seal of Approval."
Um, why?
"You ever take that Cooter Preference Test, Milton?"
"Yeah, I took that."
"What'd they say you should be?"
"A DH for the Texas Rangers."
"An underachiever."
Now, I would say during that time of day, driving up from Anaheim up the 5 should not be a problem, the only problem is that both games should be over 50,000 in attendance but not many of those people will show up that early.
So if you were to leave on Saturday at 4:30 and on Sunday at 10:30, you should be fine.
Nah man, Jaime Jarrin just brings back memories of me & my dad(I'm the only boy in the family, 6 girls) driving to DS I'm not gonna lye & say I still listen to him but when I do it just brings it all back...
may the gods of the 5 be gracious to you
Is that the ALA Conference or is there a SECOND professional conference in Anaheim this coming weekend?
71 It's ALA Bob, my wife has a poster session and I hope to replenish my pencil and pen supply for the year in the display hall. Will you be attending?
I will be in the Forest City at another convention as the Griddle will fill you in.
But you will have lots of pens and pencils.
It's God's Country!
If God had low standards.
FYI..Supposed to heat up to the mid 90's again this weekend after this mid-week cooldown..
And is it still possible to get one?
"He's a once-in-a-decade type pitcher," said one international scout.
http://tinyurl.com/628cp7
Just sayin'... Hope that works out for them, at 4 million.
Buster Olney: (1:53 PM ET ) Brent -- other teams get frustrated dealing with the Dodgers, for sure. They feel that there's so much talk and, in the end, very little action; the Dodgers discuss possibly trading their prospects, but never do. In most years, you would assume they wouldn't be buyers, but the NL West is something of a mess these days, and that's keeping the Rockies and Padres and the Dodgers and the Giants feeling some hope.
But it's really 4 million over ten years, if you figure he'll be in the minors until he's at least 21, and then the service clock ticks until arbitration and free agency.
I'm kind of bored at work.
According to Nate Silver at some point, a first round pick is worth about 4 million. If this guy would have been a first round pick had he entered the draft, it's a steal.
The Dodgers have not. Now, I would say the situations are different as the players that those teams dealt were not already contributing to the MLB team so to trade them would create as many holes as the trade would be trying to fill.
But I do think that is probably a surprise to many in the game that the Dodgers have held on to their younger players during this time period.
we need Gerardo to show up on time :)
LF Pierre
CF Kemp
1B Loney
2B Kent
C Martin
RF Ethier
3B LaRoche
SS Berroa
P Lowe
From the looks of it, until one of Nomar or Furcal return, we pretty much have a set lineup at 7 positions, with a platoon at 3B for the time being.
http://tinyurl.com/49x483
The cost of money seems far less important than the cost of playing time wasted on a bad player. At least that's what I gather from watching the Dodgers spend vast amounts of money on bad players.
You can't buy that kind of PR just anywhere.
116
lf- pierre
cf- kemp
2b- kent
c- martin
1b- loney
rf- d young
3b- laroche
ss- berrora
p- lowe
Check your email
What, did Nader strap on the gear and pull votes from Russ?
Thanks, guys. I need some of the cognitive improvement drugs I'm currently giving my dog.
Although I'm sure Hurdle will pick him as a backup. Over Torrealba. Right?
I voted for mostly the players I thought were having the best seasons; the only Dodger I voted for in any of my 15 votes besides Martin was a couple of times for Loney. And I wrote in Kemp once or twice. The rest of the time I voted for non-Dodgers. Help us Obi Wan Martin, you're our only hope. (Well, that and a pitcher, but even our pitchers who are good don't have the greatest record at the moment.)
I only consistent voted for Martin, Hamilton, McClouth, Uggla , C. Jones and Berkman. I don't know the AL well enough, but I tried to stay away from BOS/NYY players in my futile attempt to fight the vote inflation.
Paying four million dollars for a chance at a difference maker is a much better use of resources since he can actually improve a team that needs improvement.
Same vote card as me...I think McClouth is getting shafted here. Poor guy is 15th in voting right now.
New Age marriage? They could just be running for mayor of L.A. with that name.
... which is better than Dunn and his 18 HRs. But then, he hates baseball, so he'd probably rather stay home.
I'm not sure where I stand on the whole newbie-vs.-established-star issue. I mean, pretending that an established star like Ken Griffey is still an All-Star-caliber player is pretty ridiculous. But when you go with the guys who just went on a hot streak for the first two months, that always ends up looking embarrassing later on. Remember when Jack Armstrong was the NL starting pitcher?
I have a feeling that 20 years from now we'll be browsing Baseball-Reference and saying to ourselves: "Ryan Ludwick? I don't even remember that guy. And he was an all-star?!?"
Tyler Green, All-Star pitcher.
I am always sad when I see the back of his uniform jumping up and down when Gibby arrives at home.
I like that. Maybe make Charlie Hustle sit outside the stadium and judge the plays on a monitor, as to honor his ban.
Bob is right. Jarrin's enunciation is astoundingly great. The clarity of his voice is Scullyesque. I could easily hear his voice in my head while reading Eric's interview. The only problem is that, like Vin, his workload is not what it once was, and there's a noticeable drop-off to the rest of the guys in booth, no offense to Pepe Yniguez or Fernando. I don't actually know if Rene Cardenas is still doing games for the Dodgers. Still, I've always said that my Spanish improves during the baseball season.
Of all all-star competitions, the home run derby is the least interesting to me. It's really just televised batting practice.
The dunk contest in basketball is pretty cool, when you have some real high fliers. And the skills competitions in hockey always struck me as the best.
So yeah, put me down in favor of the Home Plate Collision Challenge.
Conversely, I was pretty bored with the Slam Dunk contest, although the Dwight Howard stuff from this past year sort of piqued my interest.
The home run derbies are at least more interesting than watching a draft in any sport.
I know that's a minority opinion here.
Ron Coomer, Minnesota's backup corner infielder in 1999 who logged in 127 games between 1st and 3rd putting up and OPS+ of 82. Granted it was for a bad Minnesota team that needed an all-star rep, but Koskie and Radke would have at least been acceptable choices.
Did you not see Dwight Howard last year? I normally agree but last year was phenomenal!
and I LOVE Home Run Derby. I attended in person last year in SF. What strikes me about the Derby is the way the broadcast ruins its momentum.
Before the actual broadcast began, other all stars took their own batting practice. It was like "the derby before the derby" but much better, because it wasn't broken up with inane interviews and commercials. Albert Pujols put on quite a show last year!
Once you get to the real thing, it really becomes a bore after the first two rounds. I think the key is to judge when it gets repetitive and move on. I didn't even stay to see who won (it was Vladdie Guerrero).
Reggie Smith, Dave Parker, Ellis Valentine, and Dave Winfield.
You have at least one guy that agrees with you. You couldn't PAY me to watch the NFL draft.
And I'm going to "miss" the NBA draft Thursday as I'll be at the SABR Convention.
Dang.
He had a 95 OPS+ in the first half of 1999. I always had a soft spot for him because he was one of those guys who the Dodgers never gave a chance to even though he tore up the PCL, like John Lindsey and Phil Hiatt.
Looking at the results of the draft: fairly interesting.
I decided it was time to fall back on my electronics training. I looked at the heel of my hand, did a quick `resistance is futile' routine, and THWACK!
I had some Dead, Mark Knofler, and Hot Tuna loaded shortly thereafter.
Lance Carter, All Star!
Roger Pavlik, All Star!
I can still remember Frank Thomas hitting the top deck at Three Rivers. And Griffey off the warehouse at Camden.
And Mike Piazza grabbing swinging twenty times in two years and getting a big fat yarborough.
Dick Williams managed the AL All-Star team in 1974 as the Angels manager.
Walter Alston managed the NL team in 1954 even though he hadn't managed the Dodgers to the pennant the year before.
There's a difference in spending 4 mils on someone that might be good, vs spending 4mils on known mediocre MLB veteran (in Regairfield's example--Alan Embree).
The opportunity cost of the $4 mils isnt just money. If the A's would be losing something, its really losing out on possible other prospects they could have signed. Perhaps instead of signing 4mils dollar 16yr old, they could have spent 2 mils each on two prospects.
The risk is in putting all your eggs in the Inoa basket, rather than spreading it out amongst a variety of prospects. When kids are that young, I'd think the safer play would be to sign 4-5 players, rather than just bank on 1 player being a superstar. Just too much uncertaintly with kids that age.
MLB money allocation, and draft money allocation are two entirely different evaluation/risk structures. At the MLB level, you largely know what you are getting--> and its much easier to assess value to it. Therefore, MLB level acquistions should be as close to perfect as possible.
With the draft, its total speculation and hope (especially with kids as young as 16).
Anyway, an interesting case would be the 1965 All-Star Game. The 1964 World Series was the Yankees vs. the Cardinals. After the Series, the Yanks fired their manager, Yogi Berra, and hired Cardinals manager Johnny Keane. So theoretically, at least, Keane had a claim for managing both teams at the 1965 All-Star Game. I don't know how they worked that one out. Presumably Keane managed the AL and somebody else managed the NL. May even have been Alston, for all I know.
Didn't Al Lopez manage the AL the year Casey Stengel got fired after winning the pennant?
And the NL won anyway!
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Willie Stargell
Dick Allen
A word which the NL's fifth batter in that All-Star Game, Joe Torre, apparently never forgot.
The AL counterparts were Pappas, Grant, Richert, McDowell, and Fisher.
That NL team was nasty.
Roberto Clemente, Frank Robinson, and Billy Williams were on the bench.
The AL starting outfield was Willie Horton, Vic Davalillo, and Rocky Colavito.
The NL team in 1965 definitely had the advantage chromatically.
That game featured the famous sequence where Carl Hubbell struck out consectutively Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx (started at 3B, he did play 9 games that year at 3B), Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in the 1st and 2nd inning.
You get a ham!
So yes, in my mind, better to spend millions on a potential ace who might flop than on a veteran mediocrity who almost certainly will. That doesn't mean there aren't exceptions.
I hate the fact that the Dodgers traded Paul Konerko to get Shaw.
http://tinyurl.com/3r66e4
The 2003 starters were Jason Schmidt and Esteban Loaiza, to whom the Dodgers are paying a hefty sum of cash this season.
Cool, 33 years later I get to catch it for the 1st time.
I enjoy the all-star game, home run derby, the NBA draft, and watching batting practice but with each passing year the enjoyment dwindles a tad.
The 1992 Blue Jays had:
Steib
Morris
Key
Wells
Plus Cone and Leiter filled the almost-starter roles.
I should also add the '92 Blue Jays had the son of former ASG starter Mel Stottlemyre.
Andy Kaufman never existed. He was just a really sophisticated ruse.
[Comment From Koji Uehara]
Will I re-unite with my buddy Hiroki Kuroda in Los Angeles to replace Derek Lowe? Should I be considered the Japanese Greg Maddux?
MLBTR: Its unfair to compare almost anyone to Maddux. But I could see Uehara being of similar value to Kuroda. Dodgers should at least inquire.
Umm, I hope maybe some humor is getting lost in translation, but Andy Kaufman passed away in 1984..
Strengths: Loney possesses outstanding bat control, and his picturesque stroke reminds scouts of Shawn Green's. He uses a pronounced leg lift as a timing mechanism, drawing comparisons to David Justice. Loney stays inside the ball well and his swing path keeps the bat head in the zone for a long time. He's still growing, having added four inches since his junior year, and projects to hit 35-plus home runs in the majors. He generates natural loft and raw power already. He's also a future Gold Glover as a first baseman. His instincts for the position make up for average range, and his soft hands will help save wild throws. On the mound, he reached 93 mph.
Weaknesses: Some scouts worried about Loney's durability as a position player because he had arthroscopic knee surgery after his junior season. His injury last year was a freak occurrence, but anytime the wrist is involved, there are concerns over how it will affect swing mechanics. Loney is an aggressive baserunner but will have below-average speed as he fills out.
(Hey, if anyone could pull off the fake death thing though, it would be Kaufman!)
Sincerely,
Tupac and Elvis.
Reuss (1975)
Sutton (1977)
Valenzuela (1981)
Welch (1990)
The record for All-Stars in a single lineup would be 28 for the 1955 Cleveland Indians, though that counts then-future All-Stars as well as past/current.
http://andykaufmanreturns.blogspot.com/
Ahem. {cough}
Awesome.
From AP:
PHOENIX -- Shaquille O'Neal will lose his special deputy's badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the Phoenix Suns center's use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in January and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse earlier this month.
"I want his two badges back," Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they're fired. I don't condone this type of racial conduct." ...
Arpaio, who describes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff" and is best known for feeding jail inmates green bologna ...
by 2011 he'll be a legit superstar, you wait & see...
Thats fantastic.
The fact that I actually fell for that means I am working too hard. Time to head to The Short Stop waaay early before the game...
Saberhagen (1987)
Nomo (1995)
Pedro (1999)
Lowe (2002)
>> Meloan (4-7) lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowed eight hits and eight runs, four earned. <<
http://www.lvrj.com/sports/20733739.html
Chulk gave up the Russ walkoff in the Maddux/Schmidt 1-0 Sunday night game.
244 - Argh. Meloan, what's the deal, man. (Doesn't sound like he had much defensive support...)
Pierre, LF
Kemp, CF
Kent, 2B
Martin, C
Loney, 1B
LaRoche, 3B
Young, RF
Berroa, SS
Lowe, P
We pay him for...Um...That thing. The thing he does that we pay him for.
Give me a minute...
Rookie of the Year awards.
prepackage my hate for Pierre & Berroa via DHL please!
march 31st, w 5-0 over SF
april 1st, w 3-2 over SF
april 15th, w 11-2 over pitt
april 26th, w 11-3 over col
may 17th, w 6-3 over laa
may 19th, w 6-5 over cin
that's 6-0 and outscoring opponents 42-15
No. Players will often take grounders at different positions in infield. It's probably easier for his knee to take grounders there than to run around in the outfield.
He can keep the stapler.
It's a Swingline.
I was trying to look them up earlier today, specifically for Pee Wee, at www.minorleaguesplits.com. However, as of now there is no pre-2008 data on that site.
10-3, I believe so far this year.
I stand corrected.
2006 Vegas
vs. LHP - 198/235/325
vs. RHP - 297/355/499
2005 Vegas/Jacksonville
vs. LHP - 333/378/435
vs. RHP - 297/340/531
Can't find 2007 data, but it seems he hits RHP better than LHP. Yet he is destined to be the righty in the platoon with the wrong OF.
http://tinyurl.com/5lf2op
Yin and Yang..I'll be there as well.
I'm 0-3 this year:
4/11 - L 7-5 San Diego
5/10 - L 5-0 Houston
5/23 - L 2-1 St. Louis
-8 run differential.
I hope your Schwartz is bigger than mine..
As for tonight's line up, I agree with Enders. It's going to be rather nice to have two servicable thirdbaseman, as opposed to what we've seen the last six years.
"It tastes like ... burning!"
Plus, they've closed Hwy 70 to Quincy, so Buck's lake might be out of the question. And then there's the 1200 acre fire up in Shasta.
Might have to hit the beach instead!
http://tinyurl.com/6zadwh
If I recall correctly, Swingline actually didn't make these but started to after the movie came out.
Check Mike Oquist's game score back in 1998 in a start against the Yankees.
Sheesh, I've even written about it on the Griddle!
And we must pay respects to Mike Oquist who has the lowest game score of any starting pitcher in the last 50 years. Oquist scored a -21 for this outing in 1998 against the Yankees while pitching for Oakland. Garland's outing today was a -8. Or possibly -11, (it was indeed -11) I lost track after a while.
https://griddle.baseballtoaster.com/archives/720167.html
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK199808030.shtml
Furcal takes ground balls
Several of them, in fact, and it appeared effortless. Blake DeWitt was taking them at 3B at the same time, and both players were throwing across to ... Andruw Jones standing on 1B. All of this has to be a good sign, but I'm not sure exactly what it means in terms of the next step.
Jason Jennings says hello.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU200707290.shtml
So Jackson's wrong (as to RH)?
2008
Blake DeWitt: .265/.335/.391
Derek Jeter: .279/.336/.379
"DeWitt is hitting .268/.335/.391"
Pierre: 2005 – 2008: .287 .330 .361
"Bob, what the heck is a Kirby Puckett?"
That is LaRoche's '08 line after a 1-2 night with a walk and then removed for a double switch.
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