Happy Birthday–September 28

Lou Bierbauer (1865)
Wilbur Good (1885)
Jack Fournier (1889)
Whitey Witt (1895)
Al Evans (1916)
Dick Gernert (1928)
Grant Jackson (1942)
Pete Filson (1958)
Jerry Layne (1958)
Todd Worrell (1959)
Ed Vosberg (1961)
Charlie Kerfeld (1963)
Matt Vasgersian (1967)
Mike DeJean (1970)
Ryan Zimmerman (1984)
Nick Greenwood (1987)
Eddie Rosario (1991)

Jerry Layne has been a major league umpire since 1989.

Matt Vasgersian has been a major league baseball broadcaster since 1997.'

Continue reading Happy Birthday–September 28

2020 Game 60 – End of the (ir)regular season Reds at Twins

The Twins head into the final game of the season knowing they will host a first round playoff matchup but could be playing anyone but TB and Oakland.

The Twins paid for those who bet OVER their season win total of 34.5.

Twins tied with Oakland as the team to go UNDER the total the most times going 20-35 (20 games OVER, 35 UNDER and 4 ties) including 9-19 at home with the most UNDER home games in the MLB,

I am in Vegas for the week and will be laying a few on the Twins to win the Series.

Today's scenarios:

  • #2 Seed - Twins win or Twins lose and Oakland loses and White Sox lose
    • #7 see could be
      • Cleveland if they lose and finish 34-26
      • White Sox if they lose and Cleveland wins both at 35-25
  • #3 Seed - Twins lose and Oakland wins and White Sox lose
    • #6 seed will be Houston
  • #4 Seed - Twins lose and White Sox win
    • #5 seed could be
      • Yankees if they win or Toronto loses
      • Toronto if they win and Yankees lose

Put another way -

  • Twins win
    • #2 seed play Cleveland or White Sox
  • Twins lose
    • #2 seed if Oakland and White Sox lose play Cleveland or White Sox
    • #3 seed if Oakland wins and White Sox lose play Houston
    • #4 seed if White Sox win and play Yankees or Toronto

There are no MLB games Sunday Oct 4 so baseball gods willing my next game logs will be game 1 of the ALCS on Oct 11 and if necessary game 5 of the World Series on Oct 25.

 

Happy Birthday–September 27

Whit Wyatt (1907)
Dick Hall (1930)
Dave Wickersham (1935)
Gary Sutherland (1944)
Mike Schmidt (1949)
Bob Veselic (1955)
Don Schulze (1962)
Todd Blyleven (1972)
Vicente Padilla (1977)
Jon Rauch (1978)
Jon Garland (1979)

Todd Blyleven is, as you probably know, the son of Bert Blyleven. He pitched in the minor leagues for seven years, getting as high as AA, then was a scout for eight years.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–September 27

Game the Penultimate: Reds @ Twins

We're almost to the end of this nutty season.

I had a lot of skepticism at the onset that this season was wise or even possible to complete. Credit where it's due: they did it. Sixty (or in some cases, very nearly sixty) games in the books. Weird books, they are, too. The Orioles were in contention until a couple of weeks ago. The freaking MARLINS actually made the playoffs.

Some people will undoubtedly dismiss this season as a freak show -- an exhibition that shouldn't have happened, or one that in some way counts for less than a normal, full, 162 game season.

Not me, though.

Old favorite Ervin Santana utilizes his Twitter feed to encourage everyone to #SMELLBASEBALL. To feel it. To let it deep into your bones. In July, I was skeptical, but man... This year, I smelled baseball.

I don't know what happens from here. There's reason for optimism, there's reason for pessimism. For now, we get a chance to dwell on the best sport there is.

Go Twins!

World’s Greatest Online… Podcasf?

We're going to have a to think of a better name...

Anyway, so DK, Nibbish, and myself made this thing. I assure you, it's appropriately half-baked. We recorded on Monday but I'm just getting it out now for several reasons which include trying to figure out how to make a podcast.

I'm going to attempt to get this on the usual podcast platforms, but I wanted to get this out here as such an amazing discussion with scorching hot takes needs to get out to the masses as soon as possible.

The videos DK and I discuss are Tree In Orange:

And Styx's Renegade:

And we had a special guest pop in and discuss STAMPED: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds.

Happy Birthday–September 26

Gus Schmelz (1850)
Bob Coleman (1890)
Bobby Shantz (1925)
Mel McGaha (1926)
Dave Duncan (1945)
Jim Gideon (1953)
Rich Gedman (1959)
Steve Buechele (1961)
Dave Martinez (1964)
Brian Shouse (1968)
Brian Looney (1969)

Gus Schmelz managed several teams in the late 19th century.  He is one of the few who became a manager without having played professionally.

Bob Coleman managed in the minor leagues for thirty-five years.  He had the most wins as a minor league manager when he retired, 2,496, a mark since passed by Stan Wasiak.

Former Knicks player Mel McGaha was the manager of the Kansas City Athletics from 1964-1965.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–September 26