Category Archives: MLB

Headlines from around the Continuum: October 21, 2014

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A sampling of baseball-related headlines from the Newseum, with the occasional note from me on what they are talking about:

(Note that I try to copy the style of the paper as well, hence why some are in ALL CAPS while others aren’t. Also, I ignored extremely basic-and extremely common- headlines like “World Series Preview” or “Game tonight”. I’ll occasionally make an exception for the team’s “home” newspapers)

Headline: World Series starts tonight!

San Francisco Chronicle: Tight-knit pitchers give Giants a Southern accent

San Francisco Examiner: Winning Formula: Giants tap red-hot ‘MadBum’ for Game 1

Kansas City Star: KC: A BASEBALL TOWN

TimesDaily (Florence, AL): SHOALS IN THE SERIES (Sergio Romo and Josh Willingham, both in the World Series, had played for the Florence-based University of North Alabama in the past)

Bakersfield Californian: DYNASTY VS. DESTINY

Merced (CA) Sun-Star: Giants-sized gear purchases (On the demand for San Francisco Giants gear)

Modesto Bee: S.F. Fans getting geared up (On Modesto-area Giants fans)

Oakland Tribune: Giants’ toughness starts at the top (On Brian Sabean, Giants GM)

The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA): VETERAN BULLPEN EYES THIRD RING

Orange County Register: WILD-CARD WORLD SERIES

South Florida Sun-Sentinel: THEY’VE HIT IT BIG (On Eric Hosmer and Michael Morse, who played high school ball in Broward County, FL)

Des Moines Register: Loyals to the crown (on Iowa fans of the Royals)

News-Gazette (Champaign, IL): Series business (I had to include this simply because of the bad pun)

Redeye (Chicago, IL): LOVABLE LONGSHOTS (On the Royals- there’s a picture of a container of barbecue sauce with them on it)

Lawrence (KS) Journal-World: ROYAL FEVER

Ottawa (KS) Herald: WORLD APART (on how a Ottawa native’s brother lives in San Francisco, leading to the two of them rooting for different teams in the World Series)

Wichita Eagle: Royals fans in Wichita are living a dream

Joplin (MO) Globe: Royal Rhythm (On how Missouri Southern’s drumline will be performing in Kansas City for World Series festivities) Also on the front page: LONG WAIT ENDS TODAY

News-Leader (Springfield, MO): Hopping on Royals bandwagon?

McDowell (County, NC) News: Down to Earth in the World Series (on Greg Holland, who went to High School in McDowell County, NC.)

Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD): MOST UNLIKELY WORLD SERIES

Yankton (SD) Daily Press: SERIOUS SERIES (on local fans of Royals and Giants)

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Former TCU ace could be factor as World Series opens tonight (The ace is Brandon Finnegan)

USA Today: Royal underdogs vs. Giant legacy

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NED YOST DOESN’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK

Hamilton (Canada) Spectator: 2014 WORLD SERIES: The party crashers vs. the old pros

Vanguardia (Saltillo, Mexico): BUSCAN HACER HISTORIA! (“Looking to make history!”)

El Nacional (Caracas, Venezuela): Siete venezolanos en play (Seven Venezuelans Play)

 

 

Check back throughout the World Series for more headlines!

 

 

 

Link

Over at the Hall of Very Good: my latest “Wisdom and Links”. This week, I look at the history of player-licensed video games, and also do my prediction for the World Series. Check it out.

Mr. Octobers of Last Night (October 16, 2014)

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The Mr. Octobers of last night are Madison Bumgarner and walk-off HR hero Travis Ishikawa.

Standings (PP= Position Player, P= Pitcher, * means eliminated from playoffs):

PP Alex Gordon 13

P Madison Bumgarner 11

PP Travis Ishikawa 10

PP Mike Moustakas 8

P Andrew Miller 8*

P Yusmeiro Petit 8

PP Nelson Cruz 6*

PP Matt Carpenter 6*

P Wade Davis 5

PP Pablo Sandoval 5

PP Kolten Wong 5*

P Pat Neshek 5*

P Jeremy Affeldt 5

P Greg Holland 5

PP Lorenzo Cain 5

P Kelvin Herrera 5

PP Buster Posey 5

P Kevin Gausman 3*

PP Delmon Young 3*

PP Joe Panik 3

P Jake Peavy 3

P Yordano Ventura 3

PP Eric Hosmer 3

P Jered Weaver 3*

PP Brandon Belt 3

P Zack Greinke 3*

PP Matt Kemp 3*

P Bud Norris 3*

P James Shields 3

P Doug Fister 3*

PP Wilson Ramos 3*

P John Lackey 3*

PP Matt Adams 3*

P Trevor Rosenthal 3*

PP Bryce Harper 3*

P Ryan Vogelsong 3

PP Brandon Crawford 1

PP Brandon Moss 1*

P Brandon Finnegan 1

Last Night’s Mister Octobers (October 15, 2014)

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Yesterday’s Mr. Octobers:

Orioles/Royals: Kelvin Herrera (the whole bullpen for the Royals was fantastic, but Herrera went longest) and Alex Gordon (simply for that amazing catch, if anything. I mean, jeez, I thought he’d get killed doing that.)

Cardinals/Giants: Yusmeiro Petit and Buster Posey.

 

Standings (PP= Position Player, P= Pitcher, * means eliminated from playoffs):

PP Alex Gordon 13

PP Mike Moustakas 8

P Andrew Miller 8*

P Yusmeiro Petit 8

PP Nelson Cruz 6*

PP Matt Carpenter 6

P Madison Bumgarner 6

P Wade Davis 5

PP Pablo Sandoval 5

PP Kolten Wong 5

P Pat Neshek 5

P Jeremy Affeldt 5

PP Travis Ishikawa 5

P Greg Holland 5

PP Lorenzo Cain 5

P Kelvin Herrera 5

PP Buster Posey

P Kevin Gausman 3*

PP Delmon Young 3*

PP Joe Panik 3

P Jake Peavy 3

P Yordano Ventura 3

PP Eric Hosmer 3

P Jered Weaver 3*

PP Brandon Belt 3

P Zack Greinke 3*

PP Matt Kemp 3*

P Bud Norris 3*

P James Shields 3

P Doug Fister 3*

PP Wilson Ramos 3*

P John Lackey 3

PP Matt Adams 3

P Trevor Rosenthal 3

PP Bryce Harper 3*

P Ryan Vogelsong 3

PP Brandon Crawford 1

PP Brandon Moss 1*

P Brandon Finnegan 1

 

Last Night’s Mister Octobers (October 14, 2014)

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Mr. Octobers of yesterday are…

 

Cardinals/Giants: Jeremy Affeldt (by virtue of highest WPA in yesterday’s game) and Travis Ishikawa (for his early 3-RBI hit)

Orioles/Royals: Greg Holland (for slamming the door) and Lorenzo Cain (for continuing to be the most exciting man on the field)

Standings (PP= Position Player, P= Pitcher, * means eliminated from playoffs):

PP Alex Gordon 8

PP Mike Moustakas 8

P Andrew Miller 8

PP Nelson Cruz 6

PP Matt Carpenter 6

P Madison Bumgarner 6

P Wade Davis 5

PP Pablo Sandoval 5

PP Kolten Wong 5

P Pat Neshek 5

P Jeremy Affeldt 5

PP Travis Ishikawa 5

P Greg Holland 5

PP Lorenzo Cain 5

P Kevin Gausman 3

PP Delmon Young 3

PP Joe Panik 3

P Jake Peavy 3

P Yordano Ventura 3

PP Eric Hosmer 3

P Jered Weaver 3*

P Yusmeiro Petit 3

PP Brandon Belt 3

P Zack Greinke 3*

PP Matt Kemp 3*

P Bud Norris 3

P James Shields 3

P Doug Fister 3*

PP Wilson Ramos 3*

P John Lackey 3

PP Matt Adams 3

P Trevor Rosenthal 3

PP Bryce Harper 3*

P Ryan Vogelsong 3

PP Brandon Crawford 1

PP Brandon Moss 1*

P Brandon Finnegan 1

Link

Now over at Hall of Very Good: a “Wisdom and Links” that features some musings as to how the Baltimore Orioles, despite being down 2-0, might not be dead yet.

Check it out.

Mr. Octobers of the Weekend (LCS days 2 and 3)

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From Saturday:

Royals/Orioles: Mike Moustakas and Andrew Miller (even if the Orioles lost, he was the best pitcher in the game)

Cardinals/Giants: Pablo Sandoval and Madison Bumgarner

From Sunday:

Cardinals/Giants: Kolten Wong and Pat Neshek

Standings (PP= Position Player, P= Pitcher, * means eliminated from playoffs):

PP Alex Gordon 8

PP Mike Moustakas 8

P Andrew Miller 8

PP Nelson Cruz 6

PP Matt Carpenter 6

P Madison Bumgarner 6

P Wade Davis 5

PP Pablo Sandoval 5

PP Kolten Wong 5

P Pat Neshek 5

P Kevin Gausman 3

PP Delmon Young 3

PP Joe Panik 3

P Jake Peavy 3

P Yordano Ventura 3

PP Eric Hosmer 3

P Jered Weaver 3*

P Yusmeiro Petit 3

PP Brandon Belt 3

P Zack Greinke 3*

PP Matt Kemp 3*

P Bud Norris 3

P James Shields 3

P Doug Fister 3*

PP Wilson Ramos 3*

P John Lackey 3

PP Matt Adams 3

P Trevor Rosenthal 3

PP Bryce Harper 3*

P Ryan Vogelsong 3

PP Brandon Crawford 1

PP Brandon Moss 1*

P Brandon Finnegan 1

Last Night’s Mr. Octobers (2014 LCS Day 1)

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In the LCS round, the winners of the Mr. October get five points, except for in game 7s, where it doubles to 10 points.

Last night’s Mr. Octobers were Alex Gordon and Wade Davis.

Standings (PP= Position Player, P= Pitcher, * means eliminated from playoffs):

PP Alex Gordon 8

PP Nelson Cruz 6

PP Matt Carpenter 6

P Wade Davis 5

P Kevin Gausman 3

PP Delmon Young 3

PP Joe Panik 3

P Jake Peavy 3

P Yordano Ventura 3

PP Eric Hosmer 3

P Andrew Miller 3

PP Mike Moustakas 3

P Jered Weaver 3*

P Yusmeiro Petit 3

PP Brandon Belt 3

P Zack Greinke 3*

PP Matt Kemp 3*

P Bud Norris 3

P James Shields 3

P Doug Fister 3*

PP Wilson Ramos 3*

P John Lackey 3

PP Matt Adams 3

P Trevor Rosenthal 3

PP Bryce Harper 3*

P Ryan Vogelsong 3

PP Brandon Crawford 1

P Madison Bumgarner 1

PP Brandon Moss 1*

P Brandon Finnegan 1

You, too, can own a Minecraft Costume once owned by the Schilling Family

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Although nowhere near as creepy as going through Stan Musial’s wallet or as (arguably) outright random as a Mr. Peanut costume that hung out with Reggie Jackson, today’s strange find on eBay is a nice mix of both. Now available on eBay: a Minecraft box mask from the Curt Schilling estate, just in time for Halloween!

“But Dan,” you say, “Curt Schilling isn’t dead! He recovered from that cancer!”

Correct! And thank goodness for that. Instead, his estate sale was a result of a disastrous post-career stint into the Video Game industry that sent him into bankruptcy. Or maybe it was because they just wanted to downsize and so they got rid of a bunch of things. Depends on what story you read.

Still, as a result of that estate sale, we see stuff like this on eBay:

Screen Shot 2014-10-10 at 2.42.36 PMNow, a few things to keep in mind:

1) There is no way of proving this actually was worn by Curt Schilling or (more likely) any of his kids. There isn’t any certificate of authenticity or anything.

2) Look at how likely it is that that thing could break in shipping!

3) It’s kind of disturbing that that belonged to Curt Schilling’s kids and now it’s just being sold online.

4) If you absolutely must have a Minecraft head, I’m sure that there are cheaper ones available, especially once you take shipping into account.

Still, if YOU want this unique piece of tangentially baseball-related “history”… you can.

My latest “Wisdom and Links” over at HOVG…

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My latest “Wisdom and Links” takes a tongue and cheek look at who will be in the World Series by looking at it from perspectives that basically have nothing to do with what goes on on the field. Check it out at Hall of Very Good.