Tag Archives: baseball

Classic Continuum: The Luckiest Man

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(This article was initially published on July 4, 2012.)

It was July 4th, 1939. Lou Gehrig was a dying man. Earlier that year, he’d ended his 2,130 consecutive game streak, taking himself out before a game in Detroit for the good of the team (he was hitting .143 with an RBI). A visit to the Mayo Clinic in June confirmed the worst: he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, the disease that now carries his name. Although his mind would remain intact, his body would slowly betray him. Although his wife had told the doctors to try and withhold some of the more horrible details of the diagnosis from him, there is evidence to suggest that Lou knew, somehow, that he was on his way out. He announced his retirement from the game he loved.

So it was on Independence Day that the Yankees held a day in his honor. They retired his number 4- the first in baseball to be so honored. Some of his most famous teammates, including Babe Ruth, joined delegates from across the country in Yankee Stadium.

Everybody knows how the speech began, and many know how it ends, as can be seen below:

However, that was because, as amazing as it sounds, no media outlets had recorded the whole thing. That is partly why Gary Cooper‘s speech in Pride of the Yankees is occasionally played instead, although it moved the beginning of the speech to the end for artistic reasons and was more of a paraphrase of the actual words Gehrig gave on that day.

Since Gehrig’s death in 1941, he has remained an inspiration and a rallying-cry in the fight against ALS and similar diseases. What had been before Gehrig a little understood disease is now studied across the world.

Progress has been made. A few years back, a report came out that suggested that people who have a history of concussions may be more likely to develop an ALS-style disease (Gehrig, it should be noted, took plenty of beanballs during his career, and also had played football at Columbia), and there is also some evidence that genetics and mutations may also play a role. Despite this, however, there remains no cure.

Baseball Food Myths/Legends

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Today, July 4th, is the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. And, in homage to that and as a semi-sequel to the article about Chris Sale‘s diet, here’s a look at two of the other great baseball tales involving appetite… after the jump, of course:

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Yasiel Puig and the ASG: The fix is in

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I can see both sides of the arguments about Yasiel Puig being an all-star or not. However, I think that it’ll ultimately be a moot point: Yasiel Puig will be at the All-Star Game, barring injury or he himself refusing an invite.

Oh, he probably won’t be amongst the initial people named this coming weekend. Instead, one of the backup ways for him to get in will come into play:

  1. The Final Vote, which allows fans to vote for one of five snubbed players in each league. Puig would, barring a team like the Giants or Cardinals running a gigantic get-out-the-vote campaign (always a possibility), run away with the NL voting.
  2. Injuries. Without fail, at least a few All-Stars get hurt or decide not to take part due to pre-existing (but not serious) injuries. These would provide more opportunities for Puig to join.
  3. Guys just skipping. Although it isn’t as common as in games like the Pro Bowl, there are also usually a few players who just respectfully decline an invite, saying they want their rest or that their hamstrings are bothering them or whatnot. This usually more happens when it’s in a city without a good party scene or big-time recognition, so it’s likely that it is less likely this season with it being in New York City… but it could still happen. And if enough guys just pass on the ASG, then there are more spots to put in Puig.
  4. If all else fails, behind-the-scenes wrangling. It’s a dirty secret, but then again it’s hardly a secret at all: Major League Baseball will do everything within it’s power to get their biggest individual story to take part in the All-Star Game. And Yasiel Puig is the biggest individual story so far this year, especially since Evan Gattis got hurt. It could come by way of MLB execs whispering over Bruce Bochy‘s shoulders, it could come as a special dispensation to just have him show up, like how Tony Gwynn was added to the 2001 All-Star Game (but didn’t play). But if all else fails, Puig will be added to the National League team.

Got all of that?

Random Tweet: “No.”

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It was bound to happen: somebody thinks Chris Davis may be on steroids. They even asked him! His answer?

My All-Star Ballot (2013)

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What does my All-Star Ballot look like? Well, it looks something like this:

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

Catcher: Joe Mauer, Twins

First Baseman: Chris Davis, Orioles

Second Baseman: Robinson Cano, Yankees

Shortstop: J.J. Hardy, Orioles

Third Baseman: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers

Designated Hitter: David Ortiz, Red Sox

Outfield: Mike Trout (Angels), Adam Jones (Orioles), Jose Bautista (Blue Jays)

In general, this is pretty close to what the fans have voted in general. The only difference is that I have Bautista in over Nick Markakis.

National League:

Catcher: Yadier Molina, Cardinals

First Baseman: Joey Votto, Reds

Second Baseman: Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

Shortstop: Jean Segura, Brewers (Note: Would be Troy Tulowitzki, but he’s hurt so I’m not voting for him)

Third Baseman: David Wright, Mets

Outfielders: Carlos Gonzalez (Rockies), Carlos Gomez (Brewers), Jay Bruce (Reds)

(Note: Bryce Harper would be in if not hurt, and Gerardo Parra would be a write-in for outfielders in , but, well, the sad truth is that I highly doubt it’d make much of a difference, so I’m voting for Jay Bruce instead)

The NL is a bit more of a mess, and I have differences at 2B (Carpenter- who is more of a utilityman, admittedly, instead of Brandon Phillips), Shortstop (sort of- Tulowitzki is leading but won’t play due to injury) and especially the outfield, where nothing matches up between my ballot and what the fans in general are voting (although admittedly Harper would be on mine too if he was healthy).

So that’s what my ballots look like- what do you think?

Minor Leaguers to Know This Year

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The short-season minor leagues have gotten started or are about to do so, so here are some to look out for… below the jump.

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Continuum Week In Review (6/17-6/23) and the Week Ahead (6/24-6/30)

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This past week on the Continuum…

  • MVPs of this week included Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Harvey, Chris Davis, Jordan Zimmermann, Shane Victorino and Zack Greinke.
  • I mused on whether All-Star Voting could hit a breaking point.
  • I covered 2007’s Triple-A Baseball Heroes and then had a brief Twitter conversation with it’s author.
  • I also covered the 2008 sequel to the above.
  • The Dodgers and Yankees had a Twitter-fight.

This coming week:

  • The most unique and interesting Minor Leaguers in baseball, from awesome names to neat stories
  • The daily “MVP of Yesterday” features
  • My All-Star Ballots
  • An updated List of my favorite baseball twitter feeds
  • An answer to that grandest of all questions: Who would win in a fight between all of the namesakes of Major League Baseball teams? This one is over a month in the making.
  • Reaction to any major baseball news.
  • And maybe another installment of Bizarre Baseball Culture.

Good night!

Bizarre Baseball Culture: 2008’s Marvel Comics/AAA Baseball Crossover

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In Bizarre Baseball Culture, I take a look at some of the more unusual places where baseball has reared it’s head in pop culture and fiction.

Last time on Bizarre Baseball Culture: I reviewed and overviewed 2007’s Triple-A Baseball Heroes.  In it, some of Marvel’s most famous and/or at-the-time-in-a-movie superheroes had misadventures at the AAA All-Star Game before learning the greatness and beauty of Triple-A Baseball. Also, the Hulk sang “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.” If you haven’t read that, I suggest you do so.

And now, without further ado, it’s sequel, Triple-A Baseball Heroes #2.

The first “Superhero Day” giveaways around AAA must have been successful, because they did the same thing in 2008. Everything about the second issue of Triple-A Baseball Heroes was bigger. The scope was bigger, there were more alternate covers for certain cities, and instead of merely dealing with one event or city, the entirety of AAA baseball was at stake. It even had a cameo or two. You can even see the stakes raised in the standard cover (done by John Watson, who also did the cover for the 2007 edition). Where before it was but a standard “running towards the reader” scene, this one had conflict, as the Marvel heroes and AAA mascots surround Doctor Doom, Magneto, the Green Goblin and the Mole Man.

2008 Giveaway Comic coverI have to think, by the way, that the mascot of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs would be in trouble against Magneto.

So, what about the story itself? Well, go below the jump for that.

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Bizarre Baseball Culture: 2007’s Marvel Comics/AAA Baseball Crossover

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In Bizarre Baseball Culture, I take a look at some of the more unusual places where baseball has reared it’s head in pop culture and fiction.

I warned you. I told you it was coming. You could have gone away, but, no, you had to go and actually come here and read this installment of Bizarre Baseball Culture. This is a very special Bizarre Baseball Culture, as, for the first time, it’s something that I actually have in my very small personal collection of comic books. You see, in 2007, each Triple-A baseball team had a day celebrating superheroes, and as a giveaway, there was this comic:

2007GiveawayComic copyAnd, as you can probably guess, I was at that game and got the giveaway. And so, it sat in a drawer for almost seven years, ignored. Until today. Yes, true believers, tremble and prepare yourself for the 2007 edition of Triple-A Baseball Heroes, featuring the superheroes of Marvel Comics.

Now, a few notes before we get going here:

  • All of the images in this post were scanned by yours truly, and any problems with the quality of the images are my fault.
  • All characters and logos in the comic are property of their respective owners (such as Marvel Comics or Minor League Baseball). The excerpts from this comic used in this post are being used under fair use doctrine and are meant merely to support and enhance the opinions and facts stated in said post.
  • Click on any of the images to make them bigger.
  • To the best of my knowledge, the only way to get this comic nowadays is to find it on eBay or have gone to the games that had them released.

Now, go below the jump for the rest of the post:

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