Home Run Derby

Remember last week, when Joe Buck told Conan O’Brien that he would say “Jub-Jub” during a World Series telecast for him after Conan offered to give $1,000 to Buck’s favorite charity?

It didn’t take Buck very long to do it.

In the the bottom of the third inning of Game One of the World Series between the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Red Sox … Joe Buck dropped the Jub …

“Our own little Jub-Jub, Chris Myers”

I hope Myers has some say about which charity that grand is gonna go. Because he’s going to be known around his radio show and the sports blogosphere as Jub-Jub for a while.

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The World Series is set. 

The Rox versus the Sox. 

Yet another expansion team versus the new Yankees.

Joe Buck is gonna say “Jub Jub”

Home Run Derby presents our predictions for the 2007 Fall Classic. 

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Back in June, Richie authored a post on the Greatest Walk-off Home Runs in World Series History.  On that list was Kirk Gibson’s Game 1 shot off of Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 Fall Classic (Richie even called it the greatest ever).  You will get no debate from me, it has to be one of the most dramatic, most memorable Home Runs in World Series History. His injured legs add to the lore of the dinger (it was his only at bat in the entire series).

The feat is further romanticized (if baseball can be romantic) by the call of Vin Scully.  I can close my eyes and still hear his golden tones set-up the moment.

“All year long, they looked to him to light the fire, and all year long, he answered the demands, until he was physically unable to start tonight——with two bad legs: The bad left hamstring, and the swollen right knee.  And, with two out, you talk about a roll of the dice… this is it.”

After working an 0-2 count to 3-2, Scully put the pitch on a tee, and smacked it home with the famous call:

“The game right now is at the plate. High fly ball into right field, she i-i-i-is… gone!!  In a year that has been so improbable… the impossible has happened!”

That is how I remember the moment, because I was watching on TV.  Jack Buck’s radio call (”I don’t believe what I just saw”) is probably more referenced, but let’s face it, people know that call from the highlights of the game more so than the hearing it live.  It was Vin Scully, and that unmistakable legendary voice that helped propel the legendary status of the Kirk Gibson dinger in 1988.

Now why do I bring this up? Yesterday, I was reading one of my favorite baseball writers, Rob Neyer on ESPN.com. He has compiled at top ten list of baseball miracles (no subscription needed).  This list has merit, and contains some of the usual great moments in sports (The 2004 Red Sox comeback from 0-3 deficit against the Yankees is #1).  What is interesting, is 8 of the 10 “miracles” are team based (i.e. 2004 Red Sox, 1986 Mets) and 2 are individual accomplishments, Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hit streak and the aforementioned Kirk Gibson Home Run.  There lies the rub.  How can that Home Run be considered a miracle?

• Dramatic?  Yes!
• Historic?  Yes!
• Memorable? Another resounding Yes!
• But Miraculous? No Way!

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October 18, 1977 - Game Six of the 1977 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.

Reggie Jackson made history.

World Series History.

Baseball history.

Can you believe that it’s been thirty years since Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a World Series game?

Making that feat more impressive is that he did it in three consecutive swings in that game. Even more amazing is that he hit a Home Run on his last swing of Game Five.

Four Swings. Four Home Runs.

Watch the Video (won’t work in Firefox)

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I dislike FOX Sports announcer Joe Buck.  His smarmy, saccharine voice has been ruining sports broadcasts for me for some time now.  He’s kinda like Troy McClure.

Last night, Conan O’Brien was interviewing Joe Buck.  Buck talked about how his friends will call him during a baseball broadcast and bet him that he can’t work a non-baseball word like “wasabi” into the broadcast.  Often times, Buck finds a way to do it.

So Conan threw his own challenge at Buck.  Conan O’Brien will donate $1,000 to a charity of Joe Buck’s choice if he works “Jub-Jub” into his broadcast of the World Series.   Jub-Jub, is the name which then Simpsons-writer O’Brien gave Selma’s pet iguana on “the Simpsons.”

Watch the video …  

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Sitting in the dugout during a baseball game can be so boring sometimes.

There’s nothing to do except wait your turn.

Maybe you can eat some sunflower seeds.

Or, I don’t know … maybe chew on your fingernails or maybe pick your nose.

Or both.

Let’s watch as Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez demonstrates some personal grooming and hygiene in the Boston dugout.

Pesky TV Cameras

In case you missed it last night, here’s the Red Sox highlight of Game 4 of the 2007 ALCS.

Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez provided the Red Sox some offense with back to back to back Home Runs in the top of the sixth inning …

And Manny Ramirez might have just set a record for the longest admiration of a Home Run in an MLB playoff game. 

The only problem was that the Red Sox still trailed the Indians by four runs. 

I can understand a display like if it was a walk-off shot in the ninth inning (or later).  

I could understand it if the Red Sox were winning (the game or the series). 

I could understand it if it was against the rival Yankees. 

I could really understand it if Home Runs were worth five runs.

But that’s just bush-league crap right there.  Whether he was just “being Manny” or not.

That ranks down there with Shawne Merriman doing his “Lights Out” sack dance when his Chargers are trailing the Patriots by 17 points.

If this was a regular season game (or a Yankees/Red Sox game), I’d say Ramirez should be on the lookout for pitches near his head the next time he’s at bat.  But I don’t think the Indians will do that.

OK, it has been a long time since I have graced the pages of Homerun Derby (a subject to be addressed in a subsequent post), but as the resident Pale Hose fan (and by default Cub hater) on this site, I thought it would be nice to take Richie’s post on 99 years of North Side futility a bit farther.

First, let me start off by saying I am really rooting for a Rockies World Series title.  Think about it.  The Chicago Cubs haven’t even sniffed the World Series since 1945 (2003 - 5 outs away, nonwithstanding). However, 3 of the last 4 expansion teams will have won a World Series (Arizona, Florida twice, and hopefully now the Rockies). 

Let take a look at the list of expansion teams that came into existence after the Cubs last appeared in the Fall Classic and have won the World Series:

• The Marlins (expansion year 1993 & Series winner 1997, 2003 *ouch*)
• The Diamondbacks (exp 1998 & Series winner 2001)
• The Royals (exp 1969 & Series winner in 1985)
• The Angels (exp 1961 & Series winner in 2002)
• The Mets (exp 1962 & Series winner in 1969 (ouch) and 1986)
• The Blue Jays (exp 1977 & Series winner in 1992 and 1993)

Also 21 different teams (Yankees (16), Cardinals (5), Dodgers (5), A’s (4), Orioles (3), Tigers (3), Reds (3), Pirates (3), Twins (2), Mets (2), Marlins (2), Blue Jays (2), Diamondbacks, Royals, Red Sox, Phillies, Giants, Braves, Angels, Indians, and White Sox) have won the World Series since 1945, meaning over two-thirds of the 30 teams in baseball have won a World Series since the Cubs last played in one (12 of 30 have won multiple times).  The Rockies could make that 22 of 30 teams.  To add insult to injury, the Astros, Brewers and Padres, while not winning the title, have made it to the Series since then meaning that 25 of 30 teams have at least been to the world series since 1945. 

That brings me to the other club of MLB, the losers.  So who hasn’t been there since 1945? The unfortunate five are made up of the Texas Rangers (exp 1961), Seattle Mariners (exp 1977), Tampa Bay Rays (exp 1998), Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos (exp 1969), and the Cubs (founded 1876).  Meaning the other 4 teams weren’t even in existence in 1945.  Nice company for the Cubs.  One might even argue that Cubs are in a league of their own given that they are the only non-expansion team on that list, adding at least 16 more years of futility to any of the other teams in the loser club.

Of course, there is one more upside to the Colorado Rockies winning the World Series, the HRD conversation that will follow on how the hell they did it with Clint Barmes down in the minors?

On Monday, The Cincinnati Reds announced Dusty Baker as their manager for the 2008 season and beyond.  During his introductory press conference,  Baker had the following to say …

“I can attract players to come here” 

“… a number of players … called me about coming to Cincinnati.”

Okay, I’ll bite … WHO?  

Who called Dusty between the leak of his hiring on Sunday and the press conerence on Monday afternoon?  Who might have Johnnie B Baker’s digits programmed into the old cell phone? 

Who could make a big impact on the Reds?  We were about to scroll down the list of potential free agents and trade candidates … but one name jumped out at us before we even did any research … BARRY BONDS

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