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Tom Strange
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But I'm sure that you'll get to see quite a bit of Tex in the future wearing pinstripes...

That is the rumor thats keeping my Yankee friends off of suicide watch---

He'd do well with the short porch-never mind a firstbaseman who could actually field in NY ---

Its been good the last week to get a glimpse of Jacoby Ellsbury who was just called up to fill in for Coco Crisp ....He was the first round pick in 05 and has had a buildup as the CF of the future... I dont know much about him, but after seeing him beat out an average grounder for an infield hit, steal a base, then score from second on a wild pitch, I'm becoming a believer.

They said he had speed, but holy &^%$ I had no idea....

Now if the sox can only get a shortstop who can hit over .190 the rest of the way ( Julio Lugo) , I'll feel pretty good

Edited by mstar1
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I'm starting to think you like that 'suicide' description for Yankee fans, m-star.

This Yankee fan has much more important matters in life to get that worked up over, though I understand you mean it in a 'tongue in cheek', don't take it seriously tone.

I know baseball fans get nutty. Even in laid back Dodger land, there's always some people in the crowd who watch the game in a constant state of agitation and emotional upheaval. I guess that's their release from the everday pressures, but it sure doesn't look like much fun, or that they're enjoying themselves.

Didn't mean to go off on my personal soapbox. Actually had a fine time at Dodger Stadium last night. Nice 7-6 win over the Braves. If you're not aware of them, the young upcoming Dodgers are coming into their own, and guys like Russell Martin, James Loney, and Matt Kemp may be some of the great players in the next 10 years.

Or fate will intervene and they won't.

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:biglaugh:

..we might venture out to the Ballpark tonight for a game and some fireworks... the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Cucamonga Sewing Circle Book Review and Timing Association are in town this week... we took 'em down last night with Millwood on the mound but don't hold much hope for tonight...

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I'm starting to think you like that 'suicide' description for Yankee fans, m-star.

I dont like it, it slips out without me thinking about it, but in my circumstance its not a metaphor---

I do have agood friend who is a Yankee fan who has had a very rough few years. He's not a bad guy, but lost about $1mil, his house, his marriage, his license, his cars, and his daughter,...eveerything basically a few years back....Its been a real rough road and he is in bad or at the best--extremely tenuous--shape most of the time...

He also is a lifelong Yankee fan having grown up in the Bronx. I know that it is "just baseball" but I have noticed over the last few years that if the Yankees are doing OK that he generally stays at least above water, if they go into a swoon, he often takes a nosedive into the danger zone. There are many other factors of course, but it does run pretty close.

A few weeks ago he called me at 2am to bring him to the emergency psych ward, which I did. Its probably a coincidence that the Yanks were on a losing streak at the time, but I do keep closer tabs on him if they are in a losing streak.

The 'suicide watch' slipped out and sounds metaphorical, but it is actually realer than you know. He was excited and enthused talking about Texiera which is why I worded it that way.....It actually is keeping me off of 'suicide watch'

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geez-your friend has had a tough time for sure-no wonder he's a mess.

I have to say that the personal crises in my life have put the importance of a baseball team and it's fortunes considerably low. I cared ALOT more when I was 12 years old.

If you're taking him to psych wards at 2 am , you're a good friend indeed !

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dangit, I left out 'Azuza' in the previous post... well... that's two against the LAAofA... and Weaver to boot... nice game (4-2) funny what can happen when you get decent pitching... and they really play up the Gagne thing... six pitch ninth for the save (and 3 of those were on Vlad G, the last out)...

Why did so many of them have to have such bad starts this year? well, it's best if we deal and get some more... I think...

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I know that most of you arent Red Sox fans but i saw a great DVD yesterday that y'all would enjoy.

Its the 40th anniversary of the '67 Impossible Dream Red Sox and in commemoration they have released a 2 DVD Package that includes the oldest complete game video available anywhere. I remeber watching that game when I was 12, but to see it again sent shivers up and down my spine.

Its very simple, no graphics, no endless musical montages, very little announcing, just pure simple baseball the way it was

For those of us over 40, one can barely remember a time when the baseball game was 99% of the telecast. There are times when literally the only words you will hear are "Oliva the batter .... strike one .... ball one .... Petrocelli ... over to Scott. One down in the fourth."

The job of the TV play-by-play man was to let the camera tell the story and you just filled in the necessary details. The color guy just chimes in when there is a crucial piece of information. He might not say anything for a couple of batters. To get the true understanding of the skill of these play-by-play guys, you need the radio broadcast. For TV, they just shut up for the most part. There is no off-hand conversation.

Also, there is no replay of any kind. Just a few cameras, and the main shot was often from behind the batter, from the old press box (where there are now seats). No man (or woman) in the stands. No music other than the organ. You can hear Sherm Feller, and John Kiley, and the crowd noise. It seems so calm and reserved compared with all of the sensory input you would get today.

The best part is just watching the players. No matter how many highlights you might have seen of Harmon Killebrew hitting a HR, there is nothing like watching a player dig into the box, hold the bat, take pitches, foul something off. The rhythm of the game requires watching a game, and not just highlights. Watching the pitchers, and the larger strike zones, is also fun.

Heres a review:

You probably think you’re all 1967’d out already. The Red Sox organization is doing right by those 1967 guys, honoring them in every way possible. You can’t say it enough: Those guys revived baseball interest in Boston and New England. That year is the dividing line in Red Sox history.

The current state of Red Sox fiscal affairs is the direct result of what happened during that glorious summer of 1967. But before you cry, ‘‘No mas,’’ be prepared to dig into the wallet one more time. Whether you lived through it or didn’t, if you profess to be a baseball fan in these here parts, you owe it to yourself to acquire the indispensable DVD entitled ‘‘Impossible To Forget. The Story of the ’67 Boston Red Sox.’’

The DVD is produced by the Sports Museum of New England, in conjunction with NESN, and for your money you get the complete original ‘‘Impossible Dream’’ documentary; 28 vignettes from the 1967 season; great footage from the 1967 World Series; and a 24-page commemorative booklet.

But that’s not all. The highlight of this great piece of work is the complete game telecast of the penultimate game of the season, the must-win Saturday afternoon game of Sept. 30, when the Red Sox beat the Twins, 6-4. It is the oldest regular-season color telecast of any game to be found anywhere. It was originally telecast by WHDH-TV, the old Channel 5, and it has passed through the hands of Channel 38 into the custody of the Sports Museum, where executive director Rusty Sullivan and curator Dick Johnson treated it as would an archaeologist an artifact from ancient Egypt.

It is in spectacular condition. Beginning with the pregame entrance of Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Senator Ted Kennedy and ending with a fine Jerry Adair play on a Tony Oliva line drive, it is an eerie, almost voyeuristic look into a baseball time past. Fenway Park is pristine. No electronic scoreboard. No advertising anywhere. And off in the distance, it is not yet the ‘‘Citgo’’ sign. It is, of course, the ‘‘Cities Service’’ sign.

We are past the point where all the men are wearing hats, but you do see an occasional coat and tie, even on a Saturday afternoon. There is, by the way, no Jerry Kapstein behind the plate. No Dennis Drinkwater, either. It does seem strange. The greatest thing of all is that no exhibitionist is jumping up, cellphone attached to ear, waving at the camera. There is a center-field camera, but many of the at-bats are shot from behind the plate. With a man on first, the director favors that old wide-screen look that includes the pitcher’s mound and first base.

I rather liked seeing it again. By the way, you’d better be paying attention. There are no replays. There are no graphics. At the end of each half-inning, the scoreboard is panned. That’s it. To explain just how big a game it is, Ken Coleman points out during the top of the first that ‘‘there are 125 newspapermen from all over the country’’ in attendance, and that many will be using the auxiliary football press box. The players all show perfect sock, stirrups and all. The umpires are still outfitted in dark suits, white shirt, black tie, and those cute little caps…

Red Sox fan or not, This is a GREAT piece of history, if you have the chance to see it..do, you'll be glad that you did

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I'm sold.

I'm old enough to remember when the Mets played in the Polo Grounds. It seemed like 80% of the game was shot from behind home plate. I found it eerie as a kid, but see the beauty in it now.

Vin Scully is as close as one can still get for a classic broadcast. With no color guy to banter with, he just calls the game, with much more interjection and storytelling than that dvd game sounds.

I'm also interested in the ESPN show , Wednesday during the all-star break. It chronicles the Dodger move out of Brooklyn.

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I'm also interested in the ESPN show , Wednesday during the all-star break. It chronicles the Dodger move out of Brooklyn.

I'll try to catch that. Being not that far from NYC, I still occasionally run into old timers that are pi$$ed that Da Bums moved. It was then, and still is now to some, unthinkable that they would up and leave....should be a good show...

...It was a real eye opener for me watching that 1967 DVD, I found it very hard watching the regular game last night, after watching the 67 game.

As much as I have learned to like Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy (Sox TV announcers) I just wanted them to shut up. All the graphics, advertisements, and 'noise' (and NESN isn't as bad as most stations) detract immensely from the simplicity and beauty of the game.

Maybe fans will generate enough 'noise' after seeing this broadcast that present day announcers will learn something from their simpler and perhaps wiser predecessors.

Ive written them and let them know....

Im outta here to take care of dear old dad for a few weeks---hold the fort

Edited by mstar1
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Hope your dad is doing well, mstar.

I was at the Dodger game last nights, being handed seats right behind homeplate as I left work. Nice surprise on a Friday. As awesome as they were, I prefer sitting in the loge, 3rd base side.

I'm sure Dodger Stadium is like every other park now, in terms of noise and distractions. Not only are ads everywhere, everyaspect of the game is 'brought to you by'. A strikeout by a Dodger pitcher lights up the wrap around the stadium ad telling us that K was sponsored by California Pizza Kitchen. A pitching change is sponsored. The 7th inning stretch is sponsored. The 'smile cam' is sponsored. It's all too much.

Announcing the lineups, after the visiting team is begrudgingly announced, there's a 5 MINUTE video of Dodger history at a decibal level that's startling, before they announce the Dodger line up.

They wanted to ax organ player Nancy Bea , in favor of non stop loud music, but the fan outcry saved her. There's still the raucus music, but somehow Nancy gets her time in.

Through it all, there's even a baseball game in there.

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I just read that Dbacks' outfielder Eric Byrnes, who hails from the San Fran bay area, and barely missed having LaRussa pick him for the NL all star squad, will be there anyway.

But NOT in the stadium. Byrnes and his pet bulldog will be reporting from McCovey Cove from a kayak.

That should be pretty interesting. Might make the game worth watching.... :)

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well... I got to see a rarity the other night as the stRangers continue to tease us... the rarity? ...a blown save by Gagne!

...IIRC the announcer said that's only the SEVENTH in his major league career... it certainly is electric in the ballpark when they bring him in... was it like that at the ravine?

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Tom-the ravine was Gagne's prime, as you well know. For a couple of years he kept the fans that usually leave in the 6th inning in the park.

When he came in, they blasted 'Welcome to the Jungle' as his 'theme song', while this cartoon graphic of his face with 'game over' written underneath was splashed on every scoreboard. He captivated the crowd on every pitch, which was usually a high, hard strike. He only had 2 pitches then-hard and harder.

Yeah I'd say it was electric.

I was at the park for many of his typical saves, but also there the first night he got lit up in years-due mainly to overuse by the manager. The crowd was stunned that he could actually lose a game.

I was also there at his last appearance, though noone knew it at the time. He had been on the dl for over a year, and was coming back. They still played the welcome to the jungle and flashed the graphics, but it didn't seem right, since noone knew how his arm was going to hold up. He went back on the dl after that game, which eventually led to Texas.

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When he came in, they blasted 'Welcome to the Jungle' as his 'theme song', while this cartoon graphic of his face with 'game over' written underneath was splashed on every scoreboard. He captivated the crowd on every pitch, which was usually a high, hard strike. He only had 2 pitches then-hard and harder.

Yeah I'd say it was electric.

exactly what they do here now... hey, it worked then... it seems to be working now!

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Just another AL victory in the all-star game-for what it's worth.

I admit to enjoying it , having suffered through years of NL domination, when it really mattered (meaning when I was 12 years old).

The NL was clearly the better league in the 60's and 70's, largely due to being faster to sign the great black players, and a more aggressive style of play.

I see little evidence that the NL is any more 'aggressive' than the AL these days. With all the player movement, and umpires working both leagues, the difference in the leagues is blurred.

Still , as an old AL fan (though I spend most of my time at Dodger Stadium), I do like seeing the AL win.

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Anything good happening out there?

Ive been hanging with 90 year old Dad, and spending my evenings caring for his wife in the Alzheimers Unit, which is much more exciting than watching the Red Sox right now, who have been playing at .500 since June 1st.

Hopefully the trading deadline will fill a few gaps and add a new jolt of excitement.

I did run into one guy who wants to recreate the entire 1912 season to watch, and other moments of importance before video and film was in use.

Heres his take on Ruths last HR as a member of the Red Sox at Fenway in 1919

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He takes a lot of care to get Fenway looking accurate, which is good.

He then has the Babe pitching right handed-which pretty much kills it for me. How do you do all that work, and miss that ?

The season is rolling along swiftly, too swiftly. The Dodgers look like they can go far, thanks to the young players coming along at the right time.

Even the Yankees aren't dead yet. I still don't think they can do it due to spotty pitching, but I've been wrong before. Seems like most baseball predictions are spotty.

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