The title says it all. Jessica Mendoza. Baseball analyst. At least it should.
There was a big deal made of Mendoza being the first female analyst on ESPN's national baseball broadcast. And it was a big deal. And it wasn't.
You know why it wasn't? Because it sounded just like a baseball broadcast. And that is the best compliment I can provide. It wasn't schtick. It wasn't a novelty. It was just providing a competent analyst an opportunity.
Did Mendoza ever play Major League Baseballl? Nope. And neither did you.
Maybe as fan of tennis I'm used to a female voice. Mary Carillo is one the best in the business. Chris McKendry. Martina, Chrissie, Hannah Storm, Mary Jo Fernandez, etc. Nobody questions them calling men's matches. Nor should they,
So why is it a big deal that Jessica Mendoza is calling MLB? Because it's never been done before. Here's hoping to that it's never a big deal again.
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
What I'm Loving Wednesday
I'm loving baseball.
I could just leave it at that. Baseball season has started. You either get it or you don't. Here's something I wrote several years ago and tweaked over the years. Take me out to the ballpark.
I'm loving music.
There is so much good music out right now. I'm not loving that most people never hear it because it isn't played on mainstream radio. Ray Wylie Hubbard and Delta Rae came out with new albums yesterday. Let me know when you hear either of them on mainstream radio. Here are my favorite records for the first quarter of 2015. April has already been good. And there is some stuff coming up that I'm excited about.
Being a huge tennis fan, I'm starting to love Simona Halep. She's good. And those legs.
And that's all I've got this week. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday.
I could just leave it at that. Baseball season has started. You either get it or you don't. Here's something I wrote several years ago and tweaked over the years. Take me out to the ballpark.
I'm loving music.
There is so much good music out right now. I'm not loving that most people never hear it because it isn't played on mainstream radio. Ray Wylie Hubbard and Delta Rae came out with new albums yesterday. Let me know when you hear either of them on mainstream radio. Here are my favorite records for the first quarter of 2015. April has already been good. And there is some stuff coming up that I'm excited about.
Being a huge tennis fan, I'm starting to love Simona Halep. She's good. And those legs.
Monday, July 14, 2014
My Texas Rangers at the All-Star Break: It's Not Pretty
Yes, I included "my" in the title of this post. I've been through a lot as a fan of the Texas Rangers over the years. Yes, this is bad right now. Losing 9 of the last 10 and 22 of the last 25, there are notwo ways about it, they are pitiful right now. Firmly in last place of the AL West, behind (gasp) Houston.
But for all of you Johnny-come-lately's who have bandwaggoneered your way into becoming a Rangers fan the past four years, this is how it used to be on a regular basis. And without all the injuries.
I turn on the TV and see a bunch of guys I've never heard of donning Rangers gear. And some of them will be gone the next day.
But here's the thing. This organization has done things the right way and this is just a blip. Hopefully. The Rangers have used approximately 432 pitchers and 157 position players before the All-Star break. I think both are records. This is a lost season.
Look on the bright side: plenty of good seats available at the Ballpark. And no matter how bad the team is, a bad day at the Ballpark is better than a good day at work.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
What Casual Baseball Fans Are Missing
We are here to help out the casual baseball fan whose head may be spinning a bit with all the non-baseball news surrounding baseball. And we think you know what we're talking about.
With about six weeks left in the season, here's what we have going on:
- The Pirates are in first place in the NL Central. Not a typo. Yes, those Pirates. From Pittsburgh. The Pirates currently hold a three game advantage over the St. Louis Cardinals. And a lot of you thought that franchise had folded years ago, right?
- The Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics are currently in a dogfight for supremacy of the AL West. Separated by a mere one half game in the standings, and dead even in the loss column, this race could come down to the last day of the season as it did last year.
- The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are involved in quite the battle themselves in the AL East. Just a game between them in the standings with Baltimore lurking around at 5 1/2 games out.
- The LA Dodgers are probably playing the best of anyone in baseball right now, taking a commanding lead in the NL West over Arizona.
- On a lesser note, the Kansas City Royals are above .500. Might not sound like much, but ask a Royals fan.
It's time for A-Rod to fade away. Disappear forever. That won't happen, so it's time for us to just focus on what is happening between the lines. Some good baseball yet to be played. Let's enjoy the pennant races. That's what it should be all about this time of year.
With about six weeks left in the season, here's what we have going on:
- The Pirates are in first place in the NL Central. Not a typo. Yes, those Pirates. From Pittsburgh. The Pirates currently hold a three game advantage over the St. Louis Cardinals. And a lot of you thought that franchise had folded years ago, right?
- The Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics are currently in a dogfight for supremacy of the AL West. Separated by a mere one half game in the standings, and dead even in the loss column, this race could come down to the last day of the season as it did last year.
- The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are involved in quite the battle themselves in the AL East. Just a game between them in the standings with Baltimore lurking around at 5 1/2 games out.
- The LA Dodgers are probably playing the best of anyone in baseball right now, taking a commanding lead in the NL West over Arizona.
- On a lesser note, the Kansas City Royals are above .500. Might not sound like much, but ask a Royals fan.
It's time for A-Rod to fade away. Disappear forever. That won't happen, so it's time for us to just focus on what is happening between the lines. Some good baseball yet to be played. Let's enjoy the pennant races. That's what it should be all about this time of year.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Rangers Need to Take Advantage of Soft August
With about a month and a half left in the season, here is where our Texas Rangers stand. In first place. But Oakland is not going away.
In the past month, the Rangers have gained a Matt Garza and an Alex Rios. They have lost a Nelson Cruz, a Colby Lewis and now a Matt Harrison. So where does that leave them? Better than before.
"What?", you say. Texas has not had Lewis or Harrison for practically the entire season. Their losses don't mean that much. Sure the Cruz loss hurts, but Rios can fill in adequately and provide production. Not the same as Cruz, but he will contribute. Now, take a look at the rotation. Better to have Garza than a maybe Harrison or Lewis. Or maybe Neftali Feliz.
What the Rangers have right now is what they're going to have to go with down the stretch. We like the chances. However, looking at the schedules, the Rangers need to have at least a four game lead going into September.
Texas has an easy August schedule. Oakland's is tougher. The tables are turned in September.
And for the "Fire Wash" crowd, Ron Washington deserves no less than manager of the year if he guides this team to the playoffs. We won't bore you with the details now, but it could be coming at a later date.
In the past month, the Rangers have gained a Matt Garza and an Alex Rios. They have lost a Nelson Cruz, a Colby Lewis and now a Matt Harrison. So where does that leave them? Better than before.
"What?", you say. Texas has not had Lewis or Harrison for practically the entire season. Their losses don't mean that much. Sure the Cruz loss hurts, but Rios can fill in adequately and provide production. Not the same as Cruz, but he will contribute. Now, take a look at the rotation. Better to have Garza than a maybe Harrison or Lewis. Or maybe Neftali Feliz.
What the Rangers have right now is what they're going to have to go with down the stretch. We like the chances. However, looking at the schedules, the Rangers need to have at least a four game lead going into September.
Texas has an easy August schedule. Oakland's is tougher. The tables are turned in September.
And for the "Fire Wash" crowd, Ron Washington deserves no less than manager of the year if he guides this team to the playoffs. We won't bore you with the details now, but it could be coming at a later date.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Texas Rangers are 3-11 Since........
The debut of SharkNado on the SyFy channel.
Sure, you can use the All-Star break as the line of demarcation, and the Rangers haven't been good since then (2-7). But we believe it has something to do with SharkNado.
What other logical explanation can there be?
Sure, you can use the All-Star break as the line of demarcation, and the Rangers haven't been good since then (2-7). But we believe it has something to do with SharkNado.
What other logical explanation can there be?
Friday, July 19, 2013
Texas Rangers at the All Star Break
As the Texas Rangers gear up for the remainder of the season, let us take a look back at how things fared before the All Star break.
There were 394 pitchers who went on the disabled list before the break, 96.7% of those pitchers were Rangers' starters. Seriously, the pitching staff was hammered and hampered by injuries. When the rotation consists of Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, and, take your pick of Grimm, Lindblom, Tepesch, Wolf, or the neighbor kid down the street, that the Rangers are where they are is commendable.
And where are they? Thirteen games above .500 and two games back of Oakland in the AL West. Plenty of time and games still left.
The offense on the other hand, meh. Sure Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland both joined the pitching staff on the DL, but the offense has wasted many good pitching performances. Nobody ever won a game scoring zero runs.
The bullpen, while overworked and overexposed at times, has really held it together. Kudos to Joe Nathan, Robbie Ross, Tanner Scheppers, et al.
Going forward, Lance Berkman can't be counted on to stay healthy and even if he is, can he even hit?
Elvis Andrus and David Murphy need to figure it out at the plate. And quickly.
Alexi Ogando seems ready to return, but will the Rangers ever see Matt Harrison, Colby Lewis or Neftali Feliz on the field this season? We would proceed thinking not.
The trade deadline looms. The Rangers need another starting pitcher and a right-handed bat.
This is still a very good team. And instead of all those clamoring for manager Ron Washington to be fired, here in the Cheap Seats, we think he has done a tremendous job of getting the Rangers where they are right now. Give us a better available option. Or would you rather have Bobby Valentine? Puh-leeeeze!
The second half starts tonight. Sit back and enjoy, it's going to be a fun ride no matter how it turns out.
There were 394 pitchers who went on the disabled list before the break, 96.7% of those pitchers were Rangers' starters. Seriously, the pitching staff was hammered and hampered by injuries. When the rotation consists of Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, and, take your pick of Grimm, Lindblom, Tepesch, Wolf, or the neighbor kid down the street, that the Rangers are where they are is commendable.
And where are they? Thirteen games above .500 and two games back of Oakland in the AL West. Plenty of time and games still left.
The offense on the other hand, meh. Sure Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland both joined the pitching staff on the DL, but the offense has wasted many good pitching performances. Nobody ever won a game scoring zero runs.
The bullpen, while overworked and overexposed at times, has really held it together. Kudos to Joe Nathan, Robbie Ross, Tanner Scheppers, et al.
Going forward, Lance Berkman can't be counted on to stay healthy and even if he is, can he even hit?
Elvis Andrus and David Murphy need to figure it out at the plate. And quickly.
Alexi Ogando seems ready to return, but will the Rangers ever see Matt Harrison, Colby Lewis or Neftali Feliz on the field this season? We would proceed thinking not.
The trade deadline looms. The Rangers need another starting pitcher and a right-handed bat.
This is still a very good team. And instead of all those clamoring for manager Ron Washington to be fired, here in the Cheap Seats, we think he has done a tremendous job of getting the Rangers where they are right now. Give us a better available option. Or would you rather have Bobby Valentine? Puh-leeeeze!
The second half starts tonight. Sit back and enjoy, it's going to be a fun ride no matter how it turns out.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Get Yourself to the Park.........The Ballpark, That Is
A grandmother, a teacher, choir member and darn good cook.
A home-grown-smoking, home-brew-swilling, aging hippie bespectacled looking at life through rose-colored prescription lenses.
A giggling, screeching teenage girl with a mouth full of metal and rubber bands, hair in pigtails and ever-present flip flops.
A singer in a rock band in his favorite vintage AC/DC tee shirt with the sleeves cut out.
A slick, big-city banker sporting designer sunglasses and what hasn't been discarded of a three-piece suit.
A housewife in a sundress, floppy hat and dark glasses, sporting the latest fashion in nail polish on her recently pedicured toes.
An ex Army medic turned firefighter with a penchant for attracting psycho-babes and an affinity for spicy foods.
A father, dressed in khaki shorts and his team tee shirt explaining the intricacies of the double steal to a kid with an oversized baseball cap slurping ice cream out of a miniature replica helmet.
What do all of these people have in common? Why, they're all baseball fans, of course. Nothing I have seen in the course of everyday life brings together a more diverse cast of characters than a baseball game on a lazy summer evening.
I attended my first professional baseball game at the old Arlington Stadium with my uncle to see the Texas Rangers take on the hated New York Yankees in a double header, long before the days of the day/night variety. Being a baseball fan already, I was hooked on experiencing the game in person.
Not everyone is there for the same reason. There are the die-hards, the casuals, the socializers, the partyers and those that just want to get out and enjoy the weather. But, by and large, everyone is there to have a good time. There are always those contrarians, those who look to start or get into trouble, but they are the minority.
Everybody is your friend at a baseball game. Sitting out in the blistering Texas sun and need some sunscreen? The girl across the aisle will be happy to share some of hers. Going back to your seat after a brief rain delay and don't want to sit in a puddle? The guy two rows up is loaning his towel out to whoever needs it.
We could all take some life lessons from the camaraderie shown by a large group of strangers held together by nothing more than a rooting interest in the laundry worn by this year's roving band of gloved, bat wielding mercenaries.
The pace of baseball lends itself to this kind of relaxed revelry. It is not adrenaline induced pummeling of an opponent. It is not non-stop, up and down a court, sometimes lumbering, sometimes in bursts. Baseball is leisurely paced, perfect for getting to know one's neighbors. Perfect for summer.
After competing in the rat race at a breakneck pace, taxiing kids from one activity to another and fighting ever-increasing traffic; baseball provides a welcome three to three and half hour respite from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
I'll take that any day of the week.
What do all of these people have in common? Why, they're all baseball fans, of course. Nothing I have seen in the course of everyday life brings together a more diverse cast of characters than a baseball game on a lazy summer evening.
I attended my first professional baseball game at the old Arlington Stadium with my uncle to see the Texas Rangers take on the hated New York Yankees in a double header, long before the days of the day/night variety. Being a baseball fan already, I was hooked on experiencing the game in person.
Not everyone is there for the same reason. There are the die-hards, the casuals, the socializers, the partyers and those that just want to get out and enjoy the weather. But, by and large, everyone is there to have a good time. There are always those contrarians, those who look to start or get into trouble, but they are the minority.
Everybody is your friend at a baseball game. Sitting out in the blistering Texas sun and need some sunscreen? The girl across the aisle will be happy to share some of hers. Going back to your seat after a brief rain delay and don't want to sit in a puddle? The guy two rows up is loaning his towel out to whoever needs it.
We could all take some life lessons from the camaraderie shown by a large group of strangers held together by nothing more than a rooting interest in the laundry worn by this year's roving band of gloved, bat wielding mercenaries.
The pace of baseball lends itself to this kind of relaxed revelry. It is not adrenaline induced pummeling of an opponent. It is not non-stop, up and down a court, sometimes lumbering, sometimes in bursts. Baseball is leisurely paced, perfect for getting to know one's neighbors. Perfect for summer.
After competing in the rat race at a breakneck pace, taxiing kids from one activity to another and fighting ever-increasing traffic; baseball provides a welcome three to three and half hour respite from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
I'll take that any day of the week.
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