Tony La Russa had bases loaded in the 9th inning of last night’s All-Star game. Two outs. And Albert Pujols, the best player in the world, sitting on the bench. He chose not to use him. Now the AL’s streak continues at ten games.
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What makes something funny? Is it that it’s quirky? unexpected? off the wall?
During the game, they kept showing clips of the new Simpsons movie. And for some reason, everytime Homer started singing “SpiderPig, SpiderPig,” it sent Chris and me over the edge in hysterical laughter.
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When Bonds passes Hank Aaron’s record, it won’t last long. A-Rod will be lapping him in a decade or so.
You can put this prediction next to my earlier one that Tiger won’t break Jack Nicklaus’s record. (Believe it or not, not everyone agreed with this prediction!)
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Here’s a column by Grant Boone you’ll enjoy from his “Grant Me This” column on PGA.com.
Thank you! The spider-pig thing cracked me up…..and I didn’t want to be the only one!
I was really pulling for the NL- I am tired of losing.
TLR’s days are numbered in St Louis, and this may have sped up the day when ‘The Secret Weapon’ takes over.
I do think this might cause an angry Albert to emerge in the 2nd half with… 40 dingers? It could happen.
OK, you get one chance, right here and now, to take back your prediction that Tiger Woods won’t break Nicklaus’ record, and we’ll forget you ever said something so silly. You probably had a bad day that day, too much guacamole and Diet Dr. Pepper, causing your brain to misfire. You get one do-over. What’s it gonna be? (Reminder - He only needs half as many as he has already won to tie Jack. He could do that in three or four years.)
I thought they were joking when they said Pujols was the only player not to play? Hello? Earth to LaRussa - put in your best player. And, you play to WIN at home, tie on the road - Manager 101 school.
Secret Weapon=Jose Oquendo?
SpiderPig is too hilarious.
Funny is subjective. I’m a great fan of anything that makes me laugh, but not everything makes me laugh. Things I find funny: Monty Python, Boston Legal, deadpan delivery, quick wit, inside jokes that last for years, that sort of stuff. The Simpsons deliver most of that, including silly jokes, pop culture references, and great characters. I tell my husband regularly to “Drink his Malk.”
Yes, Secret Weapon = Jose Oquendo. I’m really hoping he’s next in line when TLR leaves.
Albert wasn’t the only position player that didn’t play, Michael Young didn’t play either. A few position players don’t play every year. I think what bothered me most was hearing that Tony didn’t say a single thing to Albert.
On the otherhand (playing Devil’s advocate), you have to give props to TLR for not pandering to his own players like Guillen did a couple of years ago after the White Sox won the series. The were WAY to many Sox players playing way too many innings. Also, I’m not a Phillies fan, but what a great opportunity for Aaron Rowand? Great players live for chances like that, and I have to give TLR some credit for giving the young guy a chance to shine.
Thanks for coming out on the “SpiderPig” thing. It was killing me, too.
You mean, you are surprised that the American League won? What do you really expect from the better league?
Spiderpig is one of the funniest things I have ever seen from the Simpsons…I am glad that I am not the only one who falls off the couch everytime they show that commercial.
Roland!! Heresy is not permitted on this blog! The American League doesn’t even play baseball. They play their VERSION of what they think is baseball.
Mike, I couldn’t believe it - bases loaded and TLR doesn’t call on one of the great hitters available? Does the man have a death wish????
At the same time, I have to hang my head in apology for Chris Young’s flub. We of San Diego fan-ship(sic) know that CY does this too often when nervous. Our closer lost last year’s game and one of our prime pitchers took the puce ribbon this year. Grrrrr!!!!
Did TLR forget about Albert Pujols’s game winning homerun against the Houston Astros in the 2005 National League Playoffs?
SpiderPig is funny, but the best sight-gag is Homer on the wrecking ball, being smashed between a rock and The Hard Place…
Can we show a little love to Michael Young, too? Come on… the only Ranger at the ASG and he doesn’t even get one inning? Give me a break! He actually has a history of ASG heroics, too!!!
Rex-I was at that game here in Houston…I think Lidge is still in therapy because of it. And, I’m sure that ball is still in the stratosphere somewhere. We left early for fear of being beaten up in our Cards gear. True story.
Roland,
A stat for you,
The NL’s overall lead in the All-Star series is now 40-36-2
My husband and I have both cracked up at that part both times we have seen the preview. Greatness!
I agree Amy - Leyland forgot what MY did last year - win the game and keep the streak going for the AL. I think Leyland and LaRussa were both out to lunch.
On a different note, amazing that the vital topics of armchair baseball and Spider pig garner less interest than doing-church debates.
Reflecting back on last weeks post:
“I decided right then and there I couldn’t spend my life in a profession where people got upset and questioned your motives. So I entered ministry…”
Maybe Tony should have entered ministry
The local shows I have listened to didn’t appreciate his decision either.
Shoulda Woulda put Pujols in.
LOVE “The Simpsons”—one of my guilty pleasure shows. That & “The Office”(British esp.), “Arrested Development”, & most of Will Farrell’s movies make my giggle-box turn over everytime. I’m even pretty much a sucker for corny jokes—I just love to laugh.
I love the Simpsons, and I cant wait to see the movie.
Beth, I have watched the Cubs beat the Cardinals in St. Louis four times and the Cardinals beat the Cubs five times in Chicago (never seen either team win in their home stadium). I never feared wearing Cubs atire in St. Louis. However, in Detroit I watched some Detroit Tiger fans drop beer and other unmentional liquid on some Minnesota Twin fans. It became such a problem that the Detroit police had to provide the Twin fans with an escort out of the stadium. That particular game had the Twins placing a pounding on the Tigers while also beaming one of the Tiger batters in the helmet. It was real ugly.
I personally agree with you about Tiger and Jack (although I may not be as convinced as you are. However this doesn’t mean that Jack was a better golfer than Tiger. There are so many intangible factors here that I cannot even get started on the list of them. Tiger is a pure athlete. A true competitor - perhaps as fierce and intimidating a competitor as there ever was in any sport… since I’ve been alive.
Records are weird. Who has the most hole-in-ones? I don’t know who it is, but are they the best par three player ever? Probably not?
Who has the record for K’s by a starting pitcher? Nolan Ryan! Is he the best striker-outer ever? NO WAY! He just did it longer!
Is Billy Graham the greatest preacher of all time? I doubt it!
Spider pig, spider pig, does whatever a spider pig does!!!
Some thoughts to consider regarding Albert that you might not be aware of:
1. Albert was not voted into the All Star game by the fans.
2. He was not voted into the ASG by the players, which is how the other position players are named to the team.
3. He was placed on the AS team only because each team must have one representative, which is really an absurd rule IMO.
Sure, Albert is arguably the best active player in baseball today. But, he didn’t get voted into the game — by the fans or the players — Aaron Rowand did. I’m not sure any of this crossed TLR’s mind last night, but it certainly could have.
I’m sure everyone complaining about Albert not playing, voted for him… right?
Mike,
You are wrong about Tiger, buddy.
Also, why wasn’t Lidge pitching to Pujol’s in the homerun derby? Pujol’s would have walked away with the title.
As for A-Rod…I just don’t like the guy.
a) Albert Pujols is undoubtedly not the best player in baseball. He might be the best player in St. Louis but that’s not saying much.
b) Aaron Rowand is hitting .349 this year with RISP. Albert is hitting .281 w/RISP. Albert is also 3 for his last 19 AB.
c) Either way, once again the Cardinals have shamed the entire NL.
d) For some reason, everytime I see TLR, the “Spider Pig” song comes to mind.
AL all the way. How about Ichiro leading the league in hits, or Ordonez batting .367?
Simpsons = roxxors
I keep saying the same thing about A-Rod. Who cares about Bonds. It doesn’t matter. A-Rod will pass him anyway.
Mike,
I appreciate the fact that you are a baseball fan and that you have provided such quick commentary about a game that just occurred last night. With the minds of many of us perplexing (if that can be made a verb) over the senseless war in Iraq and the perpetual immigration debate, it’s so nice to read people’s comments about a baseball game.
I would enjoy your opinion on how Barry Bonds’ upcoming “milestone’ should be acknowledged and honored.
How nice to see Willie Mays honored last night. I’m old enough to remember that great catch he made against the Indians’ Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds in NYC (with a center field over 500 feet in depth) as well as the All Star game in which he was the first batter and led off the game with a home run. It would have been great if they had shown the movie clips of these events.
And, finally, Mr. LaRussa must have forgotten about the monster home run that Pujois hit in Houston near the end of a game that, without the home run, would have catapulted the Astros directly into the NL pennant. Of course, they got it later, but I have never heard such a deliriously noisy home crowd turn deftly silent at the crack of a bat.
Thanks for reading this stuff from someone who would make a great sports writer for a newspaper but would never get the chance.
Do you really think it will be “a decade” before A-Rod laps Bonds? He is right at 500, so if he averages 50 a year (which is very reasonable for A-Rod) he gets to 800 in less than six years. I don’t think Bonds will get to 800.
Averaging 50 HRs over 6 years is a quite a feat for any player at any age, even ARod. Especially considering he’s only hit more than 50 twice in his career. He’s 32 years old, and power hitters typically peak around 31.
Most speculate he’ll average about 30 dingers over the next 10 years (he’ll average fewer as gets closer to 40) which would put him around 800. If he’s able to stay healthy into his mid to late 40s, he’ll top 900 and might even approach 1000.
(Maybe he’ll hire Julio Franco as his personal trainer.)
Glenn,
Actually, most power hitters peak at about the age of 34. Mark McGwire hit his 70 at the age of 34. Willie Mays hit the most homeruns he ever hit (52) when he was 34. Johnny Mize hit his 51 (the season that really made him a legend) in 1947, when he was 34.
It is true that they have historically declined pretty significantly after that, but that is becoming the recognized peak year. If A-Rod stays a Yankee for the rest of his career, he’ll probably average about 35-40 a year for the next 5 or 6 years, and then hit about 30 for 3 or 4 (depending on how long he wants to play). If he goes to some town with a smaller park, he could add 5-10 a year to that total. The point is, yes, if he stays healthy, he’s going to become the all-time HR king. And I’m most definitely not a fan of the Yankees, and nor am I a fan of baseball players getting paid $25 million a year, but I like A-Rod. I much prefer him being the HR king to Bonds, whom I cannot stand.
All-star games generally are a waste of time, but at least baseball’s is the closest to a real game. Perhaps the NL will one day realize how stupid they are for still allowing pitchers to hit.
As for the Tiger/Jack thing, Tiger will blow Jack’s record of major wins away; it won’t be close. But Tiger will never reach the number of seconds that Jack had in addition to all his wins.
“Spider pig, spider pig, does whatever a spider pig does.”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5XQ_GWKvDE0
Favorite Simpsons moment: the preacher from Ned Flanders’ church is at the check-out desk at the library.
Librarian: You’ve checked this Bible out every weekend for the last fourteen years. Why don’t you just buy one?
Preacher: Sure, maybe on a librarian’s salary!