Ever since I got the 1990 Official MLB Annual Baseball Preview (with Bo Jackson on the cover), I have made it a habit to remember minute baseball details. Glenn Davis was traded for Curt Schilling, Pete Harnisch, and Steve Finley. The AL Rookies of the Year from 1992-1995 were Pat Listach, Tim Salmon, Bob Hamelin, and Marty Cordova. Andy Hawkins pitched a no-hitter and lost 4-0.
Last night, it came in handy. I was at Professor Thom’s, and I was introduced to a serious baseball trivia guy named John. As he posted on his blog, I answered the hardest question he has ever asked: Who held the career home run record before Babe Ruth. In fact, I did him one better, listing both Roger Connor, the real record-holder, and Gavvy Cravath, who is the 20th century answer. I guess I’m just lucky that I knew the answer.
The best trivia player I have ever met is Curt Spear, who actually stumped The Schwab on ESPN. I met Curt at the 2006 MLB All-Star Game, and he blew me out of the water. He might know more sports information than anyone I have ever met.
In a statement from CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler to fans of the show, it was confirmed that Jericho is back:
Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.
As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of “Jericho” for mid-season next year.
Obviously, this is good news. We get answers to all of the questions we thought we’d ponder forever. The full text of the statement is available on the CBS message board.
There are two new rules for the 2007 MLB Draft, which starts tomorrow, and both are probably good for baseball. At the very least, they will encourage low-budget teams to sign the best players, rather than look for signability.
First, MLB has set an August 15 deadline for players to sign, or else return to the draft pool for the following year. This effectively eliminates the draft-and-follow pattern, where teams draft a player one year, and then wait until his season concludes the following year to sign him in a lower draft slot. With the new deadline, there will be a lot of haggling in early August, but the player will not drive up his price by holding out longer.
In addition, team that fails to sign a player by August 15 now receives same-slot compensation, which means that a team who misses out on pick #7 one year gets pick #7A the following year. This will give leverage to the team, since they will not feel as compelled to sign the player.
As you might have guessed, these changes are largely due to Scott Boras and his (generally sucessful) attempts to get as much money as possible from teams. While the teams do gain an advantage from this, you can bet that certain owners from certain midwest locations will do their best to keep the extra money rather than put it back into the team.
There’s not much more to say about the fourth Dan Brown book I have read. Deception Point follows right along with the rest. Some fast action, some twisted facts, some plot twists, and a good read overall. I would rank Deception Point third, ahead of Digital Fortress but behind the big two. The story is a little more interesting, a little more complex, and more thought-provoking.
Deception Point also has another advantage: it deals with a much more interesting political situation. We get to look at NASA and relations with the White House, with Brown’s typical techno-friendly spin. The ending was fairly predictable, although that might have been because Brown is predictable in general and I discovered that in the other three books.
Unfortunately, Brown has only written four books, and I have now read all of them. I am not sure where to turn next. I will definitely look forward to his next offering, The Solomon Key which is coming soon and deals with the Masons. Meanwhile, I will have to find another fast-action author to read.
Gizmodo made a video of the ESPN MVP, using features like video, news, and my personal favorite, Player Tracker. There’s no sound and it’s a bit blurry, but you can see what it’s all about.
Tim Omundson, who plays Phil Constantino, the baddest of the bad guys on Jericho, posted on the CBS message board with his thoughts on the show’s cancellation. It’s been interesting to hear from all of the cast members, but Omundson really stole the show.
Guest Starring can be a lonely thing. It’s like being invited to a great party where you have to mingle but you don’t know anyone…except for maybe one or two of the caterers. This job was the exact opposite. The JERICHO Family (cast, crew, writers, production staff) was one of the best groups of people I’ve had the pleasure to work.
Here’s hoping Timmy gets to have that experience a few more times… before he meets a gruesome death sometime in Season 2.
Incidentally, we will definitely be getting more Timothy Omunson soon… he will return this summer as the good-guy foil on Psych.
I haven’t been part of the MTV generation for quite some time, but while walking down the West Side Highway this afternoon, I happened upon MTV’s Band in a Bubble. The premise is interesting, if not terribly original: the band Cartel spends 20 days in a “bubble,” recording an album, and at the end of 20 days, performs the album for enthusiastic onlookers. So today I spent about 45 minutes enjoying the sun and listening to the band debate if the people outside the bubble could actually hear them. It was an interesting setup, with snacks and beverages available and a volleyball net set up. Even though I am far outside the demographic, I will watch this show once and we’ll see how it goes.
At this point, I am fairly convinced that Jericho is going to be renewed for Season 2. There are a lot of intricacies here, not the least of which is the schedule; if Jericho gets put into a fall timeslot, another show will lose that timeslot. That means CBS is on the hook to explain to viewers, and to people involved with that show, exactly why they were cut. That can’t be fun.
Or maybe Jericho will be the replacement for the first show canceled. But that kills a lot of marketing potential, and the timeslot might not be ideal anyway.
And clearly, there are contract issues. I am sure the cast and crew of Jericho have been searching for other opportunities in the two weeks since the cancellation. What if a major character got another deal? CBS would have to buy out the other contract, which takes a lot of money, a lot of goodwill, and most importantly, a lot of time. But when it’s that or a season without, say, Stanley Richmond, I think the answer is obvious.
All of these solutions are possible and generally straightforward, but they all take time. And until all of the pieces are in place, nothing should be announced. That’s why CBS has been quiet. It takes time to make these things happen, and possibly a lot of time. I am guessing that sometime around the end of June, the particulars will be worked out and Jericho will be on the way back. I mean, that’s the logical answer, right? All the polls and petitions and nuts and message board posts and magazine ads and podcasts are pretty strong evidence. CBS can’t possibly pass up that kind of passion, publicity and population. It will just take time.
The battle should continue, as intensely as ever. Here is a good place to have your voice heard. But hopefully, the war has already been won.
Perhaps you’ve seen the commercials for the ESPN MVP. If you’re a VCast user, you can access it (outside of VCast) by selecting Get Going (or Tools on the Go), then Get New Applications. ESPN MVP should be the first option. Click to download and the app will open automatically the first time. Enjoy!
From all reports, Morgan Ensberg is on the trading block. Houston sure isn’t doing anything to increase his trade value, playing Mark Loretta and Mike Lamb with regularity. I, for one, would happy accept Ensberg on my favorite team. In fact, that’s what I am proposing:
Phillies get:
Morgan Ensberg, 3B
Brad Lidge, RP
Astros get:
Jon Lieber, SP
Francisco Rosario, RP
The Astros are in the mood for some pitching. Jon Lieber has been quite consistent in his career, walking few batters, and generally providing above-average innings. Meanwhile, Houston offers up two players who need a change of scenery. Lidge strikes people out but can’t seem to find his handle. Ensberg walks a ton, but doesn’t hit for average. Ensberg takes over at third for the Phillies for the Helms/Dobbs platoon. Lidge might even close in Philly, with Brett Myers and Tom Gordon out.
