SB Nation User Blog: CaughtInTheVines

Favorite MLB radio announcers?

CaughtInTheVines — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:59:55 -0000

So I've been home with the flu the last couple of days, and listening to ballgames via my iPhone to distract myself.

In the interest of offering a little change of pace, and because a number of folks here have access to all the MLB radio broadcasts via the iPhone app and Gameday Audio, I thought it would be interesting to ask what baseball radio broadcasters people enjoy listening to.

I haven't done exhaustive research, but so far I've enjoyed:

- Jim Price for the Tigers, especially with Al Kaline filling in doing color - Price has a great, old-fashioned radio voice and knows the game, and Kaline adds a lot of knowledge of his own.

- Uecker and old WGN pal Cory Provus for the Brewers do a good job (despite having to talk about the Brewers all the time)

- Joe Castiglione for the Red Sox is pretty great, too - New England deadpan

I really think Pat Hughes on WGN holds up well by comparison - he's exceptionally good at giving you a sense of what happens when the ball is hit, and keeping you posted on runners, the count, etc. He really paints a picture of the scene.

We all know that Santo doesn't add a ton of actual information to the broadcast, but from what I've heard, he DOES add the most honest emotion of any broadcaster I've heard. And by doing what he does, he creates a certain unique sense of engagement and intensity. So on balance, I'd say the Cubs are doing well with their radio team.

Anyway, I'd be interested in other people's comments - have at it!

Let's get Hanley and let him grow his hair!

CaughtInTheVines — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:02:49 -0000

Let's get Hanley and let him grow his hair!

The Marlins made Hanley Ramirez cut his hair and he says he wants to be traded.....I'm sure it'll blow over, but jeez, he'd made a nice addition to the infield, whatever 'do he happened to have!

Cubs Exhibition Game Tickets?

CaughtInTheVines — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:36:26 -0000

Hey, Pinstripers - I'm a visitor from the Bleed Cubbie Blue blog, but do have some Yankee background, having spent most of the 70s in the NYC area rooting for Munson, Hunter, Nettles, Jackson and that great gang. After spending my early youth in Chicago it was big fun to watch a championship team!

Anyway, I wanted to see if anyone has any info on tickets for the Cubs-Yankees preseason exhibition games (especially the Saturday, April 4 game) at the new Stadium - I've been checking yankees.com and it just keeps saying "check back later." Sounds like it would be a pretty cool experience and I figured someone here might have inside knowledge - if so, thanks for sharing.

AP's Bartman Story Appears

CaughtInTheVines — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:16:39 -0000

AP's Bartman Story Appears

There was some discussion a week or so ago about the AP reporter who was working on a story about how the Cub community feels about Steve Bartman. Here it is, and it looks like our hopes were realized - it's pretty much 100% about how no one is holding a grudge against him!

oGsbuCoG

CaughtInTheVines — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:29:28 -0000

oGsbuCoG

Per the suggestion of TheTruth11, and in line with tonight's apparently successful policy of doing things backwards, here's an MP3 of the last minute or so of "Go Cubs Go" played in reverse.

It all sounds pretty weird, except that "do it Huey Lewis" comes out kinda similar to the frontwards version....go figure!

!oGsbuSoG

Best food to bring in to Wrigley?

CaughtInTheVines — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:52:43 -0000

So this weekend I will be coming into Chicago and making my first trip to the Friendly Confines since the Sandberg era (intense excitement).

I've heard mixed reviews about the food at Wrigley and was thinking my wife and I might prefer to get something outside the park and bring it in with us....but I have no clue about the offerings in the neighborhood. Anyone have any tips for, say, a high-quality sandwich place?

If it makes any difference, we'll be walking west down Addison to get to the ballpark.

Many thanks in advance - and can't wait to be in the house!

Comments from my buddy the A's fan

CaughtInTheVines — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:40:44 -0000

Wanted to pass along these encouraging observations from a friend of mine out in the Bay Area, who's a very good observer of the game (he plays some ball himself so he knows what he's talking about).

Hope it helps us both, but it's "hard" to lose Harden. Basically, if he's

healthy (and that's the big wildcard) he's unhittable. He had a slight

meltdown in his last start, but that was a real anomaly. He has this

deceptively easy delivery style -- yet tops out in the high 90s.

I think this is the longest stretch he's been healthy, so hopefully he'll

last the rest of the season (and many more). He's really fun to watch pitch,

because he doesn't look like he's working at all, and batters are off

balance cuz they can't figure him out. Gaudin is good, too. His numbers

aren't that good this year, but he's a solid guy to have in the pen.

This should be a real shot in the arm to the Cubbies.

We shall see.....I'm thinking good thoughts about Harden-san's health and well-being.

Help me pick the right seat location

CaughtInTheVines — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:15:54 -0000

My wife and I will be making the trip to my old home town in August, with a day game at Wrigley at the top of the agenda (along with some family visiting, of course).

I haven't been to the ballyard since the Sandberg era, and not regularly since the Banks/Williams/Jenkins/Santo era, so my knowledge of the seating chart is pretty sketchy.

After looking over what's available on StubHub (I hate using them, but I don't want to have to do the day-of-game scalping thing with my wife), it looks like I could afford something in the infield part of the Terrace (boxes or front part of the reserved section) or something in the front row or two of the upper deck (which I recall is a pretty nice perspective, and one I think my wife would enjoy).

Are there any sections that are especially good or bad? We don't want to be in the direct sun; am I right in remembering that the 3d base side would be shady (the game we're looking at is a 1:20 start)? And are the first couple rows of the upper deck under the roof (not that it's going to rain - no, no, no)?

Thanks in advance for the BCB advice - and man, I can't wait to see the ivy again!

NL Central: The toughest division

CaughtInTheVines — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:50:03 -0000

There's been a lot of discussion this year about how the NL Central is a weak division, how 83 wins might be enough to get first place, how whoever wins the division will get chewed up in the playoffs, etc. Personally, I've already gotten a lot of pleasure out of this season's Cubs - but if they do manage to win the Central, I'll be very proud, because it is the toughest division in Major League Baseball.

I know you're thinking that I'm still giddy from last night's late rally. But let's look at a very basic fact about the NL Central - it has SIX TEAMS in it, while most others have five, and the AL West has a measly four.

This means that the Cubs (and their division rivals) have more teams to beat.

It means that in any given season, the Cubs have a greater chance of being in the same division as a "team of destiny" that just goes nuts and roars to a division championship.

It means that in a year like this one, when three divisional rivals are non-competitive, there are still three who ARE competitive, and that they will play a lot of games against one another. Heck, in the AL West, if you had three non-competitive teams, the other team would have a cakewalk - the Cubs will never, ever have a shot at this, as long as the current divisional lineup stays in place (and I think it oughta be changed ASAP).

None of this changes the facts on the ground, of course. Whichever of the Cubs/Brewers/Cards of 2007 wins, they're never going to be mentioned in the same breath at the '27 Yankees. But if you look at the big picture, any win of the NL Central is something to be proud of. And I, for one, have been enjoying the ride, and intend to continue doing so!