Take Me In To The Ballgame

It’s another Replay Review episode! Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde are joined by Ashley MacLennan, Darby Robinson and Brett Rutherford of “Who’s on Worst” to discuss one of the baseball movie genre’s worst offerings: “Ed.” That’s right. They watched it AGAIN. They intro the movie (1:24), and, after some spirited discussion, review the 20-80 scouting scale (21:53). Then, they receive the three other scouts’ grades on the following tools: Amount of Baseball (23:36), Baseball Accuracy (28:57), Storytelling (46:01), Score (1:16:27), Acting (1:23:14), Delightfulness of Catcher (1:30:31), Delightfulness of Announcer (1:35:37) and Lack of Misogyny (1:40:08). In “Who’s on Worst” fashion, everyone also picks the player they would want for their team (1:50:05) and shares some final thoughts (1:57:12). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

 Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 2001 movie "Hardball," starring Keanu Reeves. They introduce the film (1:34), with an overview of the story, the cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film, with a new metaphor (8:14). In Amount of Baseball (17:50), the scouts initially disagree, but slightly convince each other. Ellen has two potential player comps. Baseball Accuracy (25:26) compares this Little League play to other films, with just a couple of editorial / geographical issues. Ellen defends Frank Thomas's honor and digs in on Sammy Sosa's consecutive homers, and records by Ken Griffey Jr, Don Mattingly, and Kevin Mench. That is not Wrigley. Those are not NBA games. Luis Garcia's dance step is considered. Storytelling (39:23) is a real challenge, when the entire inveterate gambler storyline does not work. Plus, white savior problems, a very confusing moral, and a complete lack of necessary exposition. There are so many unanswered questions. How does he earn their trust? Why does G-Baby have to die? Eulogy issues, uniform issues. At long last, the Score Tool (1:24:13) is only a partial respite, with some small problems of its own. They consider some of the soundtrack songs, including "Ghetto," "Hardball," "Big Poppa," "Where the Party At," and R. Kelly. Acting (1:30:21) considers the ceiling and floor of a slightly mis-cast Keanu Reeves. Diane Lane was trying, John Hawkes had an impossible task, D.B. Sweeney deserves better. Young actors Michael B. Jordan, Bryan Hearne, Julian Griffith, and DeWayne Warren almost save the movie. Neither Delightfulness of Catcher (1:39:26) or Delightfulness of Announcer (1:40:27) offer much. In Lack of Misogyny (1:41:00), they discuss the insipidity of the lame romantic subplot. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:45:06), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:48:56), Favorite Moment (1:50:43) Least Favorite Moment (1:53:00), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:54:54), Dreamiest Player (1:56:50), Favorite Performance (1:57:09), and Next Time (2:00:32).  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde revisit the world of Major League with its direct-to-video second sequel, Major League: Back to the Minors!  2:09 – Intro; 7:47 – Review of 20/80 Scouting Scale; 15:36 – Amount of Baseball; 18:59 – Baseball Accuracy; 53:08 – Storytelling; 1:19:00 – Score; 1:24:01 – Acting; 1:31:40 – Delightfulness of Catcher; 1:33:37 – Delightfulness of Announcer; 1:38:51 – Lack of Misogyny; 1:42:19 – Yes or No; 1:46:18 – Six Degrees of Baseball; 1:47:21 – Favorite Moment; 1:48:26 – Least Favorite Moment; 1:51:25 – Scene You’d Like To See; 1:55:33 – Dreamiest Player; 1:55:56 – Favorite Performance; 1:58:22 – Next Time. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of Take Me In to the Ballgame, Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the iconic Simpsons episode, “Homer at the Bat.” 1:27 – Intro; 6:30 – Review of 20/80 Scouting Scale; 13:23 – Amount of Softball; 17:16 – Softball Accuracy; 49:04 – Storytelling; 1:06:16 – Score; 1:09:32 – Acting; 1:13:50 – Delightfulness of Catcher; 1:17:52 – Delightfulness of Announcer; 1:20:08 – Lack of Misogyny; 1:25:15 – A bonus segment???; 1:32:44 – Yes or No!; 1:38:01 – Six Degrees of Baseball; 1:39:41 – Favorite Moment; 1:41:36 – Least Favorite Moment; 1:43:06 – Scene You’d Like to See; 1:44:32 – Dreamiest Player; 1:45:13 – Favorite Performance; 1:46:35 – Next Time. Enjoy, rate and review, please!   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eric Gilde and Ellen Adair discuss the 1985 comedy, “Brewster’s Millions,” starring Richard Pryor and John Candy. Introduction to the film (1:28); Review of the 20/80 Scouting Scale (7:10); Amount of Baseball (17:04); Baseball Accuracy (23:29); Storytelling (41:29) Score (1:16:03); Acting (1:20:49); Delightfulness of Catcher Character (1:27:02); Delightfulness of Announcer (1:32:26); Lack of Misogyny (1:35:19); Yes or No (1:41:44); Six Degrees of Baseball (1:45:15); Favorite Moment (1:46:52);  Least Favorite Moment (1:48:35); Scene We’d Like to See (1:49:56); Dreamiest Player (1:52:05); Favorite Performance (1:52:54); Next Time (1:54:29). We hope you enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1952 Grover Cleveland Alexander biopic, "The Winning Team." They introduce the film (1:36), with an overview of the story, the cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (7:00). Amount of Baseball (11:53) reveals a new take on this tool from Eric. Ellen has a player comp. Neither scout can refrain from getting into Baseball Accuracy in this category, but when it finally does come around, Baseball Accuracy (17:35) is a doozy. They discuss Alexander's Hall of Fame plaque, his nicknames (Alex, Pete, Dode, and later "Down and Away Alexander") Bill Killefer and David Ross comps, Galesburg team accuracy, old timey team names, and geography issues. How long was Alexander knocked out? When was he sold to the Phillies? Unsurprisingly, Ellen looks at how bad the Phillies usually were in the first half of the 20th century. They also discuss Eddie Plank, Eddie Collins, Rogers Hornsby, Alexander in WWI, his drinking, tragic Christy Mathewson inaccuracy, and the complete mess of the timeline of Alexander's career, as depicted. Oh, and the relationship with Aimee is a complete fabrication. Some accuracy issues with the 1926 World Series, and the famed Lazzeri at bat. Storytelling (53:47) essentially considers the following question: is this the worst thing that these scouts have ever seen? Ellen has some theories about some of the reasons it's bad, which only serve to make it worse.  Score (1:16:51) is a relief, by comparison.  Acting (1:17:14) considers various insufferable and unbelievable moments from Ronald Reagan, Doris Day, Gordon Jones, and others. How did Ronald Reagan become President? In Delightfulness of Catcher (1:26:32), Bill Killefer and James Millican do fine. Brief mention of catcher archetypes in "Game of Thrones." Delightfulness of Announcer (1:31:31) discusses whether the World Series announcer was a secret producer of the film, how many times he blinks, and why these scouts are obsessed. In Lack of Misogyny (1:37:17), they discuss some early Aimee story points and the general pre-feminism of the film. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:43:11), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:47:17), Favorite Moment (1:47:46) Least Favorite Moment (1:49:28), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:50:27), Dreamiest Player (1:51:48), Favorite Performance (1:52:13), and Next Time (1:54:30). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 2002 Disney film "The Rookie." They introduce the film (2:02), with an overview of the story, the cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (5:07). Amount of Baseball (13:02) revels in this embarrassment of riches, and the excellence of the District Championship Game. Baseball Accuracy (20:35) cites Jim Morris's own opinion of the film's accuracy, and his relationship to his father, along with the radar sign scene, and the St. Rita story. There are oil rig gameplay questions. Did he try out in jeans? Did his dad get the baseball? Steve Cox erasure and some other accuracies with Jim Morris's MLB debut, Royce Clayton's foul ball, Morris pitching "for two seasons," and his tryout in the rain. The scouts also discuss his teammates Jose Canseco, Wade Boggs, and Kevin Stocker, the 1999 Devil Rays. The casting of the RuffNecks is hilarious, including the batter Carlton Fisk-ing the ball in the wrong direction. Randy Quaid's pitching motion, plus smart use of his pitching double Jeff Dowdy. Eric fact-checks Texas distances, and there is an Ellen Adair Breakdown on pitchers hitting 98 MPH in 1999 and today (h/t Nick Pollack). Can Ellen name more than five who threw more than 98 MPH in 99? Storytelling (49:34) dissects the interesting film structure created by its central bargain, the function of the nuns, and the Disney veneer balanced with excellent editing and cinematography. Ellen appreciates attention being paid to the football/baseball disparity, and both laud the excellent storytelling with the early scene with the father. But where is the middle child for the first hour of the film? They discuss the first minor league game sequence, the child's questions about the Devil Rays, and the relief pitcher as hero (w/r/t Seranthony Dominguez, JoJo Romero and Ranger Suarez). Brief St. Patrick's Day Accuracy.  Score (1:11:22) addresses Carter Burwell's use of flute and John Bissell's music supervision, including Guy Clark's "Stuff That Works," Willie Nelson's "Nothing I Can Do About It Now," Elvis Presley's "Run On," and House of Pain's "Jump Around." Acting (1:17:14) discusses the performances of Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Brian Cox, Angus T. Jones and Blue Deckert. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:21:24) praises the perfect catcher behavior of Owls catcher Joel de la Garza, along with great acting by Angelo Spizzirri. The catcher at the try-out and at Jim Morris's debut also do not disappoint.  Delightfulness of Announcer (1:24:56) considers the benefits of the announcer being a character in the rest of the film, and the great performance by David Blackwell. Good storytelling with the Orlando Rays announcer. Lack of Misogyny (1:27:32) considers the strength of Lori the character versus her story function, and some disappointment on the gendered role of the children and the impetus for Lori's reversal. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:33:01), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:38:59), Favorite Moment (1:40:58) Least Favorite Moment (1:42:08), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:44:30), Dreamiest Player (1:46:44), Favorite Performance (1:47:42), and Next Time (1:49:03). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Brennan Brown talked so much during their review of EEPHUS (the episode before this one) that some of their baseball-related chatter had to be cut out. But now it's an episode of its own! They talk about Ellen's fundamentalist hatred of the Yankees and Brennan's crush on Bryce Harper. In "Nine Innings with Brennan Brown," Brennan talks about riding motorcycles, playing drums, and his upcoming Netflix series, THE BEAST IN ME, opposite Claire Danes, Jonathan Banks (and other heroes). In innings 4-9, Brennan gives many Yankees-related answers -- no spoilers here -- which Ellen forbears. They conclude by talking about the origins of Brennan's Yankees fandom, and issues with the Phillies, Yankees, and their chances this year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Brennan Brown talk about the brand-new instant-classic baseball film EEPHUS. Ellen introduces Brennan (0:40), and then the film (3:50) overviewing its festival appearances, the director Carson Lund, and some of the cast. They summarize the film (10:40) and review the 20-80 scouting scale (13:25) and talk about the scouting director to whom Brennan will be reporting Eephus's grades (14:30). They begin with Amount of Baseball (18:50), discussing this film's tool-defining wealth of baseball in numerous ways. Baseball Accuracy (26:37) delves into the baseball ability as depicted, and some of the questionable ball/strike calls that end the game. Ellen brings up an apparent What Inning Is It discrepancy that is not what it seems, and Graham as the MIA third base coach. They discuss Franny's paraphrasing of the baseball quotes in the film from Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Branch Rickey, Rickey Henderson and Yogi Berra. Ellen, scarred from REVERSE THE CURSE, has some trauma around the amount of Yankee content in a Massachusetts-based movie, which gets the scouts into a heated conversation. They talk about the definition and history of the eephus pitch, discussing Rip Sewell, Maurice van Robays, Ted Williams, Fernando Abad, Luis Tiant, Yu Darvish, Steve Hamilton, Phil Niekro, Dave LaRoche, Carlos Zambrano, Vicente Padilla, Satchel Paige, Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Zack Greinke, Brock Holt, and, of course, Bill Lee. A small sidebar on position players pitching, and a longer dive into some delightful Easter eggs with Bill Lee's appearance, and some of the magic realism of his existence. In Storytelling (1:03:45), our scouts discuss the tradition of slow cinema and how that applies to EEPHUS. They marvel at the way information is skillfully planted for the audience to put together, and appreciate the even-handedness of the depictions of the teams, if with some disagreements about the way the audience's empathy is guided. The fact that no one else besides the men involved care much about the game feels important, as does the fall setting, and this season as a thematic character. They discuss the film's relationship of comedy to tragedy. Brennan brings up GOODBYE DRAGON INN, and thinking about transcendental filmmaking leads to a conversation about being present, acting, baseball, time, mortality, and the spiritual exercise of play. The metaphor of the fireworks is explored. The Score Tool (1:51:26) discusses Carson Lund's percussive score and the use of radio as background scoring. In Acting (1:56:56) they discuss the performances of Russell J. Gannon, Cliff Blake, Keith William Richards, David Torres Jr., Ray Hryb, Peter Minkarah, David Pridemore, Theodore Bouloukos, Ethan Ward, Patrick Garrigan, Conner Marx, Brendan Burt, and the commendable evenness of tone across the whole ensemble. Delightfulness of Catcher Character (2:09:28) discusses the performances of John R. Smith, Jr, as John and Chris Goodwin as Garrett. Brennan is vulnerable with a personal trial that mirrors a moment in the film. Delightfulness of Announcer (2:22:23) considers the presences of Frederick Wiseman and Joe Castiglione. Lack of Misogyny (2:26:00) addresses Bobby's light moment of misogyny, balancing the film's intent with lack of full female characters. They also discuss the film's view of male friendship and male loneliness. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (2:36:26) Six Degrees of Baseball (2:40:49) Favorite Moment (2:41:10) Least Favorite Moment (2:45:50) Scene We'd Like to See (2:46:01) Dreamiest Player (2:48:20) Favorite Performance (2:49:40). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the baseball portions of "Twilight." They introduce the film (1:49), with an overview of the story, the cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (6:01). Amount of Baseball (10:35) opens with a true conundrum: what is the amount of baseball in the baseball portion of "Twilight"? Do we consider the "first Mariners game" and spring training? Baseball Accuracy (15:30) considers the viability of a four-vampire baseball team and a three-vampire baseball team, with the varying degree of problems that arise. Discussion of vampires' familiarity with John Fogarty's "Centerfield," seventh-wheel vampires, and the Mike Fiers of vampires (?). Ellen has issues with the lack of analytical positioning, and Eric queries the notion of thunder from an aluminum bat. Is Alice tipping her pitches? A brief history of baseball gloves (w/r/t Charlie Waitt, Albert Goodwill Spalding, Bill Doak, Rawlings). Some baserunning headscratchers with Carlisle. There is no spring training in Jacksonville (h/t Meg Rowley), but there ARE spring training/regular season timeline issues in this film. Storytelling (40:11) digs in on the substance of the vampire feud, Ellen's annoyance with the notion of the Cullens as "vegetarians," and Eric's annoyance with the sparkliness. Are they good at baseball? Would putting Bella's hair down really help mask her human scent? Some discussion of the directorial style and costume choices. Score (55:39) addresses the use of Radiohead, the Black Ghosts, Muse, and the squealing guitars. Acting (1:00:03) discusses the performances of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, and Edi Gathegi, with shout-outs to Anna Kendrick and Gil Birmingham. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:04:57) weighs the Moment of Utmost Delight, Elizabeth Reaser's line deliveries, and the matriarch as catcher, while Delightfulness of Announcer (1:07:28) doesn't offer so much. Lack of Misogyny (1:08:01) considers the strength of female players, the film's upgrade over the book, with only a brief foray into the misogyny of the whole premise. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:14:20), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:19:52), Favorite Moment (1:22:01) Least Favorite Moment (1:23:50), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:26:37), Dreamiest Player (1:28:12), Favorite Performance (1:29:41), Review Thank You (1:30:41) and Next Time (1:32:39). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1940 Warner Brothers cartoon, "Porky's Baseball Broadcast." They introduce the cartoon (1:23), with an overview of the script, the cast, and creators, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the cartoon (5:10). (Again, the lawyers advise that this is a cartoon, and nothing in this podcast can be used to relitage Posnanski v. Sepinwall.) Amount of Baseball (11:10) once again relies on this being a ratio and not counting stat for a seven-minute cartoon, some which even feels padded for time. Baseball Accuracy (15:00) digs in on the truly most confusing question in this cartoon: which, and how many, teams are even playing in this World Series, with the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs and Giants all being candidates. The colorization doesn't help. The two-headed pitcher has a flaw in his/their plan, plus do they use a Pat Venditte glove? Some discussion of the 1940 World Series, including Willard Hershberger, Ernie Lombardi and Jimmy Wilson, along with the Carl Hubbell reference. Storytelling (36:45) grapples with the unsatisfying nature of the baseball play as a story, and discusses the many simple jokes. The scouts debate the pros and cons of the "round dog looking for his seat" storyline. Eric reveals the recycled material from "Boulevardier from the Bronx," and they discuss the screamingly problematic section of the cartoon. Score (50:27) addresses Carl W. Stalling's handiwork, including the tick method and musical references. In Acting (53:19), they discuss whether or not Mel Blanc is responsible for all of the voice acting, and if that impacts the score. Delightfulness of Catcher (55:18) presents our scouts with a conundrum, given the derivation of the turtle catcher. The rabbit catcher is unquestionably adorable. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:00:49) weighs the notion that the eponymous Porky Pig is the star of the show. Are the double-entendres part of his delightfulness, or just the cartoon? Lack of Misogyny (1:04:29) had the scouts scouring the background of every single frame, and coming up disappointed. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:07:32), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:13:18), Favorite Moment (1:13:57) Least Favorite Moment (1:14:53), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:18:01), Dreamiest Player (1:20:09), Favorite Performance (1:22:52) and Next Time (1:22:52).   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1992 Babe Ruth biopic, "The Babe." They introduce the film (1:36), with an overview of the script, the cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (4:05). Amount of Baseball (10:01) is surprisingly baffling for a relatively objective tool, but our scouts try to parse the true amount given the unsatisfying, nothing-but-dingers nature of the gameplay. There is a sad player comp. Baseball Accuracy (15:00) dives in on this film's Babe Ruth pitcher erasure, including striking out Ty Cobb, and inaccuracies with Ruth's first career game and his performance in the 1916 World Series. His time with the Orioles and Jack Dunn also elided, with some unfortunate consequences including the creation of his nickname. Some examination of very young George as a rapscallion, his home life, and his time at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, plus Brother Matthias accuracy. Did Babe Ruth ever come late to a game drunk? There are many, many timeline problems, particularly with Claire and Helen. Ellen plays a game of What Year Is It. Discussion of Joe Dugan, Dorothy, Ruth punching an umpire, Ernie Shore's "combined" no-hitter, Eddie Bennett, Harry Frazee's sale of Ruth, the Called Shot, the Johnny Sylvester story, the feud with Lou Gehrig, and Ruth's "milk." Ruth's relationship with Miller Huggins, and his desire to become a manager himself, including anecdotes with Frank Navin and Connie Mack, are examined. WTF is up with the depiction of Ruth's athleticism, (including his purported use of a courtesy runner)? The final game has as many problems as the rest of the film. Storytelling (1:04:02) highlights this film's main problems: the classic biopic problem of trying to tell the entire life story, timeline jumbles, and the depiction of Ruth as a dumb man-child. Yankee Stadium propaganda. Ellen has a list of Unanswerable Questions. Score (1:20:10) envisions the scenario in which consummate professional Elmer Bernstein was asked to compose the music for this film. Acting (1:23:13) discusses this disappointing John Goodman performance, backed by a whole lot of It's Fine. Ellen uplifts one Trini Alvarado moment. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:29:00) had so many good catcher names and Ruth's own catcher feats as possible fodder, but nothing is made of them. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:30:31) considers the culpability of the announcers for the inaccuracies. Lack of Misogyny (1:33:40) has much to contend with given Ruth's biographical philandering, but somehow this movie makes it so, so much worse. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:40:39), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:44:42), Favorite Moment (1:45:22) Least Favorite Moment (1:46:45), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:47:47), Dreamiest Player (1:49:50), Favorite Performance (1:50:28) and Next Time (1:51:36). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 2005 film "Game 6," about the 1986 World Series. They introduce the film (2:01), with an overview of this Don DeLillo script, the cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (8:35). Amount of Baseball (14:25) considers the dilution of watching someone watch baseball, and reviews the game six events pictured, including the Dwight Evans RBI, Roger Clemens being lifted from the game and the Greenwell pinch hit, Lee Mazilli scoring to tie, Dave Henderson's homer, Wade Boggs scoring on Marty Barrett's hit, and the tenth inning implosion. Sad player comp.  Baseball Accuracy (17:40) considers the references to Bob Ojeda and Daryl Strawberry, the quality of Mets vs. Red Sox losses, a brief Red Sox postseason rundown, the 1949 Red Sox, the 1946 Series vs. the Cardinals featuring Enos Slaughter's mad dash and Johnny Pesky's late throw. Why is there a Red Sox broadcast talking about Roger Clemens in a New York cab? Storytelling (31:08) delves in on the Screenplay by a Novelist issues, and some tone and style disconnect. What's up with the character of Lone Eagle? What is the function of so many taxi rides? They also discuss how the film plays post-2004, DeLillo's understanding of work shifts, scheduling, and existence in a capitalist society, Nick Rogan's arc, and theatrical accuracy. Score (1:08:82) debates how much Yo La Tengo's mystical non-sports-movie score helps tell this story. Acting (1:13:10) praises the ensemble as a whole, with discussion of Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr. and Griffin Dunne, with a shout-out to some legendary actors in smaller roles, such as Arnie Burton, Nadia Dajani, Roger Rees, Harris Yulin, and Bobby Steggert. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:21:39) weighs what we receive from Rich Gedman and Gary Carter, while Delightfulness of Announcer (1:22:47) comes down to an Amount of Vin Scully debate. Lack of Misogyny (1:25:19) balances Nicky and Stephen's treatment of women with the very large number of female characters, who are not all simply defined by the men in the film. Some discussion of repeating "alla puttanesca." No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:31:00), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:35:11), Favorite Moment (1:36:21) Least Favorite Moment (1:39:14), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:40:40), Dreamiest Player (1:42:41), Favorite Performance (1:43:28) and Next Time (1:45:21). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1994 version of "Angels in the Outfield." They introduce the film (0:56), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (8:30). Amount of Baseball (17:28) appreciates the variety and the strong finish, with a couple of possible player comps. Baseball Accuracy (20:45) delves in on various issues with Mel Clark's last-minute activation, and the film's pitcher use in general. Bass gets no respect. Real-life baseball dives into consecutive shutouts (w/r/t Cliff Lee, Orel Hershheiser and Don Drysdale) and the record of the Cincinnati Reds. Knox's MVP award raises some questions, as does Mel's pitch count in the final game, leading to discussion of Tim Wakefield, Leon Cadore, Joe Oescher, Nolan Ryan, Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer. The Angels' losing streak brings up the 1889 Louisville Colonels, the 1961 Phillies, and the 2021 Orioles. There are also some issues with Hemmerling's "home run" and Ben Williams' outfield positioning. Eric dives in on Gene Autry, while Ellen considers precedent for chucking the ball into the stands (Dave Righetti, Rob Dibble, David Wells, Byung-Hyun Kim, Carlos Zambrano, Fernando Rodney, Chris Perez, and Jeremy Guthrie) and broken-bat homers (Jack Howell, Bill Haselman, Glenallen Hill, Damian Jackson, Barry Bonds, Mark Teixeira, Justin Upton, Chris Davis, Miguel Cabrera, Mike Napoli, Nelson Cruz, Joey Gallo, Yandy Diaz, and Bryce Harper). What's with the Blue Jays erasure, White Sox? Angels in outfield, yes, kids in the dugout, no. Plus, what percentage of pitches would an angel need to help a pitcher with for an effective start? Storytelling (52:51) takes on this central premise of angels as cheats. What is the angels' motivation? There are many issues with the angels' rules, as set out, including, but not limited to, God picking a side, with a line-reading from Shakespeare's "Henry V." Some moments are overly goofy (angels love crotch shots!). What is up with deciding not to believe in angels in act four? And the court timing? And the sandlot game? And people in this Christian-dominated country freaking out about seeing angels? Trusting your defense might be the real miracle. The Score (1:21:09) does its job, plus "The Hippy Hippy Shake" and Curtis Mayfield. Acting (1:23:03) praises this ensemble (including four Oscar winners) put together by Pam Dixon, specifically enjoying Neal McDonough, Ben Johnson, Milton Davis Jr., Joseph Gordon Levitt, Danny Glover, Tony Danza, Christopher Lloyd, Brenda Fricker, Jay O. Sanders, and Diane Amos.  Delightfulness of Catcher (1:31:34) considers Triscuitt Messmer and a bonus catcher, while Delightfulness of Announcer (1:34:41) weighs Jay O. Sanders' performance vs. Ranch's inaccuracies and antagonism. Lack of Misogyny (1:40:28) considers how embarrassed this film should be that the 1951 film was infinitely better, regards this tool. Lack of female roles--even for angels! No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:44:30), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:46:01), Favorite Moment (1:47:00) Least Favorite Moment (1:49:17), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:50:05), Dreamiest Player (1:53:04), Favorite Performance (1:54:42) and Next Time (1:57:03).   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 2019 Lonely Island special, "The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience." They introduce the "visual poem" (2:04), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (9:39). Amount of Baseball (14:28) includes whether or not our scouts have to swear on a holy book and their ruling on whether or not eating the brains of a baseball counts. Baseball Accuracy (16:28) addresses the central premise, with reference to 80s raps from the Mets and Chicago Bears, before moving on to Alf, Alex P. Keaton, Steven Segal, Kathy Ireland, and IHOP. Were they Gold Glove Goliaths? The scouts dive in on 40/40 players (Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Alfonso Soriano), Canseco's career homers and stolen bases, Vince Coleman, Mickey Mantle, Mark McGwire's home run to at bat ratio, plus years leading the league in BBs, OBP, SLG and OPS. Tax evasion, Jose Canseco's martial arts career, issues with fathers, the Athletics' "Monster Bash," side effects of steroids, and Canseco and McGwire's relationship today are all discussed. The scouts have different nits to pick with the expansion teams that are included and not included in the baseball team verse. Storytelling (44:24) addresses the history of visual albums such as Beyonce's "Lemonade," The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night," and Pink Floyd's "The Wall," and enjoys the overlap of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire with the fandom of Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer, referring in particular to Kirk Gibson, and his homers off Dennis Eckersley and Goose Gossage. The videos' aesthetics reference Def Jam, Bad Boy, Hype Williams, Busta Rhymes, TLC's "Creep," and home movies. They assess the non-traditional storytelling, with appreciation for the Terrence Malick tropes and heroic grandiosity. They lavish The Score (59:07) with unambiguous praise, with some conversation about similarities to the Beastie Boys, the Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, the Sugarhill Gang, Janet Jackson, and the Lonely Island's own "We Like Sportz." In fact, they are still listening to the score. Acting (1:12:40) praises Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer as well as the supporting players (Jenny Slate, Hannah Simone, Sterling K. Brown, Jim O'Heir).  Delightfulness of Catcher (1:18:52) isn't, but Delightfulness of Announcer (1:19:32) discusses, again, a nonzero amount of Vin Scully, and others.  Lack of Misogyny (1:20:32) weighs the misogyny of the 1980s sports world and hip-hop culture, versus the Lonely Island's lampooning of it, and some structural anti-misogyny. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:29:19), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:34:27), Favorite Moment (1:35:14) Least Favorite Moment (1:36:52), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:39:09), Dreamiest Player (1:41:33), Favorite Performance (1:43:38) and Next Time (1:45:18).   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the Dizzy Dean biopic, "The Pride of St. Louis." They introduce the film (1:13), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers, and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (5:54). Amount of Baseball (11:46) addresses the consistency of the baseball as particularly good for the era, and provides a 2021 player comp.  Baseball Accuracy (14:23) delves into the details of Jerome Dean's early life, his stint in the army, the Texas League, and signing by the Cardinals organization. Various possible origins of the nickname "Dizzy" are discussed, along with his courtship of Pat, and fact vs. fiction with his first MLB game. Diving into Dizzy Dean stats references Van Mungo, Corbin Burnes, Aaron Nola, and Jacob deGrom. They discuss the hardworking Paul Dean and Dizzy Dean and their strike, the brothers' injuries, Dizzy's retirement, Dizzy as broadcaster with the Cubs and St. Louis Browns, Navin Field vs. Briggs Stadium, and English teachers vs. Dean. Storytelling (46:28) addresses Dizzy's folksiness and audience's familiarity with the character of Dizzy Dean, Ted Lasso, the attempts at darkness at the end of the movie, the Johnny Kendall confusion, the rehab montage, and some blocking choices. The Score (58:33): the horror. Acting (1:03:06) praises Dan Dailey and Joanne Dru, Richard Crenna, Richard Hylton, and does not praise the terrible doctor.  Delightfulness of Catcher (1:07:04) considers whether or not Paul functions as a catcher, with some discussion of Gus Mancuso, Jimmy Wilson, Spud Davis, Bill Delancy, and Bruce Ogrodowski. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:11:00) discusses the cornucopia of announcers and the supreme delightfulness of Dizzy as an announcer.  Lack of Misogyny (1:13:49) delves in on the portrayal of Pat, with Dizzy steamrolling Pat in their courtship vs. the film's possible comeuppance. That woman in the stands with her boyfriend definitely comes up. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:20:55), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:23:44), Favorite Moment (1:25:22) Least Favorite Moment (1:27:18), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:28:44), Dreamiest Player (1:31:26), Favorite Performance (1:32:12) Review Thank You (1:33:14) and Next Time (1:33:37). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and writer/director/filmmaker Scott Leger discuss the 2023 film "Reverse the Curse," written by and starring David Duchovny. Introduction to Mr. Leger (0:35) and then an introduction to REVERSE THE CURSE (5:39) with cul-de-sac into where Scott and Ellen were when the Red Sox won in 2004, which is not at all what this movie is about, to our surprise. A summary of the film (12:57), followed by discussion of writer/director and other leads. We review the 20-80 scouting scale (17:02), meet Scott's Scouting Director (17:39) and then begin with Amount of Baseball (19:00). Mostly, the lack of baseball has these scouts cranky, plus how this led to Ellen's mammoth discovery of how this is a Trojan Horse of a Red Sox movie, changing literally everything. Baseball Accuracy (30:09) discusses the curse reversal possibility within the film, Harry Frazee's sale of Babe Ruth being erroneously attributed to "No No Nanette," the film failing to reckon with the larger context, ie, 1986 or 1975 and the oddness of it being set in 1978, a rundown of what happened in the Red Sox 1978 season since this movie doesn't really get into it, the Boston Massacre, everything that happened in the 1978 tie-breaking game, background on Ron Guidry and Mike Torrez, context on Bucky Dent, bad blood between Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson and Jackson and Billy Martin, the origin story of the "Mr. October" nickname, the inaccuracy of the Red Sox final eight games, and the inaccuracy in Marty's final monologue. Storytelling (56:51) dives in on superstition in sports and the equivalence of your team losing an important game and death, along with the utility of the tribalism. They discuss the ways in which the film undercuts Marty's Red Sox fandom, the disappearance of the Eva Gonzalez plotline and the issues this creates, Marty & Teddy trying to get to the tie-breaking game, Marty's attachment to the Red Sox, David Duchovny as multi-hyphenate, this story as novel vs. screenplay, the aging makeup, and the dialogue. An Intermission: Nine Innings with Scott Leger! (1:19:15) The Score Tool (1:26:00 ) discusses music by Vincent Jones and the album Africa by Amanaz. Acting (1:30:03) considers the performances of David Duchovny, Logan Marshall Green, Stephanie Beatriz, Pamela Adlon, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Jason Beghe, Evan Handler, Santo Fazio, and Bryce Feeser. In Delightfulness of Catcher Character (1:37:06), Ellen talks about Carlton Fisk because this movie does not. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:38:45 ) weighs Colin Cosell as "Sports Broadcaster" plus Dick Stockton and Ken Harrelson. Lack of Misogyny (1:39:44 ) discusses the well-roundedness of the love interests and Marty's occasional misogyny. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:41:42) Six Degrees of Baseball (1:44:17) Favorite Moment (1:44:41) Least Favorite Moment (1:45:40) Scene We'd Like to See (1:46:23) Dreamiest Player (1:46:52) and Favorite Performance (1:47:22). Find Scott Leger on @scotterybarn on Twixter and Bluesky and @scotbot3000 on IG and Ellen @ellen_adair on Twixter, @ellenadair on Bluesky and Tikotk, and @ellenadairg on IG. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1983 Disney movie "Tiger Town." They introduce the film (1:52), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers. They review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (6:16). Amount of Baseball (12:47) considers photos of baseball, tight shots, and slow-mo, with reference to Wesley Snipes in "Major League." Don't hate the player comp. Baseball Accuracy (10:36) discusses the "Angels in the Outfield Without the Literal Angels" premise and the quantum physics observation principle, Roy Sheider's age and athleticism, the Tigers' record of the previous 30 years, Al Kaline, and the 1968 World Series vs. the Cardinals (Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda, Roger Maris). Eric shouts-out to Gate Brown, and Ellen breaks down the Tigers' required second-half winning percentage. Billy Young's batting average and RBI are problematic. The scouts also examine Alex's Dream Ballet, weekday games for the 1983 Tigers, Sparky Anderson, and score discrepancies in the final game. Storytelling (43:53) considers the various beliefs and superstitions and many issues with the cinematic storytelling. Why is the dad both unemployed and dying, and why the structural suddenness of his death? Why isn't there a B plot? Are we in MOMA? From whence this disposable income? Why not help anyone else? The ride to the stadium is long but that bike deal is absolutely INSANE. The Score (1:11:46) debates the usage of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," the Renn Faire music, and the drum solo.  In Acting (1:17:21), they assess Justin Henry's performance as a young actor, Roy Scheider's limited involvement, and the atrocious scenes with mom. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:21:11) doesn't offer much, but Delightfulness of Announcer (1:21:27) appreciates the inclusion of Ernie Harwell, Al Ackerman, and Ray Lane. Lack of Misogyny (1:24:32) bemoans the lack of development or consistent point-of-view for the mother, with a brief digression about the "Star Spangled Banner" record. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:28:51), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:32:18), Favorite Moment (1:33:13) Least Favorite Moment (1:35:48), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:37:15), Dreamiest Player (1:38:34), Favorite Performance (1:39:06), Review Thank You (1:40:10) and Next Time (1:40:22).    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 2001 movie "Summer Catch." They introduce the film (1:15), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers, and diatribe about the title. They review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (5:35), with a why-not metaphor. Amount of Baseball (10:20) is helped by the fullness of the baseball narratives. Baseball Accuracy (12:54) attacks the film's mysterious attitude towards relief pitching and warming up, with the sub-category Brian Dennehy Is a Bad Manager. They dive into the Cape Cod Summer League history and a few CCBL alum (Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Nomar Garciaparra, Mo Vaughn, Frank Thomas, Carlton Fisk, Pie Traynor, Henry Davis, Spencer Torkelson, Adley Rutschman, Casey Mize, Pat Burrell, Aaron Nola, Jason Varitek, Chase Utley), the use of wooden bats in CCBL, Chatham A's championships, and Cape Cod League baseball cards. There are some in/accuracies with scouting and signing (references to Joe Mauer and Adrian Gonzalez), signing deadlines (references to Stephen Drew, Jered Weaver). The scouts wonder about the sample size on Billy's batting average, issues with the Hyannis Mets, and the practicality of the Greg Maddux advice. WTFork with the called/swinging strikes. Velocity then and now! Ellen predictably gets into the Phillies lineup at the end (Bobby Abreu, Jimmy Rollins, Doug Glanville, Marlon Anderson, Mike Lieberthal, Pat Burrell, Travis Lee). Points for the Batavia Muckdogs. Storytelling (44:55) tries to sort out the preponderance of storylines, including the American Pie / Bull Durham mashup plaguing Dom (Wilmer Valderrama). Ellen outlines this movie's early assault on rational thought. Is Dede an ally or a hindrance? Why is Tenley interested in Ryan? Does this movie think this league is important? What are the stakes for these characters? Can we get some consistent points-of-view pls? Everyone Has to Be a Ten, fat phobia, other issues with Miles's (Marc Blucas) storyline, and the extremely, extremely weird relationship with the Mulligan siblings. The Score (1:19:09) weighs the onslaught of pop music, highlights including LL Cool J, Tarsha Vega, and the Dandy Warhols, with the hotel lounge jazz combo score. Acting (1:22:21) considers the performances of Jessica Biel, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brittany Murphy, Matthew Lillard, Brian Dennehy, Fred Ward, Bruce Davison, and John C. McGinley. Everyone deserved better. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:27:27) balances Matthew Lillard's charisma and the good pitcher/catcher dynamic with the unheroic things about the character. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:25:11) generally appreciates Curt Gowdy's contributions to the film. Lack of Misogyny (1:22:21) considers the fat phobia / misogyny Venn Diagram, but appreciates the character of Katie Parrish, and has a brief digression on the topic of her search for a mascot for the A's. A quick psychoanalysis of the writers of this film, vis-a-vis their depiction of female characters. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:41:54), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:48:42), Favorite Moment (1:50:12) Least Favorite Moment (1:51:34), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:54:47), Dreamiest Player (1:57:16), Favorite Performance (1:58:11), Review Thank You (2:00:35) and Next Time (2:00:54).     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1996 film "Soul of the Game." They introduce the film (1:16), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers. They review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (4:32). Amount of Baseball (7:50) highlights baseball in credits, some Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson heroics, and a quick player comp. Baseball Accuracy (10:36) begins with a discussion of Josh Gibson's erratic behavior and drinking depicted in the film, versus his real-life diagnosis of a brain tumor, with anecdotes from Buck O'Neil, Orlando Cepeda, Don Newcombe, Josh's sister and Sean Gibson. Gibson's history with the Pirates and William Benswanger, Wendell Smith and Cum Posey, as well as his meeting with Clark Griffith of the Senators, are discussed. Degree of blame for Kennesaw Mountain Landis. Satchel Paige as Rookie of the Year (Alvin Dark says, Excuse me)? Satchel Paige's age? What were the mechanics of his hesitation pitch? Context for the team assembled by Trujillo, in addition to Paige's experience and performance on the team, with reference to Sam Bankhead and Cool Papa Bell. Satchel's arm pain and the number of teams Paige pitched for are also discussed. Conversation about Willie and Cat Mays in Chattanooga and Harrisburg, the 1945 East-West All Star Game, Satchel Paige sayings, Roy Campanella, Monte Irvin, Hilton Smith, Marion Anderson, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Josh Gibson's power (972 homers?), the absence of Clyde Sukeforth and Wendell Smith, Jackie Robinson's number on the Monarchs, and the weird Black/white All-Star Game. Storytelling (55:38) considers the mythic nature of the Negro League stars, the opening montage, the dynamic between Paige and Robinson, and the story of why Robinson was the Black ballplayer who was chosen. They discuss the Willie Mays bookends, the girl at the gas station, and Steve Buckley the scout. The Score (1:10:02) includes usage of jazz, blues, and music that gets an entirely disproportionate response from Ellen. In Acting (1:12:52), admiration is lavished upon the ensemble, but particularly on Delroy Lindo, Edward Hermann and Mykelti Williamson. Blair Underwood, Salli Richardson and Gina Ravera are also praised. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:22:57) presents a conundrum of evaluating the real Josh Gibson versus the delight of this portrayal. "Light seasoning" for Delightfulness of Announcer (1:25:11). Lack of Misogyny (1:27:10) considers whether this film has actually improved upon the truth in this area, with the exception of the omission of Josh's dead wife Helen. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:31:02), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:34:52), Favorite Moment (1:36:19) Least Favorite Moment (1:38:11), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:40:28), Dreamiest Player (1:44:00), Favorite Performance (1:44:28), Review Thank You (1:45:38) and Next Time (1:46:05).   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.