The Chris Moeller Archives

Thanks Marvin

Former big leaguers and the MLB Players Association have launched a website honoring the former head of that organization, Marvin Miller, and his candidacy for baseball's Hall of Fame.

Among the site's attributes are a television clip of Miller and Bob Costas appearing on Charlie Rose about a decade ago, and comments from players who say they owe their livelihoods, in large part, to Miller.

In the Charlie Rose clip, note Miller's superior skills of prophecy 10 years ago as he dismisses Costas' refrain about competitive imbalance and the business' disputed profitability. The first decade of the new millennium would deliver 14 different clubs (out of 30) into the World Series, and featured exploding attendance numbers and franchise financial values.

In the players' comments section, note that the list of players offering up their profuse praise of Miller is comprised mostly of the middling and unspectacular baseball talents. It's a reminder that baseball will always accommodate many more Bob Lockers, Kurt Bevacquas, and Billy Samples than it will Reggie Jacksons and Pete Roses. The MLBPA's first executive director was always preoccupied with securing the best deal possible for the ordinary, rank-and-file, dues-paying members of the union, and their adoration for him is testament to Miller's merit as a man of labor.

Marvin Miller celebrated his 93rd birthday on the 14th.

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Fans who tuned in to watch the FOX Game of the Week Saturday afternoon between the Cardinals and the Mets saw a game that lasted 20 innings and nearly seven hours. The first run scored by either team was tallied in the top of the 19th inning...

During the game, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who caught all 19 innings and then a full 9-inning game on Sunday, led off an inning as a hitter seven times, partly the result of Matt Holliday, the man batting ahead of him in the lineup, being replaced early in a double-switch by his manager, substituting the pitcher into Holliday's spot in the batting order.

The Mets tallied one hit through the first 12 innings.

I left for dinner with friends at the beginning of the 8th inning, went for ice cream afterward, and returned home at beginning of the 13th inning. I didn't realize when I left that I would be absent only for the very middle of the game.

In Atlanta, a game that started during the 9th inning of the game in St. Louis, ended with the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies history. When it concluded, the Cards/Mets game was still in the 17th inning.

Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Lohse entered the game in the 18th inning.. in left field.

Cardinals infielder Felipe Lopez pitched a scoreless 18th inning, his first pitching experience since he was a teenager, and in doing so, faced (batting, this is confusing) a Mets relief pitcher that he touched for a game-winning grand slam the previous night. The reliever singled against him, but was thrown out attempting to reach second on an overthrow.

A former All-Star infielder, Luis Castillo, came to the plate against Cardinals outfielder-- and first-time pitcher-- Joe Mather in the 19th inning with a man on first, and Castillo laid down a bunt. Now that's sacrifice!

Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa had his first position-player-pitcher, Lopez, on a 25-pitch count. I guess this is so he would be available to pitch again Sunday.

LaRussa twice sent relief pitchers up to bat in extra innings with runners in scoring position and two out while his backup catcher, Bryan Anderson, was still available on the bench.

LaRussa ordered Mather, who couldn't throw a strike to save himself in his first-ever pitching experience, to give two intentional walks during the 19th inning. Unbelievable.

LaRussa said Sunday that he would have used star-crossed, pitcher-turned outfielder Rick Ankiel to pitch Saturday night if Ankiel had still been on the team.

The Kansas City Star's Joe Posnanski said it best in a "Tweet" Saturday night: "If Tony LaRussa is one of baseball's great overmanaging artists, this is his Mona Lisa."

posted by CM @ 6:03 PM