"It's such a fine line between stupid ..."
" ... and clever."
That's just one of many hilariously memorable remarks from "This is Spinal Tap," the 1984 comedy mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner. It's also what I found myself muttering at the television during the first three games of the World Series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.
Sometimes, Fox provided key, timely context or, at least, a fascinating figure that at least helped fill the 20- to 25-second gap that usually occurs between pitches. Other times, their figures came out of left field. More than occasionally, their efforts were a blend of both.
For example, during the regular season, Game 2 Houston starting pitcher Jose Urquidy led all Major Leaguers in the percentage of pitches thrown in the strike zone (57%). In the postseason to that point, he had thrown only 38.6% in the zone, Fox reported.
However, it would have been even more clever if Fox had taken the extra step to provide context: what is the MLB norm?
And only four innings later, Fox dropped the ball by noting Urquidy's "out distribution" -- 7 strikeouts, 2 groundouts and 4 flyballs -- without communicating how that compared to his usual distribution or all pitchers' typical distribution.
Context, people!
Another clever moment came when Fox noted Atlanta Braves outfielder Jose Soler's average home run this season traveled 421 feet, farther than any other hitter's homers. Although the 2019 American League home run champion had hit a relatively modest 28 home runs this season (including one in the playoffs), the data point underscored Soler's power when he did connect.
With the bases loaded in the third inning of Game 3, Fox flashed Braves outfielder Adam Duvall's batting average in various scenarios: .172 with the bases empty, all the way up to .346 when batting with runners in scoring position. The relevant stat popped out to the viewer, adding a layer of meaning when Duvall popped out to the first baseman.
One stat on Friday night was so clever that it veered into stupid terrain: in the top of Game 3's 5th inning, we learned that Braves pitcher Ian Anderson was the youngest pitcher since the Brooklyn Dodgers' Ralph Branca to open a World Series contest with four hitless innings.
At 23 years, 180 days, Anderson is about 21 months older than Branca was when he held the New York Yankees in check through four innings of 1947's Game 1. A visit to Retrosheet.org revealed the rest of the clever/stupid graphic story: Branca didn't retire any of the next five Yanks (starting with Joe DiMaggio), got pulled, and all five came around to score. The Yankees won, 5-3.
Anderson, meanwhile, logged another inning without giving up a hit before Braves manager Brian Snitker lifted him. "Where's your 5-inning, no-hit, real-young-dude stat, Fox?" I wondered. During the postgame interview of Anderson, they came through: Jeff Tesreau was 24½ in 1912 when he opened with 5 1/3 innings of no-hit ball for the New York Giants.
Kudos also to the network for playing a riff from Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" as Anderson strode off the mound in the second inning. (The 74-year-old leader of the British rock band is also named Ian Anderson.)
Who Will Be MLB's Nor Grebmolb?
That's Ron Blomberg, backward.
In 1973, Blomberg was the Yankee with the distinction of becoming the American League's first designated hitter. In 2022, there's a good chance that the DH will expand permanently to the National League (which went with the DH during the 60-game, COVID-laden season).
With the World Series action in Atlanta adhering to NL rules, it is likely that an Astro or Brave will be the last pitcher not named Shohei Ohtani to have his name penciled into the batting lineup.
My best guess: it could be Zack Greinke, the veteran Houston pitcher who in 493 career at bats has nine home runs and a respectable .225 batting average, about 100 points higher than the norm for hurlers.
• Matt Baron supplements his baseball brainpower with Retrosheet.org for research.
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October 31, 2021 at 01:21AM
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Baron: Fox TV Figures Range from Stupid to Clever - Chicago Daily Herald
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