Is Joe Morgan funny? Or FUNNY?
I realize there are entirely brilliant Web sites dedicated to baseball announcer Joe Morgan (well, at least one I know of) and I don’t have any intention of stepping into their territory here, but I was sitting here in my Milwaukee hotel room, and I just heard Little Joe say something that I have to mention.
I have to mention it because I’m not sure how to take it.
Tenth inning, tie game, the Cardinals get the leadoff man on. David Eckstein comes up, so this seems like an obvious bunting situation, only La Russa does not have Eckstein bunt.
Well, this has entirely befuddled Joe Morgan. He’s rehashing it like it’s the Zapruder film. Why didn’t he bunt there? That was the pitch he should have bunted on. Back and to the left. Sure, every sport has its second-guessing announcers, but I’m not sure that there’s anyone else quite like Joe Morgan, a one-time great player who is absolutely and positively certain there is only one way to play any particular situation. I mean, I’m not saying the bunt is right or wrong in that situation. I’m saying that the difference between bunting and not bunting there is so statistically miniscule that it might be best to leave it in the hands of the manager and player who, after all, are closest to the situation.
.
(And remember: I’m saying this about Tony La Russa, who is not exactly my favorite manager in the world).
Anyway, Eckstein improbably strikes out on three pitches, leaving Morgan to ponder bizarre conspiracy theories about why La Russa didn’t bunt. He does this for quite a while. The next batter is Skip Schumaker. He pulls a home run down the right-field line.
And then Joe Morgan says this: “Maybe that’s why you don’t bunt.”
Now, I’ve been thinking about this. It is possible Joe was joking here. It’s possible he was saying, “Duh, do you think I could sound more inane; I’m still talk about them not bunting and this guy hits the two-run game-crushing homer. I’m a moron!” I haven’t particularly sensed a self-deprecating sense of humor with Joe – and he didn’t necessarily SOUND like he was joking – but it’s possible he was making fun of his own silliness. If so, I want to point this out because to me it’s a positive step.
If he was not joking – if he was really saying that maybe La Russa didn’t bunt because he thought Skip Schumaker might hit a home run – then frankly I’m at a loss.
12 comments:
Thanks, I needed a laugh at this late hour. As a Reds fan who was born the winter after the Big Red Machine won their last World Series, I've never been able to understand the greatness of Joe Morgan, because he's ruined it with his {insert adjective here} broadcasting. It's ashame that I will only remember him for that when I become old and senile.
Self-effacing humor from Joe Morgan? Not a chance. He is a master of the non-sequitur, and this is just another example.
Here's a related question: Why do baseball fans get so excercised about announcers? Is it because any one of us could do it reasonably well (can you say "runner at second, one out, Thome at the plate"?). Or is it because we expect too much from them -- an encyclopedic knowledge of the game, inside information about the players, a sense of humor and irony, a pleasant voice, impeccable diction?
I get upset with our hometown announcers for butchering players' names and losing track of the count, but in the end it's no big deal.
Although, I hope most listeners would cringe a little when they hear John Gordon say "the infield fly rule has been evoked."
I think you must really dislike Joe Morgan to think that wasn't an attempt at self deprecation.
Quick Joe Morgan story. My brother used to pick up extra money on weekends helping a friend who ran memorabilia/autograph shows. He'd help the dealers set up, pack up, etc. and get fabulous tips. He'd also go to the airport sometimes to pickup or drop off some of the guys who flew in to town to sign. Again, always getting generously tipped, so this was a great weekend gig.
Well, one of the guys he had to drive to the airport was Joe Morgan. Before they left the card show, my brother watched Morgan, who had insisted on being paid in cash, pocket a fat roll of bills from the promoter. Then my brother put Morgan's bag in the car and off they went. Morgan sat up front, but essentially refused to engage in any conversation, no matter how trivial. "Long flight ahead, Joe?" No answer. "You do many of these shows?" No answer. Okay, thinks my brother, I don't have rocks in my head, I'll shut up if that's what the man wants.
The ride takes about 40 minutes out to KCI. They pull up in front of the gate, my brother gets Morgan's bag out of the car and opens the door for him, and Morgan says, "Thanks man", and walks away. The guy knows my brother saw him pocket a giant roll of cash, and he stiffs him on the tip anyway.
Needless to say, Morgan cannot be mentioned in my family unless he is referred to as "That Cheap Tax Evader Joe Morgan".
I mentioned this to my wife the minute Miles reached ahead of Eckstein, because - as you say - Morgan has a bit of a rep for railing on about playing "by the book."
At first, though, I thought I noticed a slight difference in what he was saying. It seemed to me he was discussing the situation in terms of what he felt LaRussa might do. And I also certainly thought that LaRussa was going to have Eckstein bunt, regardless of whether I thought it was a good play or not.
But after Eckstein took strike one, it did seem like it went back to the same-old, same-old for Joe, about how it was the only play to make.
Now, as far as Morgan being self-deprecating or LaRussa playing for the Schumaker homer, now that's pretty damn funny.
I watched that game in the early innings, and Morgan did the same type of thing. They walked Pujols on five pitches with a man on or something, and Morgan was like "you gotta challenge Pujols." Then Juan Encarcion struck out on like three pitches, and Morgan flipped (well, walking Pujols was definitely a good thing), but definitely in a self-deprecating way.
I never had a problem with Morgan, but maybe I don't listen to him as much as others. Maybe, because he used to always provide color commentary for (and maybe still does) the College World Series, and seemed to enjoy it. He enjoys the game, but doesn't ass kiss like a lot of announcers seem to do. He's supposed to provide an opinion. You're not supposed to agree with it all the time.
And as much as I dislike the White Sox announcers and think they're "homers" in the worst way, they got on my good side on Friday. Left handed Eric Hinske was up for the Red Sox with a man on, and the White Sox had an infield shift so the 3b was basically playing short stop. On the first pitch, Hinske attempts a bunt down the third base line. It goes foul. The White Sox STILL KEEP THE SHIFT ON and Hinske bunts the next shift for the single. The Red Sox score a couple that inning and Contreras ends up giving up ten runs in the game.
After that bunt single, Hawk said, "They keep the shift on after the bunt?!? We deserve whatever we get after that."
A couple of runs scored.
Shot of Ozzie Guillen in the dugout.
"We deserved that."
God Bless the Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox, tied for last place with the Royals today.
I think the thing with baseball announcers is that there used to be some great ones on nationally televised games. Listen to Uecker call a Brewers game or Vin Scully do a Dodgers broadcast. They're really good. Costas, while maybe a bit prone to abusing hyperbole, could call a hell of a game. Those guys all used to do the Series. Now we're stuck with the Joe Morgans of the world.
Not that Morgan still does the series, but you know what I'm saying.
I get angry with bad announcing because (as old man duggan said), I have lived with the alternatives. To hear Hawk Harrelson call a White Sox game after having heard a pre-senile Harry Caray call the Sox is to get angry at Harrelson's tedious discussions of golf.
To hear Joe Morgan teamed with the great Jon Miller, though, is just strange. Put Miller and Larry Dierker in a booth together!
I love when the Yanks are on the road and Michael Kay doesn't go. Then I've got Kenny Singleton & Joe Girardi, which is far superior to any combo involving Kay. The Singleton/Girardi/Leiter combo, which I may have imagined, is even better.
Jon Miller, indeed.
He does Giants *radio*.
He should be the game's premier play-by-play guy.
I don't know what's wrong, but something is.
Jon Miller!!
The Orioles were always my #2 team (behind the Royals of course) and living within range of the Oriole radio network, I would listen to Jon just for his Radio on-air brillaince (not as evident on ESPN). He's truely a gem.
Angelos's last sraw with me was his attempt to quiet Jon's critisism of the O's at the end of his last season in Baltimore. Jon, rightfully, didn't need his *#&$ and took his talent to the left coast. That was my last straw with Peter Angelos. Jon is gone from my ear-shot, and until Peter is gone from the owner's box I will not attend anymore O's games. He took from me a great joy of baseballl, and for that I will be forever angry with him. The O's could lose all their good players, and all their games, but losing Jon Miller from the O's booth was the last sraw.
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