Answers
Firstly, I believe they may be, in no particular order, Russ Ohlendorf, Justin Maxwell, Micah Hoffpauir, and Jonathon Niese.
If I am correct, Bill Sharman was sitting on the Dodger bench during a big argument and the plate umpire–if memory serves it was Frank Dascoli–cleared the bench, meaning Sharman never played in a major league game but got thrown out of one..
You are correct sir, September 27th, 1951, and the very irascible umpire was Frank Dascoli. So Sharman saw a lot of action during his month in the majors, between that and the Dodgers-Giants playoffs. He just didn’t get to appear in any action.
The new stadium is across the street (admittedly a very wide street) from the old stadium. Things can be weird in this city, but major atmospheric changes crossing 161st Street isn’t one of them. I’d say lousy pitching is the more likely answer.
By on April 21, 2009 11:43 PM
This one is about the outbreak of homers at Empty Stadium. The geographical point is correct; several hundred yards north and about a hundred west of the old location should not create a wind tunnel. But this isn’t about geography, it’s about architecture. The wind tunnel is not natural, it’s man made, most likely by the open-air ring in the upper deck (replacing what had been solid wall in the old place) and the giant open-air entrances down the first and third base lines. The new Yankee Stadium is at the mercy of air flow that was walled off across the street. Whatever it is, it seems to remain in effect.
One quick question- is our intrepid blogger wearing his Superbowl XLIII press credentials? And if so…uh…why? Besides the inherent awesomeness, that is? By on April 18, 2009 11:31 AM
This refers to a photograph from opening day. That is not in fact a Super Bowl media credential around my neck. It is a Super Bowl laniard. Apart from the phenomenal price changes, the biggest switch in the new park is the number of times one is forced to present one’s ticket. So I needed something to carry it in, and that’s what I happened to have lying around.
Keith what’s with the suit? Only baseball suits wear suits to the ball game. Leno or Jason wasn’t wearing a suit. And I bet Yankee Stadium was real quiet after that 14 spot Saturday… Nick C., Countdown (and SF Giants) fan By on April 18, 2009 8:46 PM
Same photograph producing yet another style complaint. Frankly, the only times I’ve ever gone to a game in a suit, I was either doing a broadcast or a report from it, or, as it happened on opening day, I was heading straight down town to do my news show.
Besides which, the suit is ok at the yard once in awhile. Look at the difference it can make if you get to pose for a photo with a few viewers:
Baseball Nerd 
So you can spell Micah Hoffpauir correctly but not Derrek Lee? 🙂
I think you look quite dapper in your suit. 😉
http://metsgeekette.mlblogs.com/
Cool, my question got answered! As for the Giants, Brian Wilson left some bad vibrations when he blew a 3 run lead in the last of the ninth against the D’Backs Sunday, ruining Matt Cain (4 of 4 QS in ’09) and Pablo Sandoval’s (4-4, 3 run HR) day. G-men’s streak ends at six with a 5-4 loss to Arizona.
Re “the snippet of classical music used by the Yankees during the otherwise intolerable ‘Great Subway Race’ on their scoreboard in the brand new Empty Stadium”…is there anyplace that someone outside of NYC could hear that music in order to try and identify it? Also, there’s an I-phone application where you just hold your phone up to the music being played and it will identify and download it for you!
I was excited to find your blog the other day, and even though I came to the party late, I proceeded to read all of your previous posts. You are a true Baseball expert, and you do a great job at that MSNBC thing too.
My baseball background is colored by the two seasons I spent as a employee of the Spokane Indians(1970-71) I was a grounds-keeper and the scoreboard boy. This is the “Greatest Baseball Team In Minor League League History”, and there were all of the future Dodger stars there (Lopes, Cey, Garvey, Lasorda etc) i was especially fond of Tom Paciorek.”Wimpy” lived a few blocks from my family and he would pick me up & drive me home from the games. He had a 1958 Pontiac Chieftain that became my first car when he sold it to me for the princely sum of $20! Tim Johnson was also on the team…So, question- do you think he will ever get a job in MLB again? I know he lied about his USMC service, but does he deserve a lifetime ban?
I agree with dejapig; can you put some sort of audio file in the blog so some of us in “fly over country” can hear it? I’ve got 10+ years of private music lessons under my proverbial belt, and I or other musical types here might know it.
According to nymag.com today, the three most plausible theories for the “plague of homers” at YS are:
1. The balls are at the tighter end of the allowable range (they sure seemed zingy at the Cubs-Cards game yesterday, at least on TV.)
2. The new upper decks are higher than the old ones, but the space between grandstand and scoreboard is the same size, so more air is being forced through the same size space. Or so says a wind-study expert.
3. The straight right-field power alley brings the fences five to nine feet closer, although the points marked by the distance signs are the same.
Good job on the blog and the show, Mr. O.
In regards to the music during the “Great Subway Race”, if someone can record it with their iphone or crackberry and upload it somewhere, I can tell you what it is.
Not to bring politics into it-what happened to countdown’s
blog “the newshole”? It hasn’t been updated since 3/06/09.
Is there some where that we can listen to the classical piece being played during the Subway race?
Keith….my 2 heroes I recognized (Jerry & you) but could you give me info on the other 2 gents in the photo?…also why exactly is everyone behind you guys so grumpy looking? Are they unhappy with the ticket prices or were you boys causing an uproar? Please enlighten me if you can & thanks…
Mr Olbermann,
As a baseball fan from the United Kingdom where the closest to getting to a ballpark are the late night MLB broadcasts we get at 2am, at just about the same time countdown comes on via msnbc.com! I’d just like to say this is a great blog. The abusive and irrelevant comments are an inevitability but 90% of this audience including this reader are eager readers. As I’m coming to the US for university studies in North Carolina for a year, and from Chapel Hill the closest I’ll get to a major league ballpark will be Nationals Park, have you any thoughts on why the Carolinas miss out on a franchise?
All the best,
Joe, Isle of Man (UK)
Hi sfisbeck! The gentleman on Keith’s other side, I believe, is George Clinton. If I’m wrong, I’m sure to be corrected. ;D And, Keith, make with the muzak file for the “subway” shtick – please?
Hey sanfranciscokarmared! Thanks for your help….it is much appreciated…..
sfisbeck and sanfranciscokarmared — The guy on Keith’s right is George Wallace, not George Clinton. See him nightly at the Flamingo in Vegas! (Six on the one hand, half-dozen on the other … people are sick!)
D’Oh! Thanks, lindafaulk. Hey…I got it half right. If I batted .500, I’d be in Cooperstown!
wow… keith is sitting right next to jerry seinfeld. thats so awesome. i never knew they were friends. i miss the good old seinfeld days. 😦