Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Tyler Omoth

Twins Daily Contributor
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    37

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Blog Entries posted by Tyler Omoth

  1. Tyler Omoth
    How about a sports movie where a bunch of misfits are put together on one team and they somehow come together to win it all? *Yawn!* We've seen that already at least a dozen times.
    What if they don't band together for the love of the game or each other, but out of pure spite for their money-grubbing boss? 
    Now you have something. Major League!
    Major League came out in 1989, which is right in the golden era of baseball movies. It doesn't hang its hat on nostalgia or pure love of baseball, but on comedy and it does it very well. There are so many great one-liners in this movie that I call it the Caddyshack of baseball. 

    The plot for Major League is pretty simple. The owner of the Cleveland Indians dies and his "Vegas beauty" of a young wife, Rachel Phelps played by Margaret Whitton, inherits the team. She isn't a Cleveland kind of gal so she tries to put together the worst team imaginable so attendance will drop to the point where she can move the team to Miami. Here's the lineup:
    Pedro Cerrano (played by Dennis Haysbert) - A power-hitting outfielder from from Cuba that practices Voodoo and can't hit a curveball.
    Jake Taylor (played by Tom Berenger) - A former star catcher with bad knees but a good head for the game. 
    Willie Mays Hayes (played by Wesley Snipes) - A dude no one has heard of who shows up and can run like the wind. Base stealer that can't really hit.
    Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (played by Charlie Sheen) - A fireball-throwing pitcher straight out of the California penal league. The bad boy of the team.
    Eddie Harris (played by Chelcie Ross) - The aging junkball pitcher who will put anything, including snot or KY, on the ball to get an edge. Big fan of Jesus.
    Roger Dorn (played by Corbin Bernsen) - A big-contract 3rd baseman who cares more about his paycheck and lifestyle than the game or the team.
    Lou Brown (played by James Gammon) - A first time manager that gave up his job selling tires to take the helm, but he had to think about it for awhile.
    Once these guys get wind of their owner's plan, they grind it out and start winning just to prove her wrong and aggravate her. Maybe the current Twins team should watch this one.
    On the field, the baseball is fairly good. Harris, the junk-baller, doesn't look super-legit, but it's good enough. Berenger looks pretty good throwing, Haysbert looks like he could play for real, and Charlie Sheen was a stud high-school pitcher and shortstop who looks legit on the mound. Reports say that Snipes had zero baseball skills outside of running fast and sliding, so they had to do some fancy editing whenever he had to catch or throw the ball. It works well enough that I never questioned it. But, seriously, we're not here for the baseball. 
    The cast is fantastic. I'm not sure how they could have done better at just about any of the spots. They're all likable, funny, and disturbing in their own way. Plus, Rene Russo as Jake Taylor's love interest and Stacy Carroll as Susan Dorn fit right in. Gammon, as manager Lou Brown, steals a few scenes in an understated way. In fact, he's one of the best characters on the screen. But, as if this wasn't all the makings for a great baseball comedy, they brought in a ringer. In the radio booth for the Cleveland Indians is Harry Doyle, played by none other than Mr. Bob Uecker...and it might be the best thing he ever did in his legendary career (sorry Brewers fans). Throughout the movie, he fires one-liners as he calls the game that are absolutely epic. Who hasn't watched a wild pitch and said, "Juuusst a bit outside!"
    When people ask the question, "What's your favorite baseball movie?" many, many people immediately say Major League, and for good reason. It is funny as hell while sneaking in one of the more exhilarating moments in baseball movie history, If you don't get tingles when they call in Ricky Vaughn to face his nemesis on the Yankees and he comes out of the bullpen while the crowd roars along to "Wild Thing" (The Troggs, not Tone Loc), you're a little dead inside. It's a great moment that made kids in 1989 immediately think, "What would my entrance song be?" For the record, mine would be "Blood of Heroes" by Megadeth. 
    All in all, Major League, is a baseball classic that keeps you laughing and has enough baseball legitimacy to work. It's definitely in my top five.
    Run Time: 1 hr 47 min
    Scorecard: Homerun to the second deck!
    IMDB Score: 7.2
    Best line: Yikes. There are so many! My personal favorite is when Hayes makes a showboating basket catch and returns to the dugout, the manager greets him at the step and says, "Nice catch, Hayes. Don't ever f#$%ing do it again!"
  2. Tyler Omoth
    Baseball is a game of emotion. Not so much the raw energy and extremes you see in sports like football or even basketball, but a deeper, more constant flow of emotions. Remember the Twins winning it all in 1991? What a high. How about Joe Mauer donning the catcher's gear for part of his last game? We weren't sure what to feel there, but we felt it. For me personally, the day I got cut from college tryouts and realized that my baseball playing days were over was crushing.
    That's the overarching theme of Kevin Costner's 1999 baseball movie, For Love of the Game. The focus is Billy Chapel, an aging ace for the Detroit Tigers, who is trying to come to grips with the end of his time with the Tigers or possibly the end of his career. The movie focuses on one day and one game, but flashbacks take you through the ups and downs of his life in baseball and his primary relationship. So, is it worth a watch? Let's play ball.


    First Pitch -  The opening scenes set the tone for sure. Over the opening credits, you see newspaper clips about Chapel's career from Little League to being drafted by the Tigers. It's a baseball life. Then, you experience his relationship with his battery mate, Gus Sinski, played by John C. Reilly. It's clearly the "old married couple" dynamic, and it's entertaining. Before you hit the 13:00 mark, you get a glimpse into his on-again-off-again relationship with Jane Aubrey, played by Kelly Preston and learn that the owner of the Tigers, Gary Wheeler (Brian Cox), has sold the team. The new owners will want to trade him, so Wheeler encourages him to hang up his cleats as a Tiger. Oh yeah, Jane's leaving to take a job in London, and his arm hurts, and he's slated to take the mound in a meaningless game at the end of a losing season. Chapel has a lot to deal with today, and we're set to take the ride with him.
    Early Innings - If this movie is going to lose you, this is probably where it happens. It's setting up the storyline and introducing more characters, but it moves along like Bartolo Colon on the base paths. As the actual Tigers vs Yankees game starts, you learn that Vin Scully and Steve "Psycho" Lyons are calling the game, which is a nice touch. Jane's trying to catch her plane to London but can't help but watch Chapel's game on the tv. Throughout these scenes, New Yorkers are portrayed as rude and obnoxious. The anti-Yankee vibe earns some points with me. That being said, the early parts of the movie leave plenty of time to go grab a beer and snacks.
    Mid-Game - Heres where the movie zeroes in on the romance with Jane a bit more. We learn how they met, the ups and downs of their long-distance casual relationship, and the struggle of a hand injury to Chapel and its effect on his life and relationship. You start to realize that Chapel is pitching a not just a great game, but a perfect game. The tension on and off the field builds. 
    Last Inning - The drama on the field is pretty solid. Chapel struggles but keeps doing just enough. The same could be said off the field. He keeps getting into trouble but finding his way back into Jane's good graces. By the end, he's nailed down his perfect game, reconciled with Jane, and told the Tigers owner, "Tell them I'm through. For love of the game." 
    Run Time: 2 hrs 17 min
    IMDB Score: 6.6/10
    Scorecard: Double down the line. It might be too cheesy for many sports fans, but it works for me. 
    Player of the Game: I love John C. Reiley in this one. He's a little funny, but not over-the-top. He clearly cares about Chapel's legacy as much as Chapel does. Just a very likeable character.
    Benchwarmer: Overly long flashbacks and melodrama.
    Best line: When the Tiger's manager, played by JK Simmons, comes to the mound, Chapel tells him to "Pat me on my fanny, march back the that dugout, and take a seat." When the manager starts to walk away, Chapels says, "Where's my pat?" His manager comes back into the shot, gives his rump a pat, and leaves again. It's silly, but I found it funny.
  3. Tyler Omoth

    Mr. 3000 (2004)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    As the Twins' season sputters to a merciful end, it seems only fitting to focus on our neighbors, the Milwaukee Brewers, who are dominating the league. I mean, what's not to love? They're named for a profession that brings many of us much joy. The very likable Christian Yelich has returned to form. Arguably their most exciting player may be a Brewer, but he's barely old enough to have a beer. Their second in the league in both steals and hits and their starting rotation is impressive. 
    So, on that note, let's take a look at one of the only movies that features our Wisconsin neighbors, Bernie Mac's "Mr. 3000."

    The plot of "Mr. 3000" is actually a pretty interesting premise. What if a player retired with one of those cherished milestones like 3000 hits, but it was later discovered to be a mistake? In the case of Stan Ross, the lead character of "Mr. 3000," played by Bernie Mac, it's a crushing blow. Not only did he quit the game the day he reached the milestone, he proceeded to market himself as Mr. 3000 with an auto dealership, restaurant, and a bunch of other businesses. It was his identity and, he thought, his ticket into the baseball Hall of Fame. So, when MLB realized they'd counted wrong and he only had 2997 hits nine years later, Stan had to suit up again at the ripe old age of 47. To make it more interesting, Stan is far from beloved by pretty much anyone associated with the game because he has always been a "me first" kind of player. 
    So how does Bernie Mac look playing baseball? Honestly, he's terrible. At no point does he look like he could be a legit beer league softball player. His swing is wonky and his running is far from smooth. As for the other players, it's much the same. Many of the pitches we see look like those tosses from the home run derby where a players dad is serving them up at 62 miles per hour. There are a few good plays here and there, but overall, don't search this flick out if you're in the mood for authentic baseball feel. 
    How's the acting otherwise? It's pretty subpar across the board, for the most part. Brian White plays "T-Rex," the team's current superstar when Stan makes his comeback, but he's a bit over the top with his selfish childishness. The rest of the team are no-namers and none of them stand out. Angela Bassett plays Stan's love interest, "Mo," and she's actually pretty good. By far my favorite acting job in this movie is done by Paul Sorvino, who plays the Brewer's manager, Gus Panas. Gus doesn't like Stan and didn't want him back on the team and shows his displeasure by being completely blank-faced in every scene. Seriously, I don't know what they paid Sorvino, but throughout the movie he's just there...staring. At a pivotal moment towards the end of the flick, he jumps out of the dugout to defend Stan against an umpire in a Silent Bob sort of twist.
    It's hard for me to really rate this movie, because while I kind of like it, I don't really like much of anything about it? I like the premise, but Bernie Mac is pretty bad, the baseball is worse, and Stan's Disney-esque transformation from a me-first player to a self-sacrificing role model on the team doesn't come off as legit. Plus, I keep thinking that Mo needs to run away and don't look back. She can do better than Stan. The big spoiler at the end of the movie is a plus for me, because I like it when movies don't do the expected thing (I won't spoil it). I also like that they incorporated one of the running sausages and he's kind of a jerk.
    Run Time: 1 hr 44 min
    Scorecard: Bloop single. Worth watching, but don't get too excited. 

    Best line:      Tom Arnold: Hey, we're sorry about all that stuff we said before you hit that homer...
                          Stan: Yeah, you wouldn't be anywhere if it wasn't for Roseanne.
  4. Tyler Omoth

    Angels in the Outfield (1994)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    Forgive me baseball movie fans, for I may have sinned. I've gone my whole life, until tonight, without watching the 1994 remake of "Angels in the Outfield." I confess. I've avoided it for years because I feared the over-the-top cheesiness that I was sure would make it too much to stomach. I wasn't entirely wrong, but not completely right, either. Fun fact: the owner of the Angels in the film, Hank Murphy, is a cowboy-hat wearing, straight-talking fella that's loosly based on the real-life owner of the Angels back then, "The Singing Cowboy" Gene Autry. Details like this and other fun tidbits keep this remake from becoming two hours that feel like 40 days and 40 nights. (Okay, I'm done.)


    The general premise of "Angels in the Outfield," is that a kid, Roger Bowman, who is stuck at a foster home makes a wish for the Angels to win because his dad said that their family would only get back together "when the Angels win the pennant." Of course, this becomes a bit literal as actual angels show up to help Roger's wish come true. As the action progresses you learn a bit about some of the players and the grizzled old manager played by none other than Danny Glover. Will the Angels win the pennant? Only Heaven knows.
    While this is mostly a kids' flick, it has a PG rating for reasons I don't understand. There are a few curse words that seem like they could come out and let this be a bit more of a straight up kids movie, but what do I know? The cast is a fun mix of veteran actors who perfectly represent 1994 like Glover, Tony Danza, and Christopher Lloyd and at-the-time unknown young actors like Joseph Gordon Levitt, Matthew McConaughey, Dermot Mulroney, and Adrien Brody. The acting is fine and the on-field baseball action fluctuates between solid baseball play and Looney Tunes-type action when those helpers from above get mixed up in the game. The result is a movie that is undeniably Disney in its makeup, but interesting enough to be at least watchable. Glover and Levitt carry the bulk of the acting as we don't really get to know the other characters too well. Christopher Lloyd plays the head angel and he's pretty much what you expect him to be: quirky, confusing, and, yet likable. 
    After the last out I found myself thinking that this wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be. If you watched it as a kid, I can see where it may be a sentimental favorite like cotton candy at the ballgame. I'm glad I finally gave it a chance. Now, I feel like I need to go dig up the 1951 original for comparison.
     
    Scorecard: Squibber single.
    Best line: (baseball announcer) Ranch Wilder: Whit Bass takes the mound with his oddball antics that are now well known to the fans.
                     (Color man) Wally: That's right, Ranch. This season alone we've seen him lick dirt, eat bugs, and floss his catcher's teeth in the dugout.
    Run time: 1 hr 42 min
    Where can you see it? Finally! One that's easy to find. "Angels in the Outfield" is on Disney+ as well as TBS if you have the ability to get TBS on demand titles. 
     
  5. Tyler Omoth

    The Fan (1996)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    We all love baseball. If not, why are you here? But, we've all met that one person who takes things right to, or past, the edge. That person who really puts the "fanatical" in the term "fan." Many of our green and gold neighbors can attest to this. In the 1996 movie, "The Fan," we see this concept taken to extremes. I've been meaning to watch this one for quite a while, but it's been hard to find. It has less-than-stellar reviews, but let's give it a look anyway.
     
    "The Fan" centers around De Niro's character, Gil Renard. At first, he seems like a typical middle-aged dude who's facing some tough breaks, but as the movie develops, you'll discover that it's a bit darker than that. He's kind of like Jimmy Fallon in "Fever Pitch," without the innocent idiocy. Renard loves the Giants and he's obsessed with their new free agent signing, Bobby Rayburn (played by Wesley Snipes). When things start to spiral downward in his personal and professional life, Renard takes it out on Rayburn and his son. There's one scene where he confronts one of Rayburn's teammates who will not give up his number to the star that is the tipping point. Extra creepy points for taking place in a sauna. Nobody wants to be confronted there.
     
    I really didn't know what to expect from this movie, but honestly, I enjoyed it. De Niro was convincing as a deranged dude. Snipes was better than his norm. John Leguizamo was quitely great as Snipe's PR man. I was considerably creepier than I expected and in a good way. It wasn't boring or cookie-cutter. One thing it was, and is, is screamingly 1990's. From the editing to the music, this is a '90's flick all the way. The closest comparison I can think of is "The Last Boyscout." It has a very similar vibe. 
    Will "The Fan" go down in the pantheon of great baseball flicks? No. Not at all. But, that being said, it's worth a watch. It's more of a drama/thriller than a baseall movie, but it still counts. Give it a look. 
    Run Time: 1 hr 56 min
    Scorecard: A hustle double. 

    Best line: 
    [the ball park witnesses the bad collision between Bobby Rayburn and Juan Primo] Gil Renard: [Gil tells his son as both players are slow to get up] Center field makes the calls. Fundamental of baseball. Center field makes the calls. Pay attention! Sports Reporter: [the sports reporter announces] Well, a scary moment on day one. Boy, I'll tell ya. Rayburn's slow getting up, and Primo's still slow getting up. Forty million dollars laying out there in center field, Steve. Hope the Giants have comprehensive collision coverage. (This give anyone flashbacks?)
  6. Tyler Omoth

    Game 6 (2005)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    Sports fans take their game and their favorite team seriously. Too seriously more often than not. You see the passion play out in "The Sandlot," but they're kids. They'll grow out of it, right? For many of us the answer to that is, no, we won't. We will continue to put baseball and our favorite team right in the dead center of our emotional daily lives. Unfortunately, for many fans (Twins fans included) that can be an ongoing drama. And yet, we love it.
    2005's "Game 6" is a flick that looks at just that. The lead character is a Red Sox fan and the time frame is, you guessed it, October 1986. 

    "Game 6" centers around playwright Nicky Rogan (Michael Keaton) on the day his new, and most anticipated play, is set to open on Broadway. But, as exciting as that sounds, he's also dealing with an impending divorce, an estranged daughter, a lead actor who's losing his memory, the imminent arrival of NY's most brutal theater critic, and worst of all, the Red Sox are up 3 games to 2 in the World Series, and they could win it tonight.
    Cue Crash Davis, "We are dealing with a lot of s**t!"
    When the curtain rises on his latest creation, where is Nicky? At a local watering hole with a cabby and her grandson watching Game 6.
    As the game progresses, the cabby, played by Lillias White, serves as a sort of guardian angel for Nicky. She points out his desire for the Red Sox to fail and even gets him to start uttering a mantra: "Life is good, people are dependable..." As the game gets to the late innings, he even starts to believe it. At this point, he's the classic Hemingway hero. He's struggled, he's doubted, and just as he's about to gain his ultimate reward, well, Buckner happens. In a fit of angst and rage, Nicky goes after Steven Schwimmer, the movie critic that he believes is about to destroy his play. What happens next is funny, poignant, and somehow believable.
    The writing and dialogue in "Game 6" sound like a retrospective Broadway play. It's literary and emotional. Keaton is at his best and Robert Downey Jr. is quirky and interesting as Schwimmer, as well. The supporting cast all turn in solid performances. 
    All in all, this relatively unknown baseball flick is a winner. It's light on baseball action, but the bar scene where he's watching that legendary game 6 is such a heartbeat-to-heartbeat moment, that you feel the pain. As you watch his hope build, you know what's coming and dread what's going to happen to him. "Game 6" is an ode to the suffering sports fan that hits the sweet spot that many of us can relate to on a personal level. It may not be for everybody, but this movie is definitely in my list of sleeper baseball movies to check out.
     
    Bonus: Did you know that James Earl Jones has been in at least four baseball movies? He must have loved the game. Can you name them?
    Run Time: 1 hr 27 min
    Scorecard: Solid double to the gap.

    Best line: Nicky Rogan: "When the Mets lose, they just lose. It's a flat feeling; there's nothing there. Now the Red Sox, now, here, we have a rich history of really fascinating ways to lose a crucial game. You know what I mean? Defeats that just keep you awake at night. They pound in your head like the hammer of fate."
  7. Tyler Omoth

    The Sandlot (1993)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    I like baseball movies that make me feel something. It might be the thrill of a big moment like the homerun in The Natural or Wild Thing's big entrance in Major League. I might be a nostalgia for the game, itself, like any of Costner's baseball movies, really. 1993's The Sandlot makes me feel and remember the pure joy of playing baseball as a kid with a bunch of crackpot friends! There are a lot of baseball flicks that showcase a team of kids and it's essential to bring out their personalities and makes them not just likeable, but loveable. The Sandlot nails this.

    The story of The Sandlot is told through the eyes of new-kid-to-the-neighborhood, Scotty Smalls. He doesn't have any friends, he's struggling to bond with his stepfather, and unfortunately, he's hopeless at baseball. He gets invited to play sandlot ball with a group of local kids by Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez. The kids are baffled and astounded by Scotty's lack of baseball knowledge and ability. When they lose their last ball (a frequent occurance) Scotty sees his chance at redemption and offers to let them use his dad's baseball. Unfortunately, that ball is signed by Babe Ruth. Of course, they lose the ball over the wall where there is a junkyard and an absolute beast of a dog that has reached legendary status. The rest of the movie is about getting the ball back, enjoying summer, and a smattering of actually playing baseball. 

    I can't emphasize enough how much I love the characters in this movie! Ham Porter, the chunky catcher played by a young Patrick Renna, is the hilarous big mouth on the team and steals a number of scenes. Squints, (Chauncey Leopardi), is kind of the brainy one with glasses who pulls off the biggest stunt imagineable in one of the single best scenes in baseball movie history. I mean, who can forget Wendy Peffercorn? Benny (Mike Vitar) is the stud player and all-around nice guy. Every player on the team has his quirks and even the ones that should be annoying, (I'm looking at you, "Yeah Yeah") somehow just work. I don't know that I've seen most of these actors again, but I can't imagine this movie with anyone else playing these roles. We even get a bit of James Earl Jones in here and that is always welcome. 
    In case you can't tell already, The Sandlot is an absolute home run for me and one of my top 5 baseball movies of all time. It's just fun. It's of the most quoteable baseball movies (You're killing me, Smalls!) and unlike most other kid-focused baseball movies, it isn't about an adult coach, the kids pretty much run the whole show. If you love baseball, I don't see how you can't love this movie. If you don't care about baseball at all, you'll still probably love it. 
    I'd love to hear your favorite scenes from The Sandlot. Don't like the movie? I gotta know why! Let me know in the comments
    Bonus: Did you know that James Earl Jones has been in at least four baseball movies? He must have loved the game. Can you name them?
    Run Time: 1 hr 41 min
    Scorecard: Homerun to the second deck!

    Best line: Adult Scotty as narrator: "Michael Squints Palledorous walked a little taller that day. And we had to tip our hats to him. He was lucky she hadn't beat the *crap* out of him. We wouldn't have blamed her."
  8. Tyler Omoth

    You Gotta Believe (2024)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    What makes a great baseball movie? Star power never hurts. A team of kids that rallies around a common cause? Sure. We've loved that before, right? Solid on-field play? Definitely a plus. Based on a true story? I'll be honest, I've never cared too much about that part, but it can lend a bit of weight to a story. Think "Moneyball" or "Eight Men Out." But, even if you put all of that together, it's not a magic recipe for a great baseball movie. The 2024 Netflix release "You Gotta Believe" has all of these things, yet it still doesn't make us jump up from our seat cheering for the home team.

    The plot for "You Gotta Believe" is pretty standard After School Movie Special type stuff. Greg Kinnear plays, Jon Kelly, a lawyer who's also a very disengaged coach of a dreadful Little League team. Luke Wilson plays the more passionate nice-guy assistant coach, Bobby Ratliff. Once the team's season is done, Jon is asked to coach the team in the Little League World Series tourney. Even though they're a hopeless team, the league needs to field a team to keep their sponsorships. At first, Coach Kelly scoffs at the idea, but when Coach Ratliff is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he's flip flops to give Coach Ratliff a reason to get out of bed each day. Surprise, surprise...they start to redefine their individual roles on the team, playing to their personal strengths and start to do pretty well. 
    The actual baseball in the movie is pretty solid for a young group. Some of the concepts are a bit unrealistic. One kid can't catch because he's afraid of the ball. What do they do? Move him from first base to catcher, where he feels protected by all the gear. Really? Really. One kid starts to hit better when he takes his glasses off. I didn't get that one at all. When the team starts to do well in the tourney, the fast-paced baseball action looks very good if you can get past the bizarre editing. More on that in a bit. 
    The acting is fine, but very lackluster. I like both Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear, and they were okay, but there really wasn't any room to spread their wings here. The team itself was pretty dull, but that's not the actors' fault either. The kids just didn't have real interesting characters like those we love in The Sandlot. On a fun note, we get a surprise visit from a Sandlot favorite as Patrick Renna (we know him as catcher Ham Porter) plays the league president that has to beg Coach Kelly to take the team to the tourney. It's always fun to see that guy pop up. 
    Okay. There is one scene in this movie that stands out, but for me at least, not in a good way. As the team starts to win in the tourney, it becomes a song montage, which is pretty common. However, the song they chose is "Rawhide." Not only that, as the screen flips and twitches to fast edited baseball play, you see players and coaches mouthing the words to the song and making the whip action with their hands. My honest reaction was, WTF? What is happening. It is so odd. Some might love it, but I thought it felt really out of place in this movie and just weird overall. 
    Overall, "You Gotta Believe," takes a pretty remarkable true story and makes it mostly generic with a touch of absurd. It's watchable, but also pretty forgettable. If you like "feel-good" movies, this could be your jam. Put it on when you have some light work to do and check it off your list. (We all keep baseball movie lists, right?) It's a made-for-Netflix movie, so that's where you can find it. 
    Grab your popcorn and play ball!
    Run Time: 1 hr 44 min
    Scorecard: Single up the middle.
    Best line: Coach: "Welcome to Williamsport, boys!" 
                     Player: "Are you sure those are boys? That guy has a mustache?"  (We all played against that kid as Little Leaguers, didn't we?)
  9. Tyler Omoth

    Calvin Marshall (2009)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    We all have that one friend. You know the one. He or she talks a big game, but their game can't back up their mouth. Sometimes that can drive you nuts, but darn it, they're still so lovable you decide to overlook their quirks. Besides, your buddy isn't trying to fool anyone. They actually believe it. That, in a nutshell, is Calvin Marshall. 

    "Calvin Marshall" is a Rudy-esque tale of a junior college kid who is a legend among his friends as a baseball star. But, the reality is that his friends are beer league softball guys and Little Leaguers. When we meet him, he's getting ready to tryout for his juco baseball team for the third year in a row. Coach Little, a hard-drinking, temperamental guy who flamed out in the minor leagues due to injury, is conflicted when it comes to Marshall. He mostly sees him as a running joke for the team, almost a mascot, but he can't help but admire the passion, determination, and persistence of the kid. When not on the field, Marshall is heading up the campus sports news channel and finds himself covering the women's volleyball team. When a new transfer, Tori Jensen, arrives and dominates the v-ball scene, he's smitten. Somehow,  his persistence and determination payoff with the way-out-of-his-league outside hitter. Will he get the girl? Will he leave his mark on the baseball team? 
    "Calvin Marshall" is a bit of a unicorn in that it has almost no baseball action in it, but it still feels like a baseball movie. The baseball talk is on point. Calvin is portrayed as a guy who knows the game inside out and it's believable. There's some pretty good volleyball action in there as well, for what its worth. The actors all look like they can legitimately play the sports, especially Michelle Lombardo, who plays Tori Jensen. Turns out she was the captain of her high school volleyball team before becoming an SI Swimsuit model. Who knew? The ending of the film might be a bit lackluster, but I like that it's not the typical, predictable Hollywood ending.
    For what I assume was a lower budget movie, the writing, acting, and look of this movie are all pretty legit. Alex Frost, who plays Marshall, makes me think of a young John Cusack. He's disarming and likable to a point where you really want him to catch a break. Coach Little is played by none other than the pride of Marshall, MN, Steve Zahn and he's perfect for the part. He's fiesty and funny in that twitchy small-dog sort of way that is his trademark. Lombardo is fine and the rest of the cast all play their roles well. 
    I'll admit. When I clicked play on this movie, I was not expecting much. What I got, was a really fun hour and a half baseball flick. In fact, I think I've watched it three times in the past year. "Calvin Marshall" may not have the gravitas of "Moneyball" or "Field of Dreams," but the characters make you care about them and it's an enjoyable ride. If you're reading my blog hoping to find some hidden baseball movie gems that you've never heard of, this is one of them. You can easily find it on Amazon Prime (for free), Tubi, or Roku TV. 
    Scorecard: Sneaky hustle double
    Best line: Coach Little, during batting practice, "Marshall! You couldn't hit a bull in the a## with a shovel!"
    Run Time: 1 hr 33 min
  10. Tyler Omoth

    Little Big League (1994)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    I'll never forget my first pro baseball game. It was May 15th, 1987 and I was there with most of my sixth grade class. I was already a huge Twins fan and Kirby Puckett was far and away my favorite player. At this point, we had no idea what that season had in store for us. We were just excited to be inside the Metrodome watching Señor Smoke take the mound against the Boston Red Sox. Long story short, or at least less long, the game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning when Kirby stepped up to the plate and took Bruce Hurst deep for a 2-run shot. We lost our minds. The pure joy and adrenaline of that moment has never been matched at a game since. Why? I've seen walk-offs, but I'm not a kid anymore.

    Kids see baseball differently. That's a primary theme of "Little Big League." While the main character, 12-year-old Billy Heywood, is a bit of a baseball nerd, full of facts and strategies, he loves the game as only a kid can. When his grandfather, who owns the Twins, passes away, Billy inherits the team. He eventually fires the hard-nosed manager and takes over the duties himself. He finds success when he injects some fun into the team's daily grind and sure enough, they start winning and make a run for the playoffs. Of course, while Billy tries to bring out the kid in his players, he struggles trying to live an adult life as a 12-year-old. 
    "Little Big League" is a baseball movie made for kids. The premise and some of the acting is pretty cheesy. The end result is, however, kinda fun. You see cameos from MLB stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Carlos Baerga, and Rafael Palmeiro. The overall acting is pretty solid. Timothy Busfield does a good job as Lou Collins, the team's steady-eddy veteran who also woos Billy's mom. (Bonus points if you can name what other baseball film he's appeared in!) John Ashton is likeable as Mac, the assistant coach who takes Billy under his wing. 
    Best of all, you get to hear John Gordon (as Wally Holland) announcing all the baseball action. I got sentimental tingles when he shouted, ""Touch 'em all, Mickey Scales!" 
    "Little Big League" doesn't make my top 10 and maybe not even my top 20, but it's good innocent fun. Grab a hot dog, some popcorn, and give it a shot.
    Scorecard: Double
    Best line: “Baseball is a kid’s game...grown-ups only screw it up” (Bob Lemon as quoted by Billy Heywood)
    Run time: 1 hr 59 min
    Where can you see it? Find the DVD at your library? This one is tough (but not impossible) to find online.
    IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110363/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_little%20big%20le
  11. Tyler Omoth

    Bull Durham (1988)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    Happy Opening Day 2025! It's a day full of hope and excitement where every team not named the White Sox still has hope for a fun and successful season. It's a day I loof forward to each year like a 7-year-old looks forward to Christmas morning. And, much like other beloved holidays, Opening Day comes with honored traditions. For well over a decade, I've opened my baseball season by watching a baseball movie before the actual games get going. And, it's not just any movie, it's my favorite of all favorites, Bull Durham.

    Bull Durham is another baseball flick that centers on a minor league team. This time it's the Durham Bulls. Your cast of characters includes Tim Robbins as Ebby "Nuke" Laloosh, a young fireballer with a "million dollar arm and a five cent head." To harness this kids talent, the Bulls bring in Crash Davis, played by Costner, who is a career minor league catcher with a reputation for intelligence and baseball savvy. The wildcard in the mix is Susan Sarandon as Annie Savoy, a professional groupie of sorts. She's smart, sexy, and knows her baseball. Each year she pairs up with one of the Bull's players and helps guide them to their peak performance both on and off the field. Of course, this becomes a bit of a love triangle. From the lead trio to the coaching staff, players, and even the play-by-play guy, Bull Durham is loaded with memorable characters that as likeable as they are funny.
    While Costner looks the part, right down to his swing and catching stance, Robbins is a bit of a stretch as a baseball player. However, he nails the personality of his character so well that it doesn't bother me. Sarandon has never been more charming or sexy and Robert Wuhl steals a couple of scenes as Larry, an assistant coach. The "team meeting on the mound" scene is possibly the best scene in baseball movie history. 
    For me, Bull Durham is the best of all baseball movies because it ties together the passion for the game, the romance, the goofiness, and the frustration all so well. The characters just feel like frustrated minor leaguers and one can't help but wonder if there's a real Annie Savoy out there somewhere teaching young pitchers how to wear garter belts. It's not a team of misfits that magically wins it all. In fact, we don't even know how the Bulls' season ends. Laloosh gets a September call up and without him on the team, they cut Crash loose. It's harsh, but it's just so real. This film just doesn't get old for me. 
    Let me know your favorite Bull Durham quotes or moments in the comments!
    Scorecard: Home Run that out of the stadium!
    Best line: So many to choose from...but my favorite is: Larry: "Who are you?" Crash: "I'm the player to be named later."
    Run Time: 1 hr 48 min
  12. Tyler Omoth

    Long Gone (1987)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    "Long Gone" is a bit of a deep-dive that I saw last year for the first time and liked it. It held up a second time. It has one of the highest ratings of all baseball movies on IMDB.com, 7.7 to Moneyball's 7.6. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's as good or better than Moneyball, but it's definetly a hidden gem. 

    This is a made-for-tv movie by HBO that has a very Bull Durham feel to it. William Peterson, who has been in a bunch of CSI stuff, plays the lead, Stud Cantrell. This guy is a Han Solo-ish rake that is crude but likeable. A very young Dermot Mulroney plays the talented young infielder on the team, Jamie Weeks. While Weeks shows some serious baseball skills, he's very nieve and that makes him an easy mark for the rest of the team.  This movie is all abou the roughneck minor league vibe of decades gone by. Cantrell is trying to land a job managing in the bigs while Weeks is just trying to make his name in the game. Another familiar face, Virginai Madsen, plays the love interest to Cantrell and is somewhere between Annie Savoy and Millie from Bull Durham. 
    All in all, the acting is decent, the story is fun, and the baseball feel is great. "Long Gone" is fun. It's not preaching anything. The on-field baseball is enjoyable, especially when you watch Mulroney. The dude can glove! This one sneaks into my top 15 if not my top 10. Give it a watch!
     
    Bonus points: Who is the famous magician that acts in this movie?
     
    Scorecard: Solid Double
    Best line: Cantrell talking to the old groundskeeper, who's sitting on a stool on the pitcher's mound:  "Hey, Monroe!                           Break out the batting practice balls and grab a glove!"
                     Monroe: "What the hell for?"
                     Cantrell: "So I can see whether this kid is a ballplayer or not."
    Run time: 1 hr 50 min
    Where can you see it? You can find it on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI7qnrfNvQw
  13. Tyler Omoth

    The Natural (1984)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    In the pantheon of baseball movies, like most genres, there are a few examples that have reached such a legendary status that they are almost untouchable and beyond criticism. 1984's "The Natural" may be the most iconic and most revered baseball movie of all time. That being said, does it still live up to that status today? Let's take a look.  

    "The Natural" is the tale of Roy Hobbs, a 19-year-old kid who seems destined for baseball greatness. In a fantastic scene, the kid is challenged to strike out baseball great Walter "The Whammer" Whambold with only three pitches. Whambold is clearly a representation of Babe Ruth both in look and in personality. When Hobbs completes the task, it seems he's truly ready to take the baseball world by storm. However, he doesn't get that chance. At least, not until he's in his mid-to-late 30's. Then, he arrives to the New York Knights as a complete unknown, very old rookie. One thing leads to another, and you end up with one of the greatest home run scenes in baseball cinematic history. 
    This film is part baseball movie and part mystic fable. It stretches reality on several occasions, but they are mostly forgivable because of the nature of the tale. It is supposed to be unbelievable. He even crafts his own baseball bat, "Wonder Boy," from a tree that had been struck by lightning which he manages to use nearly his entire career. Most of the actual baseball scenes are done well enough, but some of the characters are little more than tropes (I'm looking at you, Bump Bailey.)
    On the flip side, a few select characters are simply fantastic. The best of the lineup is Knight's skipper, Pop Fisher, played by Wilford Brimley. Grumpy and grumbling all the time, he's constantly muttering to himself, "I should have been a farmer!" You can't help but sympathize with and love the old goat. Robert Duvall is his usual, charismatic self, playing the badgering reporter, Max Mercy. He's the one guy who recognizes Hobbs from that years ago run in with "The Whammer" and is a dog with a bone trying to get the full story. Richard Farnsworth plays the remarkably likeable assistant coach, Red Blow, who quietly delivers some of the film's best lines. The lead role, of course, is played by Robert Redford. More on him in a minute. 
    So, what's the final score here? Is "The Natural" the best baseball movie of all time? For my money, nope. Unpopular opinion time...it's not in my top 5! While I admire much about the movie and you can't help but love Brimley, and the shattered lights scene is iconic, I just get bored with the plot. It's painfully slow with too little baseball action and the character of Roy Hobbs, as played by Redford, is just plain bland and the same goes for  his love interests (played by Glenn Close and Kim Basinger). Some of the minor roles are not acted particularly well. I understand why many people love this movie, and I like it fine, but it comes up a bit short for my taste to be considered among the best of the best. 
    Scorecard: Solid double off the wall
    Best line: Red Blow: Pretty good food, huh?
                    Roy Hobbs: Damn good.
                    Red Blow: You can't spell it, but it eats pretty good, don't it?
    Run Time: 2 hr 18 min
  14. Tyler Omoth

    The Babe (1992)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    Baseball is a game of legends. Jackie Robinson. Lou Gehrig. Nick Punto. The list goes on and on, but George Herman "Babe" Ruth is undeniably the most deified player in the history of the game. He entered baseball around the same time that the Black Sox scandal was tearing it down. Babe's larger-than-life personality and record-breaking feats on the diamond helped to heal those wounds and make him the biggest name in baseball, if not America. 

    "The Babe" follows Ruth's life from the day he was dropped off at an orphanage at age seven all the way to his death in 1948. From the outset he was labeled "incorrigible," and whether it was just fact or him trying to live up the label, that is largely how he comes across throughout the entire film. His talent is too good to be ignored, but everything else you get with the package is troublesome. Okay, he seems to be good with young fans. I'll give him that. 
    With John Goodman in the title role and a number of other notable names like Kelly McGillis, Bruce Boxleitner, and James Cromwell the acting is solid enough. However, the movie is far from great. Ruth's story has a lot of room for compassion and tragedy, but "The Babe," just never really gets us there. He's more of a caricature of the ballplayer and ruffian than a guy for which you feel sympathy or respect. There's not a lot of actual baseball played on the screen and when it is, it is not terribly believable. I've always liked Goodman and I wanted to like this movie more, but it's just a bit too ordinary for a legend. 

    It's a watchable film, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Right now you can track it down on Peacock if you're a subscriber.
    Run Time: 1 hr 55 min
    Scorecard: Bloop single.
    Best line: "Last year I hit 59 home runs never went to bed before 3 and I drank all night."
     
  15. Tyler Omoth

    Everyone's Hero (2006)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    Did you know that when Joe Dimaggio was chasing the consecutive games hit streak record in 1941, someone stole his bat? It was a Saturday double-header in the Bronx and in between games a fan managed get his mits on "Betsy Ann." This was well into the streak, so it was a pretty big deal. Luckily for Joe, his buddy and driver, Jimmy "Peanuts" Ceres, had some small-time mob connections. He spent five days looking for the bat and eventually found the culprit and "negotiated" for its return. True story!



    "Everyone's Hero" is an animated baseball film from 2006 that is loosely (very loosely) based off of that incident. In the movie, it's Babe Ruth's bat "Darlin'," and it's a young boy named Yankee Irving who seeks her out and returns her to the Babe. This movie is loaded with familiar voices including Rob Reiner as Screwie the baseball, Whoopi Goldberg as Darlin' (Yes, the equipment talks. A lot.) Brian Dennehy as Babe Ruth as well as Ed Helms, William H. Macy, Mandy Patinkin, Forest Whitaker, Robin Williams and Richard Kind. Most notable soundtrack songs are from the lead singer from Five for Fighting, which really grounds this in it's mid-2000's release date. 
    Overall, it's a moderately entertaining film. The talking bat and ball are a bit annoying, but what do you expect from a kids' movie? There is a fun little scene involving a Negro Leagues team and the plot is not too outrageous...until the end. I won't spoil it, but the ending was a bit too far fetched for me and took the whole movie down a base. If you're looking for a baseball movie to watch with younger kids, this could fit the bill. On your own, you can do better, but you could do worse, too. 
    Scorecard: Single
    Best line: When the Negro League team starts playing shadowball on the bus, Screwie blurts out, "What are they doing? Oh, my gosh! They're mimes. Get me out of here!" 
    Run time: 1 hr 27 min
    Where can you see it? You may have to rent it from a library or check out Google for freebie (though sketchy) options.
  16. Tyler Omoth

    Soul of the Game (1996)

    By Tyler Omoth,


    Baseball Movies
    There's a good chance you're familiar with Jackie Robinson's rise from the Negro Leagues to the Brooklyn Dodgers. You may have watched "42" or "The Jackie Robinson Story," which are both fine movies. But 1996's "Soul of the Game" walks you through the story from a different angle entirely. This underrated baseball film takes a look at Robinson's tale with less of focus on its effects on MLB and the white players around him as much as it casts a lens on his fellow Negro League players who thought maybe they deserved that shot. 
    While Blair Underwood is great as Robinson and Mykelti Williamson plays a loveable yet gruff slugging catcher, Josh Gibson, it's Delroy Lindo's portrayal of aging pitcher Satchel Paige that steals the screen. Outside of talent, Satchel is everything that Jackie is not, he's cocky, brash, and tempermental. He's also a blast to watch. 
    Each player has their own battles and reasons for wanting to be the first one to the Majors. Gibson, "the black Babe Ruth,"  is the acknowledged slugger in the Negro Leagues, but he's battling health issues in the form of headaches and mental issues. Despite those concerns, he is reported to have hit over 800 career homeruns. Satchel Paige is the biggest draw in the league as a dominant pitcher and spectacular showman. However, by the time this story is unfolding, he's entering into his 40s and feeling the effects of aging. For both, the clock is ticking on this opportuntity. Then, enters a young, straight-laced Robinson that pulls the rug out from in under them. 
    In the end, this movie has characters that are eminently relatable and tells the story from a unique angle without a hint of getting preachy. While its not my favorite baseball film (that will show up on Opening Day!) it's my favorite hidden gem and a top 10 for me. 
    Scorecard: Triple (standing up!)
    Best line: (Jackie talking to Satchel Paige's wife-to-be Lahoma)
                     Jackie: "How old is he?"
                     Lahoma: "Not a day older than he has to be."
    Run time: 1 hr 34 min
    Where can you see it? Free on Youtube
    IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115631/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
×
×
  • Create New...