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!"

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.

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!"

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!"

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.

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."

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."

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."

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?)

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

"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

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

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

Think back to October 2019 – the Twins had just gotten pantsed in the playoffs. Again. A really fun season had ended in disappointment. Again. But there was still ample reason for hope. One such reason for optimism was the emergence of Luis Arraez, a rookie contact-hitting savant. Now, one (odd) season later, and we’re in about the same place. The Twins are fresh off another fun season that ended in postseason embarrassment, but this year, we’re much less excited about the 23-year-old second baseman. And for what? All Arraez did in 2020 was fight through injury to hit for a .321 batting average (best on the team) and a .364 on-base percentage (second best) while playing a decent second base. So why are some Twins fans throwing his name into every possible trade deal or into a platoon with whoever ends up as Minnesota’s utility man? Hasn’t Arraez earned himself a spot in the Twins future?
 
2020 Season
Okay, obviously saying that Arraez “fought through injury” to bat .321 is a fairly rose-tinted way of looking at what Luis brought to the Twins last year. To put it a different way, “Arraez was an injury liability and, when he was in the lineup, he regressed in all major stat categories and offered very little in the way of power.” The truth about Arraez is somewhere in between these two takes, but I’ve heard a lot more extreme pessimism than optimism. Yes, he regressed last year and no, he doesn’t help the team when he’s injured, but we’ve found ways to excuse nearly every other Twin for those same exact problems without casting them off as trade bait (I’m looking at you, Garver and Buxton). Also, Arraez’s “regression” brought him down to a .321 average that would’ve been good for third-best in the American League if he had enough at-bats to qualify. As far as I’m concerned, that’s still a pretty good season.
 


Arraez's 2020 campaign was disappointing, but there's reason for hope going forward 
Advanced Stats
I understand that, nowadays, you often have to do more than just hit at a high average to be a solid MLB player, but worry not, because Arraez actually improved slightly in a number of more telling advanced statistics last season. His 2020 campaign saw him improve in average exit velocity, sweet spot percentage and hard hit percentage, per Baseball Savant. None of these improvements was particularly significant and he’s by no means excelling in any of these categories, but it’s clear by looking at the advanced metrics that Arraez is not getting worse at the plate. In fact, it seems that his 2020 season should have been even better than his breakout rookie year.
 
So why did it feel disappointing? Because we were hoping for that second-year leap and we got a regression to the mean instead. Arraez’s improvement in advanced hitting metrics and regression in average and OBP show us that his rookie year was a statistical outlier more than it was a stepping stone to even greater success in the future. Still, if .321 is the mean he regressed towards, Twins fans ought to be excited, especially considering that he was injured and is still only 23. We’ve written off much worse pandemic performances from healthier and more experienced guys, so let’s afford Arraez some of that forgiveness.
 
2021 Projections
Unfortunately, ZiPS (and every other projection service) doesn’t seem to be helping me make my case. They predict a slash line of .313/.371/.406 for his third year in the bigs. On the surface, this looks worse than it is because Arraez’s average is projected to take another hit, but ZiPS actually projects that .313 mark to lead the majors. They have his on-base and slugging numbers improving, too, so, really, they’re not down on Arraez at all. Even if Arraez does level out as a .313 hitter – and I think he’ll be better than that long-term – adding some power and taking more walks would be a massive improvement for his career and for the Twins lineup. And I believe he can make those improvements because, again, he’s only 23.
 


ZiPS projects a .313/.371/.406 slash line for Arraez in 2021 
So, where does that leave us? I saw the regression from his rookie year (we all did) and no, his 2020 year wasn’t what we hoped for, but Arraez is still a great asset for the Twins moving forward. I believe in his contact hitting that has been the best on the team and I believe in the advanced metrics that show his improvements in other areas. Most of all, though, I believe in the player. Arraez has hit .300 at every level of professional baseball, and is the same age or younger than some of the Twins’ top minor-league prospects. He’s already a great hitter and he has a lot of opportunity for growth ahead of him. Luis Arraez may very well win a batting title soon, and the Twins better make sure he does it in a Minnesota jersey.