2024 Major League Baseball season (Page 78 of 91)

Dick Enberg is a legend's legend in sportscasting, winning every accolade and award in multiple sports as a broadcaster. He's been the broadcaster for my Padres lately, a team perennially mired in the cellar. He's hanging up the mic after this season. Here's his paean to the game. It's been a joy over these many years to listen to his voice and wise commentary on the American Game. I'm really going to miss his voice and insight.

Why do I love thee...let me count the ways.

The game teases and caresses all my senses.

The promise of sweet sounds of bat against ball.

and within its echo a glove swallowing hope.

The subtle scent of the infield's morning mow

The olfactory bombardment of an old ballpark's stale beer.

The baseball barking of umpires and concessionaires.

The chatter of spikes on the concrete steps.

The classic Shakespearean confrontation of

best hitter versus best pitcher

Sunshine and shadows; day to night; spring hopes to autumn reality.

The distinct beauty of the baseball field's geometry...

squares, circles, rectangles, a pentagon and lines to infinity.

The sight of a ball's towering Ruthian flight to a distant landing,

pushed to its destination by a crescendo of awe.

Getting dirty so cleanly in the graceful completion of a fall away hook slide.

The perfect interception of a laser liner by a radar correct outfielder...

and sometimes the daring dive to accomplish the mission.

To marvel at Gwynn's mastery of an inside-out missile,

deftly directed through the 5.5 target.

To comprehend the sleight of hand of Brooks Robinson,

magically reducing doubles into 5-3's

To acknowledge the subtle arrogance of a Carew drag bunt.

Jackie's audacious dash to a theft of home.

To share with an audience the extraordinary late innings' drama

of a pitcher's relentless omnipotence, grunting and grinding to a hitless game.

In my privileged 60 years, the no-hitter is the single most exciting experience

ever as a sportscaster. What blessed theater! (See Nolan Ryan)

The anthem reverently sung by a children's choir.

The communal crooning every seventh inning to

root, root, root for the home team.

The universal smile of joy of any fan

of any age when securing a precious foul ball.

And, oh my, the immaculately executed valley of a double play.

As the lyric goes, these are just a few of my favorite things.

And we all know its poetry doesn't end there. Baseball never ends...there. That's why we embrace it, share it, score it, play it. A generational game connecting us inexorably with a grandfather's past and the unknowns of Little League hope.

I've taken great privilege and joy in reporting the unique beauty of our game. Each game providing its strengths, subtleties, spirit, and sober disappointments. I finally have come to understand that baseball is a religion. Hey, I've worked for the Angels and Padres and Lord knows during the course of a season we all pray a lot.

Amen.
ps. I'll take a beer and mustard on that hot dog.

Glad Cueto will start for the NL and REALLY glad Bochy went ahead and started Madbum yesterday, 1 hit complete game shutout! Had a no hitter going into the 8th, the only trophy he hasn't acquired......yet!

                                                                                Viva Gigantes/Go Tribe!!!

                                                                                J Dawg

Karma for bumping off the Cubs last year??

Fire sale ongoing here in San Diego. AA and AAA is what we field. I think the farm teams are better.

Rick

Well, baseball is a strange game. Stats are kept for everything.
Padres tied an all time record for the National League and can break it tonight. Most consecutive games with a homer hit by a team. 24 and tonight they can own it with 25 in a row. The Reds are in town to try and stop the streak.
Breakem up! Murderers row!
Solidly in last place but there's a glimmer? Nah, I put this with monkeys and typewriters.
Rick

I've been dying a thousand deaths with you Shredit....but I've been behind them since '58 so I'm not quittin now....

Haha, you guys are priceless...dying a thousand deaths!

Try being a Cubs fan...where that phrase is almost literal.

Let me put it this way: My beloved Kansas City Royals (who have been to four World Series, winning two) didn't even EXIST until 1969, 24 seasons after the last time the Cubs made a World Series, and 61 seasons after the last time the Cubs won a World Series... 

The Cubbies do look awfully good this year though, and might finally end that championship drought...