I was never a fan of Orel Hershiser...

...when he was pitching for the L.A. Dodgers against my Cincinnati Reds, but I just LOVE his radio commentary on ESPN World Series radio broadcasts.  The play-by-play guy, Dan Shulman, is also quite good, but they gotta get rid of that Bobby Valentine since he adds nothing.  Doesn't he have a Safety Director job in Stamford, CT, that can keep him busy?  (And, yes, I know, he donates his salary for that position.)

BTW, Go, Cardinals!...and prove yet again that National League Baseball is real baseball...For example, St. Louis has to make the conscious decision to put a less-than-perfect fielder at third base, David Freese, because his bat's so hot, and they must risk taking out a pitcher who's pitching well for a pinch hitter -- when the situation demands.  That silly designated hitter rule runs rough shod over all the tough choices that a manager should have to make for his team in the course of a game.




PS: Another ESPN-brand personality I really like is the eponymous star of Dan LeBetard is Highly Questionable (ESPN 2, weekdays at 4:00 PM).  I can't catch it very often at all, but he (below on right with his father and show guest Pat Riley) can be quite entertaining.

Twitter Schwitter...Damon Runyon was doin' it in 1919

From Guys, Dolls, and Curveballs: Damon Runyon on Baseball, edited by Jim Reisler (Carroll and Graf, 2005):

In mid-1919 for no apparent reason, Runyon abandoned his traditional game story, turning his coverage into virtual short-hand -- loosely connected observations that took in the game, who showed up in the press box, and whatever else struck his fancy (387-391):

Two out. Baker doubled. Lewis beat out a poke. Pipp couldn't help. Easy bouncer to (Joe) Gedeon.

Ollie Chill, the limited edition of umps, worked behind the plate yesterday. Ollie is about as high as (catcher) Truck Hannah's belt buckle. Quiet day for Ollie.

Lower stand packed. Upper stand fairly well filled and both bleachers nicely populated yesterday. The firm of Colonel and Colonel did a lot of loose beaming.

Good ump, "Brick."

What I don't understand about that 10 PM Leno show...

...and what should really irk Conan, too:

Imagine for a minute that I'm a big star with a movie opening next Friday, am I going to appear on both Jay and Conan on NBC in LA? If so, which first? I can't imagine that Jay's show will not be the preferred, and more prestigious, program, so why bother with Conan at all -- much less with that Jimmy Fallon -- although at least he's on the opposite coast.

I must admit I laughed heartily at Tom Hanks' recent appearance on Letterman and his suggestion of a "Dave at Eight" show (a.k.a., CSI: Dave).

I remember when Johnny's retirement meant something: he was leaving and a new era was beginning. No such drama here: no one's leaving, no one's changing. It's instead much ado about time slots.

Of course the real time slot news ain't Tonight (or Earlier This Evening or whatever Jay's show's name will be), it's rather that, in order to appease the East Coast and perhaps even prove to youngsters that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Fall Classic," World Series games are going to begin before 8 PM --- at 7:57!

(No, seriously, that's what MLB announced.)