Hall Jr. Nominee: Mighty Casey
Posted: February 5th, 2009 | Filed under: Baseball | 51 Comments »
Mighty Casey
Player
Reason not in the Hall of Fame: Fictional Character.
The Postgame Press Conference
Mudville Manager: Well, uh, tough loss obviously. We got the matchup that we wanted in the ninth, there, with Casey. I give our guys a lot of credit, we didn’t quit there, got the tying runs into scoring position. But we coudln’t get the big hit there. You tip your cap. Nobody’s hanging their head. OK. Questions.
Reporter: Looked like Casey was really fooled on those first two pitches.
Manager: Yeah, look. I’m not going to say anything about the umpiring and get fined. Obviously we saw it a little bit different in our dugout. All we ask is for the umpire to be consistent, and Casey has earned the sort of respect around the league where … I don’t want to talk about the umpiring.
Reporter: What was the pitch Casey struck out on?
Manager: You’ll have to ask him that. It looked like a change-up to me, I thought he was out front. But you’ll have to ask him. You know, sometimes, you just have to tip your cap to the other guy. It was a hell of a pitch.
Reporter Can you talk a little bit about the crowd? Five thousand tonight.
Manager: We have great fans in Mudville, I think everyone knows that.
Reporter: Did you hear the fans yell, “Kill the umpire?â€
Manager: I didn’t hear that. If they said that, it’s really unfortunate.
Reporter: Do you feel like Casey needed to be more aggressive?
Manager: I’m not going to tell Mighty Casey how to play the game. I didn’t think either of those first two pitches were good hitters pitches. The first one looked inside to me. That really wasn’t Casey’s style of pitch. But I don’t want to talk about the umpiring.
Reporter: Can you talk about the pitching performance you got out of Barrows tonight?
Manager: I thought he pitched pretty well. Had a little trouble in the third with his command. But four runs … he kept us in the game. He gave us a chance.
Reporter: Odd lineup tonight with Flynn leading off and Jimmy Blake hitting second.
Manager: I just wanted to shake things up. I really felt like Blake was ready to break out. He hit the ball good in the ninth.
Reporter: Do you think the strikeout will affect Casey?
(Groans)
Manager: No, it won’t affect him. He’s a professional. He’s struck out before. You’re not going to get a hit every time. There isn’t a guy in the league I’d rather have up there in that situation. Next time, he’ll probably double off the wall.
Reporter: There are rumors about a possible Casey for A-Rod trade.
Manager: I don’t talk about rumors. They’re both great players.
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Reporter: Can you comment regarding the reports that in your new book, you state that other players refer to Casey as “Flighty Casey” and “Mighty Spacey?”
Manager: I think what is said in the clubhouse should stay there. Also, I didn’t really write that book.
One more question … from the back:
“Were you surprised that they pitched to Casey with first base open? Do you think he was expecting to be walked intentionally and took the first pitch or two for that reason?”
I’m surprised nobody has nominated Ben Shibe — inventor of the cork-center baseball and the steel-and-concrete ballpark.
Mighty Casey did much better in Casey’s Revenge (written by some no-name called Grantland Rice).
There were saddened hearts in Mudville for a week or even more;
There were muttered oaths and curses- every fan in town was sore.
“Just think,” said one, “how soft it looked with Casey at the bat,
And then to think he’d go and spring a bush league trick like that!”
All his past fame was forgotten- he was now a hopeless “shine.”
They called him “Strike-Out Casey,” from the mayor down the line;
And as he came to bat each day his bosom heaved a sigh,
While a look of hopeless fury shone in mighty Casey’s eye.
He pondered in the days gone by that he had been their king,
That when he strolled up to the plate they made the welkin ring;
But now his nerve had vanished, for when he heard them hoot
He “fanned” or “popped out” daily, like some minor league recruit.
He soon began to sulk and loaf, his batting eye went lame;
No home runs on the score card now were chalked against his name;
The fans without exception gave the manager no peace,
For one and all kept clamoring for Casey’s quick release.
The Mudville squad began to slump, the team was in the air;
Their playing went from bad to worse – nobody seemed to care.
“Back to the woods with Casey!” was the cry from Rooters’ Row.
“Get some one who can hit the ball, and let that big dub go!”
The lane is long, some one has said, that never turns again,
And Fate, though fickle, often gives another chance to men;
And Casey smiled; his rugged face no longer wore a frown-
The pitcher who had started all the trouble came to town.
All Mudville had assembled – ten thousand fans had come
To see the twirler who had put big Casey on the bum;
And when he stepped into the box, the multitude went wild;
He doffed his cap in proud disdain, but Casey only smiled.
“Play ball!” the umpire’s voice rang out, and then the game began.
But in that throng of thousands there was not a single fan
Who thought that Mudville had a chance, and with the setting sun
Their hopes sank low- the rival team was leading “four to one.”
The last half of the ninth came round, with no change in the score;
But when the first man up hit safe, the crowd began to roar;
The din increased, the echo of ten thousand shouts was heard
When the pitcher hit the second and gave “four balls” to the third.
Three men on base – nobody out – three runs to tie the game!
A triple meant the highest niche in Mudville’s hall of fame;
But here the rally ended and the gloom was deep as night,
When the fourth one “fouled to catcher” and the fifth “flew out to right.”
A dismal groan in chorus came; a scowl was on each face
When Casey walked up, bat in hand, and slowly took his place;
His bloodshot eyes in fury gleamed, his teeth were clenched in hate;
He gave his cap a vicious hook and pounded on the plate.
But fame is fleeting as the wind and glory fades away;
There were no wild and woolly cheers, no glad acclaim this day;
They hissed and groaned and hooted as they clamored: “Strike him out!”
But Casey gave no outward sign that he had heard this shout.
The pitcher smiled and cut one loose – across the plate it sped;
Another hiss, another groan. “Strike one!” the umpire said.
Zip! Like a shot the second curve broke just below the knee.
“Strike two!” the umpire roared aloud; but Casey made no plea.
No roasting for the umpire now – his was an easy lot;
But here the pitcher whirled again- was that a rifle shot?
A whack, a crack, and out through the space the leather pellet flew,
A blot against the distant sky, a speck against the blue.
Above the fence in center field in rapid whirling flight
The sphere sailed on – the blot grew dim and then was lost to sight.
Ten thousand hats were thrown in air, ten thousand threw a fit,
But no one ever found the ball that mighty Casey hit.
O, somewhere in this favored land dark clouds may hide the sun,
And somewhere bands no longer play and children have no fun!
And somewhere over blighted lives there hangs a heavy pall,
But Mudville hearts are happy now, for Casey hit the ball.
Overheard in the clubhouse:
“We should’ve got the live chicken.”
Rome: Phil in M-Ville, you’re in the Jungle!
Phil: Thanks for the vine, Romey. Hey, what is up with that loser…ERRRRR, choke artist Casey. Or should I say “K”-sey. Memo to Casey: when your team is trailing and there are men on base, the object is to HIT the ball, not to stand there and watch belt-high fastballs go by. That’s what happens when you give guys like Casey long-term guaranteed contracts. I could have TOLD Mudville that Casey never comes through in the clutch. I mean, this guy makes A-Rod look like Mr. October. If Mudville wants to win, they’ve got to trade his AAAASSSSSSSS, now.
Editor’s note: Rack him.
You must be bored.
Also, I can’t believe that nobody asked the manager if he wished his daughter had married a better third base coach.
Good stuff. Very good stuff.
This just in from Bill Plaschke:
“As everyone has known for some time, the Mudville 9 are in the cellar, because they foolishly mortgaged the future to build their team around overpaid free agents like Casey. Casey has always been a clubhouse cancer. If Mudville had nine scrappy guys like David Eckstein, they’d be contenders. As it is, Casey gives them meaningless homers, but doesn’t know how to manufacture runs. He just doesn’t make his teammates better.”
Where does he get this stuff? Casey’s VORP is off the charts. His OPS+ is sky-high. Mudville’s real problem is Cooney, who’s batting leadoff, when his on-base percentage is the lowest of any starting player in the league. Casey can’t do it all by himself.
aahhh…. FJM memories…
Kelly Leak.
Ha!!
That last Q&A line made me chuckle. Yeah, do you think Casey is really hall worthy? I mean, every time I hear about him, all he does is strike out in the 9th…
I don’t care about the rest of his stats, if he can’t perform in the clutch, I don’t think he’s worthy.
(can you tell i’m a yankees fan?)
Dan Shaughnessy’s been calling him Mighty Curse-y since Mudville hasn’t won a pennant since his famous strikeout.
If fictional characters get in, I nominate Henry Wiggen.
C’mon, Joe. Ya gotta add Bob Seger to that poll.
“I don’t want to talk about the umpiring.” Brilliant.
But I think that Mike (#13) makes a great point. Casey’s got a great reputation, like one of those slugging RBI guys. But we all know how overrated that type has been throughout history. Isn’t he a poor man’s Jim Rice, at best?
And it’s a small sample size, sure, but what are his numbers in close and late situations?
Is this just anoter Tinkers, Evers and Chance situation?
I think that we’ve got to put this through the sabremetic mill to see what comes out.
Yes, Bob Seger!
I’m with 13 and 17. How do you vote for a guy who whiffed in his only documented plate appearance?
If you’re looking at fictional characters, you can’t do much better than Bugs Bunny. Talk about a five-tool player: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/210704/bugs_bunny_baseball_bugs/
I don’t think Casey should be in the Hall Jr. because he seems to be a low OBP guy. His kind can’t survive in a sabre world.
Actually, I wrote a blog entry a few weeks back about how bloggers would treat Casey the day after.
http://www.cardinal70.com/generalbaseball/casey-in-todays-baseball.php
Fictional Character Nominee: C. Montgomery Burns.
Try and find a better GM (did you see that starting lineup he put together?), and his managing skills are legendary. Not only did his team never lose a game on his watch, but who else would have the courage to pinch hit for Strawberry (who was 9 for 9 with 9 home runs) against a lefty pitcher to play the percentages with a right-handed Homer?
Yes, there is that little issue about his under-handed ways, and it is true he had a million bucks riding on the Shelbyville game. But if the doors are open for Pete Rose, they should be open for Burns!
Enough about Casey, already. Why doesn’t anyone give Riley any credit for striking him out, huh?
I’m with Mikey, and the analysis of Bugs’s game has already been done — Derek Zumsteg’s “Bugs Bunny — Greatest Banned Player Ever” is available at USS Mariner.
One great line:
“Based on these calculations, it would seem possible for Bunny to actually fly and even to achieve escape velocity and orbit the planet using only his heckling.”
Did the team in Mudville move to St. Louis and become the Browns?
Meanwhile, on a call-in show in Toronto:
“You think we should get Casey? I don’t think you’d like that. Casey doesn’t like baseball, did you know that?”
Egad. Someone needs to be burned at the stake for this. Hilarious.
I personally would like to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Superbowl, or the Foo Fighters.
You’ve been to too many post game interviews Joe.
Reporter: Any thought given to pinch-hitting for Casey and going with a left-handed bat, you know, play the percentages?
Manager: Obviously, you know, hindsight is what it is. We liked the matchup we had at the time but sure, looking back, maybe giving the pitching something he wasn’t expecting might’ve been an idea.
Reporter: What about playing some small-ball, maybe have Casey drop a bunt down the first baseline what with the second baseman playing in shallow left field for the Casey Shift?
Manager: (very annoyed) Yeah, again, you know, there’s obviously some options there with Casey up but a suicide isn’t the play there for two reasons. There’s no record anywhere of Casey bunting anything in his life, and second, well, you all saw there how Flynn was a-huggin’ third. Hello?! YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!
Joe, so what you’re telling us is that the Mighty Casey is actually Adam Dunn?
Lt. Frank Drebin.
Umpire/Enrico Pallazzo
Joe,
My nominee for your HOF Jr. (fictional character) may have participated in the greatest baseball game ever played.
At the Polo Grounds in NYC in the summer of 1946, the nominee Bugs Bunny, defeated the notorious Gas-House Gorillas 96-95, single handedly. Bugs Bunny played every position.
Technical advancements and rule changes that affect the way baseball is played today stemmed from this game. Rule 6.06(d) (altered or tampered bat) and 7.05(c) (thrown glove) were enacted because of the controversy that erupted from the play that ended the game.
Bugs Bunny’s “Slow Ballâ€, the pitch that struck out three batters on one throw, has been developed into the modern day change up. The Powerful, Paralyzing, Perfect, Pachadermus, Percussion Pitch that Bunny developed has never been able to be duplicated.
Bugs Bunny retired from baseball after this game and went on to become a Hollywood icon. However, his play on this day is singular in the annals of baseball lore. Fortunately, the highlights have been preserved for future generations of baseball scholars, players, coaches, and fans to study and admire. Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_0lvuzJ0Qw&feature=related
Respectfully,
9/9/09
No joy in Mudville, but plenty in the betting parlors. Haven’t you heard the rumors about how crooked “Might He?” Casey is?
It keeps getting worse- Casey’s brother has reportedly written a book, documenting Casey’s use of banned substances.
Jeez baseball season needs to start SOON. I don’t like to see grown men reduced to this kind of lame time-wasting.
Reporter: Yeah, just getting back to the line-up issue today. Flynn has been described in other publications as a “lulu” and Jimmy Blake as “much-despised” and a “cake”. Were they especially motivated by these cryptic insults and is that what we saw today in the ninth?
Manager: I don’t know about that. I know we don’t have any cakes on our team here. Flynn puts the ball in play and always hustles. That’s a lulu? C’mon. Blake has always made the productive outs to advance the runner. He’s not much-despised in the clubhouse, I can tell you that. He’s a gamer.
Jon Morse (#23) – was the pitcher’s name Riley in the poem? I never knew that.
There was a great fictionalized account of Casey at the Bat in SI many years ago… it may have been written by Leigh Montville, I can’t remember now. He claimed that a pitcher named Kenny Landis was closing the game that day. The combination of mopping his brow and fiddling with his mustache resulted in his doctoring the ball without knowing it, and that’s why Casey struck out. Many years later, as Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, he would outlaw the practice he’d accidentally invented.
Also according to the story, the catcher was just as fooled as Casey, and the resulting passed ball (and subsequent throwing error, as the ball sailed off down the rightfield line) resulted in both runners scoring. Mudville eventually won.
My nominee is;
Jim Abbott
Not in the hall; numbers aren’t there
Hall Jr because he was an inspiration to many, still works as a motivational speaker. Threw a no-hitter. One of the great stories in baseball.
What they leave out is the press conference two days later regarding charges of Mighty Casey running two women over with his Mighty SUV.
I couldn’t tell if Casey was a ball player today or just a spectator. Boom, roasted.
It’s all about pitching.
That’s just CaseyBCasey, you know?
Chris C #30 –
Small ball or no, squeezing with 2 outs is generally not a good idea. Nevertheless, your point is well taken.
From the poem:
** With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone;
** He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
** He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
** But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, “Strike two.”
** “Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
** But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
Hmmmm… maybe the crowd was actually yelling “Fraud!” at Casey, not the umpire. Would he have been C-Fraud?
Reporter: While it may be that the crowd was yelling, “C-Fraud!”, there was a clear singsong from the Mudville bleachers as third baseman Jimmy Blake came to the plate in the ninth.
“J-Faaaaake! J-Faaaaaake!”
What are your comments on the chanting?
Manager: While it is true that earlier Mudville Nine teams resented Jimmy for his three-figure contract and referred to him as J-Fake, these days we are using as a motivational play. We ask him, ‘Are you going to be J-Fake or J-Blake today…”
Make no mistake Dombrowski was as much to blame as Casey. He bats third for a reason, and I guarantee you it isn’t to watch 4 pitches go by with men on first and second. Two of those balls were hittable. Heck, just last week against Durham I saw Dombrowski serve a double over the first baseman’s head on a ball low and away. There’s just no excuse not to go up there mashing. Bum-browski gets paid 14 million dollars to hit the damn ball. How do you think Vlady gets all those ribbies?
Hall Jr. Nominees:
Harold Baines
Reason not in the hall: Wrong color Sox
Lets face it, if he played in Boston he gets in this year instead of Rice.
great stuff by the way for Casey
If we exhumed Casey, could we find out if he was on steroids?
I’m with RJL (#40) about Jim Abbott
You really gotta hand it to that guy, don’t you?