Today is Santo Day. He would have been 72. Camp is open; so are the ticket windows, so I’m in the mood for some baseball flotsam. I thought I’d share a choice Santo anecdote that I discovered over the winter. Surely some of you know it.
For Christmas one of my sons gave me one of those “Baseball Voices” CD’s that Pat Hughes is always hawking. It’s the Santo edition. Have you heard the one about his pregame “interview” with Antonio Alfonseca?
Santo must have thought ol’ Tony Twelve was a descendant of Lew Fonseca, a good outfielder back in the depression era, because he addressed him as though his name was Al Fonseca, “the fine stopper for the Chicago Cubs.”
“Al,” he probes, “how do you feel about the trade that brought you over here to Chicago?”
Al responds with a stream of unintelligible pigeon English. Santo, as though maybe he’s just noticed that his guest has six fingers on each hand and is afraid he won’t be able to keep from asking if the extra one on his pitching hand makes Al twice as good as Mordecai (Three Finger) Brown, pulls the mic back and says, “Well, it’s good to have you with the club. Keep up the good work, Big Boy.”
And that’s it. As Hughes points out in the narration, a segment that typically ran five or so minutes was over and done in less than one.
A written account is a poor substitute for the real thing. I’m glad I have it at my disposal as a go-to laugher. I suspect I may have to cue it up more often than I’d like in the season to come as a fallback.
After listening to Ron and Al’s lively conversation one more time this morning while I had my bowl of shredded wheat I braced myself and intrepidly entered the virtual waiting room of the Minnesota Twins. Their single game tickets went on sale today. Normally there is a limit of 24 per game. For the Cub series in June the per game max was pegged at four. Within a reasonable amount of time I shouldered my way through the virtual throng to the window and was able to come away with three decent seats for the matinee on Sunday, June 10, close enough to Father’s Day that I expect I can guilt both sons into tagging along.
I wonder what the Cubs’ record will be by then. I don’t care.
Happy birthday, Big Boy. Good to have you with the club...
cubs sure are good at these late/last-inning comeback teases only to fail...
4-5, final...men stranded on 1st and 3rd.
make that 4/4 (.223)
Man, I'm sure glad Camp wasn't DFA'd. It's not like guaranteed salary is important or something. Wait....what?
16.2ip 26h 6bb 12k - 7.56era 1.92whip
rondon/russell/camp combine to give away a 3-0 lead.
awesome 5 run inning.
welcome back garza...this is what you've been missing.
still lots of lipstick on this Cubs pig...
btw on Garza, Cubs have no reason to trade him if they don't score big-time prospects. They'll certainly offer him the qualifying offer and get the draft pick or happily have him back.
Always good to get Shawn Camp some work. I hope Garza breaks his knees with a bat when he gets bak to the dugout.
Worst Cubs bullpen ever?
Phillip Humber on the roster, not a good thing though.
and......Camp gives him a no decision. Go Cubs.
He does have the stuff. Plus guys from Nacogdoches are always cool.
5ip 1h 3bb 5k (0r) for garza...82 pitches
cruising around 94mph with the fastball (92-94mph, mostly tipping to the upper).
I bet the Cubs could add Phillip Humber to the roster if they wanted.
well, he did have a no-hitter through 4.1ip today at least.
"Ability to have guys that have no-hitter-type stuff go out there is always a nice asset to have." -- Sveum, before game, on Garza return.
In other news, Tom Thibodeau said he likes basketball players that are good at shooting and Marc Trestman says the Bears are going to attempt to score touchdowns this year.
d.barney 2/2...breaks the .200 mark (.208)...should be over .300 ob% with that, too.
i would be impressed with more walks if he wasn't hitting 8th so much (all but 4pa this year).
Hurry up and trade Garza