Why must XM limit Larry Bowa to just a few hours a day? —- surely their Home Plate channel would benefit from ’round-the-clock Bowa. Some of today’s pearls…
After a caller bids $400 for a baseball autographed by Scott Rolen (proceeds go to a charity helmed by the program’s straight man, Mark Patrick) and proclaims the former Phillies’ 3B his favorite player, there’s a long pause.
“He plays the game the right way”, intones Larry. Who doesn’t have much else to say about Scott Rolen.
Later, Patrick, Buck Martinez and Bowa are discussing Jacob Luft’s picks for his all-Sabermetric team, as seen on Sports Illustrated.com yesterday.
“Sabermetrics”, explains Patrick, “as introduced by Bill James….”
“What team did he play for?” harumphed Bowa. “This guy Bill James has all the answers, but he’s never worn a uniform.”
Though Bowa and Martinez are two of the only bright spots in Home Plate’s broadcasting day, they are yet another part of the i undeniable “fuck you, I’ve played” vibe that characterizes much of the channel’s output, with similar sentiments expressed nearly everyday by Rob Dibble and Kevin Kennedy (whom to be fair, aren’t nearly as funny as Bowa and Martinez). What’s bizarre is that there’s little attempt to add any balance on the channel’s two most popular shows….Patrick is loathe to call Bowa on his bullshit (whether he recognizes it as such is another question) and caller after caller on Dibbe & Kennedy’s “The Show” are nearly besides themseles sucking up to the hosts (either they’re overcome with joy at having a 24-7 baseball yack station or they express gratitude at having someone “who really knows the game” reclaim the airwaves from, y’know, all the eggheads and pundits who never strapped it on).
I’m from Indianapolis, which is where Patrick is most everymorning, (he isn’t actually in the same studio as buck or bowa). Patrick is known out here for impersonations of Marge Schott and Harry Carey. Patrick is also a self proclaimed pompus ass with a fondness towards indiana living and youth sports. What I noticed most from listening to this show is that Patrick doesn’t pretend to be a baseball genius and this pisses off Martinez who never agrees with Patrick’s niave views. While, Bowa is just doing his best not to say something he shouldn’t over the air.
Bill James did wear a uniform in his previous career as a Night Watchman.
Larry and all the “stat-geeks who never wore the uniform” crowd should be informed that the baseball executive who pioneered the application of extensive statistical analysis where OB%, Isolated Power and other sabermetric staples were used in player evaluation and construction of teams lineups wasnt Billy Beane or the preceeding Oakland GM whom Beane picked up these ideas from, but was Branch Rickey, a man whose “baseball cred” has never been questioned.