Epic Moments In Announcing: Bert Blyleven

Hey kids, Christmas may be in our rearview but I'm still on vacation this week. I'll be around if anything big happens like the Angels signing another 35-year-old reliever or the Yankees buying Cuba. Otherwise, my posts over the next week will be lazy, filled with videos or hastily written in response to a drunken argument I just had at a bar.

Last week I posted a video showing off Bert Blyleven's acting chops and I'll continue my Blyleven video Hall of Fame campaign with this classic clip of him doing color commentary. That color was blue and the language is NSFW. So enjoy this epic moment in announcing while you try to figure out why his 90.1 WAR DOESN'T deserve to be in the Hall of Fame...



1. Pulls of the name "Bert" - check
2. Rocks an awesome beard - check
3. Over 90 career WAR - check
4. Nickname "The Frying Dutchman" is also a Simpsons restaurant - check
5. Threw a no-hitter - check
6. Doesn't mind dropping the f bomb on air - check
7. Circle me, Bert - check
8. Played for the Angels - check

Yep, the only way I could like Blyleven anymore was if he drank during telecasts and sexually harassed production assistants Mad Men style.

If one video wasn't enough for you, some wise person turned to xtranormal to recreate that magical moment in Twins broadcast history...



If I've somehow missed your favorite Bert Blyleven video, please make me even lazier and send me a link to it. Extra credit if there's profanity included.

Clayton Richard's Golden Sombrero

A golden sombrero is awarded to a player who manages to strike out four times in a single game (real golden sombrero not included). It's quite the feat unless you're Ryan Howard or Mark Reynolds. Unfortunately, cycles and no-hitters are all the rage nowadays. Not for me, though. I will pour over the box scores to bring you the finest at swinging and missing.

I skipped writing the last few Sombrero because they just happen so much more frequently than I thought they would. And I'm lazy. But occasionally one will spike my interest which brings us to today. Well, technically yesterday. Everything has to line up just right for a pitcher to record a Golden Sombrero. Clayton Richard threw a complete game and was responsible for 10 strikeouts. He struck out 6 Dodgers and tacked on 4 of his own at the dish. Let's go to the lowlight reel...

Top 2nd: Richard struck out looking against Chad Billingsley. Richard was dealt to the Padres with Aaron Poreda (and others) for Jake Peavy last year. The Padres are getting the better end of that deal and haven't gotten anything out of Poreda yet.

Top 4th: Richard struck out swinging against Billingsley. Okay, so maybe Richard isn't a wizard with the bat but neither are most of the other Padres.

Top 6th: Richard struck out swinging against Carlos Monasterios. Never heard of him.

Top 8th: Richard struck out swinging against Ramon Troncoso. I'd like to take this moment to thank Bud Black for resting his bullpen and the Padres' lineup for somehow scoring enough runs to put this game out of hand.

Fun fact: the last pitcher Golden Sombrero was Anibal Sanchez on 8/10.