Brian Wilson's Beard Befriends 90210 Star

Yes, World Series winner Brian Wilson is a pimp.  The Giants closer had a dominant year (48 saves in 53 opps, 93 K's, 1.21 ERA), and by the looks of things here, he's trying to dominate off the field, as well.  Wilson chatted up 90210 star Jessica Lowndes (you probaly haven't stopped looking at her, but to clarify, she's on the right) at a Chrysler and Fiat event last night.  No word on whether he nailed down the save, or at the very least, a hold...

Ugh, sorry.

Thanks to Bob's Blitz for picking up on this gem.

Baseball Tweet of the Day

Today's BTOTD goes to the Atlanta Braves, who are not only enjoying the addition of slugger second baseman Dan Uggla, but the presence of People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive at Turner Field.

Where Are You Now? Jeanne Zelasko

Jeanne Zelasko was the host of Fox Saturday Baseball's Game of the Week from 2001-2008.  During her tenure, she shared the desk with a cavalcade of baseball personalities, including the whacky Steve Lyons, the insufferable Kevin Kennedy, and the dull and uninsightful Eric Karros.  Despite the supporting cast, Zelasko seemed to be the glue that kept the broadcast going, jumping from terrible package to terrible package, updating us on trivial games around the league, and usually just trying not to rock and already sinking ship. 

When Fox Sports cut ties with her in 2008 (she had been with the network for 12 years), it could hardly be considered her fault.  The success of Saturday Baseball has always hinged on the play-by-play and color guy for that weeks game, which almost always was Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.  Nobody wants to watch a game, let alone a pregame, that features two of the worst the sport has to offer.  Couple this with the combination of high production value and low quality content, and you're pretty much watching Versus.

So where is Jeanne Zelasko now?  Good news!  You can catch her multiple times daily on her new gig, the court reporter for the 13th season of Judge Joe Brown.  You can read her bio here, which, with its laundry list of actual sports journalism pedigree, actually reads more like a post mortem.  You may be a long way from your home at the forefront of low rated weekend baseball, but we'll always have the 1,500 or so times they showed Steve Lyons pulling down his pants during your broadcasts.

Matt Kemp's Girlfriend On The Self Promotion Warpath

Rhianna has been everywhere in promotion of her new album, Loud, which dropped yesterday and will surely sell billions of copies.  A few weeks ago she appeared on Saturday Night Live along with host John Hamm, and on top of performing two songs, threw in another golden "Shy Ronnie" Digital Short.

Last night she made her way back to New York by way of The Late Show with David Letterman, and rounded it out with two more songs this morning in the Good Morning America Studios (interview available here).  Seems like right when the offseason for Matt Kemp, Dodgers centerfielder, begins, his girlfriend's has come to an end.  Expect to see a lot more of her in the coming weeks/months/years.

BONUS:  Want to pick up Rhianna's new album on the cheap?  Amazon has the digital download for just $4.99.  Album cover goes directly to the link.

 

UPDATE: Jayson Heyward loves it.

 

TBS Postseason Theme For Cheap!

If you're like me, and I'm going to say that everyone is in this situation, you just don't like TBS's coverage of the MLB Postseason.  It's Dull.  Ron Darling is lost in the 5-6 man shuffle.  Too many throws to Craig Sager talking about things that nobody cares about, only to give the audience another good look at his suit.  PitchTrax. PitchTrax.  PITCHTRAX.

And, this year:  Kid Rock.

Born Free, the title song on Kid's latest kinda-country album, was drilled into our ears in and out of every inning for two merciless rounds.  I'd be happy to never hear it again.  But some people are gluttons for punishment... so if you'd like to buy Born Free, check out Amazon, who has all 13 tracks for a measly $3.99.  Self loathing was never so cheap!

MLB 2K11 Has Its Coverboy

Today, Roy Halladay will be named the NL Cy Young Award winner, his first in the National League and second overall ('03 AL in Toronto).  But yesterday, by way of the 2K Sports Facebook page, he was announced as the cover athlete for MLB 2K11, due out this spring on the XBox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, and PC.

Now, Roy is certainly deserving of a video game cover.  He led the Majors in wins, was in the top 5 in both ERA and strikeouts, pitched a perfect game and only the second no-hitter in postseason history.  The real question will be if MLB 2K11 is good enough for him.  The last 3 years, 2K has released broken games, missing key features (like injuries or errors) and proving to be unstable (lost saves, game crashes, bad collision detection).  Last year's iteration, 2K10, was lightyears better than 2K9, but it was still a bad game.  Let's hope that 2K11 can finally stand in MLB The Show's shadow instead of about 3 miles away in a ditch.  I'm pulling for you, 2K, I really am.  At least until EA's MVP Baseball comes back.

Royce Clayton Can Act, But Not As Himself

The big screen adaption of Moneyball, the New York Times bestseller about Billy Beane's quest to assemble a team of computer-enhanced players (or something like that), comes to theaters next year.  It'll be covered pretty regularly by BaseballTainment, for obvious reasons.  These stories will be a part of a series I like to call MoneyballTainment.

As an avid fan of baseball movies, I've always found the actors (or former athletes) that get to play baseball players to be the most fascinating part.  I guess the same goes for any sports movie, really.  When they film the action, it obviously has to be very precise, things have to be predetermined in order to tell the story.  But is it fun?  Are these guys fans of baseball who are getting to play out a dream?  Is it tedious and frustrating?

And what about those who are portraying real players?  Is there a lot of pressure there, especially if the player is still alive or is the holder of a particularly important legacy?  Is it a big deal or not to do justice to a sports figure compared to a political personality?  All questions I think about while lying awake at night.

Royce Clayton played seventeen seasons of pro ball with eleven different big league teams.  He wrapped up his career with the Red Sox in 2007, and although he didn't get to play in the postseason, earned his first and only World Series ring that year.  In 1999, Royce was playing for the Texas Rangers.  At the same time, an old fireballer named Jim Morris had worked his way into a September call-up with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

That name probably sounds familiar, and it should.  Dennis Quaid famously portrayed Jim Morris in Disney's The Rookie.  Morris' major league debut came against the Rangers at the Ballpark at Arlington, and he earned his first strikeout against, you guessed it, Royce Clayton!

But Clayton didn't play himself in the movie (he was busy playing infield for the Chicago White Sox during filming in 2001).  He, instead, was played by a sports agent/independent filmmaker/actor/Hofstra alum named Jorge Sanchez.  Three pitches, three strikes, dramatic music, and it would seem as though we'd seen the last of any kind of Royce Clayton in the movies.

Not so.  Royce, a Burbank, CA native, has been cast (and I assume finished filming) as Miguel Tejada in the big screen adaption of Michael Lewis' book, Moneyball.  So, former shortstop Royce Clayton, who was played by Jorge Sanchez in the movie The Rookie, will be playing current shortstop Miguel Tejada in the movie Moneyball.  This will come full circle in five years when Miguel Tejada stars as Jorge Sanchez as Royce Clayton in the movie retelling of the making of the movie The Rookie.

Also worth noting:  Royce is currently 40 years old and will be playing Miguel as a 28 year old.  Maybe it wasn't that Royce Clayton was too busy playing baseball to appear as himself in the Disney film, he actually just looked way too young for the part.

Baseball Tweet of the Day

Professional athletes love video games.  Sometimes they'll wait in line til midnight to pick up Halo: Reach the night before one of their biggest series of the season (cough, Lillibridge, cough).  Others just go pick up the next hot game when they have some leisure time.  Like Hunter Pence, who seems to enjoy the new "tweaks" (NOT changes) to the new Call of Duty game.

Target Field Enhancements Announced for 2011

Not satisfied that they've played just one season in their super new, outdoor, state-of-the-art, baseball-only stadium, Target Field, the Twins have announced enhancements to the stadium for the 2011 season. To me, the greatest link between baseball and entertainment is the stadium experience.  Baseball, and sports in general, are a form of entertainment all their own, so it needs to be fun to come out to the ballpark.  ESPN the Magazine named Target Field the best stadium experience in all of professional sports, so if you don't have a trip to Minnesota on your itinerary for 2011, time to start making plans.

Enhancements include:

- An additional 28' high, 50' wide video screen in right field
- A 100' high LCD covered display called "Twins Tower" located right next to the new screen
- An expanded menu at concession stands
- Additional radiant heat units for the Home Run Porch and Terrace Level for those cold Twin Cities nights
- Free WiFi throughout the entire ballpark, as well as improved cell phone coverage for all carriers

One might ask if all of these elements were simply skipped over to assure they would open up on time for the 2010 season, and they may be on to something.  But with the reputation they earned in just one season, the bump in revenue that follows the opening of a new park (not to mention the ability to raise ticket prices), and the continued success of the franchise and its marquee players, it seems as though the Minnesota Twins are putting their money where their mouth is.


Steve Cramer, Chair of the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, says, "These investments underscore the Twins commitment to maintaining a first-class facility and delivering a first-rate game day experience," and it would be hard for me to think he was just blowing smoke up my ass with this news.


Link:  Twins Announce Ballpark Enhancements for 2011

Grady Sizemore's Penis is for Playmate Only

About a year ago, some racy photos of Cleveland Indians' center fielder Grady Sizemore made their way onto the internet.  This isn't news for BaseballTainment... until now!  Sizemore swore up and down that the shots were meant for his girlfriend, Playboy model Brittany Binger, and not a ladyfriend from the road.

Well, today it was revealed that a student at St. Cloud State (?) hacked the model's email and downloaded the photos. Good for Grady, we're glad he loves his super hot girlfriend, star of print media and therefore a star in our eyes.  Full coverage on Deadspin.

Baseball Tweet of the Day

Planning a trip to the movies, but not sure what to see?  Follow the lead of the Oakland Athletics' Coco Crisp, who felt like being lazy today.

Freddy Sanchez on Lopez Tonight

Everyone and their mother watched the world premiere of Conan last night.  I'm guessing that not a lot stuck around for Lopez Tonight, hosted by the "hilarious" George Lopez, despite an interview with Antoine Dodson.  Good news, late nighters!  After you get your jollies from Conan and guest Tom Hanks, stay on board for George's interview with World Series Champion second baseman Freddy Sanchez!

Nobody Likes Derek Jeter

So Derek Jeter won the 5th Gold Glove of his career today, and the internet exploded.  Baseball Reference made it very clear on their front page their disdain for the choice.  According to the hybrid stat Total Fielding Runs Above Average (Rtot), which is the offspring of four other hybrid fielding stats, rates him last in the American League... by far.  League average was 0.  Jeter was worth -10.  Hybrid stats aside, it's important to realize that Jeter's range is his biggest downfall.  Even though he committed only 6 errors in 2010, he had only 553 chances in 151 games.  In comparison, Texas' Elvis Andrus played in 148 games and had 659 chances.  Even though he committed 16 errors on the season, Elvis recorded 36 more assists and 60 more putouts.

So, why is this important in a blog that is dedicated to the marriage of baseball and entertainment?  Because of the forthcoming marriage of Mr. Jeter and his fiance, former Friday Night Lights star and Esquire's Sexiest Woman Alive Minka Kelly. 

Derek Jeter is a son of a bitch.  Screw you, Derek Jeter.

Curtis Granderson on Martha Stewart

It may be too late for some, but for you baseball/comfort food/insider trading lovers, check your local listings for The Martha Stewart Show, where today's guest will be Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson.  Word on the street is that he'll be in the kitchen cooking up some macaroni and cheese and sweet cornbread.

Update:  A rerun of today's episode can be seen at 1 PM ET on the Hallmark Network tomorrow.

Baseball Tweet of the Day

I think that I'm completely justified in starting my blog, which celebrates the fine line between baseball and entertainment, by saying bon voyage to Joe Morgan.  For 21 years, Joe, arguably the best second baseman in baseball history, gave color commentary on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.  He told stories, relayed inside information, and told us all the way baseball was supposed to be played.  He was always wrong, and always less than entertaining.  Goodbye, Mr. Morgan.  America will not miss you.

Re: Ken Tremendous, the creator of fantastic sports journalism blog Fire Joe Morgan...