After a long wait, ‘The Walking Dead’ returned last night. I like the show as much as I’ve liked any show since ‘LOST’ (but there will never be another ‘LOST’), but I was a bit let down by the Season Three premier. A lotta zombie killing, which is swell, but it was mostly a “setup” episode. That’s fine and necessary – but in a season premier, I usually expect something totally out of left field.
- This was mentioned in yesterday’s Bullets, tangentially, but the Cubs have fired long-time traveling secretary Jimmy Bank. “I had 34 years in the game, and consider myself extremely fortunate and privileged to have been in such a great business,” Bank said Sunday, per the Tribune. “It was an honor to be one of 30 [traveling secretaries] in that close-knit fraternity, because we all know what baseball means to this country.” The position, made famous by George Costanza (who was the assistant to the traveling secretary for the Yankees on ‘Seinfeld’), involves booking hotels, flights, and whatever else is functionally required by the team as they travel throughout the season. It’s fair to wonder what in that role – it’s largely perfunctory, particularly after 20 years of doing it – could lead to someone being dismissed. Was he just too expensive? Did he upset folks in charge? Who knows. I don’t say that to be inflammatory – I just mean, seriously, who knows the details on something like this? We certainly don’t, but I’d like to.
- Have I mentioned that Pete Kozma, the shortstop sporting a .783 postseason OPS for the Cardinals this year, put up a .333/.383/.569 line in 82 regular season (late season/critical) plate appearances for the Cardinals? Have I also mentioned that his minor league OPS numbers from 2009 to 2012 are .625, .702, .569, .647? Do I need to say it?
- Yesterday was Ron Santo’s Walk to Cure Diabetes, which raised an impressive $4.5 million.
- The MLBullets at BCB look (with only hidden glee) at the Yankees’ 0-2 hole in the ALCS. They’re without Derek Jeter, who broke his ankle on Saturday, and the offense is struggling mightily.
- From BN’er Mr. Gonzo, because why-not-it’s-the-offseason, it’s Quad-o:
Yeah, the whole traveling secretary fire was really confusing to me. Obviously we don’t know the ins and outs, but it seems very very odd given his experience and such. And the fact that guys like Nomar were calling him up after the news …… what happened?
I mean it’s not like he was unable to get 12 position players to a game like the Twins traveling secretary was in 2011.
That is the most sickening picture you could find, except possibly a photo-shoot featuring Milton Bradley. Please don’t use it again. Thank you.
Probably just a matter of the new administration wanting its own guys in there.
Maybe Theo’s wife’s second cousin is looking for a job.
The worst thing about the episode is that T-Dog only had one line in the whole show.
Not sure if embeddable, but….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaf_9TqPL8
I had a friend (friend of a friend more like) that was a clubhouse assistant for the Reds one summer. Not suggesting this is the case, but he told me some stories where the guy that travels with the team (presumably travelling secretary) was in charge of finding the…shall we say post game female entertainment for the players (strippers, not hookers). Could be something like this, more likely just a changing of the guard.
like you said Brett we don’t know the details but this regime seems to be cleaning out everyone that’s had a longtime job with the cubs, so any janitors that have been with the cubs for a Long time better watch out.
Maybe we should start calling the time before Theo BT and the time after Theo AT?
Why get rid of a guy if he’s doing a good job? It seems like Theo and Company want little to do with anybody who was here prior to their coming, which I suppose is natural but it seems odd in this man’s case.
Yes, must be able to scout better hotel rooms and flights. Announcing the 3 final candidates for the traveling secretary… Last names only please:
Epstein, Hoyer and McLeod
So was he fired or traded to Tyson chicken in Arkansas?
You mean they let this guy go for nothing, when they might have been able to trade him for chicken dogs, chicken twists and a fermented chicken drink?
Sounds like Theo is a real gem working with people he didn’t hire.
Maybe the idea is to call the cubs Little Boston?
Keep Lester Strode!!
I have an idea…… We tanked this year and saved big $, if we tank 2 more years the Ricketts will have the $300M to renovate Wrigley Field……. Solution solved!
I have an idea…… Shut up.
Weren’t you surprised by the end of the episode? and what happened immediately before the end?
Have to say, I have never seen it before, but your tweets last night peeked my interest and recorded it. Haven’t seen it yet but will this week.
It’s pretty good. I’m usually not into zombies, apocalypse stuff, but I think they do a really good job with this show.
i’m not usually into the zombie genre either but they do it well,….meaning there is actual thought put into the show not just lets see how gory we can get for the heck of it
Not sure if it cracks my top five tv shows right now, though.
The walking distance dead is easily the best show on television. If you’re gonna watch it, see it from the beginning. The seasons are really short
Lol@auto text
It’s “piqued” my interest, not “peeked.”
No one cares.
I’m impressed by how you manage to type and flip burgers at the same time.
hahahahahahahahahahaha
You sir, are correct. My spelling is legendarily atroshouse.
::covers head in shame::
This reminds me of the comment section of a Fangraphs article I read last night:
Reader A: “Davey Johnson doing this-and-that and leaving in so-and-so in the 9th was just ludacris”
Reader B: “No, Chris Bridges is Ludacris”
Thanks for the shout out Brett! Unfortunately, my photoshopping skills aren’t for the weak of stomach
The problem with Bank was he was still pursuing the “Old School” amenities on trips…hookers, blow, etc… and wasn’t using some of the advanced metrics…Purple Drank, E, the hot clubs…
Yeah, we’ll probably get a guy who is better versed in Swaggermetrics
He probably allowed two scounts to have seperate motel rooms at a motel 6. Wasn’t doubling up mandated ?
I watching the walking dead too thought for a premiere episode it was kinda flat, the end was ok but myb I expected to much .and is Boston’s traveling secretary on his way yet lol
I just read the Arizona Diamondbacks outfield problems.. Sounds similar to the Cubs! They dont know if they should trade Kubel or Parra? If i were Theo and Jed i would at least kick the Tires on Parra, that also means saying good bye to Soriano
Parra is a Dejesus clone. No thanks unless the plan is to trade Dejesus by the deadline next year
Most awesome Photoshop ever.
My younger brother was assistant to the Cubs traveling secretary before Banks. Was promoted to the job from the mailroom by Dallas Green. My brother quit because he hated working summer weekends and took a job driving a tow truck for the CTA. While he still worked there I had the run of the park. I lost my privileges after climbing drunk into the centerfield camera shed(unmanned) and readjusted the camera. Ten years ago when I got my season tickets there was one old timer left in the ticket office. When i mentioned my brother his first words were” you’re the guy that played with the camera?” Nope different brother.
Sounds like this guys job was a fun one to have. Scouting Hookers and Strip Clubs in all the MLB cities. How hard can it be to set up hotel reservations at the same hotels every year. Send the schedule need 35 rooms or so. Line up the breakfast and any dinner reservations. Make sure the flights are arranged on Cub Air. I don’t know it’s getting to be a hassle already. T & J probably hired a corporate travel company to handle it. Poor guy was probably reeping the benefits of having that job for years. Can’t imagine all the perks he probably had all over god’s creation.
I’m curious what information the traveling secretary had access to as far as personnel moves are concerned. Aside from just monetary reasons or perhaps a personality issue, maybe the Cubs think he was a leak in regards to a personnel move at some? I don’t think it was the Dempster move, since that broke out of the Braves’ camp, but Theo and Jed clearly like not having anything be reported about their personnel moves until they happen. Hendry didn’t seem to mind it so much.
“but in a season premier, I usually expect something totally out of left field”
Virgil lost his fucking leg! My stomach is in knots. And they found people. Left field.
Who has been cutting the grass inside the prison compound? Do the zombies eat grass, also?
Brett, maybe I haven’t been around enough lately but wrt Kozma….say what??
Voodoo magic.
I bet this had something to do with that last visit from the Astros’ execs and the phone call that followed while they were flying back to Houston: “You tell that sonofabitch no Cub is ever coming to Houston, not as long as you bastards are running things”