The game was finally postponed due to rain.
After a :55 minute rain delay to start the game, the teams played a total of 7 minutes in the top of the first inning.
After another 3 hours and 7 minutes of rain delay, the game was finally called.
The seven minutes of baseball television in the top of the first was some of our best TV of the season!
7 minutes of baseball and 4 hours and 2 minutes of rain.
Great fun.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Feeling It
This game/telecast did not start out the way that we hoped it would begin.
There was a 23 minute rain delay before the first pitch was thrown.
The pitching match-up of the Cardinals' Jake Westbrook and the Marlins' Josh Johnson was very intriguing. As we talked about the upcoming game/telecast, we were expecting a game with the wonderful pace of last night's contest.
We were correct.
Johnson retired the first 10 Cardinals in the game and Westbrook tied a career high with 9 strikeouts.
There were eight 1-2-3 innings.
In fact, going into the top of the ninth inning, the time of the game was 1:50.
The Cardinals trailed by the score of 3-2 going into the top of the ninth and scored two runs with two outs to take a 4-3 lead.
The first batter in the bottom of the ninth homered to tie the score and the Marlins eventually won the game in the bottom of the tenth with a walk-off basehit by Hanley Ramirez.
The total time of the game was 2:23 and this included a rain delay and extra innings!
Despite a few sloppy mistakes we had a good telecast that nicely captured some exciting moments in the game.
Cutting the homerun is a blast for every TV baseball director and there were three in this game including the first batter of the game for the Marlins.
The Cardinals' two-run rally in the top of the ninth was a blast to cut.
All walk-off hits are great fun to cut and tonight's was no exception.
This was another telecast that had a great pace, great action, and was great fun to cut.
Our tight centerfield camera operator (camera 6) had a great look at the walk-off basehit and his shot showed a great "feel" for the situation.
When members of television sports crews "feel" the moment great memories are captured.
Our final rollout in tonight's telecast was the camera 6 look at the winning walk-off play.
A fitting end to a nice telecast.
There was a 23 minute rain delay before the first pitch was thrown.
The pitching match-up of the Cardinals' Jake Westbrook and the Marlins' Josh Johnson was very intriguing. As we talked about the upcoming game/telecast, we were expecting a game with the wonderful pace of last night's contest.
We were correct.
Johnson retired the first 10 Cardinals in the game and Westbrook tied a career high with 9 strikeouts.
There were eight 1-2-3 innings.
In fact, going into the top of the ninth inning, the time of the game was 1:50.
The Cardinals trailed by the score of 3-2 going into the top of the ninth and scored two runs with two outs to take a 4-3 lead.
The first batter in the bottom of the ninth homered to tie the score and the Marlins eventually won the game in the bottom of the tenth with a walk-off basehit by Hanley Ramirez.
The total time of the game was 2:23 and this included a rain delay and extra innings!
Despite a few sloppy mistakes we had a good telecast that nicely captured some exciting moments in the game.
Cutting the homerun is a blast for every TV baseball director and there were three in this game including the first batter of the game for the Marlins.
The Cardinals' two-run rally in the top of the ninth was a blast to cut.
All walk-off hits are great fun to cut and tonight's was no exception.
This was another telecast that had a great pace, great action, and was great fun to cut.
Our tight centerfield camera operator (camera 6) had a great look at the walk-off basehit and his shot showed a great "feel" for the situation.
When members of television sports crews "feel" the moment great memories are captured.
Our final rollout in tonight's telecast was the camera 6 look at the winning walk-off play.
A fitting end to a nice telecast.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Fantastic Flow!
Tonight's game had the best pace pace of any game we have covered this season.
Tonight's telecast had the best pace of any telecast we have aired this season.
Thank you Adam Wainwright.
Thank you Laz Diaz.
These two gentleman were the primary reason for tonight's 2:23 baseball game.
Wainwright worked fast and threw strikes.
Diaz, the home plate umpire, called the strike zone the way it should be called.
When the game is moving at a nice pace, the players make plays.
The pace of the game also determines the pace of the telecast.
When the telecast is moving at a nice pace, the whole crew contributes to the quality of the show. The camera operators make their shots and the replays are succinct.
The audio is sharper, the video is cleaner and the graphics are more poignant.
Despite the fact that we were in the back end of a dual feed, this was one of the best telecasts that we have produced this season.
During the game/telecast, I was thinking about how much this telecast felt like a home show. The comfort level of tonight's telecast was similar to the comfort level of our home telecasts.
A great show with a great flow!
Tonight's telecast had the best pace of any telecast we have aired this season.
Thank you Adam Wainwright.
Thank you Laz Diaz.
These two gentleman were the primary reason for tonight's 2:23 baseball game.
Wainwright worked fast and threw strikes.
Diaz, the home plate umpire, called the strike zone the way it should be called.
When the game is moving at a nice pace, the players make plays.
The pace of the game also determines the pace of the telecast.
When the telecast is moving at a nice pace, the whole crew contributes to the quality of the show. The camera operators make their shots and the replays are succinct.
The audio is sharper, the video is cleaner and the graphics are more poignant.
Despite the fact that we were in the back end of a dual feed, this was one of the best telecasts that we have produced this season.
During the game/telecast, I was thinking about how much this telecast felt like a home show. The comfort level of tonight's telecast was similar to the comfort level of our home telecasts.
A great show with a great flow!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Pool
Tonight's game/telecast was completely different from the first two game/telecasts of the series.
Tonight was fun.
This was a better pitched, (by the Cardinals anyway) better played, and had a good pace.
The most fun had by the TV crew was in the top of the ninth inning.
The Cardinals led 4-0 after one inning and 7-0 after two.
The score was 8-2 going into the top of the ninth and the game was basically over.
Why was this time of the game the most fun for the TV crew you ask?
Because of our pool.
The pool costs $1.00 to enter and you pick the exact time the final out of the game will be made.
If there are no winners, the pool carries over to the next game until there is a winner.
Tonight's game was game #7 in the pool (7 carry overs) and the total amount of the pool was $180.00.
Because of the pace of the game, we knew in the bottom of the eighth inning that there would be a winner tonight.
The beginning of the top of the ninth began at 9:41 and every time was taken until 10:00.
Our tape crew always buys 4 consecutive minutes and labels it the "Tape Block". So, naturally we all root against them. Tonight however, they made a mistake when they entered the pool and only blocked out only 3 minutes. They chose 9:47 - 9:49. Because of this, their leader Brian was forced to pick 9:53.
Wouldn't you know it, the tape block was on the clock for all three minutes with 2 outs!
The Houston Astros mixed in some hits and scored some runs thus eliminating the "Tape Block" much to the cheers from the production side of the truck.
All of a sudden the "Tape Block" leader was on the clock. The cheers were loud after every foul ball and after every pitch because the "Tape Block" looked like they would not win the pool.
The final pitch of the night was thrown at 9:53:57 and the fly ball was caught at 9:54:05.
The dreaded "Tape Block" was foiled by 5 seconds and the loudest cheers of the night exploded from the truck. (Our TD (technical director) was the winner.)
The Houston Astros visiting feed on the dual side were wondering just what was going on and when they were told of the situation they got a kick out of it as well.
The quality of the telecast does not suffer as everyone is into the game at that time as most of the crew is involved in the pool.
Great telecast and great fun.
Finally.
Tonight was fun.
This was a better pitched, (by the Cardinals anyway) better played, and had a good pace.
The most fun had by the TV crew was in the top of the ninth inning.
The Cardinals led 4-0 after one inning and 7-0 after two.
The score was 8-2 going into the top of the ninth and the game was basically over.
Why was this time of the game the most fun for the TV crew you ask?
Because of our pool.
The pool costs $1.00 to enter and you pick the exact time the final out of the game will be made.
If there are no winners, the pool carries over to the next game until there is a winner.
Tonight's game was game #7 in the pool (7 carry overs) and the total amount of the pool was $180.00.
Because of the pace of the game, we knew in the bottom of the eighth inning that there would be a winner tonight.
The beginning of the top of the ninth began at 9:41 and every time was taken until 10:00.
Our tape crew always buys 4 consecutive minutes and labels it the "Tape Block". So, naturally we all root against them. Tonight however, they made a mistake when they entered the pool and only blocked out only 3 minutes. They chose 9:47 - 9:49. Because of this, their leader Brian was forced to pick 9:53.
Wouldn't you know it, the tape block was on the clock for all three minutes with 2 outs!
The Houston Astros mixed in some hits and scored some runs thus eliminating the "Tape Block" much to the cheers from the production side of the truck.
All of a sudden the "Tape Block" leader was on the clock. The cheers were loud after every foul ball and after every pitch because the "Tape Block" looked like they would not win the pool.
The final pitch of the night was thrown at 9:53:57 and the fly ball was caught at 9:54:05.
The dreaded "Tape Block" was foiled by 5 seconds and the loudest cheers of the night exploded from the truck. (Our TD (technical director) was the winner.)
The Houston Astros visiting feed on the dual side were wondering just what was going on and when they were told of the situation they got a kick out of it as well.
The quality of the telecast does not suffer as everyone is into the game at that time as most of the crew is involved in the pool.
Great telecast and great fun.
Finally.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Quote
Final score: Astros 18, Cardinals 4
Time of game: 3:19
Quote of day: "Is there a word beyond excruciating?"
Cardinals' Producer Mike Helling after we were off the air.
Enough said
Time of game: 3:19
Quote of day: "Is there a word beyond excruciating?"
Cardinals' Producer Mike Helling after we were off the air.
Enough said
Monday, August 2, 2010
Not Memorable
Usually there is a memorable moment in a game that we capture during the telecast.
The more memorable moments we capture during the game, the more memorable the telecast.
Sometimes the game delivers the moment and sometimes we create that moment in the TV truck.
Tonight's game/telecast did not include one memorable moment.
If there was one reason to be pleased with this telecast it was the fact that the telecast did not match the poorly played game.
In fact, in the bottom of the first inning, the Houston Astros made two errors on one play allowing the Cardinals to score the first run of the game.
I was happy with the game cut during this rare play and the replays were excellent.
Tonight's contest between the Astros and the Cardinals was an absolutely NOTHING game.
Tonight's telecast was very clean with minimal mistakes.
I have already forgotten about it.
The more memorable moments we capture during the game, the more memorable the telecast.
Sometimes the game delivers the moment and sometimes we create that moment in the TV truck.
Tonight's game/telecast did not include one memorable moment.
If there was one reason to be pleased with this telecast it was the fact that the telecast did not match the poorly played game.
In fact, in the bottom of the first inning, the Houston Astros made two errors on one play allowing the Cardinals to score the first run of the game.
I was happy with the game cut during this rare play and the replays were excellent.
Tonight's contest between the Astros and the Cardinals was an absolutely NOTHING game.
Tonight's telecast was very clean with minimal mistakes.
I have already forgotten about it.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
I Knew
I knew the Cardinals were going to crush the Pirates today.
I knew by the third batter of the game.
On the mound for the Cardinals was Adam Wainwright who was 14-6 and had won 10 straight games at Busch Stadium.
The game did not start out all that well for Wainwright and the Cardinals as the first two batters for the Pirates singled to start the game.
Runners on first and second with nobody out and the Pirates #3 batter who was hitting .305 is at the plate.
What happened next I still don't believe.
As the late, great Jack Buck once said on the air, "I don't believe what I just saw".
The batter tried bunting the ball.
Not once but twice!
And on the second attempt, the ball hit him outside of the batters box and he was called out!
At that moment I knew the Cardinals were going to destroy the Pirates.
The Cardinals won the game 9-1 and the score wasn't even that close.
The Cardinals' ninth run typified the day for the pitiful Pirates. The run scored on a 2-out bases loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning.
This will be the eighteenth consecutive losing season for the Pirates.
I have great respect for Jeff, the Pirates TV director. He is always upbeat and he does a great job. I said to him during the game, "I don't know how you do it." His answer, "It ain't easy."
I am totally spoiled because of the success of the St. Louis Cardinals and I am very grateful that I have the privilege to cut their games.
There is a certain added quality sitting in the director's chair knowing that the team you cover has a great chance to win every night.
I knew by the third batter of the game.
On the mound for the Cardinals was Adam Wainwright who was 14-6 and had won 10 straight games at Busch Stadium.
The game did not start out all that well for Wainwright and the Cardinals as the first two batters for the Pirates singled to start the game.
Runners on first and second with nobody out and the Pirates #3 batter who was hitting .305 is at the plate.
What happened next I still don't believe.
As the late, great Jack Buck once said on the air, "I don't believe what I just saw".
The batter tried bunting the ball.
Not once but twice!
And on the second attempt, the ball hit him outside of the batters box and he was called out!
At that moment I knew the Cardinals were going to destroy the Pirates.
The Cardinals won the game 9-1 and the score wasn't even that close.
The Cardinals' ninth run typified the day for the pitiful Pirates. The run scored on a 2-out bases loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning.
This will be the eighteenth consecutive losing season for the Pirates.
I have great respect for Jeff, the Pirates TV director. He is always upbeat and he does a great job. I said to him during the game, "I don't know how you do it." His answer, "It ain't easy."
I am totally spoiled because of the success of the St. Louis Cardinals and I am very grateful that I have the privilege to cut their games.
There is a certain added quality sitting in the director's chair knowing that the team you cover has a great chance to win every night.
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