MLB At Bat/Entrance/Warmup Music

Know I’ve been away for a while… but I’m back! Too little sleep and too much baseball makes you forget about things like Tumblr! As promised, here’s my post on a personal favorite pitcher of mine’s entrance music.

Randy Johnson, SP Expos/Mariners/Astros/Diamondbacks/Yankees/Giants

Song: Ironically, he used the same song that I would have chosen for him. Although with that stare, he could go out to Justin Bieber and still scare the crap out of hitters. That song is Seek and Destroy by Metallica. 

Interpretation: If I could sum up what Randy Johnson did in his illustrious career in three words, it would be “Seek and Destroy”. He would seek hitters, and then destroy them with his killer fastball or his legendary slider that forced many left handed hitters to dive out of the way of pitches that wound up in the strike zone. Randy Johnson was the last of a dying breed too. A pitcher who intimidated batters and threw his pitches wherever he darn well pleased because he knew he could take pretty much anyone in a fight. Plus, come on. Look at that stare. I wouldn’t want to fight a guy who looks like he’s about to kill me.

Next post: I’ve been requested to do one for a certain Yankees pitcher who is either loved or hated. I honestly don’t know any Yankees fans who are in between. And most of them lean more towards “hated”. In case it isn’t obvious, it’s AJ Burnett. I hate his entrance music with the Yankees, so I’ll look into his entrance music with the Jays and Marlins.

Today I will explore the many warm up songs of Jeremy Guthrie. He goes through warm up music like puppies go through chew toys.

Jeremy Guthrie, starting pitcher Baltimore Orioles

Songs: Off the top of my head, I have heard him warm up to:

1. OMG by Usher
2. Never Say Never by Justin Bieber
3. Mo Money Mo Problems by Puff Daddy featuring Notorious B.I.G.
4. Baby by Justin Bieber
5. I Just Came To Say Hello by Martin Solveig et Dragonette
6. Hate Me Now by Nas (Last year)
7. Nothin’ but a G Thang by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
8. Unchained by Van Halen

So yeah, Jeremy has a pretty… diverse taste in music. I strongly approve of numbers 3, 5 (which is a ridiculously catchy tune), 6, 7, and 8. However, I do have to review Jeremy’s man card status due to numbers 1, 2, and 4. There is also the concern that he live tweets reality TV shows, but at least he hasn’t picked up on Jersey Shore. Don’t give him ANY ideas, or I might have to revoke his status as a man.

Interpretation: Jeremy Guthrie suffers from an inability to stick to one entrance song. But it is pretty fun to play the game “what song will Guthrie come out to today”. As long as he stays away from Rebecca Black, Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Soulja Boy, and Lil Wayne, I have no problems with his indecisiveness. Edit: My friend has confirmed that Guthrie warmed up to “Larger Than Life” by BSB. He is a huge fan of them, so I’m not surprised. 

Tomorrow: Another request! I have been asked for Randy Johnson’s entrance music! If I can’t find it, I already have the perfect song in mind for him.

As promised… my first request! I was emailed a request to do a certain player. I gladly obliged, but then I realized something. This guy played back in a time when there was no at bat music. That means that I would have to assign him at bat music. Let’s just say this post… should be fun.

Ty Cobb, outfielder Detroit Tigers/Philadelphia Athletics 1905-1928

Ty Cobb is famous for being arguably the best hitter of all time. He is also famous for being a complete jerk. Barry Bonds looks like Derek Jeter compared to the jerk that Cobb was. Why is he a jerk you asked? Glad you asked!

• He was a noted racist. He once fought an African-American groundskeeper during spring training. He also once stabbed an African-American watchman after he tried to intervene after Cobb slapped an elevator operator for being “uppity” (The elevator operator was also African-American).
• He once attacked a heckler during a game. The heckler had no hands. When spectators tried to tell this to Cobb, he said “I don’t care if he got no feet!”
• Cobb had an interesting relationship with umpire Billy Evans. They would often get into heated arguments, and they would settle them by fighting under the grandstands after games. The best part? Players from both teams would attend.
• Cobb had a notorious hatred for Babe Ruth. Once, to prove a point that he could hit as well as Ruth but simply chose not to do so, Cobb decided to start swinging for the fences for two games. The result? In the first game, he set a record for most total bases in a game (16), going 6-6 with two singles, a double, and three home runs. In the second game, he ONLY got three hits, a single and two home runs. His five home runs in two games tied a record set by Cap Anson. Cobb proved his point.
• He is infamous for sharpening his spikes and sliding extra hard into bases. 
• He had a rivalry with his teammate Sam Crawford. Cobb attributed it to jealousy, let’s just go with that and ignore that Cobb was a jerk. Cobb accused Crawford of deliberately fouling off pitches to keep Cobb from stealing bases. 
• Sentimental story time! As much as Cobb hated Ruth and Crawford, he did respect them deeply. During an interview, Cobb called Ruth “the best hitter he’s ever seen”. His feud with Crawford carried on until Cobb’s death, but after Cobb’s death, a reporter searched his house and found hundreds of letters that Cobb had written to influential people lobbying for Crawford’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Crawford was elected into the Hall of Fame four years before Cobb’s death. Crawford later said he never knew about Cobb’s letters.

If I hear one more person say that Barry Bonds is the biggest jerk to ever play the game of baseball…

Song: Ty Cobb was a mean spirited player. I immediately thought that some of that piano music that they played for villains in really old western movies would be perfect. After going through various songs, I came down to two: American Bad *** by Kid Rock and B**** by Meredith Brooks. Finally, it dawned on me. Ty Cobb is a rebel (to put it nicely), and who’s my favorite rebel of all time? Stone Cold Steve Austin. Game, set and match, Cobb would go out to Stone Cold’s theme music. Whenever people would hear Austin’s theme music, they knew a butt whooping was coming. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how opponents felt when they saw Cobb coming up. Or at least that’s how they SHOULD have felt.

Interpretation: Whenever people would hear Austin’s theme music, they knew a butt whooping was coming. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how opponents felt when they saw Cobb coming up. Or at least that’s how they SHOULD have felt. Remember the whole “he sharpened his spikes” thing? You think he did that just to pass the time?

Tomorrow: I attempt to decipher the many warm up songs of Jeremy Guthrie, and decide on ONE song for him. He’s had some pretty… interesting warm up music choices. I’ll leave you with this: Most pitchers like to go out to rock or hip-hop. Guthrie? Let’s just say he’s not like most pitchers.

Haven’t had much time to do these posts, so I can’t guarantee one every day, but I’ll try my best to do so. At the very least, once every two days. As promised on Friday, here is The Most Interesting Man in Major League Baseball. Need proof?

• 20 homers, 20 errors. That takes SKILL.
• He does four things a lot: Homer, strikeout, walk, and commit errors.
• He’s had a picture of him go viral and started a Photoshop frenzy. 
• Goes from getting booed for his defense at third base to getting standing ovations for making great plays at first base. All in a span of three days.

I rest my case.

Mark Reynolds, third baseman/first baseman Baltimore Orioles

Song: Whistlin’ Dixie by Randy Houser. Very appropriate considering Reynolds is from the South (Virginia). Great intro and one of the better country songs out there.

Interpretation: Mark Reynolds will hit your pitchers’ pitches a country mile faster than you can hogtie a pig!

Tomorrow: Another request for a player who has no at bat music because he played back in the early 20th century. Let’s just say this should be… interesting.

As promised… the second one of the day (since I didn’t do one yesterday). Today’s post is on the guy who probably has a lot to do with the generalization that closers are quirky. I researched this guy, and Brian Wilson has NOTHING on this guy as far as sanity is concerned (or lack there of). One thing is for sure though: Most people agree that this closer was the first closer to have his own entrance music. 

Side note: The role of the closer back in the 70’s and 80’s was completely different than the role as we know it today. A team’s closer would rarely pitch just one inning. It wasn’t until Dennis Eckersley that the one inning closer really caught on. 

Sparky Lyle, closer New York Yankees

Song: As I mentioned earlier, Lyle was the first closer to have entrance music. The song? Pomp and Circumstance composed by Sir Edward Elgar.  I still haven’t confirmed how much of the song was played by organist Toby Wright, but my best guess would probably be from 5:20 or so to the end. Sadly, the way most people know that song is because it was also Macho Man Randy Savage’s entrance theme in the WWF/WCW. RIP Macho Man, I can’t find it in me to snap into a Slim Jam knowing that you can’t motivate me to do so via yelling at me. 

Interpretation: Like most of you, I thought that was an… interesting song to go out to. However, let me point out some facts about him.

• He was famous for sneaking into the Yankees clubhouse whenever a player would have a cake delivered, pulling down his pants, and leaving an impression of his bare butt on the cake. He stopped this because he was worried that teammates would start leaving pins or needles in the cake.
• He was known to be a huge prankster and was also extremely superstitious.

So yup, I would say that a man like that would go out to Pomp and Circumstance. I’d love to know what was going through his mind when… actually, on second thought, no I don’t want to know. 

Sparky Lyle, you inspired closers everywhere to be themselves and to not conform to anyone’s rules. Well done sir. 

Tomorrow: Mark Reynolds of the Baltimore Orioles. Quite an interesting player to watch play. He’s made the Orioles season so far a lot more entertaining, that’s for sure.

As promised, here’s a position player. I have referred to him on my post on Curtis Granderson’s choice of music for his first at bat on Opening Day of this year. Like Curtis, this man has ZERO excuse for picking this song. What makes it worse is, he actually used it for the entire duration of the season that he played!

First Baseman/DH/DL occupant Nick Johnson New York Yankees (circa 2010)

Song: Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus. Told you that there was no excuse. He went out to the chorus of it too. Luckily for Yankees fans, Nick Johnson did what he’s really good at: He got injured and stayed on the DL. 

Interpretation: I know there’s special meaning behind Nick choosing this song, but the reason is not fun at all. So let’s judge him. Clearly Nick Johnson likes to put his hands up when they’re playing his song. Because when they do, the butterflies fly away.

Tomorrow (Actually later today to make up for no post yesterday): The man who does four things a lot: 1. Strike out 2. Walk 3. Hit homers 4. Commit errors (in order from most common to I won’t say rare because it’s still a fairly regular thing… so least common?) He’s also made the Orioles season more entertaining thanks to photoshopped photos of him.

Hypothetical situation: Suppose that the ghost of Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn’s zombie corpse randomly decided to rise from the grave. Don’t be alarmed, he doesn’t want to eat your brains, nor is he bent on world domination and he is not the leader of an evil zombie army. He simply comes up to you:

“I say old chap, I’m Charles Radbourn, but you can call me Old Hoss. Old Hoss used to pitch, but I died quite some time ago. Old Hoss is bored and needs something to do. Old Hoss wants to pitch again, do you know how I would go about signing with a professional baseball club? Direct me to the nearest professional baseball club or I will be forced to challenge you to a duel.”

Not wanting to duel a zombie, you direct him to the nearest major league baseball team, and he gets signed. A few days later, you hear that three of said team’s starting pitchers and several coaches have mysteriously disappeared. Suddenly, Old Hoss’s zombie comes up to you again:

“I say old chap, Old Hoss did enjoy pitching yesterday, but that wretched sound that came out of the stadium while Old Hoss was warming up was horrible! Apparently that noise was this person by the name of “Gwen Stefani”. Now, Old Hoss has no idea what a “holla-back girl” is, but Old Hoss knows that Old Hoss does not want to be one! Could you please help Old Hoss find more… suitable sounds to warm up to? Silence does not befit a man like Old Hoss. If you do not help Old Hoss, I will be forced to hurl a coconut at your skull. Old Hoss will not miss either. You can ask those accursed aristocrats that tried to tell Old Hoss that he couldn’t start at least four out of every five games, they would know that I cannot miss. Oh wait, you can’t ask those carpetbaggers anything because I hurled coconuts through their skulls and now they are dead.”

You start to panic because you can’t think of a good song for Old Hoss to go out to, and having a coconut hurled through your skull would put a damper on your day. Having heard about me, you come find me and ask me to help you with this dilemma. I gladly oblige. Thus begins the blog post.

Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourne, pitcher Buffalo Bisons, Providence Grays, Boston Braves, Boston Beaneaters, and Cincinnati Reds

Song: In order to choose a good song for Old Hoss, one must first learn about him. Here’s his Wikipedia article. To sum it up in one run on sentence, he thinks that all pitchers post-1940 are sissy-pansy-nancy boys because they get to rest more than 2 days between pitching, and he refuses to refer to pitchers who only start once every five games as starting pitchers. As soon as I started researching his legendary 1884 season (678 2/3 innings pitched, won either 59 or 60 of the team’s 84 wins, and started 40 of the team’s last 43 games, winning 36 of those 40 that he started), I immediately thought of one song that would sum up Old Hoss’s pitching: Taking Care Of Business by Bachman Turner Overdrive. And it’s very soft and there’s not any wretched sounds in the song, so Old Hoss would probably like it, or at least not decide to kill me for it. Even if he did, it would be an honor to have a coconut hurled into my head by such a man as Old Hoss Radbourn.

Interpretation: Just as the song goes, Old Hoss Radbourn likes taking care of business (on the mound) every day, and especially working overtime. Don’t worry about girly things like “fatigue” or “Tommy John surgery”, Old Hoss didn’t worry about such petty things in 1884, did he? 

Tomorrow: I haven’t done a position player in a while, so tomorrow I’ll do one. I have a few players in mind, but requests are ALWAYS welcome. 

If you are interested in learning more about Old Hoss, follow the account dedicated to him on Twitter for his commentary on current events: @OldHossRadbourn. 

As usual, I welcome requests, and I try to oblige to as many as I can. Just message me your requests, and I’ll be happy to do them for you.

Shockingly, Aubrey Huff, despite his rally thong and his well documented love for strippers, is not the weirdest player on the Giants. That title belongs to two people actually: Brian Wilson, and Brian Wilson’s beard. 

Brian Wilson, closer San Francisco Giants

Song: Most closers like to go out to rock music. On occasion, you find closers like Koji Uehara and Matt Lindstrom, who go out to different music. Well, Wilson’s one of the closers who goes out to different music. He goes out to the 90’s hit “Jump Around” by House of Pain. I actually think it’s very appropriate for two reasons. First of all, just look at the guy. You think he needs music to get himself amped up? He was BORN amped up. Secondly, nothing fires up the crowd like 90’s rap one hit wonders.

Interpretation: Brian Wilson came to get down, he came to get down, so get out of your seats and jump around. Either that or Brian Wilson really likes overplayed 90’s rap music. 

Tomorrow: I will assign entrance music for everyone’s fake 1800’s pitcher Old Hoss Radbourn. Hopefully he won’t rise from his grave like a zombie and eat my brains. But if he did, I’d be honored to have my brains eaten by him.

Feel free to message me any requests, and I’ll do my best to oblige.

In 2008, a certain Oriole made some comments about Baltimore in an interview with an porn magazine, referring to Baltimore as a “Horse**** town”. An at bat music legend was born that day.

Aubrey Huff, designated hitter Baltimore Orioles (2008)

Song: So Hott by Kid Rock. Fortunately, he came up to the awesome guitar rift at the beginning of the song, and it would get cut off before Kid Rock starts singing. The song is quite inappropriate, which is why it’s PERFECT for someone like Aubrey Huff. Aubrey’s 2008 season was so hot, he won the AL Silver Slugger for designated hitters.

Interpretation: Aubrey Huff loves strippers, and to quote Charlie Sheen, is “winning”. Coming from a man who is proud of the fact that he wears a rally thong and once celebrated a home run against Joba Chamberlain by inserting fist pumps into his already cocky trot, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. To quote the song, Aubrey “don’t wanna be your friend, he wants to f*** you like he’ll never see you again”. 

Tomorrow: A Giants player whose antics you either love or hate. And no it’s not Aubrey Huff again. 

One of the requirements to be an elite closer is to have awesome entrance music. With all due respect to Mariano Rivera (Enter Sandman) and Sparky Lyle (Pomp and Circumstance), there is one closer whose entrance music sets him above everybody else. And it’s fitting because he is also the second best closer ever.

Trevor Hoffman, closer San Diego Padres/Milwaukee Brewers

Song: As if Trevor Hoffman needed a song to scare the crap out of hitters when he would stare at you like that. But I digress. His song is a timeless classic rock hit that has unofficially been retired by closers, as I’ve never heard another closer come out to Hells Bells by AC/DC. Here’s a video of his entrance. The bells are truly chilling. Hitters didn’t have a chance.

Interpretation: There are two options on this one:

A. If you’re evil, then you are a friend of Trevor Hoffman. Clearly Hoffman is some kind of Dark Lord.

B. Trevor Hoffman gives everybody black sensations up and down their spines.

I’m leaning more towards option B, although Option A is acceptable if you’re a fan of an NL West team.

Tomorrow: Aubrey Huff circa 2008. All I can say is while the song is slightly inappropriate, it describes Huff Daddy perfectly.