When Brett Cecil came out to the mound on Friday night for the Blue Jays against the Yankees, one thing came to mind: He looks like Rick Vaughn with those glasses.
Yes, it’s been 25 years since “Major League” hit screens, but it still resonates with fans. Here are five things it taught us about baseball and life.
1. Tanking isn’t just for basketball – In a pretty spot-on premonition of the modern NBA and roughly half of the history of the Florida/Miami Marlins, conniving Cleveland Indians owner Rachel Phelps tries to engineer a losing season with scrub players and cut-rate facilities – not for a high draft pick, but so she can relocate the team.
2. How old pitchers keep their edge – Eddie Harris was one of the more underrated players/characters in the movie. He had a very strong performance in the one-game playoff against the Yankees, even if Vaughn stole all the credit with his relief performance. How was the veteran able to stay on top of his game? Spitballs, baby.
Warning: Graphic Language
3. The Yankees make for great foils – Clu Haywood (played by retired big leaguer Pete Vuckovich) was a classic baseball villain and the Yankees seemed like a great fit for the team the Indians would have to topple in the old AL East. But in 1989, the year the movie was released, the Yankees were eight years removed from their last postseason.
4. It’s pretty easy to sneak into spring training – A lot of players convene for spring training, so Willie “Mays” Hayes just decided to show up and try out for the team. Indians management didn’t notice until the first night and then all he had to do was run really fast to prove he deserved a legitimate shot. This may or may not be how Brett Gardner launched his career.
5. Never blindly follow your ex-girlfriend home – Jake Taylor spots his ex-girlfriend, Lynn Wells, at a game and decides to follow her home. One problem: She’s not going home and he ends up strolling into a dinner party at the home of Wells’ fiancé. Awkwardness ensues.