Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 14: ‘It could happen’

Clark is dripping sweat and spits in slow motion. The batter spits, too, except he’s clearly chewing tobacco. Gross. He also has quite the impressive mustache.

Then for once, I’m actually on the same page with Ranch here: “I can’t believe he’s leaving Clark in the game. Any hit scores a run.” I’m pretty sure that last sentence is to make it clear what’s at stake for the non-baseball folks watching the movie. One of those things you might not say in real life but have to add in order to educate the viewing audience.

J.P. comes over to Roger in the dugout, thinking, hoping, that there’s an angel with Clark. Roger looks like he’s about to puke because he knows that’s not true. No angels are coming to the rescue this time. Foul ball, 0-1 count. Down in the dirt, 1-1.

His pitch count is what now?!
And then, this from Wally in the radio booth as Clark shakes out his pitching arm:

“His arm has to be tired. He’s thrown 156 pitches.”

I’m sorry. What? 156 pitches? Even when I first started watching this as a kid before I knew my baseball, that seemed like a lot. Once I knew that 100 pitches was the general ballpark for a solid outing, this stat is downright comical.

2-1, pitch No. 157. Way inside, 3-1. Knox nods to the bullpen-phone guy in the dugout and asks Roger if there are any angels. Next pitch is a deep, deep fly ball, but it barely lands foul in the seats. Well, it comes down to a full count. Cue Ranch to give us a rapid-fire scenario: Full count, two outs, Angels lead by a run, “and for Mel Clark, this is the pressure cooker.” Oh. I’m sure he hasn’t been under any pressure already.

Finally, it looks like a good pitching decision… or does it?
And now Knox tells Roger he’s going to pull Clark. Are you freakin’ kidding me? Now? You sit around all game, let him get into jam after jam out there, let him thrown nearly 160 pitches, hit a batter to load the bases, but it’s finally that full count that gets you to make the move? Sure, skip. You do you.

Roger, implores Knox like a little kid, wanting Clark to “try.” Knox says Clark is “all used up.” Well, duh. Any pitcher would be all used up at that pitch count. Not to mention, Clark doesn’t exactly look like a 22-year-old out there. Age isn’t on his side.

So, even though no guys in sparkling pajamas are coming to help out tonight, we’re going to get one final moment of movie magic. Roger tells Knox that all Clark has to do is believe, and then they put their heads together to come up with a plan.

I’ve never seen a pitching coach in this movie, and that would have been a good time for a visit. But Knox heads out of the dugout to presumably relieve Clark.

“All I can say is, it’s about time.” I’m with ya, Ranch. Though he seems really gleeful about it.

Everybody make that angel signal
Clark tells Knox that he has nothing left. Knox says he has one strike left, and Clark is almost begging to be taken out with his body language. But wait! Roger steps out of the dugout and makes the angel signal with his arms. Knox tells Clark he has an angel with him. As the inspirational soundtrack rolls, J.P. and the rest of the Angels in the dugout join them in the signal. Then the fans in the stands all start doing it, like it’s the wave or something. I hate the wave, by the way.

Knox and Clark look around the stadium as the music goes full inspirational with everyone standing to join in the signal. Knox utters an “It could happen,” just to put the cheese factor over the top. And we see David in the box seats; he’s ditched the suit and bowtie in favor of the Angels-souvenir-shop look, complete with a halo atop his Angels cap. We also see the drunk fan, who’s still wearing a sleeveless tank.

In the owners’ box, Murphy gives the signal, too. He looks back at his family so they join in as well. Plenty of them are wearing cowboy garb, of course. We get it already. In the radio booth, Wally has that idiotic grin on his face as he and the producer give the signal. Ranch, obviously, sits there doing nothing.

This is a really long mound visit, and I’m sure the umpire would have been out there by now if this wasn’t a movie. Knox leaves Clark in after all that, again mentioning the “championship.” The angel signals turn to cheers.

Ranch can’t hide his displeasure for leaving Clark in. “This is not smart baseball. This is ridiculous.” That gets Murphy to switch his radio dial to the off position.

It all comes down to this
We have dramatic music and slow motion for this pitch on the full count. Silence at the delivery. The batter connects with a loud crack of the bat. Eyes grow wide in the Angels dugout. Clark leaps to his left to grab the ball. He catches it in his glove as he falls to the ground. It almost bounces out before he secures it with his right hand.

Play that happy soundtrack! The Angels celebrate on the field at the end of the game, and Roger and J.P. get on the field, too. Clark and Knox have a delirious hug in the middle of the scrum, where Clark says he believes in angels, but Knox says “you did yourself.”


Knox and the lads get lifted up on shoulders. It’s pure jubilation. Although I don’t see any personnel on the field handing out hats and t-shirts with the division-champion logos on them. Too bad.

In the radio booth, throwing professionalism out the window, Wally and the producer celebrate while Ranch yanks his headphones off saying “I can’t believe it!” in disgust. Murphy promptly enters and fires him. I can’t say I dislike the move. But can you really blame the guy for calling out Knox for leaving Clark in the game?

“You can’t fire me! I got a contract! I’m Ranch Wilder!”

Then Wally gets his revenge after taking a beating all season from his co-host. “Easy Ranch. Less is more.”

A happy ending in multiple ways
The celebration continues and ends as the boys run back home to celebrate with Maggie. She says she heard. I hope she would have made an exception and actually watched the game. Then there are a couple of lines very obviously dubbed in, one of Roger saying “the Angels won the pennant” and Maggie saying “it’s great!” and “well done!” like they had something to do with it, while hugging and kissing the boys. That cheese factor is astronomical again.  

Maggie then informs Roger that his social worker called about finding him a permanent home. Roger, the poor kid, is still hung up on his dad and thinks it’s about him. J.P. runs off to cry about his best friend leaving. Knox is there to talk it over with Roger. Because again, Knox takes the boys home. I guess he didn’t have any media obligations or bubbly to drink with the team after winning such a big game.

Knox tries to convince Roger a family to take care of him will be a good thing, and Roger reluctantly agrees.

Then, we get one more special moment in this movie. Knox reveals that he was the one that called about wanting to take Roger in and “try to be a dad.”

“I want you to come and live at my house.”

Roger rushes to hug him, immediately excited at the idea. But upon hearing J.P. enter the room, still upset, Roger backs off and says he can’t leave J.P. Knox says he could never leave J.P. “He’s coming, too!” J.P. overhears, and then it’s group-hug central.

Well, maybe he should have mentioned something to J.P.’s social worker as well. Maggie tells them that it’s OK to leave her behind, too. “There are plenty of little angels looking for a home.” Aww, how sweet. The trio rejoices at the prospect of being a family, and J.P. is excited about having a daddy.

Then, J.P. looks out the window and sees the boss angel give a final cap tip. “I knew it could happen!” For some reason, J.P. can now see the angels, too. I’m cool with it.

As the parting shot, Al the angel turns into the graphics of an angel again and flies away, telling the camera “we’re always watching” as he flies into the starry night sky. The credits start to roll as a few bright stars form a baseball diamond in the sky while an instrumental version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” plays.

There you have it. More details than you ever wanted to know about Angels in the Outfield. This was another fun series to put together. Thanks for reading any part of it. 

Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 1: 'I'd say when the Angels win the pennant'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 2: 'Boy, they're bad'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 3: 'You don't even *lose* as a team!'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 4: 'God, if there is a God...'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 5: 'I love it when they come from above like that'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 6: 'There were *angels* in the outfield!'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 7: 'Let's keep the profanity down'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 8: 'This is not baseball'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 9: 'If the angel pitches with him...'
Angels in the Outfield commentary, part 10: 'Take me out to the ball game'


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