Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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FRED: Oh, God! I'm between Ed Witten and Brian Greene?
ANGEL and GUNN: (Blank stares)
FRED: Think Nomar Garciaparra and Sammy Sosa.
GUNN: (Whistles)
ANGEL: Fred skipped the minors and went straight to the show.
(from "Supersymmetry," "Angel" episode 4ADH05, originally aired 11/3/02)
This just happens to be what I was watching as the clock turned over into 2006. What's funny about this (besides Amy Acker's pronunciation of "Garciaparra") is here it is three years later and Sammy and Nomar are, well, hardly Ed Witten and Brian Greene. Who would have imagined that the two baseball stars big enough to cross over into the consciousness of the non-baseball-aware "Angel" writing staff would be marginalized even in the minds of the hardcore by New Year's Day 2006? Seriously, when you heard Sammy Sosa might become a Pirate, what other reaction could you have other than mixed hilarity and pity? Baseball is much like life. Everything is mutable. Happy new year.
As for Nomaaaaaaaaar, the LA Fans many of whom tire of games lasting more than 6 innings will love the chicken step and wrist wrap. He does a disservice to the game by being an I-can-play-anywhere guy. Of course, things could change if he starts off the year above .400 with ten or more homers in April. But being close to Mia may have an affect. Mannnnnnnny. Take note.
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