Secondly, why are they discussing Taco Bell? Sure this was game one, and it was a blowout, but you don't have anything else to talk about?
Thirdly, Clayton says, "Tomorrow night, America's counting on you." Counting on Ellsbury is a bit of a stretch, he isn't the only player on the team who can steal a base. Why would Royce specifically mention tomorrow night? Does he know something we don't? That smells of strike two to me. Apparently he does, but I'll get to that. Fast forward to later in the game, and we hear another conversation about the promotion.
First of all, once again, this is Royce wearing a microphone, not some dugout mic that happened to overhear that chat. Second, why is Coco explaining the deal to Royce? Royce already knows about it, as evidenced by his explaining it to Ellsbury earlier on. Royce tries to play it cool and seems natural enough, but that's strike three in the "This Is Staged" department.
Lastly, go back to that first video with Ellsbury, and take a look. I appreciate that he got a great jump, but nobody was within ten feet of second base, and he practically walked into second for the taco-winning stolen base. That screams staged to me, and four strikes definitely means you're out.
This is pretty depressing. You're telling me that both Taco Bell and Major League baseball are so desperate for viewers that they are willing to choreograph a stolen base, and several conversations about that stolen base, just so America has a chance at some free tacos? Every single person involved in this (Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Chris Myers, every other person on the other side of the camera) should be ashamed, if they aren't already.
Oh, let's not forget the interview with the COO of Taco Bell. It doesn't help your interview seem not staged when you're smirking directly into the camera as you deliver your canned lines.
The extra frustrating part was that game two was actually a very well played, entertaining game, and they kept interrupting the action and/or not talking about the game to remind everybody about the damn tacos.
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Article comments
1 - Chris Beaumont
That was funny!
2 - rob
First, Royce Clayton was also wearing a mic in the series against the Indians. Second, he talked to Ellsbury AFTER Crisp. Third, he also talked about the promotion to other players. Fourth, Ellsbury is very fast, and as you pointed out he got a great jump.
I'm surprised you didn't mention that Crisp was benched for Ellsbury for the World Series as part of your wacky conspiracy theory...
I will however agree with you that the free taco promotion was annoying with the commentary and the interview with the Taco Bell exec.
3 - nicolas
ok, so maybe coco tells royce about the promo, and it flows from there. fair enough.
and royce was somebody who has interesting things to say, since he was mic'd up in both series. fair enough.
that still doesn't explain why players are spending their down time talking about some silly Taco Bell promotion that I doubt they give a rat's ass about.
And yes, Ellsbury IS a fast player, but like i said, there was NOBODY covering the base. colorado KNOWS he's a fast player and a base-stealing threat. game two was a close game all the way through. there is NO way that neither matsui OR tulowitzki would leave second uncovered unless they were giving him the base intentionally.