People come up to me all the time and ask, “Hey, Andrew! What are some of your favorite verbs used during baseball broadcasts? Also, what are you doing in this dumpster behind my friend’s garage?”

Hello, by the way, and welcome to the latest installment of the TBTL newsletter. I hope this email finds you well.

I was listening to a Mariners game earlier this week, as I’m wont to do, and I was inspired to grab a pen and paper and start taking notes. No, I wasn’t scoring the game at home (a skill I am still trying to learn.) Instead, I began to track all the fun verbs that MLB announcers use when they are describing the action on the field. 

To be clear, I was only interested in verbs specifically, not just colorful language and phrases. Sure, we all love fun ballpark idioms like “can of corn” and “high cheese” and “Snyder gut” (don’t worry if you’re not familiar with that last one; I made it up to describe the bad feeling I have whenever Rob Refsnyder is at the plate.) I’m talking about verbs and verbs only. You know, “action words.” 

For example, we know that a player can run to first base. But isn’t it more fun when he glides into first? Or coasts in? Or even cruises in? Maybe he’s a larger player with a bit of a belly and built low to the ground. These players tend to rumble around the base paths (my personal fav.) Obviously, players can also slide into base, but they can also dive. Sometimes they even stomp or scamper or trot around the diamond. 

Those were all the verbs that I could think of for runners, but I also jotted a few down for the pitcher. Yes, the man on the mound can simply throw or pitch the ball. But he can also fire it in. Or lob it in. He can also whiz it over the plate or paint the corners of the plate. That’s if he doesn’t spike a ball or accidentally bounce it. 

The last category that I noted was words for hitting. A player can scorch a ball, blast a ball, blister a ball, cork a ball, loop a ball, bloop a ball, pop a ball, lace a ball, or even laser a ball into the outfield (although using “laser” as a verb in general is a little on the line for me.) 

And that’s where my notes on the matter end. However, it drives me a little batty knowing that I’m still probably missing a lot of great verbage. So I encourage you to let me know what fun verbs I’m forgetting.  But please note that we’re just talking verbs here. The first person to write in to tell me about a “yakker” or a “worm burner” will get a ten game suspension. 

Speaking of baseball, the Mariners just started their game against Detroit, and Rob Refsnyder just hit an RBI single to drive in J.P. Crawford. Maybe all he needed was a little negging in the ol’ TBTL newsletter. 

I hope you all have a fun, sunny weekend filled with the best verbs that fit your lifestyle. Luke and I will talk to you on Monday!

-- Andrew

Lucy and I stopped to watch some ducks at Bitter Lake on Monday. 
(Not pictured: Ducks. And me.)

What’s your name and where do you live? 
Linder Peacock. Rhode Island.

When did you start listening to TBTL? How did you find the show?
Someday I should boot up my oldest iPod to see, but I think it was 2010ish after hearing Luke on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!

How would your friends describe you?
Extremely resistant to change, which I’m going to spin as “stable”

What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid?Is it still your fav? 
Does instant oatmeal count?  I used to love those packets of apple cinnamon flavor. I’d add raisins and a scoop of brown sugar. This only happened at grandma’s house since my father had deeply ingrained issues with sugar. I probably couldn’t eat it now and I rarely eat breakfast, but I still love cinnamon. Anything with more cinnamon.  

What food do you love to eat the most of?
Cheese.   All the cheese.  Except blue cheese.

What’s the best or worst nickname you ever had?
Worst I ever had - probably Rosie.   My 9th grade winter boyfriend was just trying way too hard to give me a nickname and decided that pink cheeks while skiing was my thing. Excuse me, Goose, but that was everyone’s thing. We were cold and we had cheap, poorly made gear.  Jimmy Lugosi had so many good nicknames, he just wanted us all to experience the joy.   But no - Rosie was not good.  

If you could play one song on TBTL, what would it be?
I’d want to play whatever was option 4 on Callin’ Oates. And I’m hoping that it wasn't ’Rich Girl’.  I miss Callin’ Oates. 

What’s a special skill that you have?
I can make an impressive spread out of random stuff in the pantry and fridge.  You’d never know I didn’t shop, daily, for smorgasbord items. I’m just a genius at putting together a good snack for unexpected guests.  

What’s a skill you *wish* you had?
I wish I could speak and understand other languages. Spanish, Swedish or an Asian language would be such a cool thing to have in my back pocket.  

If you were driving down the street and you saw Luke and Andrew on the sidewalk, what would you yell at them as you drove past?
“I’m Linder and I love TBTL!” cause …. I do.  And it’s not about them all the time.  

Can other Tens find you on social media?
@linderandhenry on tiktok

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