Lio by Mark Tatulli for March 04, 2011

That’s cheatin’, boy.

What ever works.

Why is he running the bases clockwise?

@SCOTT, good point. I guess it’s cartoonists license.

Well, that’s one idea on making baseball more fun to watch.

He’s related to Jimmy Piersall….*

Piersall ran the bases in the correct order, but ran backwards, when he hit his 100th career home run. What was really funny is that in the movie telling his life story, where he has a nervous breakdown and returns to baseball, he was played by Anthony Perkins, who three years later would go on to play Norman Bates in “Psycho.”

Hit the showers, first baseman!

It’s “Team Lio!” And I’m sure Lio was shown running the other way because it makes a better picture. You would see his back otherwise.

Lio’s running the wrong way.

The images could be shown negatively for some reason.

That’s what happens when you take your eye off the ball.

OUT! Infield vampire rule.

Lio’s impression of Pennywise seems to be a hit.

For those saying he’s running the wrong way, perhaps he’s merely jumping to add effect to the teeth, scaring the baseman. the illusion is that he’s on the opposite baseline, when in fact he’s jumping up.

“jukeofurl said, about 7 hours ago

He’s related to Jimmy Piersall….*”

We didn’t have a baseball team when I was growing up - we had the Senators - and Jimmy P was one of the few players I remember going to see at D.C Stadium (now RFK).

Didn’t Alex Rodriguez do that to a shortstop two years ago?

good stuff, Mark. Lio is a terrific strip

Ok, someone has to mention the cartoon physics involved in Lio getting to the base at the same time as the ball.

Either that or it’s a mirror universe, which would explain the clockwise running.

that’s what I call a bat boy! :)

John McGraw would be proud…

jukeofurl: James Marcellin St.Vrain (1883 - 1937), was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The left-hander played for the Chicago Orphans (Cubs) in 1902.

St.Vrain pitched well during his only season but gave up a lot of unearned runs. He is also remembered for running the wrong way on the bases; although he was a left-handed pitcher, St.Vrain batted right-handed. One day, manager Frank Selee suggested he try batting left-handed, and upon making contact with the ball, St.Vrain was confused enough to run to third base (he was thrown out at first base).

Had to be a Cub. Also, if Lio went to spring training today, the Cubs would drop his pop-ups without any need for chicanery.

LIO is running from Home to first base…he’s just flying so high above the baseline that it looks like he’s going from 2nd to 1st.

Imtatulli:

I had to look twice to figure that out along with, I suppose, a lot of other readers. It’s sort of an Escher effect. http://www.mcescher.com/

mtatulli:

I actually saw it that way, but by the time I read it the convo was so entertaining I wanted to join in and run with the pack.

BTW - how about the “passing of the pen” that’s about to happen at the Tracy strip? Looks promising to me, though Locher’s to be commended for his 32 years.

It’s the Lio book of rules!

And the other team calls for a time-out so their first baseman can change his underpants.

joefish25 - A-rod did do something like that several years ago. Running from second to third on a pop up near third baseman Howie Clark of the Blue Jays, he appeared to holler “Got it”, and Howie ducked out of the way thinking he was hearing his own shortstop. The Jays got their revenge in a subsequent game when A-rod was plunked by a very obvious pitch and neither the Yankees or Jays reacted.

Heeheehee! That’s hilarious, pbuckland!!!

Heeheehee! That’s hilarious, pbuckland!!!

Best Halloween costume I EVER had; in a shirt pocket on the plane, popped ‘em in to enter the restaurant after I arrived in Huntsville. Hostess lost it! (I tipped extra when I left!)

A-rod.