Join the players and coaches of the South Georgia Peanuts for a wild ride through a season at the lowest levels of professional baseball. See what it takes to play pro baseball and why so many players are so determined to make it that they will gladly play for peanuts. Originally broadcast on Comcast Sportsnet and SNY, Playing for Peanuts is now available in this 3-DVD box set. This 10-episode TV series is packed with controversy – including ejections, suspensions, stadium blackouts and bench-clearing brawls. The series is also about the funny, yet sometimes mundane, existence of baseball team. Long bus rides, poor living conditions and pranks are all part of the life of a ballplayer. The series focuses on South Georgia Peanuts manager Wally Backman. The former star second baseman for the New York Mets joined the Peanuts in an attempt to resurrect his career after it was derailed by legal problems. Additional appearances by past and present Major League players including Ron Darling, Cecil Fielder, Conor Jackson and Phil Plantier. This 3-DVD box set contains all 10 broadcast episodes of Playing for Peanuts plus bonus footage and deleted scenes – including hilarious Prank School; segments where pro ballplayers teach you how to perform classic pranks in the dugout.
List Price: $ 29.99
Price: $ 29.99
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January 2, 2011
#1
Excellent, whether you like baseball or simply well-constructed documentaries,
“Playing for Peanuts” is a thoroughly enjoyable look at baseball in the minors. On the surface, it has the structure of a reality show series. But unlike most reality shows, every story feels real, genuine. Director John Fitzgerald is particularly strong at drawing out details–from the never-ending supply of bugs that plague the team as they prepare for a game or an interview, to the impact of less-than-stellar facilities and league management on the players’ gameplay.
Fitzgerald wisely chooses a couple of threads to tie together the entire series. On the one hand, we get a strong focus on manager Wally Backman, a character with a great heart but sometimes a short fuse. He’s certainly entertaining to watch, but he’s also a phenomenal coach. It’s fascinating watching his incredibly strong commitment to the players’ and league’s development. But Fitzgerald also tells the tale of the struggles of establishing and maintaining a minor league baseball league in the South. Throughout the series he snags some excellent interviews not only with players, but also sports reporters, managers, owners, and local fans. This DVD provides a rare look at a sport in search of a way to establish itself in a variety of communities, with a fair catalogue of most of its successes and failures.
My only criticism is that the end of the series–the last episode in particular–almost tried to do too much. It seemed a bit rushed in places. But viewers should keep in mind that Fitzgerald takes the project on as an independent director, doing most of the editing and production on his own. All things considered, it’s an impressively put-together documentary, perhaps not as “professional” looking as the high school football documentary “Go Tigers” but far more comprehensive in its portrayal of all aspects of the minor league experience of baseball. Plus (and this should not be understated), the series has excellent humor throughout, showing the quirks of the various ballparks as well as the players goofing around with one another pre- and post-game. A bonus of the DVD is a feature called “Prank school,” where the players give tips on the types of pranks played on each other and the coaches during the season.
All in all, this DVD is highly recommended for those who love baseball or who love good story-telling.
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|January 2, 2011
#2
Rafanelli,
This DVD is a must buy for anyone interested in Baseball! What an action packed series with so many funny moments…especially with Wally Backman. Great cinematography too!
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|January 2, 2011
#3
Baseball Soap,
A highly entertaining look at an independent team in a now defunct league. The trails and tribulations are fun to watch. The politics of baseball at this level is exposed, along with the shortcomings of all involved. A real candid look at baseball on the fringes. Following the adventures of Wally Backman and the team is a real treat. If you want an unvarnished look at guys trying to stay in the game and more up the ladder, this is plenty good fun. The “Prank School” section is a kick.
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