I think of Major League: Back to the Minors is a pretty good spin off of the first two Major League movies. Writer-director John Warren has put together a film that has the same feel as the first two. He has also done a good job of having some familiar faces, as well as introducing us to some new ones.
In the beginning, we are introduced to Gus Cantrell, played by Scott Bakula. Gus is a professional baseball pitcher who has spent a lot of time in the minor leagues. Gus knows that he is too old to be playing professional baseball. That is when Roger Dorn (played by Corbin Bernsen, reprising his role from the first two films) comes along with a job offer. Roger offers Gus the job to be the manager of his AAA team, the Buzz. It is up to Gus to turn this group of guys into a legitimate baseball team.
With this Buzz baseball team, we have an interesting group of players. We have a bunch of new faces. One of them is Hog Ellis, a pitcher who only has a fastball in his repertoire. Carlton "Doc" Windgate is a starting pitcher who is good at locating and controlling his pitches, but has the slowest fastball in all of professional baseball. Frank "Pops" Morgan has been playing minor league ball for two decades and never made it to the majors. Twin brothers named Juan Lopez play second base and shortstop. Lance Pere is a third baseman who was once a ballet dancer. Finally, we have Billy "Downtown" Anderson as a young up-and-coming hitter who needs some fine tuning.
Along with the new faces, we have some familiar ones. Rube Baker, who was an Indians catcher in the second Major League film, is back as the Buzz catcher. Voodoo man Pedro Cerrano is back to help Gus make the Buzz a good team. Along with Cerrano is his crazy Japanese buddy, Taka Tanaka.
The story focuses on one season where at first the Buzz is the joke of all AAA teams. But under Gus's coaching, they become a team good enough to compete with its major affiliate, the Minnesota Twins.
I think the story and film are fun and entertaining, especially if you are a fan of the first two Major League films or even just baseball at all. The only thing I still can't get my mind past is how is it possible for both the Buzz and the Twins to find time out of their seasons to play against each other.
In the beginning, we are introduced to Gus Cantrell, played by Scott Bakula. Gus is a professional baseball pitcher who has spent a lot of time in the minor leagues. Gus knows that he is too old to be playing professional baseball. That is when Roger Dorn (played by Corbin Bernsen, reprising his role from the first two films) comes along with a job offer. Roger offers Gus the job to be the manager of his AAA team, the Buzz. It is up to Gus to turn this group of guys into a legitimate baseball team.
With this Buzz baseball team, we have an interesting group of players. We have a bunch of new faces. One of them is Hog Ellis, a pitcher who only has a fastball in his repertoire. Carlton "Doc" Windgate is a starting pitcher who is good at locating and controlling his pitches, but has the slowest fastball in all of professional baseball. Frank "Pops" Morgan has been playing minor league ball for two decades and never made it to the majors. Twin brothers named Juan Lopez play second base and shortstop. Lance Pere is a third baseman who was once a ballet dancer. Finally, we have Billy "Downtown" Anderson as a young up-and-coming hitter who needs some fine tuning.
Along with the new faces, we have some familiar ones. Rube Baker, who was an Indians catcher in the second Major League film, is back as the Buzz catcher. Voodoo man Pedro Cerrano is back to help Gus make the Buzz a good team. Along with Cerrano is his crazy Japanese buddy, Taka Tanaka.
The story focuses on one season where at first the Buzz is the joke of all AAA teams. But under Gus's coaching, they become a team good enough to compete with its major affiliate, the Minnesota Twins.
I think the story and film are fun and entertaining, especially if you are a fan of the first two Major League films or even just baseball at all. The only thing I still can't get my mind past is how is it possible for both the Buzz and the Twins to find time out of their seasons to play against each other.