"Major League" actor James Gammon dies at 70

James Gammon, the gravel-voiced actor who played Cleveland Indians manager Lou Brown in the 1980s comedy "Major League," died Friday at the age of 70.

The craggy-faced actor had some hilarious lines in "Major League," like:

"Forget about the curve ball Ricky, give him the heater."

AND

(After Willie Mays Hayes makes a basket catch): "Nice catch, Hayes. Don't ever f***in' do it again."

AND

Willie Mays Hayes: "Willie Mays Hayes. I hit like Mays, and I run like Hayes."
*Lou Brown: "You may run like Hayes. but you hit like ****."

AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE...

Charlie Donovan (on the phone): "How would you like to manage the Indians this year?"
*Lou Brown: "Gee, I don't know..."
Charlie Donovan: "What do you mean, you don't know? This is your chance to manage in the big leagues."
*Lou Brown: "Let me get back to you, will ya, Charlie? I got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls."

Funny stuff. I may just have to watch that movie tonight. Sure beats watching the Tigers lose four straight at Cleveland -- which may have been a fitting tribute to the memory of Lou Brown/James Gammon, but may have exposed the Tigers as pretenders. The timing couldn't be worse, either, considering they're facing an insane stretch against the Rangers, Jays, Rays (at Tampa), Red Sox (at Fenway), White Sox, Angels, Rays again, White Sox again (at Chicago) and Yankees (at Yankees Stadium). Can't say I'm feeling very confident about their chances at this point...