Season 6, Episode 05
Dead Man’s Curve Ball
Directed by Mel Damski
Written by Bill Callahan
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
After screwing up and losing the department’s softball game (against the local DMV), and getting in an argument with Henry (the umpire), Shawn is approached by Mel Hornsby, the manager of the Santa Barbara Seabirds baseball team. The hitting coach, Grady Barrett, has recently died of a heart attack. The autopsy showed there were amphetamines in his system, but Hornsby thinks there was foul play involved. Shawn infiltrates the team as the new hitting coach, and Gus takes the part of the mascot, Sammy Seabird. It soon becomes obvious that between ambitious divas on their way up and old has-beens coming back down in their careers, there’s no shortage of possible sources for the amphetamines… but was it accidental, or deliberate?Tropes:
- Accidental Dance Craze: The Sammy Seabird suit is infested with fleas. Gus’ attempts at scratching result in some impressive dance moves, and he’s an instant hit.
- Accidental Murder: Neil's killing of Grady Barrett was an accident that came from trying to sabotage Izzy Jackson. Jackson's murder, same motive of stopping him playing, but not so much of an accident.
- Actor Allusion: As Mel (played by Danny Glover) is watching the Seabirds brawl with each other, he grumbles "I'm too old for this crap".
- As Himself: Baseball legend Wade Boggs turns up as the Seabirds’ real new hitting coach, replacing Shawn.
- Baseball Episode: Yup.
- Batter Up!: Somebody beats Izzy to death with a bat offscreen halfway through the episode.
- Classically-Trained Extra: In-universe example, Gus is frustrated that his tap-dancing skills are wasted in the Sammy Seabird costume, and hates doing "The Macarena".
- *Click* Hello: General Manager Neil Stillman pulls one on Gus near the end of the episode.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Played for Laughs. Neil Stillman had already gotten two people killed to further his career, and is willing to slaughter several people en masse to cover up his crimes at one point… until Wade Boggs shows up. Stillman decides he can’t kill the baseball legend, and runs.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: While Shawn is looking at Izzy's file, viewers can briefly see that his full first name was "Israel".
- Goofy Suit: The Sammy Seabird costume. Gus hates it; it’s got fleas, it’s hot, and he can’t tap-dance in it. However, it gives Shawn a good disguise to infiltrate backstage at one point.
- Long List: At one point, Shawn thinks a childhood hero of his named Cal Eason is the killer, and he confronts Cal with a long list of things he believes in, then adds that Cal used to be on the list.
- Motor Mouth: Shawn steals Izzy’s water bottle, and takes a swig. Turns out the water was laced with amphetamines, and Shawn becomes hyperactive for a couple hours until he crashes.
- Murder by Mistake: Neil Stillman tried to spike Izzy Jackson's water bottle with amphetamines to make him fail his drug test. However, Grady drank from the bottle because he mistook it for his own while working out and had a heart attack because of it.
- Noodle Incident: Izzy wakes up in the middle of a field with no pants on after a wild night of drinking and partying. His first reaction? "Not again…"
- Really Gets Around: It seems most of the Seabirds have been sleeping with each other’s wives and girlfriends. When the news gets out, it results in a melee on the field, much to the opposing team’s confusion. Shawn even says this by name.
- Starts Stealthily, Ends Loudly: Shawn sneaks into the Seabirds’ management offices in the Sammy Seabird costume, and manages to stay undetected while he finds a critical file… and then the big beak on the costume smacks a lamp, disorienting Shawn enough to send him crashing into a trophy case. He has to run like hell to get out.
- Tampering with Food and Drink: Izzy Jackson's water bottle was spiked with amphetamines in order to disqualify him, but Grady ended up drinking it instead, resulting in his death.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Once Shawn gets the players mad at each other over sleeping with each other's wives and girlfriends, Mel just knows where this is going.
- Villain Ball: GM Neil Stillman got Izzy Jackson with a $12 million contract, before discovering he was an obnoxious, immature dolt – who, worse, couldn’t hit a curveball to save his life. He initially tried to plant drugs on Izzy, or trade him, but when that didn’t pan out, he killed him… even though simply getting him injured would have been more than enough. Shawn even lampshades it.
