Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)

Aging minor league pitcher Gus Cantrell is planning to retire, but then Roger recruits Gus to be the manager of the South Carolina Buzz, the Twins AAA minor league team. Gus's mission is to... See full summary »

Director:

John Warren

Writers:

David S. Ward (characters), John Warren

Stars:

Scott Bakula, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Scott Bakula	...	Gus Cantrell
Corbin Bernsen	...	Roger Dorn
Dennis Haysbert	...	Pedro Cerrano
Takaaki Ishibashi	...	Taka Tanaka
Jensen Daggett	...	Maggie Reynolds
Eric Bruskotter	...	Rube Baker
Walton Goggins	...	Billy 'Downtown' Anderson
Ted McGinley	...	Leonard Huff
Kenny Johnson	...	Lance Pere (as Kenneth Johnson)
Judson Mills	...	Hog Ellis
Lobo Sebastian	...	Carlos Liston
Thom Barry	...	Frank 'Pops' Morgan
Peter Mackenzie	...	Carlton 'Doc' Windgate
Tim DiFilippo	...	Juan Lopez #1
Tom DiFilippo	...	Juan Lopez #1

Storyline

Aging minor league pitcher Gus Cantrell is planning to retire, but then Roger recruits Gus to be the manager of the South Carolina Buzz, the Twins AAA minor league team. Gus's mission is to make a real team out of a bunch of players who include ballet dancer turned ballplayer Lance "Lance the Dance" Pere, Frank "Pops" Morgan, Rube Baker, Taka Tanaka, Pedro Cerrano, Hog Ellis, home run hitter Billy "Downtown" Anderson, and Carlton "Doc" Windgate, who throws the slowest fastball in professional baseball. Gus ends up clashing with Leonard Huff, the snobby, arrogant manager of the twins. One night in Minnestoa, Gus and his girlfriend Maggie Reynolds are having dinner with Roger and Huff at an expensive-looking restaurant, where Huff challenges Gus to a game between the Buzz and the Twins, then Huff starts a fight with Gus, who accepts the challenge. The game is scheduled to take place at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minnesota. The Twins take a 3-0 lead in the 6th inning, but Billy ...

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Plot Keywords:

baseball | sequel | baseball movie | sports team | third part

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Taglines:

They're Just Nine Players Short of a Dream Team

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 April 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Major League 3: Back to the Minors

Filming Locations:

Charleston Naval Base, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$2,087,011 (USA) (17 April 1998)

Gross:

$3,551,208 (USA) (15 May 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morgan Creek Productions, Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Roger Dorn's Minnesota Twins owner suite, a number 4 Lou Collins jersey hangs in a case, a reference to Timothy Busfield's character in Little Big League.

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Goofs

There are two obvious instances of blue screen use. One is when Taka Tanaka is making a relay throw home during the game in Minnesota. Another is when a Buzz player is sliding home beneath an apposing catcher. It's an obvious lift of a similar scene in one of the prior Major League movies in which the catcher appears to be added into the shot.

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Quotes

Frank 'Pops' Morgan: This is the clubhouse.
Gus Cantrell: In some places of the world, this is called a basement.
Frank 'Pops' Morgan: It's cool in August. Other times, it can get musty.
Gus Cantrell: Dank?
Frank 'Pops' Morgan: That too. There's your office.
Gus Cantrell: Another prayer unanswered.
[Gus hears heavy breathing]
Frank 'Pops' Morgan: Lance Pere, this is Gus Cantrell, our new skipper.
Lance Pere: Welcome to our unique little troop.
Gus Cantrell: Thanks, you're not stuck or anything, are you?
[...]

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Connections

References The Fan (1996)

User Reviews

Solid Single

I enjoyed this movie quite a bit and find myself watching it when it comes on TV. I'm not sure why several other 'reviewers' are getting so fired up about why Charlie Sheen or Wesley Snipes are not in the movie, or why the Indians have been replaced by the Twins: this is the Major League franchise, friends, not the Godfather trilogy. Just accept this as a nice little movie focused on minor league ball, jokes, and Ted McGinley's overacting. It's not going to save the world, or win an Oscar, but it's certainly enjoyable. If you have to compare the 3 movies, the first one is the best, then I'd put this one because it's not trying so hard to repeat the original, then the 2nd one, because, well, that one's just very bad: worse than drinking Jobu's rum. (Although the look on Berenger's face in the second one when he has to say "okay, Rick, let's get nasty" is priceless, I have to admit). Major League 3 doesn't try to do too much, so don't expect much out of it, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.