Major League: Back to the Minors (1998) User Reviews

Not great, but not too bad either and better than Major League II

[grantss · 6/10 · 3 December 2016]

Gus Cantrell is a major league pitcher in the twilight of his career. He contacted by Roger Dorn, General Manager of the Minnesota Twins, and offered the role of managing the Buzz, the Twins' AAA team. Cantrell accepts but regrets it almost immediately. The Buzz is a dysfunctional no-hoper team, with an odd assortment of characters. However, Cantrell quickly sets about forging them into a winning team.

My expectations for this, the third installment of Major League, were quite low. The first Major League was great but Major League II was very disappointing, filled with clichés, cheap humour and unrealistic baseball. Back to the Minors initially promised to be more of the same, looking quite unoriginal and predictable.

However, it grows on you and its charms become more apparent with time. The key is that it is set in the Minor Leagues, so instead of the glamour of major league baseball, we have no-frills, small town, salt-of-the-earth baseball. It makes a refreshing change and does help the engagement factor.

This all said, it is still fairly predictable and the humour hit- and-miss, but the baseball is fairly realistic, certainly more realistic than Major League II.

Overall, okay, not brilliant, but better than Major League II, at least.

Not A Major League film, but still enjoyable.

[L_Forster · 6/10 · 5 January 2006]

Perhaps not the big names as the first two installments of the series, but an enjoyable movie that teaches that you don't have to be biggest or the best, as long as you give it all you've got and have fun. Scott Backula gives a great and convincing performance as a minor league coach, Ted McGinley does what he does best, play a self centered egotistical, overbearing idiot. He has been brilliant with the same type character in vehicles like "Married With Children." Who else could have pulled this character off. This movie delves into some of the situations faced by both major and minor league players. There are good players who spend their entire baseball careers in minor league. In the days we live in of multimillion contracts, and players who think they are gods, it might be better to see men who play the sport more for fun than money. Perhaps if some of the Major League stars in real life would learn to have fun playing, then we as fans would get a better game.

Solid Single

[john-koktostin · 6/10 · 29 November 2006]

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.

Could have been very good

[phil_the_pill · 6 June 2000]

I got the feeling when I watched this that someone had written a nice script about minor league baseball, and somebody got a hold of it and said, "Hey, let's just make this a 'Major League' movie!" I got the feeling the characters from the previous two movies were just tacked onto the existing story line. Which is bad, because there were some good things in this, like the old (actually, ancient) minor league outfielder who was converted to first. And the young phenom hitter.

Not Bull Durham, but could have been good.

Managerial rivalry

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 11 July 2020]

With a new Major League francise as its location, but some former stars of the Cleveland indians and the first two films in the cast, the final film of the series takes us Back To The Minors. The crux of tis plot has a rivalry between Minnesota Twins manager Ted McGinley and Scott Bakula the manager of their Triple A franchise the Charleston Buzz.

Corbin Bernson from the frst two films of the series is now the General Manager of the Twins and he hires both men, rivals since their playing days. Bakula is OK, but McGinley is pretty insufferable. The climax is a pair of exhibition games netween the teams.

A few of Bernson's teammates from his playing days with the Indians are back including Denns Haysbert the Santeria worshiping slugger.

A good sprts comedy, not quite as good as the first two of the series.

Not great, but not bad.

[Ray3100 · 5/10 · 6 December 2020]

Just a fun little movie that you can watch when you feel like just spacing out in front of the tv.

very awful sequel

[ryall-2 · 1/10 · 8 December 1999]

This is by far one of the worst movies i have ever seen, the poor special effects along with the poor acting are just a few of the things wrong with this film. I am fan of the first two major leagues but this one is lame!

Not bad for a spin off

[Bravesfan17 · 7/10 · 13 August 2011]

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.

Series hits trainwreck point.....now

[StevePulaski · 3/10 · 31 March 2011]

"Hey Mr. Berenger! Would you like to play your character Jake Taylor in Major League 3?" "No thanks." "Please!" "Nope." "Mr. Sheen, would you consider reprising your role as Wild Thing in Major League 3?" "Nope." "Please!" "Nope." "Mr. Bernsen, would you like to reprise your role as Roger Dorn for Major League 3?" "Why not?" "Yeah, we can make an unnecessary sequel!" That my friends is quite possibly how Major League: Back to the Minors got made. Or was it the fact that around the time this film was made the Cleveland Indians were winning and making a film about a group of misfit underdogs on the same team that is really doing well in real life would be a curse? Regardless, it should've been left alone. Now we got a nice, nearly unrelated sequel leaching off of the Major League.

David S. Ward, director of both previous films, as been docked down to co writer of this mess. Something told me that even he wasn't fully on board with this film. Back to the Minors turns the tables from the Indians to the Minnesota Twins, the team Roger Dorn (Bernsen) now owns. The film focuses on Gus Cantrell (Bakula), a minor league pitcher for a team called the Fort Myers Miracle.

Roger offers Gus a job coaching the Twins' minor league affiliate the South Carolina Buzz. Two of the members from the Cleveland Indians team return. Those are Pedro Cerrano (Haysbert) and Taka Tanaka (Takaaki Ishibashi). Wonderful because I wasn't too big of a fan of Cerrano and couldn't stand Tanaka.

When you can't get the two leads who made a film what it was, don't make a sequel to a film without them. Don't think a crappy spin off is treating the fans to something special. It isn't.

Thank the lord Bob Uecker reprises his role as the alcoholic Indians announcer. But this time he is announcing the Buzz? The film doesn't even provide an answer to why Cerrano, Tanaka, and the announcer are now with the Buzz. They all looked great last season, why did the Indians trade them? Is Jake Taylor still the manager of the Indians? Did the team trade Wild Thing? Did they win the World Series? The film doesn't provide the answer to questions fans are asking.

Major League: Back to the Minors is now the big wart on the entire franchise. There never needed to be a third film. The idea should've been scrapped when Berenger and Sheen said they wouldn't return. But of course, the money is what matters. Not even James Gammon comes back as a cameo. This film is one of the most tasteless and lackadaisical sequels I've ever seen.

Though it was this film that made me realize Corbin Bernsen, Roger Dorn in the film, would later go on to play the father in I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, my favorite holiday film. It was good for that.

Starring: Scott Bakula, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert, Ted McGinley, Takaaki Ishibashi, and Bob Uecker. Directed by: John Warren.

My take on what happened between the two movies...

[michael_murphy76 · 6/10 · 4 January 2005]

Some have wondered why the Cleveland Indians are not even mentioned in the third installment of the "Major League" series. Here's why, plus my notes on this movie: 1) Between 1994 and 1998, when this movie was released, the real Cleveland Indians made the playoffs every year and went to the World Series twice. There's no fun, and really no point, in making a movie about underdogs when the real-life team is one of the best in baseball. This is why the producers did not focus on the Tribe, but partially on the then-hapless Minnesota Twins. The only scene where you even see a reference to the Indians is in a Sporting News article Gus is reading while riding the bus, describing the Tribe as contenders.

(a side note: I've been a die-hard Indians fan for 30 years, so I may sound a bit prejudiced here) 2) I wish we would have known whether the Tribe won the World Series after Major League 2 ended. My guess is no, because I think it would have been mentioned if the Tribe had come out on top. None of the principals (Pedro, Rube, or even Dorn) sport rings in this movie, but even the pennant winners get smaller rings (I've seen the ones the Tribe received for winning the AL pennant in 1995 and 1997...they are very nice indeed).

3) We know that Pedro left baseball and came back, now seeking Christianity, apparently with some voodoo mixed in, since a ragged looking Jobu makes a cameo here. Dennis Haysbert, who played Pedro Cerrano in all three movies, could win five Oscars and be hailed as the greatest actor ever, and to me he will ALWAYS be Pedro Cerrano.

4) It is mentioned that Rube Baker (Eric Bruskotter, who to me will also be one of Ronald's friends from "Can't Buy Me Love"), who had a home run and an important double in the ALCS in MLII, had been playing with the San Diego Padres before being released. This indicates that the Indians finally got fed up with his throwing problems and invested in a real catcher.

5) Wild Thing and Jake Taylor are nowhere to be seen. My guess is that Ricky Vaughn would have still been with the Tribe, with Jake Taylor as the Indians' manager. They did win a pennant, after all.

6) Gus Cantrell (Scott Bakula) must have played with some of these players in the Tribe's minor league system at one time. That's how Pedro, Rube, and Dorn know who he is.

7) Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) recovered from having to sell the Tribe in MLII, resurfacing as the owner of the sad-sack Twins. His character is much more mature and likable here. I couldn't stand Dorn in the first two movies.

8) Harry Doyle's (Bob Uecker) drinking problem finally caught up with him and forced him out of the Indians' broadcast booth, probably after cursing the Tribe out for losing the World Series. He tells Gus on the bus, after they pull up to the Metrodome, that it had "been a while" and "what a year to quit drinking". It seems that Doyle had finally licked his alcoholism.

9) Tanaka apparently took his World Series share and opened that mini golf course you see in the movie. Don't forget, he was a veteran of Japanese baseball when the second one came out, and his part was mostly played for laughs. In 1994, the only player of Japanese origin in the bigs was Hideo Nomo. Now, with Ichiro and others becoming stars, it's almost commonplace. Even the Tribe has Kaz Tadano, a pretty fair relief pitcher, in their system.

10) Finally, this movie is better than the second one. It's not as good as the first one, but MLI oozes so many curses and obscenities that I wouldn't let my kids watch it, if I had any. The second one is much cleaner, but halfway through seeing it the first time, I knew it was a bad movie (even though seeing my beloved Cleveland Indians win the pennant on celluloid covers a multitude of sins). This one is a good Sunday afternoon time waster. It's not that bad.

a poor movie, yet watchable

[mules82 · 3/10 · 27 June 2001]

This movie is so bad it's funny. It stars Scott Backula as some coach, but that's not important, what is important is the large black fellow who plays 1st base. First off he has to be at least 75 years old, yet still plays minor league baseball, second he starts out the movie in the outfield despite not being able to walk, let alone run. Coach Backula brilliantly moves him to first citing the fact that when he attempts to run he stays in the same place for too long a period of time. Backula shows more brilliant coaching strategy in the end of the film, (SPOILER), he tells his star player "downtown" to hit a home run, clearly "downtown" viewed this as a good move. He hit the home run and won the game for his team, a minor league squad playing the Twins who were the class of the majors in the movie. Now if only Tony Muser, manager of the Royals, would be as smart a coach as Backula and tell his players to simply hit a home run in every at bat, the Royals would never end an inning let alone lose a game.

Best movie about how to play baseball

[Columbo-3 · 8/10 · 26 September 1999]

While the previous Major League movies dealt with a team of incompetent players, Back to the Minors deals with a group of hard-headed players re-learning the fundamentals, and in some cases using their shortcomings to the teams advantage(i.e. Doc's 35 MPH fastball). While some baseball movies focus on Home Run hitting, this is the first baseball movie where I can remember a "pull hitter" being mentioned.

Could have been a home run, but was always going to go foul.

[MartynGryphon · 7/10 · 6 December 2014]

The one lesson Hollywood has never learnt, is to give up on something when it's been done to death. For instance, the 1st 3 Police Academy movies were good, the remaining 3000 of them weren't.

The same thing happened to the Major League movies, the 1st was brilliant, the 2nd was mediocre with some excellently funny moments dotted about here and there and the 3rd was terrible.

This is not because Major League 3 - Back to The Minors is rubbish, far from it. I found it to be a very entertaining movie. What killed it dead, was the decision to make it part of the Major League franchise.

This movie could have easily stood on its own two feet as just another great baseball movie. Instead, in a bid to tie it in with the two movies that came before, we have a movie that just tries too hard to live up to a reputation that had already been destroyed by Major League 2.

With the exception of 3 or 4 cast members, most of the original actors did not return for this outing and what we're left with is a contrived plot for the actors that did just to tie this in with the franchise.

Roger Dorn, (Corbin Bernsen), now completely retired from playing, is now the owner of the Minnesota Twins and all the affiliated feeder clubs associated with them. He hires his old teammate and washed up pitcher Gus Cantrell, (Scott Bakula), to manage his AAA team The South Carolina Buzz, who like in the 1st movie, are a bunch of no talent misfits until Cantrell licks them in to shape. Already with the Buzz are Rube Baker, (Eric Bruskotter), who is later joined by old Indian's Teammate Pedro Cerrano, (Dennis Haysbert). Just to give that very much unneeded link to the past.

On a visit to see Roger, Gus is reunited with another old team mate of his, the vain and extremely arrogant Leonard Huff , (Ted McGinley). It is evident that these two men detest one another and have done for years. Huff is always ready to belittle Gus regarding what he perceives as his failed career and his minor league status, and Gus despising Huff's brutal and arrogant style of baseball management.

More out of rivalry than for entertainment, an Exhibition match is set up for the Buzz to play the Twins at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, (Sadly now demolished). Realising the Buzz are on the verge of winning, Huff fakes a power cut to try to save some face.

However, the press have latched on to the rivalry and tension between Gus and Huff and require a definitive winner to the grudge match and both sets of players are merely pawns in a private war between the two managers. Only this time, Gus insists that the Twins play at their ballpark.

ML3 is a really entertaining movie, ruined by a desire to shape it in to something it didn't need to be. Whilst I won't begrudge any actor their pay cheque, The Roger Dorn character didn't need to be Roger Dorn, Cerrano didn't need to be Cerrano and no character from the previous 2 movies needed to be revived for this to be a good film. In fact, it would have been better had they not done this at all.

However, one character that did return that I was genuinely glad to see, was the brilliant Bob Uecker reprising his role of wisecracking sportscaster Harry Doyle. Most of the movie's belly laughs come from his droll commentary and his rivalry with his stuffed shirt Minnesota counterpart.

One annoying aspect of the movie is the annoying Guitar riff that's played every time a cast member utters the name of the Twin's star player and resident psychopath Carlos Liston, played well by Lobo Sebastian.

Bakula is really good here and so is McGinley. McGinley is often given a lot of stick by some for overplaying his characters. His character here is worthy of some overplay as he should be a figure of dislike and ridicule and McGinley made the character of Leonard Huff exactly as he should be.

For the guys, Jensen Daggett plays Bakula's love interest and very pleasing on the eye she is too and it's a shame she hasn't done a great deal since.

A great little movie, but sadly, one only created to sit in the shadow of it's big brothers. However, sometimes even the runt of the litter can stand up for itself.

Enjoy!!!

Worst of the three

[Sergiodave · 5/10 · 6 April 2020]

A very average movie with a story arc that's used in 98% of sports movies. Scot Bakula is not bad as the ageing Baseball player turned coach, supporting cast are okay. Lovers of Sport and Horror films will put up with far worse movies and enjoy them. Made me smile, and I've seen a lot worse.

surprisingly funny

[MichaelM24 · 4 October 2001]

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Sure, the original is the best and the second had it's fair share of moments. But I found this one to pretty entertaining and my favorite of the three. It has a lot of humor and (unlike most comedies of the 90s) doesn't result to insulting the audience's intelligence. It's a movie that wants nothing more than to make you laugh, and it does a great job at that. Scott Bakula (as always) is good, and Ted McGinley is appropriately weasley as the coach of the opposing team. I won't give it away, but the scene involving McGinely, a baseball, and the wall of the dugout is one of the funniest gags in the entire movie that had me laughing long after the scene had ended. Bob Ueker (who was hysterical in MAJOR LEAGUE and MAJOR LEAGUE II) gets a little stale this time around, but still gets in some funny moments. If only the lovely Jensen Daggett had been given a bit more to do. But the film is funny and worth a look if you're in the mood for a fun movie the whole family can enjoy.

Not worth a penny of your money, or a second of your time. 1/2* out of ****

[Movie-12 · 1/10 · 5 September 1999]

MAJOR LEAGUE: BACK TO THE MINORS (1998) ½*

Starring: Scott Bakula, Eric Bruskotter, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert, Jensen Daggett, Written and directed by John Warren 100 minutes Rated PG-13 (for language and some violence)

By Blake French:

Believe it or not, in the new John Warren comedy "MAJOR LEAGUE: BACK TO THE MINORS" there is one funny scene. It consists of a sequence where an infuriated coach throws a baseball hard into the wall behind him only to have it hit the cement and bounce back and smash him in the face. It's not much, but with the exception of a few one-liners, it's all this film has to offer...enough said.

This movie is not only structurally impaired, characteristically undeveloped, predictable and badly written, but also just plain bad. Even non-critical audience members will hate this movie with all that they got. It is so familiar it just isn't funny.

How many times does the same movie about sports have to be made? Last years we saw this same material in "Air Bud: Golden Receiver," and as bad as that film was, this is even worse. At least "Air Bud" was family oriented. "Major League Back to the Minors" is too vulgar for a wholesome family to view together on a Sunday afternoon. It is too childish for adults. So who is this film for? Teenagers? Elderly? People who are so desperate for entertainment they would rent something like this?

The film, like many others like this, has one basic point it tries to make: teamwork conquers all. Yes it does, and what a great moral to try to prove. Too bad we have already seen and excepted it so many times over and over have such little talent and intelligence that their cheerleaders are men in a ballerina costumes. Where the silly announcers form their own "buddy comedy routine" muttering one liners to themselves like "They suck," "This kids fast ball is timed with an hour glass," "This guy dropped out of ball for a while to find something he lost--maybe it was his mind," "Somebody needs a nap," and "ever see a sunset as beautiful as that play." Where the characters have such little significance to each other that we never know them by name. And where the only heartfelt lecture scene about teamwork is so unknowledgeable that it is almost funny.

"Major League Back to the minors" is so bad; it stalls its trite ending right in the middle of a good closing sequence. The good baseball team is on a comeback, they are about to win and--the power goes out. I was thinking for a minute that this piece of trash had come to a conclusion, but in reality, its false final scene exists only to add minutes to the running time. The movie basically consists of a series of unrelated sketches that throw in so many putrid jokes it is are not funny. There is another kind-of-funny line of dialogue that has a coach and a player talking to each other about why a long time outfielder is not wanted in that position any longer. The coach's answer: "You're too old, too slow, and too fat." The player's reaction is to die for. But that scene certainly does not make this movie noteworthy of you time, and certainly is not worth a cent of your money.

So here is another dreadful entrée into this genre of film, another that is doomed with its own script, which is failed before seen, and another which is so familiar it seems like deja vu all over again.

STE-E-E-E-RIKE THREE!!!

[emm · 3/10 · 16 January 1999]

How did I ever appreciate this dud of a sequel? All it does is throw balls! Worst of all, it doesn't compare to even the first installment of the series! The comedy suffers from not being funny. Where did all the unintentional laughter go? Enough slapstick on-the-field action goes on too long. Bob Uecker literally saved this one from a complete nine-inning shutout. What's next, MAJOR LEAGUE 4: RETURN TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE? Ehh, could be! Leave this one on the shelf and plan a trip to the All-Star Game. This one's had three strikes too many.

A sequel that nobody wanted and nobody remembers

[Maziun · 1/10 · 7 November 2015]

I think that the first „Major league" movie is seriously overrated . It's a nothing special comedy with cliché story and flat slapstick humor. It's watchable and somewhat funny if you're in the right mood comedy. I'm surprised that it became a hit and classic for some people. So Hollywood made a sequel that was pretty much just as uninspired as the first movie , but this time nobody liked the movie . I guess however that it made some good money. So , here it is – "Major league 3".It doesn't matter you didn't wanted it at all. Let's milk some money from that cow , even if it's long dead.

No star from the first two movies return here – No Charlie Sheen , Tom Berenger , Rene Russo , Omar Epps or Wesley Snipes. Sure we have Cerrano , Tanaka, Roger Dorn and Harry Doyle ,but that's it. The only known person from the cast is Ted McGinley ("Married with children"). The hero here is… I don't remember. He is played by… I don't remember. The story is about… I don't remember. The movie is completely lame and forgettable. Oh yes , that I remember.

Avoid it , even if you liked the first two movies. Avoid it especially if you didn't liked any of the first two movies. I give it 1/10.

A watchable, made for TV level movie.

[Elewis1195 · 6/10 · 2 July 2016]

I don't remember if this was released in the theaters or just made straight to DVD, but it's the 2nd level of production. Watchable but forgettable, and I don't mean that as an insult to the film, cause it's not as bad as everyone says.

Scott Bakula with his easy going, genuine style carries the movie. Most of the team is forgettable but not annoying and there are some moments of humor in there. Corbin Bernsen has a very small role as the GM, where he's not comic relief this time, as he was in the first 2 movies, but he's a nice guy running a bad ball-club. Ted McGinley is at his best as the arrogant teams manager and he's a perfect Yin to Bakula's Yang.

I wasn't a fan of Major League 2, which lacked the freshness and charm of Major League 1 (though I loved the White Lightning/Black Thunder scene). This one went down a different path leaving the major league team behind and looking at it from the minors and for me it worked, but, it's not a film to go into with high expectations. Another poster he called it "a solid single" and while Major League 1 was a home-run and Major League 2 was disappointing by comparison, this one, we don't expect much so it's OK. 6 stars. 7 if you're dying for a baseball movie and there's one you haven't seen. It's not awful and don't believe the 4.5 ranking. It's better than that, just, not much better.

A wannabe can be after doin' time in the Minors.

[michaelRokeefe · 5/10 · 20 August 2001]

A washed up pitcher(Scott Bakula)gets the chance to manage a sad-sack minor league team. He is also to groom a young long ball threat 'Downtown' Anderson(Walt Goggins). The South Carolina Buzz shuck their losing ways when they get the chance to play their parent team, the Minnesota Twins. Pretty funny stuff. Bakula is in top form in this baseball comedy. Bob Uecker as announcer Harry Doyle is priceless and funny as ever. Oddly enough Corbin Bernsen is likable as Roger Dorn, former shortstop turned executive.

Also in the cast are:Eric Bruskotter, Thom Barry and Ted McGinley.

the best of the trilogy

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 22 May 2007]

in my opinion this is the best of the trilogy.i laughed out loud a few times in this one.but more than that,i just thought the story was better.there were some great lines delivered in this one,many courtesy of Bob Uecker,who played Harry Doyle,the goof ball play by play man.again there are some oddball characters with some strange rituals.i also thought the movie flowed more smoothly and it was better paced.there was also a love interest for one of the characters in this one,although admit it wasn't a substantial part of the movie.but at least there was one.as far as i can recall,there was no love interest of any consequence in the previous two.if i'm wrong,please tell me so.anyway,overall a pretty good movie.for me,"Major League 3:Back to the Minors" is a 7/10

Back to the Drawing Board.

[anaconda-40658 · 1/10 · 4 June 2015]

Major League 3: Back to the Minors (1998): Dir: John Warren / Cast: Scott Bakula, Corbin Bernsen, Ted McGinley, Jensen Daggett, Bob Uecker: Comedy about starting over, which should have been done with the first draft of the screenplay. It continues the ever declining baseball storyline that was old in the 1920's. A down and out coach will train a bunch of hopeless yuppies that will defeat the rival team so that everybody will respect them for giving it all in one of the worst films of the year. Throw in a little voodoo and a bunch of misfits who draw attention to themselves by simply being morons and you have this film in a nutshell. Director John Warren is labouring under leftovers and not a shred of originality to be found. Scott Bakula plays the struggling coach who will bring the team to the championship thus making everybody proud save for the audience. Others whom were led into believing that this was a career high point are Corbin Bernsen, Ted McGinley and Jensen Daggett who will no doubt be recommended to leave this off their resumes. Bob Uecker pops in as a sports reference and had Andre the Giant been alive, he may have choked out Uecker a second time for this. This is among the worst of its kind but that list is also very long. It is riding on the success of the previous two films and it strikes out within the first ten minutes. That is, if you happen to stay awake that long. Score: 1 / 10

I speak the truth.

[gem_russell · 10/10 · 10 August 2003]

Man, this is Scott back to his best. Even more polished than the famed and acclaimed Quantum Leap. Pure class!! This film had me in stitches. Both times I watched it!!! Wow, and he is more than abley backed up by his arch enemy Leonard Huff. Pure genius.

Good enough

[SanteeFats · 7/10 · 27 July 2013]

Not bad for the third in a series based on the same concept. Scott Bakula appears as the out of options old man manager for a minor league team. He has a great approach to managing his team. The roping of the two Juan's together to shorten their range so each covers the appropriate range for their respective positions is priceless. He turns "Downtown" in to a complete hitter after he returns from his shot at the majors where he couldn't hit any thing but a fastball. Pops Morgan is a pretty much washed up player who just can't let go of the "dream". I like it when they find Tanaka at a mini-putt putt golf course with his family. He is convinced to return to pro ball. Dennis Haysbert returns for the third time as Pedro Cerrano, the power hitting but superstitious player. Corbin Benson is back as the smarmy owner of a major league team that plays the minor one on a dare. I like the face down between Liston and the pitcher. This results from a little talk that Bakula had with him about the mechanics of pitching. Ted McGinley plays the manager of ther Twins and he just can't understand why they get beat. This is a decent follow up movie for the series.

You can't foul out n baseball, but in this movie....

[richard-1787 · 3/10 · 5 July 2022]

You can't foul out in baseball, but this movie shows that you can foul out on the screen.

I haven't seen the first movie in this franchise since it first came out over 30 years ago, so I can't compare this to that. But this is pretty lame. The characters are mostly caricatures, or disagreeable or both, leaving you with no one to care about or get involved with. The story is hard to swallow: how could an inexperienced manager turn a disaster of a minor league team into one that can beat even a weak major league team? Cantrell's decision at the end of the movie is not prepared, and coming out of left field as it does, hard to accept.

I stuck with this turkey until the end, but I don't see why anyone else would.