Talking baseball

  • Steve Jones - Editor (7/9/2010)


    Let me know when you come out. Reds in town for a Mon afternoon game. Love to come down and shake hands for the game.

    Big series with SD this weekend. If they sweep, we're tied for first. Not holding my breath

    Definitely. I'll send you a PM with my contact info as we get closer to the date.

    That's the game I was looking at. Actually, it would have to be that game -- my wife and I are heading back home to New York that night. We'd have just enough time to catch the game and head over to Union Station (we're actually taking Amtrak back home). I just hope the game doesn't go 15 innings or something crazy like that!

    Even if you don't sweep SD, a win or split of the series would put the Rockies in pretty good shape!

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  • Just found this thread, fun stuff. Giants fan here, NL West is crazy insane. I'm not holding my breath, though.

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  • Figured I'd stoke the flames here a bit!

    What are your thoughts about the All-Star Game?

    Who's in that shouldn't be? Who got snubbed?

    Should it really "mean anything," or should it remain an exhibition game?

    Any other thoughts?

    Discuss.

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  • Rocks win another 4 in a row! Amazing, we're now a game out of first in NL West and barely a mention by ESPN.

    All-star game, remain an exhibition. Ultimately it has to mean something to players, and should be managed like a game. Put the pitchers on a pitch count, pull starters in the 7th if you want, but run it like a game, not an "everyone has to play" little league game.

  • Wish it meant something more, I'd love to see more intensity than just whatever pride generates. To see the best of the best go at it like it was the World Series would be awesome, 'course my head's in the clouds.

    I agree with Steve though, don't play everyone for the sake of playing everyone.

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  • There was once a time where it did mean something more. Pete Rose vs. Ray Fosse. I rest my case.

    Oh how I long for those days.

    BTW, I have Yankee tickets for this Saturday (Old Timer's Day). I'll be in the bleachers, on the left field side of the Batter's Eye restaurant.

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  • I think it does mean something for some of the people. There will always be, and probably always were, those that didn't think much of the game. They'd rather have the day off. However I think if you enjoy the game, you'll get excited by playing in it once you hit the field.

  • Back before there were interleague games, before just about every game was available on cable, before the web put all video clips online imediately, the All Star Game was the only way to see half the players. Most teams didn't make the World Series, and the Game of the Week didn't seem to get to a lot of teams, so basically you only saw the teams in your league plus a smattering of others. The ASG was awesome because you saw all these names actually play. I grew up in MN, so the National League may as well have been cricket for all the exposure I got to it when I was growing up. I *LOVED* the ASG just to see Rose and Schmidt and Carlton and all these huge names that never played the Twins.

    Of course getting more exposure via cable and Season Ticket and Baseball Tonight and the dozen other channels available is good, but one casualty is the novelty of the ASG. On one level it's too bad, but on the whole it's a trade I'm not uncomfortable with.

    [font="Arial"]Are you lost daddy? I asked tenderly.
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  • good point. I'd prefer less inter-league games, but I don't hate the situation.

    I was thinking yesterday about soccer because it was on the radio. I'm not a fan, and have watched very little World Cup, just TiVo'ing a couple games and FF to the goals. However I've seen some mistakes, IMHO, and was thinking about what I'd change in the game to make it better. Then I started thinking about other sports, so ...

    What would you change about baseball?

    There's an obvious one with the DH. Personally I'd get rid of it since I like the guys on the field playing the game, but there is something else I might change. I'd allow unlimited substitutions, in and out. I think if someone was shaken up by hitting a wall, we could bring them in for an inning or two and then put them back. The one exception I'd make here is that we can't substitute for a batter if he played the field the previous inning and if we do, the sub has to play the field the next inning.

    I thought about making all parks the same dimensions. I think that's one weird thing in that the playing field in baseball changes. However I like different parks, so maybe I wouldn't do that, though I would eliminate the bump in HOU. I think that's dangerous.

  • Ray K (7/12/2010)


    Old Timer's Day

    You or the players? 😉

    -- You can't be late until you show up.

  • I've vacillated a few times over the DH. For years I hated it, thinking that it took away from the purity of the game, wanting pitchers to step up and use the 4 days that they get off to learn how to hit.

    Lately, I've caved in and here is my reasoning: since pitchers will not improve their hitting (tons of reasons behind this, I'm sure this will spawn a new discussion: management, coaching, money etc), I think we should not have a "free out" per line up and should instead use the DH. It gives us, the fans, the most entertainment.

    But, I still like the National League version of offense (speed, situational hitting, grinding out runs etc)...vacillation continues.

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  • Dan H. (7/12/2010)


    I've vacillated a few times...vacillation continues.

    Don't they have a shot for that?

    -- You can't be late until you show up.

  • tosscrosby (7/12/2010)


    Ray K (7/12/2010)


    Old Timer's Day

    You or the players? 😉

    Both! 😀

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  • As a Yankee fan, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention something about this . . .

    Bob Sheppard, Voice of the Yankees, Dies at 99

    For those not in the know, Bob Sheppard was the Yankee Stadium PA announcer from 1951 to 2007. He is as much a Yankee legend as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Derek Jeter, etc. etc. etc. How often can you say that about a public address announcer?

    Rest in peace, Mr. Sheppard. 🙁

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  • Iconic Yankees owner Steinbrenner dies at 80 after heart attack

    Love him or hate him (and believe me, this Yankee fan hated him more often than not), you can't deny the impact he had.

    Wow. First Bob Sheppard, now George Steinbrenner. They say these things come in threes. Who's next?

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