Baseball

[shadows]

Originally Posted by oldawg

1) METS RULE!!!

I think I'll replace 'Mets' with 'Blue Jays.

2) The DH has no place in baseball. It has completely ruined the American League. Baseball is 9 players at a time. That is inherent in the beauty of the game. Adding the DH has turned the AL into some kind of schoolyard joke. I think the fans of the DH probably only support it because their teams use it, so by default they like their team, they like the players on their team, they like the big bopper playing DH on their team, they like the DH rule. IF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE EVER ADOPTS THE DH RULE I WILL NEVER WATCH BASEBALL AGAIN. Seriously. & I love this game. That's what I mean by saying it actually ruins the game.

Sorry, but I'll have to disagree with you here. Besides a very few pitchers, one will either see the pitcher hit a sacrifice bunt or strikeout(or other method of getting out) and I would rather see another batter that actually has more of a chance of getting a hit(or course, the way some of the supposedly "powerful" DHs are hitting this year, I guess pitchers wouldn't be much of a difference.) than almost an "automatic out".

I love the game as well, but I would not stop watching the games if the DH was taken away from the American League. I'm not bashing you for your opinion oldawg, honest, I just think that a fan shouldn't leave because of a rule change(unless it was more severe than a positional change).

3) Interleague play sucks. Although I have to admit its kind of fun to play the Yanks, or even just to see a few different teams now & then, Interleague play chips away at the integrity of the pennant race. Each division needs a balanced schedule (by balanced I mean heavy on Division games, followed by heavy on League games), so each league can have a true champion, & those two teams can play in the World Series for it all.

I agree with you here. It was neat the first season or two, but now it is just a waste of time. It doesn't help much with the standings(less games played against divisional/wild card rivals). I would not be sad if it was taken away. I will say that I am a little pissed that we do not get to see Doc Halladay back in Toronto because they are sooo worried about the protestors at the G20 Conference that they moved the games to Philadelphia. Nice.

4) Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. Of course he should. He's the best hitter to ever play the game, right? It doesn't matter if he's an asshole, he was the best.

Again, I agree. He always bet for his team to win, never to lose. If he had bet for his team to lose, then I would say he doesn't desever to be there(throwing games, for example), but since it was always to win? His stats say he deserves to be there. If Roiders can make it in, why shouldn't he?

5) So should Shoeless Joe Jackson. I never saw him obviously, but this is the usual argument given about Rose. Jackson =.356 lifetime avg. C'mon already.

I don't know if he'll ever be allowed in. His stats say he deserves to be, but throwing games is pretty much the worst thing you can do in professional sports, and for that reason I find it unlikely that they will ever vote him in(or by any other mode of letting him in).

6) So far, I've got no problem with the use of replay. I'd prefer not to have it, but when modern umpires suck sooooooobad, you've got to do something to get the calls correct. As long as they keep its use minimal, im ok for now.

I agree. The Umpires are fallible and have already shown that they can make mistakes. For something that can change the game(home run vs double, for example), it could make a difference. As long as it isn't overused, I don't mind it.

7) The Wild Card sucks. I know, the Mets wouldn't have gotten to the World Series in 2000 without it, or even to the playoffs in '99, but I still feel the postseason is no place for a 2nd place team. Just look to basketball to see how this idea run amok can ruin a sport's regular season.

I strongly disagree. Being stuck in a division with the Yankees and Red Sox(sorry smc), the Jays are always behind the 8-ball. I feel they should either expand the playoffs somehow or change up the Divisions. Either that, or create a TRUE Salary Cap rather than the current joke that makes the Yankees laugh as they sign Free Agent after Free Agent.(can you tell I can't stand the Yankees?)

8) Gary Carter should be in the Hall of Fame AS A MET. 'nough said.

Expo?

9) I know it's reeeeaaal early, but Ike Davis looks like the real deal. Let's hope so!

I don't follow the Mets, but I take it he's a Rookie?

Well, I've said my peace. May the best team win, & Lemme have it~
oldawg

Welcome to the thread, old dawg. Nice to see another baseball fan here. I'll reply to your above points using the blue font.

[oldawg]

Originally Posted by shadows

Welcome to the thread, old dawg. Nice to see another baseball fan here. I'll reply to your above points using the blue font.

Thanks for the welcome!!!

[oldawg]

Shadows, I wanted to respond to a few of your comments to me earlier:

Originally Posted by shadows

I love the game as well, but I would not stop watching the games if the DH was taken away from the American League. I'm not bashing you for your opinion oldawg, honest, I just think that a fan shouldn't leave because of a rule change(unless it was more severe than a positional change).

In essence I agree, but this actually highlights my feelings about the DH. For me, the enjoyment of the game stems from the few original basic rules. The conundrum a manager must deal with every single inning regarding whether or not to remove the pitcher is at the heart of the game. When a pitcher has shut a team down for 7 or 8 innings but you have a chance to score a run by pinch hitting for him, do you take a chance & pinch hit, or decide you're better off with him still in the game, possibly go without that run, & send the pitcher back out there? I love this shit.
In reality, I'm sure I would at least attempt to watch my team with a DH, but earlier I was stating what I'm sure the end result would be, I get very bored with American League-style baseball.

Originally Posted by shadows

I will say that I am a little pissed that we do not get to see Doc Halladay back in Toronto because they are sooo worried about the protestors at the G20 Conference that they moved the games to Philadelphia. Nice.

Agreed...What Bullshit...as if the Phillies, their two NL Pennants, one WS Ring & their binoculars need any more help!!!

Originally Posted by shadows

or create a TRUE Salary Cap rather than the current joke that makes the Yankees laugh as they sign Free Agent after Free Agent.(can you tell I can't stand the Yankees?)

This brings me to something I forgot to post in my introductory post...It is my strong belief that MLB needs to have a salary cap. But this cuts both ways. Baseball needs to have both a minimum & maximum salary amount. This is the only way to fix the league. If they set the limits at, say, $80 million minimum salary per year, with a maximum of perhaps $200 million?
This is a large enough variance, but at least sets some limits so possibly the Pirates, Royals, & Marlins would be 1) forced to comply, & 2) possibly in contention again?

Originally Posted by shadows

I don't follow the Mets, but I take it he's a Rookie?

Yes, Ike Davis is a rookie...he was called up on April 19 against the Cubs...Hes shown more poise, class & talent in one month than many spoiled ball players do in a career. I don't pretend to have any talent whatsoever when it comes to scouting, but Ive seen alot of ball (no pun intended!) in my day, & this kid looks for real...as a much-disappointed Mets fan, I'm really hoping hes the real deal. Already hes given this team a shot in the arm, hes now hitting cleanup, & looks well above average defensively.

As a point of interest, he & his father, Ron Davis, are the 197th father-son combination to play in the big leagues...Ron played in the majors for 11 seasons, for the Yankees, Twins, Cubs, Dodgers & Giants...He was the setup man for Goose Gossage, earned 130 saves, holds the NY Yankee record for consecutive strikeouts in a game (8), is tied for the record of most blown saves in a season (14 in 1984), and was an AL All-Star in 1981.