Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Another yawner
the baseball All Star Game has ended at 1:30 am in Yankee Stadium, the Bronx. New Yawk. On a run scored on a freakin' fly ball out. 15 innings, AL winning 4-3. Here's how to prevent long, boring, extra inning All Star Games:
Each manager gets to choose two pitchers for the opposing team.. The rule is that they must have been in the regular rotation of a MLB team since the start of the season. This guarantees that both bullpens will have two bad pitchers, who almost certainly will be used in any game that threatens to be endless, & can end the game tossing extra base hits.
Or stop the game after 12 innings, bring out batting practice pitchers & have a home run contest. Something like that works in hockey & football.
Or, when the bench has been emptied after 11 innings, allow any player who started the game to reenter the game. This doesn't help with pitching, but it brings sluggers back to the plate.
Or play the All Star Game on Sunday afternoon.
The best part was the introduction of Hall of Famers before the game, in a Stadium where nearly all of them had played, some in World Series. Hank Aaron. Willie Mays. Willie McCovey. Harmon Killebrew. Ernie Banks. Robin Roberts. Ozzie Smith, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson. Many missing faces, like Johnny Bench, Tom Seaver.
The worst of the Yankee fans were there, boorish & classless, jerks who would rather their AL home team lose than that a Boston player should help win it.
***
The sportswriters enjoyed the extra innings more than regular fans. But they were in the press box. The 9 inning game was interesting enough. For me, it was a 9 inning game that took 15 innings to complete. To endure that many extra innings, you need care more about who is still playing, who is available to play, & who wins. The interest would have increased if position players were forced to pitch.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
Each manager gets to choose two pitchers for the opposing team.. The rule is that they must have been in the regular rotation of a MLB team since the start of the season. This guarantees that both bullpens will have two bad pitchers, who almost certainly will be used in any game that threatens to be endless, & can end the game tossing extra base hits.
Or stop the game after 12 innings, bring out batting practice pitchers & have a home run contest. Something like that works in hockey & football.
Or, when the bench has been emptied after 11 innings, allow any player who started the game to reenter the game. This doesn't help with pitching, but it brings sluggers back to the plate.
Or play the All Star Game on Sunday afternoon.
The best part was the introduction of Hall of Famers before the game, in a Stadium where nearly all of them had played, some in World Series. Hank Aaron. Willie Mays. Willie McCovey. Harmon Killebrew. Ernie Banks. Robin Roberts. Ozzie Smith, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson. Many missing faces, like Johnny Bench, Tom Seaver.
The worst of the Yankee fans were there, boorish & classless, jerks who would rather their AL home team lose than that a Boston player should help win it.
***
The sportswriters enjoyed the extra innings more than regular fans. But they were in the press box. The 9 inning game was interesting enough. For me, it was a 9 inning game that took 15 innings to complete. To endure that many extra innings, you need care more about who is still playing, who is available to play, & who wins. The interest would have increased if position players were forced to pitch.
Labels: baseball
