Major League Baseball 2009

[JonathonWally]

I'm all for tradition, but I see nothing wrong with implementing technology to make the game more accurate. We're in an age where the viewer at home has a better view of a play than the guy standing right there on the field. What's wrong with making the game more accurate after plays like that?

And where does it's use stop? What would stop people from stopping the game after every single close call on an out?

No one would no longer trust the umps to make the judgement. Every single call would get questioned. It would be ridiculous.

What comes next? They project a holographic strikezone and put a sensor on the baseball and decided strikes and balls that way?

Bad calls happen, they're part of the game. Everyone has and will get screwed over by one. It's the game.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

I for one welcome our robot umpire overlords.

 

[JonathonWally]

I for one welcome our robot umpire overlords.

What would Lou Piniella do with himself? Damn, Billy Martin is rolling in his grave at the mere mention of all of this

 

[Tiberius Jim]

Well even without introducing more technology into the game, there *is* more than one umpire on the field, all of whom should be watching the play. They should be able to make an appeal to another ump just like they do for check swings.

 

[Captain Ice]

Dude, it's all in good fun. Two of my best friends are Yankee fans, and die hards at that. I was calling it the New Toilet when the Sox were up 5 games. Not a big deal.

The Stadium is big, and beautiful, and I hope to go up to see a game one day, but I'll take Fenway any day of the week thank you.

Nothing wrong with the new place at all. In fact it looks like a nice spot to watch a game. However, given the choice now, I'll watch a game in Fenway over it any day of the week. Boston (and Chicago) have it right. Do what you can to make the old stadium more fan friendly and more profitable, but NEVER replace it. You don't just throw out that much history and tradition like yesterday's garbage. This makes me have even less respect for the Yankees and more for the Red Sox, the Dodgers, and the Cubs.

I'm all for tradition, but I see nothing wrong with implementing technology to make the game more accurate. We're in an age where the viewer at home has a better view of a play than the guy standing right there on the field. What's wrong with making the game more accurate after plays like that?

And where does it's use stop? What would stop people from stopping the game after every single close call on an out?

No one would no longer trust the umps to make the judgement. Every single call would get questioned. It would be ridiculous.

What comes next? They project a holographic strikezone and put a sensor on the baseball and decided strikes and balls that way?

Bad calls happen, they're part of the game. Everyone has and will get screwed over by one. It's the game.

Exactly. And once it gets to this point, who the fuck wants to sit and watch a 9 inning game that takes 6-7 hours? Football is bad enough with this at 4 hours...

 

[JonathonWally]

Dude, it's all in good fun. Two of my best friends are Yankee fans, and die hards at that. I was calling it the New Toilet when the Sox were up 5 games. Not a big deal.

The Stadium is big, and beautiful, and I hope to go up to see a game one day, but I'll take Fenway any day of the week thank you.

Nothing wrong with the new place at all. In fact it looks like a nice spot to watch a game. However, given the choice now, I'll watch a game in Fenway over it any day of the week. Boston (and Chicago) have it right. Do what you can to make the old stadium more fan friendly and more profitable, but NEVER replace it. You don't just throw out that much history and tradition like yesterday's garbage. This makes me have even less respect for the Yankees and more for the Red Sox, the Dodgers, and the Cubs.

After 85 years they decided it had it's day. It had been rebuilt and redone countless times over the years but they just couldn't do any more work to it. The place was literally falling apart. It was very sad to see it go but it was going to happen sooner or later.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Do what you can to make the old stadium more fan friendly and more profitable, but NEVER replace it. You don't just throw out that much history and tradition like yesterday's garbage. This makes me have even less respect for the Yankees and more for the Red Sox, the Dodgers, and the Cubs.

What about the White Sox? Did you complain when they got rid of old Comiskey Park? That was older than any of those other places.

At some point, all of those places you mentioned will be replaced. You can count on it. Not even Fenway or Wrigley Field will be eternal. I mean, I'm all for historical value and all that (believe it or not, I have been to Fenway, and I had a great time), but old does not equal perfect. Sooner or later they will *need* to be replaced. That might not happen for a decade or more, but it will happen eventually.

 

[Tim]

After 85 years they decided it had it's day. It had been rebuilt and redone countless times over the years but they just couldn't do any more work to it. The place was literally falling apart. It was very sad to see it go but it was going to happen sooner or later.

It's just a shame that they couldn't preserve the facade or some such for posterity.

Regarding Fenway, it's been practically gutted and rebuilt on the inside with all the changes. The Monster seats were one of the smartest things the owners ever did (despite all the nay-sayers). I'd love to see a game from there some day.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

After 85 years they decided it had it's day. It had been rebuilt and redone countless times over the years but they just couldn't do any more work to it. The place was literally falling apart. It was very sad to see it go but it was going to happen sooner or later.

It's just a shame that they couldn't preserve the facade or some such for posterity.

If by the 'facade' you mean the frieze, most of that was gone after the remodeling in the 70's. But if you mean Gate 2, which AFAIK is the only unaltered remaining bit of the *real* original Yankee Stadium to survive the remodeling, there's talk of preserving it for the new Heritage Field to be built on the site.

This reminds me of the Fenway episode of Cathedrals of the Game. Somebody, I think it was one of the groundskeepers, was taking pride in how historic the place is (as is expected of course). But he went way beyond that. He said something like "fans don't come to games to be comfortable". Excuse me? Now maybe there shouldn't be too MUCH comfort, but neither should there be too little of it. (As I recall, my seats at Fenway were pretty good, in fact.)

You Sox fans may not be expecting me to say anything good about Fenway, but as I said earlier, I had a great time there (the Sox weren't even playing the Yankees in the games I saw). I thought it was a nice place and the food was great. I don't expect, or particularly even want, it to be replaced, but we all know it will one day be... not even this place will last forever. Anybody remember '05? And the only reason the new Fenway was shot down was because the Boston city council wouldn't allow it (the plan was to build a sports complex near the waterfront, with a Sox park and a Patriots stadium). It wasn't a fan backlash that killed the deal.

That being said, one of the WORST experiences I ever had in my life was not *at* the Sox game, but after it. Trying to get into the Kenmore subway station. Worst crowd I've ever been in. Is the construction on that place EVER going to be finished? (I was there a year and a half ago. From what I hear, even after all that time, IT'S STILL NOT DONE! ) I almost literally got trampled to death (and no, I wasn't wearing Yankee gear). I feel sorry for Sox fans who have to use that place every game they go to. Maybe some of you use the 'Fenway' station. I can only hope that's not as wrecked looking.

 

[Tim]

This reminds me of the Fenway episode of Cathedrals of the Game. Somebody, I think it was one of the groundskeepers, was taking pride in how historic the place is (as is expected of course). But he went way beyond that. He said something like "fans don't come to games to be comfortable". Excuse me?

Exactly. That guy's let the nostalgia go to his head.

I don't expect, or particularly even want, it to be replaced, but we all know it will one day be... not even this place will last forever.

I actually think the older (and rarer and more storied) places like Fenway and Wrigley become, the harder it will be to get rid of them. At some point, a new stadium will be built, but I suspect the old one will be preserved in some way.

I feel sorry for Sox fans who have to use that place every game they go to. Maybe some of you use the 'Fenway' station. I can only hope that's not as wrecked looking.

The Fenway station was still looking a bit under construction the last time I was in the city, but someone who is still in Boston on a daily basis could answer you better. The last Sox game I went to, our group just walked a good part of the way to Cambridge and caught a bus that came by to take us the rest of the distance (we were bound for Harvard Square). You probably save time giving up on Kenmore and walking to the next station. I think my worst subway experience was being on a car full of frothing-at-the-mouth-drunk teenagers on the Tube.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

You probably save time giving up on Kenmore and walking to the next station.

None of us (my parents or myself) had ever taken the T before. So that would have been the surest way for us to get lost, I think. Plus, a worker at the station nearest our hotel actually advised us to use Kenmore. So we pretty much did as we were told, dunderhead tourists that we were.

I mean, what the hell are they doing at Kenmore, rebuilding it from the ground up, using only tweezers and duct tape? How the hell could it STILL not be done after all this time?

 

[Tim]

I mean, what the hell are they doing at Kenmore, rebuilding it from the ground up, using only tweezers and duct tape? How the hell could it STILL not be done after all this time?

Given that the Big Dig has been going on for almost as long as I can remember, the slow renovation of Kenmore is peanuts. I'm sure it would go faster if they closed the station up fully, but that's obviously not an option.

At any rate, you are duly informed for your next trip to Boston. Also, grabbing a handy-dandy pocket T map won't hurt.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

At any rate, you are duly informed for your next trip to Boston. Also, grabbing a handy-dandy pocket T map won't hurt.

Actually we were lucky: the concierge at our hotel gave us a 'cheat sheet' of places around Boston to see, complete with instructions on how to reach them via the T. Sure beat what we went through in Washington DC later that week...

 

[Tim]

^ Can't the umps conference and reverse the call? If another ump saw the bobble, it should be a no-doubter.

I don't think there should be instant replay access for every play, as that would take the human element out of the game--plus make things too damn long.

You would think so, but they rarely conference. The only time they huddle up and consult the replay is if a run is in question.

But this play was just so outright blatantly called wrong that it deserved to be looked at and overruled. The guy's foot was long departed from the bag when the runner crossed it. Not only that, but the same ump had called a man out on a play in which he was safe just the inning before.

I saw the game highlights and it's definitely a questionable call. It looks like his foot came off the bag before he picked up the bobbled ball, but the camera angle I have (taken from somewhere back from the first-base line), I can't tell if his toe might have just touched the infield-facing edge of the bag. I doubt it, though. Looks like a botched call.

 

[Aragorn]

So, Alex Rios... I guess that's one way to get rid of a huge overpriced contract.

 

[Danny99]

So, Alex Rios... I guess that's one way to get rid of a huge overpriced contract.

Though it cleared the salary off the Jay's books, it was JP who signed him to that ridiculous contract. He did the same to Vernon Wells.

I think the term "lame duck GM" aptly applies to JP now. I remember when he was first hired that he believed we'd be contending in four years. And when that didn't happen, he started to try to outspend the Yankees and Red Sox. Now even that hasn't worked.

It's time fire JP and even Cito Gaston, whose had many lapses this year that cost the team. It's time to clean house as this team has actually gotten worse during JP's reign!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Monster seats were one of the smartest things the owners ever did (despite all the nay-sayers).

Nay-sayers? Why would anyone do that?

 

[Canadave]

So, Alex Rios... I guess that's one way to get rid of a huge overpriced contract.

Though it cleared the salary off the Jay's books, it was JP who signed him to that ridiculous contract. He did the same to Vernon Wells.

I think the term "lame duck GM" aptly applies to JP now. I remember when he was first hired that he believed we'd be contending in four years. And when that didn't happen, he started to try to outspend the Yankees and Red Sox. Now even that hasn't worked.

It's time fire JP and even Cito Gaston, whose had many lapses this year that cost the team. It's time to clean house as this team has actually gotten worse during JP's reign!

Appearing back in this thread to chime in with my agreement. This season has gotten depressing, fast, and this is just the latest move. Yeah, Rios was overpriced, but to simply cut him for nothing was an absolutely terrible move. It smacks of the franchise turtling, and makes me feel like any hope of the Jays making the postseason again is a good three or four years off. Again.

*sigh*

 

[Chekov's Phaser]

Rangers play again today, and it's nice to be in August and only a half game out of the WC. It makes the upcoming Rangers-BoSox series this weekend all the more exciting. Good thing I've got me some tickets for the Friday game!

Oh, and it's nice the Rangers still own the Angels this year...

 

[TerriO]

Ugh, don't get me started on the Abomination in the Bronx. My stance on the closure of the Stadium is pretty well-known, I hope. It's about as congenial as my stance on the Yankees in general. In other words, pretty bloody hostile.

(Yes, it is possible to loathe the Yankees and the Red Sox and not be a Mets fan. I know that just violates the laws of baseball fandom, but it's true. )