[quote]Why waste a pitcher's arm on an All-Star game? At first I didn't agree with the decision to end the game after the 11th, but it really did make sense.<hr></blockquote>
Fine, so don't waste a pitcher's arm. Bring Nomar or some other fielder into 'pitch'. Get the game over with and make sure it doesn't happen again.
But to call the game a tie is ridiculous. BTW, I made a LONG post about this subject this morning but it's not here. Did the server hiccup again?
or they could have done a home run derby...or anything, really. the all star game is a chance to showcase talent, but people need a winner and loser, so any kind of off-beat path like a homerun derby would have been fine.
Fine, so don't waste a pitcher's arm. Bring Nomar or some other fielder into 'pitch'. Get the game over with and make sure it doesn't happen again.
But to call the game a tie is ridiculous. BTW, I made a LONG post about this subject this morning but it's not here. Did the server hiccup again?</strong><hr></blockquote>
This is unbelievable! Now Bud Selig comes out and says that two teams are in 'major financial trouble'.
One team will supposedly not meet payroll on Monday and the other 'will surprise you'.
The Houston Chronicle is saying that the teams in trouble are the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Is this just another ploy by Bud Selig to scare the players into not striking so these players can keep their jobs? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
While I'd just assume a meteor fell on Bug Selig, there is at least some validity to his alarmist PR babble. It is well documented that Tampa Bay has had cash flow problems. They were concerned that they would not have enough cash to sign all of their draft picks. I believe they wound up drafting a lot of college kids as they have less leverage than HS kids as they obviously have already used up their college eligibility (except senior years). This is not a surprise at all. I highly doubt that they would miss payroll though although I'm sure Bud would love it if they did.
The Diamondbacks have solid revenues, but they have enormous debt. They overspent on free agents and old players. And baseball has been letting them get away with this for several years, knowing that they are heading for a crash in a few years. They have so much deferred money owed to players that even after guys like Johnson, Jay Bell, Matt Williams etc retire they will still be paying them for years. Even if they don't go bankrupt they will take a dive by 2004 and then suck for the next five to ten years as they will have limited money to pay current players.
Maybe one of the two or someone else will default on their obligations. I doubt it but you never know. However, even if they don't their money problems will doom them to on the field mediocrity at some point soon. Well I guess that time is now for Tampa Bay. I can't see Tampa Bay lasting too much longer in that city. Attendance is horrible, just like for the Marlins. Florida has always been terrible about supporting pro sports teams. I'm sure baseball would love to contract them and the Marlins while moving Montreal to DC. Too bad both teams have long leases and contraction of either would be challenged by the Florida attorney general.
Fine, so don't waste a pitcher's arm. Bring Nomar or some other fielder into 'pitch'. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Not sure that's such a good idea either. Didn't Canseco get hurt doing that? Why don't they have more pitchers on the All Star roster? If the game's only 9 innings, they don't all get to pitch, but so what? That's the way baseball is supposed to be played. Everyone knows that. Extra innings are a part of the game. Also, did any of the pitchers pitch for more than 2 innings? Most of these guys are starters. Is 3 innings that big of a deal? They get time off before and after the game. It?s not like the All Star game is some kind of unique problem for teams. Everyone has to make arrangements. (True, some teams send more players but not many teams send more than 1 pitcher.) If a player really feels he needs the extra rest, then show some integrity and decline to participate like Pedro did.
Sorry if that link was already posted above. The word is out though. Bud probably isn't listening because of the cacophony in his ear over the All-Out of Pitchers game.
[quote]Didn't Canseco get hurt doing that?<hr></blockquote>
I'm not saying that they should actually 'pitch', more like throw meatballs. Sad as it is, that is what they should have done. Would it have been embarassing? Yes. Would it have been less embarassing than calling the game a tie? Yes.
What about the sorry-ass Atlanta Braves as a possible "surprise team with financial troubles"? [They have a huge payroll and I can't remember] the last time they didn't have 5000 empty seats in their stadium for a game (playoff or otherwise) - 1998? Braves fans suck the big one.
Just over 21,000 attended the Seven-Eleven game here in Milwaukee. And, guess what? It was tied at the end of Nine! But, Brian Giles took care of that in the top of the Tenth.
So, any reports of the effect of the "fan strike"? This one's not, but it "kinda" fits...
Comments
<strong>A TIE???
Why waste a pitcher's arm on an All-Star game? At first I didn't agree with the decision to end the game after the 11th, but it really did make sense.
Fine, so don't waste a pitcher's arm. Bring Nomar or some other fielder into 'pitch'. Get the game over with and make sure it doesn't happen again.
But to call the game a tie is ridiculous. BTW, I made a LONG post about this subject this morning but it's not here. Did the server hiccup again?
Resistence is Futile. You will be assimilated....
-The Bor(que)
<strong>
Fine, so don't waste a pitcher's arm. Bring Nomar or some other fielder into 'pitch'. Get the game over with and make sure it doesn't happen again.
But to call the game a tie is ridiculous. BTW, I made a LONG post about this subject this morning but it's not here. Did the server hiccup again?</strong><hr></blockquote>
You've got a point, Fran.
One team will supposedly not meet payroll on Monday and the other 'will surprise you'.
The Houston Chronicle is saying that the teams in trouble are the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Is this just another ploy by Bud Selig to scare the players into not striking so these players can keep their jobs? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
The Diamondbacks have solid revenues, but they have enormous debt. They overspent on free agents and old players. And baseball has been letting them get away with this for several years, knowing that they are heading for a crash in a few years. They have so much deferred money owed to players that even after guys like Johnson, Jay Bell, Matt Williams etc retire they will still be paying them for years. Even if they don't go bankrupt they will take a dive by 2004 and then suck for the next five to ten years as they will have limited money to pay current players.
Maybe one of the two or someone else will default on their obligations. I doubt it but you never know. However, even if they don't their money problems will doom them to on the field mediocrity at some point soon. Well I guess that time is now for Tampa Bay. I can't see Tampa Bay lasting too much longer in that city. Attendance is horrible, just like for the Marlins. Florida has always been terrible about supporting pro sports teams. I'm sure baseball would love to contract them and the Marlins while moving Montreal to DC. Too bad both teams have long leases and contraction of either would be challenged by the Florida attorney general.
I own Bud Selig's punk ass.
Tampa has no money, true, but they can't have that many outstanding debts, right?
<strong>
Fine, so don't waste a pitcher's arm. Bring Nomar or some other fielder into 'pitch'. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Not sure that's such a good idea either. Didn't Canseco get hurt doing that? Why don't they have more pitchers on the All Star roster? If the game's only 9 innings, they don't all get to pitch, but so what? That's the way baseball is supposed to be played. Everyone knows that. Extra innings are a part of the game. Also, did any of the pitchers pitch for more than 2 innings? Most of these guys are starters. Is 3 innings that big of a deal? They get time off before and after the game. It?s not like the All Star game is some kind of unique problem for teams. Everyone has to make arrangements. (True, some teams send more players but not many teams send more than 1 pitcher.) If a player really feels he needs the extra rest, then show some integrity and decline to participate like Pedro did.
Sorry if that link was already posted above. The word is out though. Bud probably isn't listening because of the cacophony in his ear over the All-Out of Pitchers game.
I'm not saying that they should actually 'pitch', more like throw meatballs. Sad as it is, that is what they should have done. Would it have been embarassing? Yes. Would it have been less embarassing than calling the game a tie? Yes.
[ 07-11-2002: Message edited by: G4Dude ]</p>
<strong>Is this tennis?
[ 07-11-2002: Message edited by: G4Dude ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
No, thank God.
[ 07-11-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ]</p>
So, any reports of the effect of the "fan strike"? This one's not, but it "kinda" fits...
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20020712_399.html"; target="_blank">http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20020712_399.html</a>;
[ 07-12-2002: Message edited by: Gregg ]</p>