I now interrupt my regularly scheduled blog to indulge this morning’s bout of grumpery.
The post-season is underway and I’m rooting, in order, for the St. Louis Cardinals, then in ascending order for the teams with the lowest payrolls, until you get to the Phillies and the Yankees – the highest payroll teams – who can kiss my ass. I respect teams that develop their winning ways, not buy them.
As always, the post-season makes me think of things that I like and don’t like about baseball. Here’s four things I’m cranky about:
Pete Rose – Put him in the Hall of Fame, un-ban him. So what if he got caught gambling. The only difference between him and the no doubt hundreds, if not thousands, of other players who undoubtedly bet on baseball is that he got caught. The Hall of Fame is filled with unsavory characters – Ty Cobb anyone? Stop this nonsense now and let Pete Rose in.
Saves – What’s the big fucking deal with saves? They’re bullshit. It’s all pumped up faux-drama to increase ticket sales. Sooner or later someone in SABR is going to crunch all the numbers and come up with the statistical probability of a team losing or winning a game that they lead by three runs in the ninth inning. My guess is that pretty much any big league quality pitcher could come in fresh for the ninth with a three run lead and the majority of the time – unless they were backed up by a team of little league players – their team would win the game.
Roger Maris – He’s the current single season home run record holder in my book. No one who hasn’t been juiced on steroids has beat him. People moaned about him doing it in 162 games, while Babe Ruth did it in 154. The more important statistic is that he did it in fewer at bats than Ruth did. Split the category – home run record on steroids / home run record not on steroids. And while we’re at it, Hank Aaron is still the career leader in home runs, at least until maybe Albert Pujols breaks that record. And while we’re still at it, toss Barry Bonds in jail, at least for a week or two, just on general principle.
Designated Hitter – Do I even have to argue this one? National League games are more fun to watch. There’s more drama, more managing to be done. Isn’t it about time baseball admitted the error of its ways?
I now return you to my regularly scheduled blog. Next – the continuation of Across America One Hour at a Time.
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2 comments:
From an aesthetic viewpoint, I would add "players who wear their uniform pants baggy." Baseball is by far the most beautiful professional sport, and these guys look like they've just rolled out of bed and out onto the field in their pajamas.
I like your meanderings especially about baseball. For that matter, the whole thing relating to pro sports in my opinion has brought me to the tipping point where I don't root for any team to win. I have completely tuned out, but I find myself rooting for teams to lose more than I cheer for a team to win. What's going on with that? Why does there have to be a winner, why can't we just go back to the idea that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game?
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