I realize schedules balance out-but it seems to me more home games in September are a bigger advantage than in April, especially in a tight pennant race.
I figure to be retired before I can get to post 4000.
I realize schedules balance out-but it seems to me more home games in September are a bigger advantage than in April, especially in a tight pennant race.
I figure to be retired before I can get to post 4000.
That has got to be one interesting but very difficult job..
The Longest Season. The long and winding road, through the dog days of summer, into October. The grind, plain and simple. And, of course, the proverbial "marathon."
Baseball's schedule has been called a lot of allegorical things, but never a piece of cake. Neither to play it, nor to create it.
Fitting 30 teams and 2,430 games into a 181-day window on a 3,133-mile landscape -- and making it unique year after year -- is an undertaking of ridiculous proportions. A Rubik's Cube with six panels on each side. in the three-dimensional real world, you've got reams of team special requests, travel logistics, Collective Bargaining Agreement regulations and vats of Wite-Out. You've got a nightmare.
"It's an ever-changing process, with a myriad of issues complicating the process," says Feeney. "At its very basic, the baseball side is always conflicting with the business side.
"Everyone submits their requests, and we proceed mindful of special circumstances. We keep making revisions -- thousands if you count every little thing."
And at the end of the day?
"Nobody is ever completely happy," sighs Feeney.
MLB scheduling has always been a stealth process. Teams are forwarded tentative schedules in December, tweaks are implemented, the schedules become official in February -- and soon those handy little foldable slates go into wallets and on refrigerator doors.
Scheduling has become a more topical issue recently only because different outfits have landed the contract to do it. While the job has long been up for annual bids, for more than two decades it had been a mom-and-pop operation. Literally. Henry and Holly Stephenson of Massachusetts got the job in 1980 and kept pushing their pencils for 24 years.
Then a small Pittsburgh firm, Sports Scheduling Group, was chosen to compile the 2005 schedule.
Yet another outfit landed the job for the current 2006 schedule. The reason for the latest switch is not known, but if name-propriety had anything to do with it, SSG certainly would've kept the job: one of its co-founders is Michael Trick, which is what the assignment turned out to be.
As Trick noted after finally turning in the 2005 schedule, "I thought, 'How hard could this be?' It turned out to be very hard."
Feeney chooses not to reveal the newcomer's identity, for no reason other than the fact innovations in technology have made the pursuit of the MLB scheduling gig more competitive.
"The last several years," Feeney says, "we've asked a limited number of firms to provide us with something that indicates their capability. It's a luxury to have a choice. We give to all of the candidates the format, the Interleague rotation, special requests, some broad issues and they submit a sample schedule before we award the actual contract."
When is all this groundwork laid? Work on the 2007 schedule began months before the first games of 2006 were played.
Teams submitted their requests for the 2007 schedule in November 2005. In January, Feeney's people began the nuts-and-bolts aspect of assembling next season's schedule. The tentative schedule must be presented to the players' union by July 1, and the deadline for its response is Oct. 15.
There are strict, negotiated guidelines to observe. The schedule must be between 178 and 183 days, can include no more than two day-night doubleheaders for any team, teams traveling from Pacific to Eastern time zones must have a day off in between, etc.
And there are year-to-year conditions to accomodate. Who can forget, for example, the Astros' month-long, 26-game road trip in 1992 to permit the Republican National Convention to be held in the Astrodome? Or both the Dodgers and the Angels having to vacate southern California during the 1984 Olympics? And the Braves' 19-game trip made necessary by the 1996 Olympics?
Those may be extreme examples, but similar circumstances always arise. For instance, when construction of their new ballpark begins, New York City must have the Mets on the road during the next few installments of tennis' U.S. Open, which is played across the street from Shea Stadium and will need use stadium parking lot.
Requirements such as these need to be juggled with Feeney's regular wish list: No four-series homestands or road trips; a minimum of "semi-repeaters," those home-and-home series between teams interrupted by only one other series; fair distribution of the 13 in-season weekends among each team's 81-game home schedule.
At least she is spared one headache of her predecessors: Deciding which teams get those valuable home dates on high-traffic holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Those used to be golden dates on any team's schedule. But times, like the technology churning out schedules, have changed.
"A lot of teams don't want to be home on holidays. Their thinking is that now people leave town," says Feeney, grateful for that little break. "For the most part, teams still want to be home on July 4, so we simply have to rotate that."
Nomar is always good when he comes off the dl- only problem is he's always coming off the dl.
sounds like Millwood... he hasn't really panned out here like we thought he would when we got him...
I hope we're at least sniffing around on Washburn, he eats innings, even though his ERA is somewhere around 4.50 (which would probably translate to 5 here) he'd still have the lowest on the staff... we should be able to get him for something from the minors (as long as it's not a pitcher...
one of the contributing factors to us getting into this position was that Millwood and Padilla were supposed to be 'bridge' signings that got us through until our young pitching was ready... but now Danks, Volquez, Gallaraga and Young are all somewhere else and pitching fairly well... that was Hick's influence... hopefully with El Presidente (apparently) in charge we'll follow a different path and not trade them away... we've got some serious (very) young talent but at that level all a pitcher can have is potential... if A and AA ball pitchers all fullfilled their potential there wouldn't be such a premium every year in free agency...
(and no, Nolan never was our or anyone elses pitching coach, just a very successful minor league team owner)
yeah... I don't know how that schedule thing works either... but it does seem that we play an unbalanced number of road games in the first half and home games in the second... to me, it would make more sense if we played more home games against the northern teams early since we usually have pretty good weather at that time... it makes no sense to me that we're traveling to the northern cities in April (and early May) where the temps are in the 40s and 50s and it's in the 70s and 80s here... and of course the northern teams could travel to each other so that they'd have some at home...
plus, as I said earlier, I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse to have these long homestands in August and September... it really seems to drain them...
just heard that 8 out of the top 11 draft picks are still unsigned (most of them at the front of the line) with less than 36 hours left to sign them... I know our pick, Smoat, who is a Texeira starter kit hasn't signed at number 11 because he's waiting to see what the others are going to get...
it's frustrating... heck, any of us would probably pay them to let us play (back then when we thought we could play)... and each of these guys is probably going to get at least a million dollar signing bonus (and probably a lot more) and they're waiting to see... to make sure they don't settle for too little???
plus, as I said earlier, I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse to have these long homestands in August and September... it really seems to drain them...
Well for you guys who play on the surface of the sun--yeah--I dont know the stats but Ive said afew times this year the sox are two teams --one at home one on the road this year...This year the schedule --at least September seems to be favoring us--There were some very difficult stretches early on that eventually count just as much--but im glad thats all behind at this point.......Id love to be a fly on the wall during the scheduling, trying to keep 30 teams happy, and make all the logistics work over 162 games--thats gotta be areal hair puller.
...regarding pitching--A few years ago I heard an interview with Theo and he mentioned that free agency was an incredibly inefficient way to build a team. I had never really thought too much in those terms before or heard it put so simply, but it stuck with me and has made sense---especially after watching the stream of quality guys who yearly come up through the player development system.
Nolan's not stupid, hopefully he'll be able to wrest some power away from Hicks so your younger investments will pay off.
Where's Simon? Its a good time to be a Cubs fan.... although a month or 6 weeks from now may be a good time to invest in anti anxiety medication in Chicago though
just heard that 8 out of the top 11 draft picks are still unsigned (most of them at the front of the line) with less than 36 hours left to sign them... I know our pick, Smoat, who is a Texeira starter kit hasn't signed at number 11 because he's waiting to see what the others are going to get...
it's frustrating
I suppose there is a whole art to signing. I know the RS go overboard to know every little nuance on and off the field and 'persuade' some signers with perks and considerations that have little to do with baseball plus they take time to project the image of being an organization that players want to play for by doing alot of little things.
I can understand its frustrating--
an aside question --I really didnt follow the draft--but in the situation that y'alls are in there were no pitchers available at number 11?
an aside question --I really didnt follow the draft--but in the situation that y'alls are in there were no pitchers available at number 11?
You already have hitters out of the wazoo
oh we took some pitchers... and we have quite a few "very promising" ones working their way up... but this guy was too good to pass up (and the best on the board when it was our turn)... he really is a Tex starter kit including going to college in Georgia! ...the only reason you won't see him up here in 2 years is if "Crush" Davis is still going strong (who got called up in June and won July rookie of the month honors)... you can watch him bat tonight since Roy went to be with his wife...
yeah.. our chances don't look good... but I know they'll try... heck, Salty is playing with a fracture in his foot and Michael has had a broken ring finger for about three weeks now... but they'll try... this kid pitching for us tonight brings high heat but I don't think that will matter much to Papi or Youkilis... they'll probably be drooling on the way to home plate...
I didn't realize it but Veritek did something that no one else has done this year... nailed Kinsler (we don't count that one in the All Star 'exhibition' where the replay showed he was safe!)
yeah.. our chances don't look good... but I know they'll try... heck, Salty is playing with a fracture in his foot and Michael has had a broken ring finger for about three weeks now... but they'll try... this kid pitching for us tonight brings high heat but I don't think that will matter much to Papi or Youkilis... they'll probably be drooling on the way to home plate...
I would have chuckled at this before--but those guys have some heart. The only other team I watch with any real interest is the Twins because of in-laws who live at the Metrodome. 5 Brother-in-laws who hate the Sox-love MN. I gotta be able to converse with them!!LOL I even saw Santana pitch.
BUT Texas gave me so much fun the other night--they are now on my radar--give em a pat on the butt for me! . . . . . . . . . . . . . Just a joke Tom.
Hunter is just laying it right in there, and when he got to the weak part of the order he walked Varitek, Hit Cora, and Coco popped up but Vasquez elected not to chase after it and it fell in....leaving the gates open for a 9 run inning (so far)....
Damn when you talk about frustration I'll understand a little clearer now---
well.. it's gotta weigh heavy on the position players minds, it's the elephant in the room, but you don't hear them complain about it... they'll answer questions if asked but they don't point fingers...
OK, so Hunter was just out of college at this time last year and started the year in low A, he's been to Fenway and thrown one good inning... he'll be back (hopefully)... now you get the MadDog again who was an outfielder in the Angels farm system in '06... maybe he can go two innings!
Can we ask Drew if he'll pitch?
...and besides, DiceK has an ERA of 7 against us so maybe we can score some as well... maybe not as many as y'all, but some... :)
It's just so hard to catch those balls when they're bouncing off of that big green wall...
WASHINGTON -- Major league ballparks are being wired for instant replay, and commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday his "confidence is growing" that the technology to assist umpires will be ready soon. (continued at link provided above)
Owners were told that an agreement with the umpires' union was basically in place.
"They're trying, obviously, to getinstant replay before the season ends," Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association, said while watching the Cuba-U.S. Olympic baseball game in Beijing. "We're having some discussions. It's coming at some point. It's more a question of when and how than whether."
Changing things in the middle of a season? Im not sure how I feel about this. I suppose they're doing it to gear up for the playoffs which always seems to have at the very least one or two controversial plays...
I 'spose its alright for what they are using it for--my real concern is that the genie will be out of the bottle and it will slowly and eventually be used for every call.
...After hitting in 11 of his first 12 games as a Dodger, Ramirez went 0-for-3 with an intentional walk Thursday in his first game since having his dreadlocks shortened.
But Torre did not appreciate being asked if Ramirez's haircut had anything to do with his performance at the plate....
The Dodgers surely hope Ramirez's haircut does not have a Samson-Delilah effect on the slugger, as Ramirez is hitting .477 with three doubles, five homers, 16 RBIs in 12 games as a Dodger, hitting safely in 11 of them.
Los Angeles is 5-1 at Dodger Stadium since the trade, while Ramirez has hit .571 with three homers, 10 RBIs and a .667 on-base percentage in those six games.
"He haunts me with this," Torre said. "He said, 'It's the hair.' Every time he gets a hit he tells me, 'It's the hair.' He's been funny...
Changing things in the middle of a season? Im not sure how I feel about this. I suppose they're doing it to gear up for the playoffs which always seems to have at the very least one or two controversial plays...
I 'spose its alright for what they are using it for--my real concern is that the genie will be out of the bottle and it will slowly and eventually be used for every call.
I don't know about EVERY call... but I can see it being expanded to cover MORE calls (than just HRs) once they get "comfortable" with it.
I just wish they'd use that little box to call balls and strikes...
...I probably should've added "not that it would make much difference to our pitchers"!
just heard that our ERA for the three games in Beantown was over 17, no big surprise there though... maybe we should've let Drew pitch, or Clay Council...
Geisha, just found out that Byrd had listed the stRangers as one of his eight in his 'no trade'... that's why they weren't in the discussion
I just wish they'd use that little box to call balls and strikes...
Honestly thats my fear...that they'll start out with homeruns,..then fair or foul balls---then it will move to close plays..then something else .then eventually they will use 'that little box' and too soon (15-20-25 years)there wont be any real need for umpires on the field anymore..
The human element, no matter how maddening it is, is part of the game. If a certain umpire has a wide or narrow zone on a particular night its up to the players to adjust. Thats my two cents--but Im an old fashioned kind of guy
Byrd had listed the stRangers as one of his eight in his 'no trade'... that's why they weren't in the discussion
Oddly the same thing happened with Brian Giles and the Red Sox who claimed him earlier in the week. You'd think that everyone on a last place team would want to go to a contender especially at this time of year, but its not necessarily so. If i was making $9.5Million, living in the San Diego weather and had minimal pressure I might not want to move to a madhouse like Boston either. I sort of assume that every ballplayer would do anything for a ring but the older I get i think some are just content to play in the big leagues, do their time, and collect their check.
I dont know who Byrd had on his no trade beside yous guys, but he seems happy to be here and in the midst of a race...We get to see what he has tonight--he'll have his hands full --he's facing Roy Halladay.
o--and waiting in an office today I got to read agood article on Kinsler in SI-theyre promoting him as MVP.
(Ill see if i can dig up a link)
Edit: Just checking the paper--Seems to be some interesting pregame activities tonight..
Just arrived at the ballpark for tonight's 7:05 start. Pretty quiet so far, except for target practice in the outfield.
Two Red Sox players -- hard to identify from this distance* -- are standing on the edge of the right field grass, next to Pesky's Pole, shooting arrows into a target about 75 feet away. Neither has missed the target through one round of shots....
IMNSHO, the umpires should not be part of the game ... I guess it might change the game, but for the better. They get attitudes, and maybe even money ... using the little box for ball strike calls makes sense to me. Bias stinks.
And better steroid enforcement I guess ... very strict and consistent testing, with exact rules known. if athletes are taking anything questionable, let league officials know exactly what they plan to take ... then questionable tests will not be in doubt.
Poor Roger Maris ... his record would probably still stand ... of course, what was he taking? Here is number 61 ... looks like he is leaning back?
Each to his own as far as umpires go--maybe we should get Lifted Up in this conversation (if he still lurks)--
I know they could refine it ultra tight if they decided to but I dont trust the boxes all that much either the way they are set up now...they can be selective in their own right and get you to believe them when they dont necessarily give the exact picture.
The one on my station is based on a skewed view of the plate. (about 50 feet off center from the centerfield camera) maybe its accurate --maybe its not-I have a tendency to think that its not, as pitches in the same spots are called the same by different umpires night after night even though they appear to be out of the box.
Thats not to say that an umpire wont miss a few pitches per game, but there is something about the uncertainty on a close pitch and my right to bitch, yell and moan and hold my breath about it that would get lost if it were all computerized.
and FWIW I just read an article this morning (too lazy to hunt it down) that steroid enforcement is working through all levels...
we got a damn rainout tonight---Im hoping Tom will show and give me an update as the last I heard his stRangers were getting no hit through 6 against the Rays--- -now is time for the rangers to erupt for 17--go rangers!
Edit: I was just pokin around looking for some Rays/Rangers info..(because Im bored and enduring a rainout)
I found THIS radio broadcast of the 7th game of the 64 World Series that Im listening to -- Bob Gibson vs Mel Stottlemyre that some of you might like to listen to...Its pretty cool... Joe Garigiola and Phil Rizzuto announcing.
yeah... we got shutout last night... that's two games in a row.. Garza was very sharp for the Rays and Millwood (fresh off of the DL, second time for the right groin) was fine for his first 70 pitches... then the home runs started jumping out of the park... why they left him in any longer I don't know, he only had one rehab start at AA (for less than 50 pitches I think)...
anyway... starman, are you sure that box is set up like you say? Ours is done by two cameras set up on either side of the plate, shooting the front edge of the plate and then run through a computer... now, the perspective they show you is from the center field camera but it's pretty accurate (I think) and at the very least it's consistent... WHICH THE UMPIRES ARE NOT.
I used to be with you on the 'hitters and pitchers making adjustments' thing, but there's been way too much inconsistency with every crew that's been through here... and even in those games we played at Fenway... one pitch would be called a ball, the next pitch would almost be in the very same place and it would be called a strike... it happened a number of times in every game... no consistency by the umpire.
I would like them to use "the box" and use replay for home run disputes but keep the umps for everything else...
Anyway... I forgot to add this 'sour note' the other day... Padilla has been the strongest starter we've got but as with "Manny being Manny" we have "Padilla being Padilla"... and what I mean by that is (with too much regularity) he comes up with a 'sore neck' like he did the other night when he's facing a strong team in a park he might not necessarily like... I'll bet a bazillion dollars there was no 'sore neck'... but then there's no way to prove that is there?
And another thing... IS DICE-K ALWAYS SO "BUSH"??? ...what the he!! was he doing going head hunting on Kinsler with an 8 run lead? that's Krap...
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kimberly
I missed the LLWS. The boy had baseball practice 4-7. Playing in a USSSA tournament this coming weekend. The new season has just started. Can ya'll believe we are in September of the ML baseball s
mstar1
Dont scare me like that Bolsh--the way you posted I wasnt sure if it was a done deal--I had to go check....Im on the fence whether to go for Halliday or not---I'd love to have him but I'd hate to give
hiway29
I love those fan trades where players you don't care about, plus a 'prospect', are offered up for a major player. Yeah, the Jays will jump at that deal.
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hiway29
I realize schedules balance out-but it seems to me more home games in September are a bigger advantage than in April, especially in a tight pennant race.
I figure to be retired before I can get to post 4000.
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mstar1
HERES an article from 06 on the schedule makers.
That has got to be one interesting but very difficult job..
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Tom Strange
sounds like Millwood... he hasn't really panned out here like we thought he would when we got him...
I hope we're at least sniffing around on Washburn, he eats innings, even though his ERA is somewhere around 4.50 (which would probably translate to 5 here) he'd still have the lowest on the staff... we should be able to get him for something from the minors (as long as it's not a pitcher...
one of the contributing factors to us getting into this position was that Millwood and Padilla were supposed to be 'bridge' signings that got us through until our young pitching was ready... but now Danks, Volquez, Gallaraga and Young are all somewhere else and pitching fairly well... that was Hick's influence... hopefully with El Presidente (apparently) in charge we'll follow a different path and not trade them away... we've got some serious (very) young talent but at that level all a pitcher can have is potential... if A and AA ball pitchers all fullfilled their potential there wouldn't be such a premium every year in free agency...
(and no, Nolan never was our or anyone elses pitching coach, just a very successful minor league team owner)
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Tom Strange
yeah... I don't know how that schedule thing works either... but it does seem that we play an unbalanced number of road games in the first half and home games in the second... to me, it would make more sense if we played more home games against the northern teams early since we usually have pretty good weather at that time... it makes no sense to me that we're traveling to the northern cities in April (and early May) where the temps are in the 40s and 50s and it's in the 70s and 80s here... and of course the northern teams could travel to each other so that they'd have some at home...
plus, as I said earlier, I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse to have these long homestands in August and September... it really seems to drain them...
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Tom Strange
just heard that 8 out of the top 11 draft picks are still unsigned (most of them at the front of the line) with less than 36 hours left to sign them... I know our pick, Smoat, who is a Texeira starter kit hasn't signed at number 11 because he's waiting to see what the others are going to get...
it's frustrating... heck, any of us would probably pay them to let us play (back then when we thought we could play)... and each of these guys is probably going to get at least a million dollar signing bonus (and probably a lot more) and they're waiting to see... to make sure they don't settle for too little???
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mstar1
Well for you guys who play on the surface of the sun--yeah--I dont know the stats but Ive said afew times this year the sox are two teams --one at home one on the road this year...This year the schedule --at least September seems to be favoring us--There were some very difficult stretches early on that eventually count just as much--but im glad thats all behind at this point.......Id love to be a fly on the wall during the scheduling, trying to keep 30 teams happy, and make all the logistics work over 162 games--thats gotta be areal hair puller.
...regarding pitching--A few years ago I heard an interview with Theo and he mentioned that free agency was an incredibly inefficient way to build a team. I had never really thought too much in those terms before or heard it put so simply, but it stuck with me and has made sense---especially after watching the stream of quality guys who yearly come up through the player development system.
Nolan's not stupid, hopefully he'll be able to wrest some power away from Hicks so your younger investments will pay off.
Where's Simon? Its a good time to be a Cubs fan.... although a month or 6 weeks from now may be a good time to invest in anti anxiety medication in Chicago though
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mstar1
I suppose there is a whole art to signing. I know the RS go overboard to know every little nuance on and off the field and 'persuade' some signers with perks and considerations that have little to do with baseball plus they take time to project the image of being an organization that players want to play for by doing alot of little things.
I can understand its frustrating--
an aside question --I really didnt follow the draft--but in the situation that y'alls are in there were no pitchers available at number 11?
You already have hitters out of the wazoo
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Tom Strange
oh we took some pitchers... and we have quite a few "very promising" ones working their way up... but this guy was too good to pass up (and the best on the board when it was our turn)... he really is a Tex starter kit including going to college in Georgia! ...the only reason you won't see him up here in 2 years is if "Crush" Davis is still going strong (who got called up in June and won July rookie of the month honors)... you can watch him bat tonight since Roy went to be with his wife...
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mstar1
Yea I heard They had a little girl last night--(presumably with no tattoos
)
He seems like a great guy..
In similar news (i.e. alot different really) I heard today Varitek is getting a divorce which might account as some reason for his .192 since June..
anyway.... just got tonights lineups
Red Sox
1. J.D.Drew RF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Kevin Youkilis 1B
5. Jason Bay LF
6. Jed Lowrie 3B
7. Jason Varitek
8. Coco Crisp CF
9. Alex Cora SS
SP -- Matsuzaka
Texas Rangers:
1. Ian Kinsler 2B
2. Frank Catalanotto LF
3. Michael Young SS
4. Milton Bradley DH
5. Marlon Byrd CF
6. Brandon Boggs RF
7. Chris Davis 1B
8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
9. Ramon Vazquez 3B
SP -- Tommy Hunter
Good seeing your guys--talk to those schedulers and come more often, I enjoyed it!
Dont bother cleaning
We'll get the broom and sweep up
:)
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Tom Strange
yeah.. our chances don't look good... but I know they'll try... heck, Salty is playing with a fracture in his foot and Michael has had a broken ring finger for about three weeks now... but they'll try... this kid pitching for us tonight brings high heat but I don't think that will matter much to Papi or Youkilis... they'll probably be drooling on the way to home plate...
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Tom Strange
I didn't realize it but Veritek did something that no one else has done this year... nailed Kinsler (we don't count that one in the All Star 'exhibition' where the replay showed he was safe!)
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geisha779
I would have chuckled at this before--but those guys have some heart. The only other team I watch with any real interest is the Twins because of in-laws who live at the Metrodome. 5 Brother-in-laws who hate the Sox-love MN. I gotta be able to converse with them!!LOL I even saw Santana pitch.
BUT Texas gave me so much fun the other night--they are now on my radar--give em a pat on the butt for me! . . . . . . . . . . . . . Just a joke Tom.
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mstar1
Wow---Is it like this all the time for you guys?
Hunter is just laying it right in there, and when he got to the weak part of the order he walked Varitek, Hit Cora, and Coco popped up but Vasquez elected not to chase after it and it fell in....leaving the gates open for a 9 run inning (so far)....
Damn when you talk about frustration I'll understand a little clearer now---
looks like another wild night
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Tom Strange
well.. it's gotta weigh heavy on the position players minds, it's the elephant in the room, but you don't hear them complain about it... they'll answer questions if asked but they don't point fingers...
OK, so Hunter was just out of college at this time last year and started the year in low A, he's been to Fenway and thrown one good inning... he'll be back (hopefully)... now you get the MadDog again who was an outfielder in the Angels farm system in '06... maybe he can go two innings!
Can we ask Drew if he'll pitch?
...and besides, DiceK has an ERA of 7 against us so maybe we can score some as well... maybe not as many as y'all, but some... :)
It's just so hard to catch those balls when they're bouncing off of that big green wall...
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Rocky
Selig confident replay will be ready soon
Updated: August 14, 2008, 6:45 PM ET
WASHINGTON -- Major league ballparks are being wired for instant replay, and commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday his "confidence is growing" that the technology to assist umpires will be ready soon. (continued at link provided above)
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mstar1
Changing things in the middle of a season? Im not sure how I feel about this. I suppose they're doing it to gear up for the playoffs which always seems to have at the very least one or two controversial plays...
I 'spose its alright for what they are using it for--my real concern is that the genie will be out of the bottle and it will slowly and eventually be used for every call.
......
I see Manny finally got a haircut, although I honestly cant tell which one
The Adventures in Mannyworld continue
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Rocky
I don't know about EVERY call... but I can see it being expanded to cover MORE calls (than just HRs) once they get "comfortable" with it.
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Tom Strange
I just wish they'd use that little box to call balls and strikes...
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Tom Strange
...I probably should've added "not that it would make much difference to our pitchers"!
just heard that our ERA for the three games in Beantown was over 17, no big surprise there though... maybe we should've let Drew pitch, or Clay Council...
Geisha, just found out that Byrd had listed the stRangers as one of his eight in his 'no trade'... that's why they weren't in the discussion
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mstar1
The human element, no matter how maddening it is, is part of the game. If a certain umpire has a wide or narrow zone on a particular night its up to the players to adjust. Thats my two cents--but Im an old fashioned kind of guy
Oddly the same thing happened with Brian Giles and the Red Sox who claimed him earlier in the week. You'd think that everyone on a last place team would want to go to a contender especially at this time of year, but its not necessarily so. If i was making $9.5Million, living in the San Diego weather and had minimal pressure I might not want to move to a madhouse like Boston either. I sort of assume that every ballplayer would do anything for a ring but the older I get i think some are just content to play in the big leagues, do their time, and collect their check.
I dont know who Byrd had on his no trade beside yous guys, but he seems happy to be here and in the midst of a race...We get to see what he has tonight--he'll have his hands full --he's facing Roy Halladay.
o--and waiting in an office today I got to read agood article on Kinsler in SI-theyre promoting him as MVP.
(Ill see if i can dig up a link)
Edit: Just checking the paper--Seems to be some interesting pregame activities tonight..
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rhino
IMNSHO, the umpires should not be part of the game ... I guess it might change the game, but for the better. They get attitudes, and maybe even money ... using the little box for ball strike calls makes sense to me. Bias stinks.
And better steroid enforcement I guess ... very strict and consistent testing, with exact rules known. if athletes are taking anything questionable, let league officials know exactly what they plan to take ... then questionable tests will not be in doubt.
Poor Roger Maris ... his record would probably still stand ... of course, what was he taking? Here is number 61 ... looks like he is leaning back?
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mstar1
Each to his own as far as umpires go--maybe we should get Lifted Up in this conversation (if he still lurks)--
I know they could refine it ultra tight if they decided to but I dont trust the boxes all that much either the way they are set up now...they can be selective in their own right and get you to believe them when they dont necessarily give the exact picture.
The one on my station is based on a skewed view of the plate. (about 50 feet off center from the centerfield camera) maybe its accurate --maybe its not-I have a tendency to think that its not, as pitches in the same spots are called the same by different umpires night after night even though they appear to be out of the box.
Thats not to say that an umpire wont miss a few pitches per game, but there is something about the uncertainty on a close pitch and my right to bitch, yell and moan and hold my breath about it that would get lost if it were all computerized.
and FWIW I just read an article this morning (too lazy to hunt it down) that steroid enforcement is working through all levels...
we got a damn rainout tonight---Im hoping Tom will show and give me an update as the last I heard his stRangers were getting no hit through 6 against the Rays---
-now is time for the rangers to erupt for 17--go rangers!
Edit: I was just pokin around looking for some Rays/Rangers info..(because Im bored and enduring a rainout)
I found THIS radio broadcast of the 7th game of the 64 World Series that Im listening to -- Bob Gibson vs Mel Stottlemyre that some of you might like to listen to...Its pretty cool... Joe Garigiola and Phil Rizzuto announcing.
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mstar1
Whats goin on everyone?
Im feeling much better about this all now after my mini Manny meltdown...
a short winning streak , a little time (and some heavy medication) really does wonders.
This is the fun part of the year--Im ready to play.
What a great ride a season is,
I have a nice box to watch Josh Beckett (whos moving into his Kick a$$ mode) mow down the Jays tomorrow.
Speaking of KKK -The K-Men would work..
They'll be out tomorrow and busy
and I'll be rootin for the Rangers while they have the Tampanians in town. Crank it up a notch you Rangers!
Simon come out come out wherever you are
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Tom Strange
yeah... we got shutout last night... that's two games in a row.. Garza was very sharp for the Rays and Millwood (fresh off of the DL, second time for the right groin) was fine for his first 70 pitches... then the home runs started jumping out of the park... why they left him in any longer I don't know, he only had one rehab start at AA (for less than 50 pitches I think)...
anyway... starman, are you sure that box is set up like you say? Ours is done by two cameras set up on either side of the plate, shooting the front edge of the plate and then run through a computer... now, the perspective they show you is from the center field camera but it's pretty accurate (I think) and at the very least it's consistent... WHICH THE UMPIRES ARE NOT.
I used to be with you on the 'hitters and pitchers making adjustments' thing, but there's been way too much inconsistency with every crew that's been through here... and even in those games we played at Fenway... one pitch would be called a ball, the next pitch would almost be in the very same place and it would be called a strike... it happened a number of times in every game... no consistency by the umpire.
I would like them to use "the box" and use replay for home run disputes but keep the umps for everything else...
Anyway... I forgot to add this 'sour note' the other day... Padilla has been the strongest starter we've got but as with "Manny being Manny" we have "Padilla being Padilla"... and what I mean by that is (with too much regularity) he comes up with a 'sore neck' like he did the other night when he's facing a strong team in a park he might not necessarily like... I'll bet a bazillion dollars there was no 'sore neck'... but then there's no way to prove that is there?
And another thing... IS DICE-K ALWAYS SO "BUSH"??? ...what the he!! was he doing going head hunting on Kinsler with an 8 run lead? that's Krap...
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