Ring That Bell

Check out that picture, lol.

I know blue didn't have a particularly good night (but it is spring training)...I have to say I'm liking more and more the players that are out there. Juan Pierre will be a stud...count on it. I just like how he plays. Ethier, he's a stud too. Already picking it up (with what I've seen) and it's just spring training.

Can you say "it's time for dodger baseball?" lol.

I see Gag-me is starting the season on the disabled list.

"I feel pretty good, but I think this is going to help the team," Gagne said after throwing 15 pitches in a minor league game Thursday.

Maybe I'm slow but how does this help his team? He's just doing what he's used to doing the last few years... nothing.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the MLB Extra Innings thing. I was hoping there would be a thread about it. I guess for most guys here it's a non issue since they live around L.A. and get the local broadcasts.
I don't want to be held hostage by baseball and Direct TV. It's more money for Direct and getting less back. If I had more financial resources I guess it would be no big deal. It would be easier if I renounced the Dodgers and became a D'Back fan, but it would be hard to give up my boys. The Dodgers are baseball to me, and I hate to get screwed by the game I love because MLB needs more money.
The people involved in negotiating this deal are set for life. Do they really believe by limiting access to their product the game will be better?

I just don't get it.

Interesting article in the NY Times on the potential impact of MLB's unbalanced schedule on some of the teams.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/sports/baseball/25score.html?_r=1&ref=baseball&oref=slogin

Things are not quite as cut and dried schedule-wise as they used to be when they first instituted the unbalanced schedule. Now we have quirks like the Dodgers playing home AND away series with the Blue Jays this season.

The Times was complaining that the Mets have to play a home and home with the Yankees, plus series with the A's, Twins and Tigers. Ouch! The Padres on the other hand, who have the second easiest interleague schedule in all of baseball, get lowly Seattle for a home and home, the Orioles, Tampa Bay and Red Sox. Ya think Kevin Towers might have some compromising photos of Bud Selig's last trip to Tijuana?

Last year, the Dodgers and Padres tied for the Western Division, but the Padres had an easier interleague schedule. So am I suggesting the Dodgers would have won the West outright if the schedule were balanced? Well, uh, yes. Actually, I am.

I think it is time for baseball to dump the interleague stuff and go back to a balanced schedule where division rivals played each other 16 times and the other teams in the rest of their League 8 times.

But I'll leave the actual answer as an exercise for the student. ;-)

Len

Does it make a

Tonight's game is in glorious HD! It's beautiful.

Len,

You're right about the humidor policy, so I guess the Rockies will be alright.

That guy from the NYTimes needs to calm down. He cries foul because the Angels and A's play games against the 'lowly' Rangers and Mariners, while the Yankees and Red Sox have to struggle against the powerhouses that are... the Orioles and Devil Rays?

Len,

I think if you're objective is to be strictly fair then going back to the old format you suggest is the best way to go. However, I like what interleague play brings to the game. It brought back some excitement into baseball with intriguing matchups. Even if my team might be slightly disadvantaged by interleague play, I still somehow like it b/c it keeps my interest. I like seeing the Dodgers and my next favorite team the Angels play when it counts.... I would like it to be in the SERIES but seeing it in the regular season is exciting and gives bragging rights too.

I want the Dodgers to win the pennant but also want to see some cool match ups. I would be happy if the Dodgers played the ROYALS for ALL 162 games and have like a 120-42 record but would much rather that they have a 100 - 62 record playing all the teams in the Majors. (it could happen this year!) I'm just a little bummed when I read that the Dodgers and Yankees will NEVER face off in the regular season. I've been buying season tickets in hopes of that day... now I know it won't happen.

ohoh...Faith is already claiming 'her' studs for the season... :)

funniest part of the Lieberthal pancaking was that there were 3 and almost 4 connecutive plays like that at the plate. Dude must have felt like the ball shagger at the driving range in Taft, CA...

Andy B:

that is exactly why MLB has done what they have. Just like any person selling an addictive substance they know if they allow cheaper and/or free samples up front then down the road they can increase price w/o worry because people will do anything to get the good stuff...

I say let MLB pound sand and listen on the radio. I was one of the first 5000 DirecTV subscribers in California, paid $1200 for my orginal setup back then. But the NFL package was CHEAP at $69/season. Since then it has pretty much increased 6-7x that woriginal price...but the equipment is not mostly free. But people are stuipd and keep paying HUGE money to watch usually at most a dozen extra games/year...I mean they never really use the service to it's potential and those who do are those basement dwellers we hear about. But on a per game basis it is OUTRAGEOUS.

Baseball is only slightly better. For me since I cannot get a local channel that carries the Dodger games I was getting the Fox Sports package as FSW carries the Dodger and Angel home games. But then I looked into getting the MLB package a few years back and I found I am in the BLACKOUT zone...so I never paid the extra and then found I never really watched more then a dozen games on the fox sports channels. So I even canceled the fox package because I was paying about $13-$15/game that I watched...that was INSANE.

So now I simply have the MLB Gameday Audio and that is it...I find I much prefer the games on the radio anyway. Then if the Dodgers are on netwrok TV/ESPN or whatever, fine, if not eh....now I just put that money in the bank instead...you would be surprised how fast that money accumulates!

I say screw baseball if they want to screw themselves...same for football. I haven't had an NFL Sunday Ticket sub in about 7-8 years now...had been saving that as well as a fund from a few other serives I really did not need and actually had enough to pay cash for new pick-up this January...THAT felt niiiice.

Makoto,

Great point about the Yankees playing the D-Rays and O's. I should know better than to expect any kind of balance from the NY Times. ;-)

Rob,

I guess I prefer going back to the old "mystique" that existed between the AL and NL prior to the startup of interleague play in the 90s. But that is just me. I know I am probably in the minority there, although I can't deny the appeal of seeing Dodgers v Angels/Yankees/Red Sox in June or July at Dodger Stadium.

And don't give up hope on the Yankees playing the Dodgers in the regular season yet. They have done it at least twice before as I seem to remember (once here and once in NY) so it could happen again.

Len

Len:

I agree about the inter-league crapola...I never liked it and probably never will like it. I cannot see how it adds anything to the game. The leagues play by different rules so each team is at a disadvantage in the other park. And eventually an AL pitcher is gonna get killed out there batting or running the bases.

I dislike inter-league games waaaay more then the DH. It's the fantasy league sorts who cry for the inter-league as well as the DH...got no use for any of it...

man am I feeling exceptionally cranky today or what? ;)

Don't get me started on that rotten DH rule, Grumpy! We DON'T want to go there... ;-)

Len

Hey Grumpy,

Thanks for commiserating. I can appreciate saving money, LOL!
I got addicted the Extra Innings after so MANY years seeing only 2,3, or 4 games a month here in AZ. To see the games for about $1.50 a game is a fair deal. And gee, I stupidly thought MLB was still making good money. I also tape almost every game so I can get through it in 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. Time management.
I was pretty happy.
I see In Demand is still negotiating so maybe there is hope. The radio just isn't a practical option for me.
It would be a long summer without my Dodgers....