6/13 vs Philly

[d-money]

Would love to gain some ground on the yankees but they keep winning. It's ridiculous. Now on the road.

[S5Dewey]

They are there to sing, dance, drink, eat overpriced crappy food, and talk about everything but baseball. And they are texting a lot too.

 

This seems to be the way of baseball, unfortunately. (IMO here..) Too many people aren't here for the game, they're here for the SHOW.

 

My first exposure to that was at Jacobs Field in Cleveland 20 years ago when I went there for a Sox/Guardians game and they started playing rock music between innings.{"What?? They're playing f***ing music? This is a baseball game, not a concert!!"}. And things have gone downhill from there. Now people don't go to the game for the game, they go for the event. IMO it's pretty sad when we now have people in mustard, relish, and ketchup costumes running around on the field between innings. UGH.

[Maxbialystock]

This seems to be the way of baseball, unfortunately. (IMO here..) Too many people aren't here for the game, they're here for the SHOW.

 

My first exposure to that was at Jacobs Field in Cleveland 20 years ago when I went there for a Sox/Guardians game and they started playing rock music between innings.{"What?? They're playing f***ing music? This is a baseball game, not a concert!!"}. And things have gone downhill from there. Now people don't go to the game for the game, they go for the event. IMO it's pretty sad when we now have people in mustard, relish, and ketchup costumes running around on the field between innings. UGH.

 

yesterday NPR did a story on Yankees home attendance, which has been going steadily down, mostly because of the drastic increase in seat prices in the new stadium, but also because of "all that razzmatazz." The Yankees management thinks that a trip to the ball park should be an event and a shopping trip and entertainment, only some of which is baseball.

 

In those few movies--like Bull Durham--with scenes in minor league ball parks, it is abundantly clear the owners are trying to entertain fans with more than baseball.

 

On the other hand, we have younger women in our office--and older ones--and they all seem to know something about sports teams. Sometimes it's MLB, sometimes the NFL, and very occasionally the NBA.

 

All in all, I think the "product," which is what I watch almost every day on my TV or computer, is still pretty darn good. In the other two major sports, size counts, but right now the Sox seem to be doing fine with an array of midgets in the outfield and at 2B. Pitchers are bigger, of course. But MLB to me has remained remarkably stable/pure, so I can live with all the bs at the ballparks.

[Maxbialystock]

Another amazing win. Yes, it's just the Phillies, but it still counts and, by the by, narrowed the gap to 3 games.

 

Amazing applies especially to the bullpen, who I believe have now gone 12 straight scoreless innings in just two games, both of which the Sox won.

 

Which leads me again to this cantankerous thought. I have said on other threads that generally managers just don't have that big an effect on most aspects of the game--they can't call many plays or make in-game adjustments the way NBA and NFL coaches can. The exception of course is how the pitching is managed and that mostly means the bullpen. The pitchers, I hasten to add, did all the work and got the outs last night and the night before. Nevertheless, I think Farrell was masterful in those two games.

 

On to Philly and, one hopes, a deluge of hits by the Sox. Johnson tonight and Sale tomorrow night.

[Maxbialystock]

During the game last night someone flashed a stat that said HanRam already so many 440 foot dingers this year. I keep the sound off, so I don't know what they said. But, if asked, I would have said, "can there be any doubt this guy is a swinger and not a true hitter? " I think he loves swinging the bat so hard his helmet falls off. He doesn't go to the plate to get a hit or to help the team, but to get some good exercise with those really hard cuts at the ball.

 

Remember the other Ramirez, Manny? He looked a lot like the current one--stocky, long hair, etc. But Manny was a real student of hitting and made a huge difference in the Sox lineup, especially in combination with Ortiz.

[Maxbialystock]

I could of course be wrong, but last night I thought Price's lack of control was the direct result of not over-relying on his fastball, which he is prone to do and which is why his ERA last year and this year has been high.

 

The good news is he still went 6 innings, giving up 3, and has begun the process--my opinion--of learning how to throw other pitches (besides his fast ball) effectively.

[Maxbialystock]

Well undergraduates got out two weeks ago, but the seniors finish school about a month before everyone else. My senior year of HS was a joke, I only had to show up twice a week and was done in early May, was fun.

 

My HS senior year was 59 years ago and we went to class every day to the bitter end. I mean, that's what HS students do--like a job.

[Spudboy]

I prefer Spirit airlines, they are amazing.

 

The Polish National Airline is by far the best I have flown with. Better than British Air and Lefthandsa.

 

Piedmont and USAIR had the best selection of Bourbons. Always a critical element in deciding which airline to use.

[Spudboy]

Moreland has been ridiculous defensively lately. Every since me, and a few other posters were s***ing on him, he's picked it up.

 

He has had more opportunity to look good with all the wild throws he has been receiving. He is nowhere near George Scott level but maybe more of an AGon type glove. Solid but unspectacular.

[Spudboy]

GG Moreland taking Pedroia's ball and making it a much more difficulty play. WTH is he always doing wandering so far toward second base. That has hurt us more often than it has helped us this season.

 

He ain't no Boomer.

[Thunder]

The Polish National Airline is by far the best I have flown with. Better than British Air and Lefthandsa.

 

Any thoughts on Air France or KLM? I'm using them when I go to Germany in a couple of weeks.

[Spudboy]

Any thoughts on Air France or KLM? I'm using them when I go to Germany in a couple of weeks.

 

I've never flown with them. But I imagine both are good.

[S5Dewey]

The Polish National Airline is by far the best I have flown with. Better than British Air and Lefthandsa.

 

Piedmont and USAIR had the best selection of Bourbons. Always a critical element in deciding which airline to use.

 

I've flown on USSCARE too many times. I find their personnel to be indifferent almost to the point of being rude and in my experience they seem to have trouble meeting their departure and arrival times. I want a lot of bourbon when I fly with them.

[Slasher9]

The Polish National Airline is by far the best I have flown with. Better than British Air and Lefthandsa.

 

Piedmont and USAIR had the best selection of Bourbons. Always a critical element in deciding which airline to use.

 

been on them all. Emirates without a doubt is the best.

[Spudboy]

been on them all. Emirates without a doubt is the best.

 

Never been on them.