You have an umpire make a terrible bad call because he "saw" it wrong. Jim Joyce admitted his mistake 30 min after the game. Would you EVER see an NBA official do that? Not a chance. Umpires make mistakes. And yes, I would presume you would have to be arrogant to do that job. But the way I see it... those guys are doing the best they can to call a fair game. That is not how the NBA works. Not even close.
maybe....... nah. Can never quite get enough of this can you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-K9QBR1uXc
That is a joke right? Before 2003, the game meant nothing and since 2003, how many has the NL won? 1! The fact that the AL has won 13 of the last 20 World Series and 13 straight All-Star games before this year pretty much seals the deal.Try looking at the far better statistic of IL play and the dominance of the American league. Heck, look at the Royals IL record the past five years with their .590 winning % against NL opponents.
Redna.. we're not talking inter-league play here.. that would open up an entirely different rant. You should research the history of the all-star game however.. you'll quickly realize it means NOTHING today as it did up until about the 80's when ballplayers started getting mega rich. In the old days.. the senior league.. NL.. had little respect for their little brother.. the AL... and because those guys didn't make millions a year and had to work in the off-season as painters.. carpenters.. etc.. they played the all-star game for pride. And trust me.. they played to win... players like Musial.. Williams etc.. they wanted nothing more than to brag their league was better. The all time.. all star record is like 41 wins NL.. 38 AL.. with a few ties. The NL dominated up until the past 13ish years. Incidentally.. the years of steroids. So.. yeah.. you could say they're playing for something right now because of the whole home field advantage thingy.. but that was only invented to get the over paid half assers back in it.. cause to them.. pride don't matter.. but the $500,000 bonus does.. win or loose. Trust me.. pick up a book.. the all star game mattered much more before.. teams managed to win.
Oh please. Don't tell me to pick up a book on baseball. I've read countless books on baseball from Ball Four, Money Ball, the Stark Truth, etc...and your basis holds zero water. I know that players wanted to win the All-Star game before money became the sole reason. In fact, George Brett still gives talks to the AL teams before the game telling the players what it means to play in the All-Star game. IL play isn't a whole different rant, it's the actual facts. Look up the statistics and get back to me. AL owns the NL...period.
The current rules favor the AL (in AS and IL play). The modern-day All-Star game is a joke. It wasn't always that way. Roger Clemens was the poster child for all that is wrong with the AL (and I'm a Red Sox fan). The leagues play two different games. It's undeniable.
Ugggh.. dude.. YOU quoted me originally.. and I was SOLELY speaking of the all star game. Inter league play had NOTHING to do with my post. You can't quote someone who was SOLELY speaking of the all time all star game and then give stats on something totally irrelevant to the all star games stats. That's changing the ENTIRE face of the conversation. That's a different rant. For the moment.. lets stay focused on the topic you choose to quote me on.. the all star game. Dude.
You said from the beginning that you despised the AL. I said, tongue in cheek, that I can understand why you would despise the far superior league. Then you replied, why do they have the lead for all time wins in the All Star games? So I answered and basically took it as you were basing your whole argument that the superior league was the NL from the All-Star game. That is why I brought in interleague play. Hey, if you want to base your opinion on the All-Star game that's fine, I was just explaining it was a poor excuse too.
Why? It meant nothing in terms of affecting home field advantage during the World Series. You can say they played for pride and many did, but it still didn't affect the outcome of what the players really play the game for.
Now there's a huge clarification. Tell me, though......how many players on the all-star team are really worried about whether or not their league gets home-field advantage? Does the player there from Kansas City care as much as Jeter? At some point, the game went to hell in a handbasket. I don't even watch it, any more. I actually wish they'd NOT base HF advantage on the game. That gives it a false sense of legitimacy, to me.
I agree 100%. I think the game is a farce and is managed as one too. Having Ortiz on base in the 9th and not have anybody to pitch run because they ran out of players is ridiculous. If the game is going to be played for something it should be managed correctly.
Arguing with you has been like arguing with my wife. It's clear you think I said something I didn't. That's cool.. no harm to me. Enjoy your Yankees and your DH rule.
I'm with Duke (even though I'm a RS fan). I DESPISE the DH rule. Lou Brock once said...."You can't hide in the NL". Perfect. "I believe in the soul ... the small of a woman's back, the hanging curveball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter." - Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) in Bull Durham (1988) Honestly....tell me the "upside" to the institution of the DH rule. What was it designed to inert into the game? When you answer this, I'll tell you why it's failed, MISERABLY. It's removed from the game MUCH more than it's instilled.
I guess so. I do enjoy the American league and I would say the majority of baseball fans do too. I enjoy going to a game and not seeing a 2-1 score which happens way too often in the NL. People enjoy offense, as do I. That is the sole reason the DH is in the American League. I'll say I'll enjoy the Royals and the DH rule. Cheers to you and your wife.
I agree. It really bothers me that home field advantage in the WS is decided by a freaking exhibition game. One of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard of in sports. Why should an at bat by a guy from KC have an influence on Derek Jeter and where he's going to be playing in the world series. Shouldn't the teams going be able to have a say on that? Designed to insert offense. That's the idea of a batting lineup. To create offense. Just like the idea of a pitcher is to pitch.
That's what I was looking for. So.....you change the game for what? In 2009, the AL avg. runs/game was 4.82. In 2009, the NL runs/game was 4.43. That's a WHOPPING differential of .39 runs/game. I hope you DH fans are enjoying all that extra offense!
My preference is no DH. With that said about the stupidest thing in sports is one league with a DH and one without. Either tarnish both leagues with the DH or eliminate it from the AL. Although the players union would never be for eliminating it. Then all the fat ass non-fielding "home run hitters" would be out of work.
