yeah my basic position on the ratings drop is this--the front office, via the media, did an awful job of selling this year's model to average fans, who can still faithfully repeat the phrases "pitching and defense" and "bridge year." so once the bad start confirmed everyone's fears, and the injuries exacerbated them, ppl had questions (some legit, some not) about why exactly they should care about this year.
i do watch less baseball myself these days, in part because i share a tv with my gf, but also because this year's sox have been about as interesting as last year.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 30 July 2010 19:16 (fourteen years ago) link
lester is indeed really great to watch, don't understand that criticism at all.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 30 July 2010 19:17 (fourteen years ago) link
i don't think there's anything inherently wrong about being like "this team is boring, and they make me want to watch less" -- i think the same thing about the padres but they're actually winning so it's a bit different
― J0rdan S., Friday, 30 July 2010 19:18 (fourteen years ago) link
i guess i'm struggling to come up with a team that's particularly interesting?
― call all destroyer, Friday, 30 July 2010 19:19 (fourteen years ago) link
well i think there's something inherent about baseball teams that's sort of... uninteresting? like, even the yankees are getting contributions from marcus thames as they steamroll everyone in their path
even the rays -- great young staff to watch, longo, crawford etc -- started matt joyce and willie aybar last night
but that's baseball! idk. the game itself it what sells and is what's fun, which is probably why the mlb has the problem that simmons outlines wrt recognizable stars and what not
― J0rdan S., Friday, 30 July 2010 19:22 (fourteen years ago) link
imagine being Andy K! you get miggy's potentially historic season, but last night you also had to watch ryan rayburn, gerald laird, "w. rhymes" and "d. worth"
so idk. that's how shit goes.
― J0rdan S., Friday, 30 July 2010 19:26 (fourteen years ago) link
tru
― call all destroyer, Friday, 30 July 2010 19:27 (fourteen years ago) link
i think having exciting young players to watch really helps tho, which is part of the problem with the red sox in particular
even tho he's hitting like .225, i def feel that "can't go get food" (lol not really because i have tivo) when a mike stanton AB is approaching
― J0rdan S., Friday, 30 July 2010 19:27 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah young talented position players enhance night-to-night watchability and we have oh let me check--zero of those right now
― call all destroyer, Friday, 30 July 2010 19:30 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah, identity-wise the red sox' future is kind of cloudy right now, their old franchise players are on the way out and their farm system's taken a step back this year. we've only got pedroia and lester to fill that role right now, maybe buchholz if he's actually figured stuff out.
― It's like normal life except you power up by peeing (ciderpress), Friday, 30 July 2010 19:35 (fourteen years ago) link
The Giants imo
The Sox had a really nice run with their minor leaguers, but after Ellsbury and Pedroia they've struggled to produce a hitting prospect of note. Suddenly they have an offense filled with the sort of old journeymen that are patently boring to root for. Cameron, Beltre, Hall, Martinez, Scutaro ... not like these are bad dudes, but you're really rooting for laundry when you assemble a bunch of dudes like that, or when you bring up a lot of AAAA guys as injury replacements.
― no turkey unless it's a club sandwich (polyphonic), Friday, 30 July 2010 22:24 (fourteen years ago) link
I just read that the Sox inquired about Jim Edmonds, on that note.
― no turkey unless it's a club sandwich (polyphonic), Friday, 30 July 2010 22:26 (fourteen years ago) link
What does the future hold for Mike LOL?
― _▂▅▇█▓▒░◕‿‿◕░▒▓█▇▅▂_ (Steve Shasta), Friday, 30 July 2010 22:32 (fourteen years ago) link
they'll probably keep trying to flip him for cheap and get anything back
― It's like normal life except you power up by peeing (ciderpress), Friday, 30 July 2010 23:18 (fourteen years ago) link
Keeping barking, Youk.
― Andy K, Saturday, 31 July 2010 22:55 (fourteen years ago) link
I basically never watch baseball on TV except for highlights or an inning here and there. I only watch 3-4 hours of TV a week - which is barely one average game!
In person I don't mind the length (given good weather - when it's still 105 at the Ballpark at dusk, time matters), but on TV it's a killer.
― a cross between lily allen and fetal alcohol syndrome (milo z), Sunday, 1 August 2010 00:10 (fourteen years ago) link
^ agreed, especially when the games start at 7:35 - it's like goodbye dinner, goodbye sex, goodbye 8 hours sleep
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 3 August 2010 16:22 (fourteen years ago) link
but i guess that's how you tell the men from the boys
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 4 August 2010 13:08 (fourteen years ago) link
they actually played a fast game last night! i watched most of it.
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 4 August 2010 13:20 (fourteen years ago) link
A game tends to be on whenever games are on -- ideal when the kids are either too loud and/or in need of attention and or napping/sleeping.
If I think I hear Rich Waltz yelling or getting belligerent, I run it back and crank the volume to ear-splitting level, no matter what.
― Andy K, Wednesday, 4 August 2010 13:35 (fourteen years ago) link
dinner & sex while game is on TV = classic
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 4 August 2010 13:41 (fourteen years ago) link
lol
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 4 August 2010 13:44 (fourteen years ago) link
I really hope Delgado's got a couple of years left. I was looking at his career stats today, particularly at his last year with Toronto. I remember how absolutely convinced everyone here had become--management and fans--that it was time for him to move on. He had 32 homers, 99 RBI, and a .535 slugging average that year. Must...go...NOW. We had to clear the way for that special day when we could get our hands on Lyle Overbay.
― clemenza, Saturday, 7 August 2010 20:22 (fourteen years ago) link
he was playing really well with NYM in '09 while he was able to play, so i don't see why he might not be able to play well for another year or two.
― ('_') (omar little), Saturday, 7 August 2010 20:42 (fourteen years ago) link
That's why I'm hopeful; it's not a case of picking up a guy who's been in steady decline. Health is the only issue. I want him to get to 500; it'll seem like a perfectly legitimate 500, and I'm afraid he'll be bypassed for the HOF without the milestone.
― clemenza, Saturday, 7 August 2010 20:50 (fourteen years ago) link
if roster space is tight i'd rather bring in saltalamacchia
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Monday, 9 August 2010 11:51 (fourteen years ago) link
he got over the yips?
― sanskrit, Monday, 9 August 2010 14:20 (fourteen years ago) link
what was the problem??
― oreo speed wiggum (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 9 August 2010 15:13 (fourteen years ago) link
he couldn't throw back to the pitcher
― call all destroyer, Monday, 9 August 2010 15:14 (fourteen years ago) link
supposedly he's figured something out
― call all destroyer, Monday, 9 August 2010 15:15 (fourteen years ago) link
LESTERIFFIC
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 13:52 (fourteen years ago) link
BRILL BARD BAFFLES BOMBERS
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 13:55 (fourteen years ago) link
I will say that when JB came in the game (and lester was on some other-type shit yesterday; dude was awesome) everyone in DNYS was like "the game is over." funeral-level quiet. And dude deals in a way that JP doesn't. when papelbon came in and everyone got excited again.
― Astronaut Mike Dexter (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 14:00 (fourteen years ago) link
also, JP is irritating to watch live, whereas JB is clearly interested in going home as soon as possible.
― Astronaut Mike Dexter (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 14:01 (fourteen years ago) link
papelbon looked as good as i've seen him in a long time yesterday
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 10 August 2010 14:15 (fourteen years ago) link
when you say JB you mean Daniel Bard right?
his stuff was fuckin SCARY. the YES commentators (ugh) pointed out that at one point he threw what looked for all the world like a 98-mph sinker.
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 14:43 (fourteen years ago) link
wow i just saw video of the pitch that struck out swisher
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 10 August 2010 15:19 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah that's the pitch
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 16:38 (fourteen years ago) link
sort of a slide-sinker.. thrown at 98mph
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 16:39 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah bard. I was thinkiing josh bard lol
― Astronaut Mike Dexter (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 17:09 (fourteen years ago) link
accuscore says 14% chance of making playoffs..
but i do think Francona for AL manager of the year would be deserved.
― sanskrit, Tuesday, 10 August 2010 17:40 (fourteen years ago) link
lupica still the best at this kind of thing:
Now Bard, Boston closer of the future, came in to face Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher with the game all around him on the bases. Here is what happens next at the Stadium, like fireworks:
The captain of the Yankees takes a 97 mile per hour fastball for strike one. Fouls a 99 for strike two at the plate. Swings through a 98 he probably heard in Victor Martinez's mitt before he ever saw it. Strike three. No chance. Two outs.
Swisher next. This is how it goes for Swisher against Daniel Bard:
Takes a 98 mph fastball for strike one. Fouls off a 97. Swings underneath a 99 like he's trying to hit the wind. Strike three. Inning over. Maybe there has been another pitching moment like this at Yankee Stadium this season. Name it.
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 11 August 2010 10:31 (fourteen years ago) link
i just watched the vid of that. wow.
― oreo speed wiggum (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 11 August 2010 22:30 (fourteen years ago) link
bill hall is going in
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:13 (fourteen years ago) link
wow I hate Lupica
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 12 August 2010 03:52 (fourteen years ago) link
why??? dude makes every moment seem amazing
― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 12 August 2010 11:04 (fourteen years ago) link
Is Saltys problem of throwing back to the mound a mental or physical thing? Although, i hope he works out well...I think Tek should be a good influence on him.
― chrisv2010, Thursday, 12 August 2010 13:54 (fourteen years ago) link
he's not the first catcher with this problem but in the other cases i've heard of the catcher was working through an injury that caused a mechanical change and then he psyched himself out. there doesn't seem to have been an injury with salty.
he caught the 9th last night and looked fine.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 14:22 (fourteen years ago) link
he's starting today i read. of course we all know theo has a habit of coveting these guys and they never work out....Lugo, Drew, renteria....
― chrisv2010, Thursday, 12 August 2010 14:23 (fourteen years ago) link
salty is more like a hermida (buying low on a guy who was well-regarded at one point and now is having issues) though unlike hermida i think salty is at worst a major-league backup at his position.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 14:28 (fourteen years ago) link