Fact is that 3 divisions work well for those on Central Time (note how the Cubs sued when they were supposed to move to a different division with teams in a different time zone – thereby making games starts too early or finishes too late for their fans to watch). What’s to be gained here?
Maybe it’s just a negotiating ploy, but what bothers me is that it points up what has been going on with MLB and the Players Union for years – ignoring what’s in the best interest of the fans. (Like the Soviet Union department stores where the employees determined when the stores would be open, and what goods they would carry – so people stopped buying there.)
Then again, most MLB fans today don’t watch or listen to games – they just look for highlights the next day, read box scores and statistical spreadsheets, and see how their rotisserie league team is doing. The end result can be found on chatroom boards like this one – people that can’t recognize a slider from a fastball look at an Internet sites’ breakdown of pitches, then write authoritatively about what’s good and bad about a Pitcher they’ve never seen pitch. It’s sort of comical – competitive baseball is about pitcher and defense .vs batter and baserunners. That’s what one sees or hears following a game live. But sites like this are all about comparing pitchers .vs pitchers and hitters .vs hitters.
In the past I have supported changing to two divisions for each league.
One reason is I want a more balanced schedule. Not fair that AL East contenders have to play 57 games a year against three very talented teams, while contenders in the AL Central and NL East get to skate with their divisional schedules. As long as there are wild cards, which of course there will always be, balanced schedules are crucial in leveling the playing field.
Another reason is that it would reduce the chances of a weak team making the playoffs by winning a weak division. The first year MLB went to 3-division leagues, the Rangers were on pace to win the AL West with a pathetic .456 Win/Loss percentage. Fortunately there was no postseason that year because of a strike. There should never, ever be a situation where a team with a losing record qualifies for the postseason. That just ain’t right.
I just want to say out loud I frankly hate the divisional era. I get so sick of seeing the Yankees 19 times a year. It’s like the original NHL, where a Montreal fan like me didn’t get a whole lot of variety while the Habs played all five of the other league members. Fortunately, coverage was almost non-existent in those days.
“As for Duquette getting another job, the front office trend is to hire a younger executive (and, apparently, someone who worked for the Rays). It only takes one team to pivot towards a more experienced exec….”.
Not to nitpick, but isn’t that what the Mets just did?
Which is perhaps why Buck is a fit with them (including his belief in 3-run HR’s matching Cohen’s belief in high OPS’s).
I think Buck is a good manager, but I don’t think he’s a good fit for the Mets.
I think Cohen is simply going after the biggest names. He did with the GM position, he did with the manager position, and he did with players like Scherzer.
There’s pros and cons to that approach. Buck is a no-nonsense old school reserved kind of guy. He won’t tolerate nonsense from Cohen or the players. It will be very fascinating to see how it plays out.
The minor leagues used different balls at times this year?
LOL
Rob Manfred is the worst Commissioner of MLB since Bowie Kuhn. I thought the runner on 2B at the end of 9 innings was a joke a la Arena Football. Now this.
Brodie Van Wagenen would be a better Commissioner.
1) I am also not keen on expanding the playoff field.
2). As a Padres fan, can we stop asking about Mackenzie Gore? He was once a highly touted prospect, and his stock has fallen. Perhaps he can rebound, perhaps he will not.
3). Chad Cordero’s ex-player chat was great. I wonder if the writers reach out to former/current players, or if they reach out to the site? I would imagine current players would be reluctant to join, or at least they would give more conservative answers.
lemonade – I think some current players would do it, like Verdugo. But they wouldn’t want to sift through a thousand questions and comments, someone else would need to sift through them.
Unfortunately many players wouldn’t consider volunteering an hour of their time, they would want to get paid unless it’s an official team function or something for a non-profit.
I don’t see the correlation between answering questions in an online chat and starting a career with the media.
If a player wants to get into broadcasting, they would start by making guest appearances on TV and radio shows and guest appearances during game broadcasts. If they are received well, offers for a permanent gig will come.
Maybe somebody who actually gets their questions answered in these chats could ask the writers here if they are reaching out to players for an hour of their time participating in chats.
515/13 is 39.6m/yr…for 13 years. I know Soto is good, but I don’t think it’d be just the initial sticker shock that made me question that kind of extension…especially since they still have him under control for 3 years.
How did trying to stay competitive while also dealing Goldschmidt, Greinke et al work out for Arizona?
The players proposed 2 divisions for each league?
Why? And why is this a concern of theirs?
Fact is that 3 divisions work well for those on Central Time (note how the Cubs sued when they were supposed to move to a different division with teams in a different time zone – thereby making games starts too early or finishes too late for their fans to watch). What’s to be gained here?
Maybe it’s just a negotiating ploy, but what bothers me is that it points up what has been going on with MLB and the Players Union for years – ignoring what’s in the best interest of the fans. (Like the Soviet Union department stores where the employees determined when the stores would be open, and what goods they would carry – so people stopped buying there.)
Then again, most MLB fans today don’t watch or listen to games – they just look for highlights the next day, read box scores and statistical spreadsheets, and see how their rotisserie league team is doing. The end result can be found on chatroom boards like this one – people that can’t recognize a slider from a fastball look at an Internet sites’ breakdown of pitches, then write authoritatively about what’s good and bad about a Pitcher they’ve never seen pitch. It’s sort of comical – competitive baseball is about pitcher and defense .vs batter and baserunners. That’s what one sees or hears following a game live. But sites like this are all about comparing pitchers .vs pitchers and hitters .vs hitters.
This really took a turn.
Welcome to Samuel’s journal.
it’s like watching a cat chase a laser pointer
Somebody OD’d on their pompous pills tonight.
I like this guy.
In the past I have supported changing to two divisions for each league.
One reason is I want a more balanced schedule. Not fair that AL East contenders have to play 57 games a year against three very talented teams, while contenders in the AL Central and NL East get to skate with their divisional schedules. As long as there are wild cards, which of course there will always be, balanced schedules are crucial in leveling the playing field.
Another reason is that it would reduce the chances of a weak team making the playoffs by winning a weak division. The first year MLB went to 3-division leagues, the Rangers were on pace to win the AL West with a pathetic .456 Win/Loss percentage. Fortunately there was no postseason that year because of a strike. There should never, ever be a situation where a team with a losing record qualifies for the postseason. That just ain’t right.
I just want to say out loud I frankly hate the divisional era. I get so sick of seeing the Yankees 19 times a year. It’s like the original NHL, where a Montreal fan like me didn’t get a whole lot of variety while the Habs played all five of the other league members. Fortunately, coverage was almost non-existent in those days.
Agreed. The unbalanced schedule gets kind of dull and it would be more interesting to see the teams play the other divisions more often
“As for Duquette getting another job, the front office trend is to hire a younger executive (and, apparently, someone who worked for the Rays). It only takes one team to pivot towards a more experienced exec….”.
Not to nitpick, but isn’t that what the Mets just did?
Which is perhaps why Buck is a fit with them (including his belief in 3-run HR’s matching Cohen’s belief in high OPS’s).
It is what the Mets just did, but not by choice. What was Eppler, their twelvth choice?
I think Buck is a good manager, but I don’t think he’s a good fit for the Mets.
I think Cohen is simply going after the biggest names. He did with the GM position, he did with the manager position, and he did with players like Scherzer.
There’s pros and cons to that approach. Buck is a no-nonsense old school reserved kind of guy. He won’t tolerate nonsense from Cohen or the players. It will be very fascinating to see how it plays out.
The minor leagues used different balls at times this year?
LOL
Rob Manfred is the worst Commissioner of MLB since Bowie Kuhn. I thought the runner on 2B at the end of 9 innings was a joke a la Arena Football. Now this.
Brodie Van Wagenen would be a better Commissioner.
The majors did
1) I am also not keen on expanding the playoff field.
2). As a Padres fan, can we stop asking about Mackenzie Gore? He was once a highly touted prospect, and his stock has fallen. Perhaps he can rebound, perhaps he will not.
3). Chad Cordero’s ex-player chat was great. I wonder if the writers reach out to former/current players, or if they reach out to the site? I would imagine current players would be reluctant to join, or at least they would give more conservative answers.
lemonade – I think some current players would do it, like Verdugo. But they wouldn’t want to sift through a thousand questions and comments, someone else would need to sift through them.
Unfortunately many players wouldn’t consider volunteering an hour of their time, they would want to get paid unless it’s an official team function or something for a non-profit.
Fortunately, many would consider it. Great experience towards that media career, post player.
I don’t see the correlation between answering questions in an online chat and starting a career with the media.
If a player wants to get into broadcasting, they would start by making guest appearances on TV and radio shows and guest appearances during game broadcasts. If they are received well, offers for a permanent gig will come.
Maybe somebody who actually gets their questions answered in these chats could ask the writers here if they are reaching out to players for an hour of their time participating in chats.
515/13 is 39.6m/yr…for 13 years. I know Soto is good, but I don’t think it’d be just the initial sticker shock that made me question that kind of extension…especially since they still have him under control for 3 years.