2010 MLB Season Discussion

[Rhinox]

gotta love the reaction some of these assholes.

BREAKING NEWS: just been confrimed that NY and Philly aren't the center of the universe.


Look I get some people are pissed that their favorite team lost and are just venting I get it and frankly I'm not talking about them but goddamn why bother having a playoffs at all. After the season ends lets just have the Yankees play the Phillies for the World Series.

Don't like the matchup this year? Don't watch it.


And I'm not just talking about some people here Seeing this shit a lot on facebook too.

[Trichocyst]

Oh God. The postgame interview of Mike Sweeney was just heart wrenching. :\ All the FREE HUG5 in the world can't fix that.

[Gregorio]

Oh God. The postgame interview of Mike Sweeney was just heart wrenching. :\ All the FREE HUG5 in the world can't fix that.

I missed it...but I did see his interview after they clinched the division. I've never seen a guy so excited to be in the playoffs in my life.

[Bregor]

Honestly haven't watch one since 2003.

Manly tears.

[Boyiee]

gotta love the reaction some of these assholes.

BREAKING NEWS: just been confrimed that NY and Philly aren't the center of the universe.


Look I get some people are pissed that their favorite team lost and are just venting I get it and frankly I'm not talking about them but goddamn why bother having a playoffs at all. After the season ends lets just have the Yankees play the Phillies for the World Series.

Don't like the matchup this year? Don't watch it.


And I'm not just talking about some people here Seeing this shit a lot on facebook too.

Have you never been friends with any sports fans before? This is nothing new, it's like this any time 'their' team loses lol.

also: stop bringing up the phils regarding my ratings comment earlier, and using comments like the universe revolves around phil/ny. Pretty sure NY/SF series would have been the bigger ticket.

[Rhinox]

Have you never been friends with any sports fans before? This is nothing new, it's like this any time 'their' team loses lol.

also: stop bringing up the phils regarding my ratings comment earlier, and using comments like the universe revolves around phil/ny. Pretty sure NY/SF series would have been the bigger ticket.

Except I said I wasn't talking about Yankee or phillies fans. I'm talking about the casuals in between.

@bregor yeah one of the few times I can say without shame I did cry in my adult life.



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[Valisk]

Too many "Yankees only", "Phillies only", or "Rays only" fans in here (and facebook) and not enough baseball fans. That's exactly why football surpassed baseball as America's favorite sport. You know how many football fans will watch the Super Bowl regardless of whose playing? All this whinny, my team or the most popular teams aren't playing so I'm not going to watch is exactly why the sport declined. Granted it's a best of 7 series versus a 1 game showdown for the championship between these sports, it still doesn't change the fact that football fans will consistently watch all of the playoff instead of just their team.

Anyways, for those who care, what are your predictions for the world series? Seems like it's Offense and Base running of the Rangers vs the pitching and defense of the Giants who have the home field advantage which doesn't seem to mean much. Thoughts? Particulary interested in Ceph's and Akiyama's thoughts.

[Cephius]

Fuck, somehow I edited your post with quotes instead of replying, how did that happen? lol anyway..

Too many "Yankees only", "Phillies only", or "Rays only" fans in here (and facebook) and not enough baseball fans. That's exactly why football surpassed baseball as America's favorite sport. You know how many football fans will watch the Super Bowl regardless of whose playing? All this whinny, my team or the most popular teams aren't playing so I'm not going to watch is exactly why the sport declined. Granted it's a best of 7 series versus a 1 game showdown for the championship between these sports, it still doesn't change the fact that football fans will consistently watch all of the playoff instead of just their team.

The "this is why football is better" narrative is almost as dumb as the ratings argument, honestly. It's a tired act. Both baseball and football are insanely popular in the United States. Football being higher rated has nothing to do with deficiencies in baseball. If that were true, why is baseball healthier financially that it has ever been while there's a possibility of a lock-out for football next year? Football is a more exciting sport and it's as much of a social event in America (especially the Super Bowl) than a sporting event. Being one game a week, played on Sundays, it's perfect for the casual fan. Do you really think there are more hardcore football fans than hardcore baseball fans? I doubt it.

Also, baseball has never been more popular in both ratings and attendence, so I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say "this is why the sport declined". Yes, it's not football. It's also not, and hasn't been, declining.

To illustrate, using the Yankees (of course). In 2001, at the end of their dynasty, they drew 3.2 million fans, good for 3rd behind the Mariners who drew 3.5. In 2008, a year they missed the playoffs for the first time since 1995, they drew 4.2 million fans, tops in the league. Where is the decline? If you want to use the other end of the spectrum, in 2001 there were 3 teams who drew less than 1.3 million fans, in 2008 there were none.

Anyways, for those who care, what are your predictions for the world series? Seems like it's Offense and Base running of the Rangers vs the pitching and defense of the Giants who have the home field advantage which doesn't seem to mean much. Thoughts? Particulary interested in Ceph's and Akiyama's thoughts.

I love the Giants pitching and bullpen, the Rangers relied on their bullpen three times against the Yankees and in 2 games they lost. Despite what Colby Lewis showed, I don't trust him going forward, and CJ/Hunter were pretty awful. The Rangers offense is a lot better than people give them credit for, but I think the Giants have the pitching to neutralize them. Texas can't afford to play from behind in any of these games, they're going to have to come out and strike quick. I say Giants in 6.

[Aksannyi]

Fuck baseball and football. It's all about the hockey, bitches. :D

[Bregor]

It's all about the hockey, bitches. :D

ilu

[Trichocyst]

Phillies, Yankees, and Rays fans are showing up, it is what it is. And I haven't watched the Superbowl since I worked at NFL Films in 2007/08. Won't watch it this year either.

[Valisk]

If that were true, why is baseball healthier financially that it has ever been while there's a possibility of a lock-out for football next year? Football is a more exciting sport and it's as much of a social event in America (especially the Super Bowl) than a sporting event. Being one game a week, played on Sundays, it's perfect for the casual fan. Do you really think there are more hardcore football fans than hardcore baseball fans? I doubt it.

Yes, baseball is healthier financially and has more stability in terms of a possible lock out for the NFL, but that has nothing to do with the fans. That's an internal, collective bargining agreement dispute. I'm more so arguing that football is more popular because of it's fanbase's willingness to watch any and all games instead of the popular/best teams only. Most of it is exactly how you described, because it's structured for the more casual fan. Twice a week, primarily on Sunday afternoons and prime time on other days. But that's part of the game and a reason I feel baseball has declined in popularity (structure). To make up for the NFL's "superior" structure, MLB's fans should watch other teams but all I see is "omg who are these teams? Not going to watch." "Yankees are out? So am I. Going to watch House instead."

I love the Giants pitching and bullpen, the Rangers relied on their bullpen three times against the Yankees and in 2 games they lost. Despite what Colby Lewis showed, I don't trust him going forward, and CJ/Hunter were pretty awful. The Rangers offense is a lot better than people give them credit for, but I think the Giants have the pitching to neutralize them. Texas can't afford to play from behind in any of these games, they're going to have to come out and strike quick. I say Giants in 6.

Yea, I'm worried about Texas' bullpen. I'm only sold on Cliff "The New Chuck Norris" Lee, Colby Lewis, and the closer Neftali Feliz. I do think SF's pitching will neutalize Texas' offense. They will need to capitalize on on-base opportunities and be aggressive runners like they have been. Definitely need a split in SF.

[Viq]

Valisk, just stop by this thread next week. You'll notice most of the people saying that they won't watch will be posting about plays here as they happen. It's the same every year, and you've been around long enough that you should know that by now.

[Cephius]

Yeah, so it boils down to baseball having more hardcore fans, and football having (a lot) more casual fans. Is either sport suffering because of it? No, so I don't see how one could say one is definitely better than the other, or use it as a reason why ones fanbase is better than the other. Hockey probably has more diehard fans than both, those mother effers are rabid. And hockey is a distant 4th to some people in popularity. It doesn't matter.

[Boyiee]

Maybe if they took the World out of World Series.

[Zoolander]

You really do have to be hardcore to watch the majority of regular season hockey and baseball games and then obviously endure the playoffs, where your team may or may not be playing. The season is so god damn long, so many freaking games. I'm exhausted after this baseball season, its the first time I watched every single Rays game that I could, I feel drained and still very bitter. I have no idea how Red Sox/Cubs/etc fans endured or continue to endure the long droughts.

Honestly this is why I only keep track of college basketball, NBA, NHL, and usually MLB on espn and tune in to a handful of regular season games and then tune in to the playoffs. Playoff hockey is intense as hell, but I can't deal with the reg season. This is especially true with basketball...a .500 record gets you into the playoffs and the playoffs is long as shit anyways, so fuck the effort needed to watch the majority of reg season games when they are somewhat meaningless. At least baseball is so stingy with getting into the playoffs that the reg season matters a bit.

[Soa]

I'm picking the Giants in 6. I think their pitching is enough to contain the Texas offense, and they just seem to be a charmed team right now with role players coming up big consistently for them. I think it will be a great series and intend to watch every inning unless I'm stuck at work.

[Moss]

I think Texas will continue to rake and win in 5.

[Cephius]

Oh, and the Yankees are good for baseball even when they lose! Game 6 of the ALCS was the second highest rated baseball game of all time, beating the game where McGwire passed Maris. And that's probably with a lot of Yankee fans turning the game off in the 5th inning

[Headspace]

Oh, and the Yankees are good for baseball even when they lose! Game 6 of the ALCS was the second highest rated baseball game of all time, beating the game where McGwire passed Maris. And that's probably with a lot of Yankee fans turning the game off in the 5th inning

Most hated team gets you that.