Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

i understand this a racing forum -

but to inject an off-topic thread - will still keep within the sports realm.

did anyone watch the MLB all-star game last night? it was a marathon - but i read 2 articles this morning that pretty much said it was a joke. i noticed they were both writers who had blasted away at it for the last week before it was even played.

that was probably the best baseball i ever seen. the only criticism i think to be placed is square on the commish's shoulders for some of the dumbass rules they have that led to the pitching drama. in case anyone missed it - in the 15th inning both teams were down to final pitcher. the AL really had it bad. Boston's coach was the head coach - the last pitcher was Tampa Bay's ace (they are currently deadlocked in a division race) Kazmir and he had thrown over 100 pitches 2 days ago. so after he pitched the 15th - there was a lot of questions whether they would put pos. players on the mound or what b/c - well u could understand why a classy coach dont want to screw over who they are tied with - i mean he would have been crucified by the sports world had Kazmir stayed to pitch another inning or 2. but anyhow this isn't to ask how to fix that problem - although if folks want to put ideas down thats cool.

I just wanted to say that was the best baseball game I ever seen. it had everything. ESPECIALLY defense. bases loaded no out for and the NL got out of it with great plays. what I do want to point out...........is to say that all of the all-star type games are looked at as a joke. The NBA all-star game is a joke - it really is. those punks never play defense anyway - and then bitch when they have to go play in an all-star game the FANS voted them into - so yeah everybody half asses it the whole game. same with Pro Football - and theirs is at the END of the year in Hawaii. every sport's all-star game is full of all the best players giving about half effort at best. so why was last night different? it was obvious that those guys prob didnt want to risk getting injured - but never the less when the ball came their direction - they gave max effort. beatiful catches in the outfield - even better stops and plays in the infield - great throws to the plate and to pick runners off trying to steal - and the pitching was outstanding - beautiful locations and curves on even the fastballs. I'm not even a huge baseball fan - except to say Go Cubs Go! - but those guys put on a fantastic game. and these stupid punk sportswriters with their BS agendas are doing nothing but talkin crap on it. they hardly mention the great game it was - just talk about the way it is doing being crap and stuff like that. those guys should be commended for the game they put on last night. it was awesome. like i said i'm not even a big fan of it outside the Cubs - but the play was so good that when i finally sat down for what i thought would be 20 min. of tv before bed - 3 hours later i'm sitting there thoroughly entertained knowing i'd pay for it at some point today.

someone help me here - did anyone else watch it? how bout the NL 2nd basemen - what a bad game. 3 errors - 2 in a row that led to the bases loaded no out jam they somehow got out of. and batting went 0-4 and he had runner on 1st and 3rd with 1 out and ground into the double play - as well as bases loaded 1 out and strikes out later. that game might hurt his confidence. hey cub fan - how bout all 3 cub pitchers? zambrano did good as expected. but dempster striking out the side in the 10th - and Marmol with a good outing should help his confidence. good stuff.

I figure it best to rant on about this - something positive and that fun to watch - then argumentative stuff that is pointless.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Merely an exhibition and a way to make millions off the fans. If that was the best baseball you've ever seen, you must be either a new fan or a very casual fan. I turned it on about 11pm in bed and I fell asleep. The game and the way the players are selected, is a joke. So is the stupid "home run derby", where guys bring out 70 year old buddies to pitch to them. That stuff offends the intelligence of any real fan of the game.

I too feel asleep during a 3 - 3 tie in the 27th inning or so...

More impressive than Josh Hamilton was his 71 year old "pitcher" Clay Counsil in Monday's home run derby...why don't they just use a pitching machine??? Does the AARP sponsor the event?

Why are the players chosen through results of local advertising campaigns; ballot stuffing contests...let performance determine the rosters, or a vote of peers.

"As long as I can have a fast boat, a margarita 
machine and can light my hair on fire, I'll be just 
fine."

Jason Giambi

it was an alright game

One article I read said that I think the AL was going to pull an outfielder in to pitch if it went to the 16th inning. I guess who ever it was pitched a little in High School and they were going to need a pitcher to keep going.

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Back in the 60's and early 70's, when the game actually meant something to those who played, position starters were determined by vote of players and coaches. It was an honor to be selected then. Reserve players and pitchers were selected by the managers of the game. Fans were allowed to vote for starters until about 1958, when Cincinnati fans stuffed the ballots and six or seven Reds started the game.

Those managers also managed the game to win...you didn't see eight or nine pitchers used by each team and situations where there weren't enough players in case the game went extra innings. No pitcher was allowed to go more than three innings but it wasn't uncommon to only use four or five pitchers for the game. It also seems that every year, players are being used out of position because there aren't enough to go around with the crazy substitutions managers use in the exhibition.

The game was played differently back then, too.Players had pride. Remember Pete Rose crashing into Ray Fosse to win a game? Ted Williams once broke his wrist crashing into a wall going after a flyball. It was truly a stage for the brightest to shine back then but it's a joke now. nobody even cares. Heck, fans have changed, too. A team winning a ballgame during the real season doesn't matter as much as long as your players on your "fantasy team" do well. The essence of the game is so different now...it's really kinda sad.

The guy in the 70's pitching to Josh Hamilton was one of his and his brothers coaches back in high school who helped him get to where he is today. If you don't know the Hamilton story from not even three years ago, you need to do a search on it. It is a great read about a guy who had it all signing a big bonus out of college, shot it all up, was broke and a big heroine user, about died but got his life back together, found God and is now one of the best young players in the game. And he still admits that the devil is right there knocking on his door and the temptation to go back to heroine is always there. But he has people who believe in him and helping him and he is doing great.

Perhaps there are those who we watch or have watched in racing that could read his story and be inspired to change their lives for the better.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

I read the SI article and watched ESPN's human interest piece...inspiring. Especially from his wife's pov.

The guy's a stud, and I wish him nothing but success...and I can identify with his daily struggle. I face the same demons.

My drug of choice...a 24" ounce porterhouse; creamed spinach; garlic mashed potatoes...I'm a weak man.

"As long as I can have a fast boat, a margarita 
machine and can light my hair on fire, I'll be just 
fine."

Jason Giambi

Damn! And I thought I was gonna read something about the ASCoC!

Baseball is such a drag these days, not like the old days when EVERYONE followed it.

Oh well...

9th Annual Northern Ohio Sprint Car Show
March 18-20, 2011
Featuring the FAST sprint cars
NOSCS Hall of Fame, and much more...
At the Tiffin Mall in Tiffin, Ohio
Official home of the Hoserville Ohio Benefit Auction

I understand trying to get all the player in the lineup, but after the 10th inning, willing players should be able to be reinserted into the game. I enjoyed watching the game, but grew tired of repeatedly having to see second rate "All Stars" like Quentin, Gonzalez, Navarro, etc bat 3-4 times each. Get the stars back in the game and see if one of them can produce a magical All Star moment. Michael Young, yes Michael Young has now won 2 All Star games for the AL in only the last few years. I follow the game, an I know these guys playing late in the game are very deserving, but I want to see the top guys do their thing in these types of situations.

...

but see u talkin bout the format there john.

the game itself was awesome. maybe it wasnt the best i ever seen - but keep in mind I dont watch baseball a lot. i watch the cubs all the time and other games here and there. but that game had great defense and great pitching too. best pitching and defense i ever did see i think. not batting tho. but i agree with you JK on the format. for the last 7 innings it was nothing but B list hitters against great pitchers. the MAIN point i am trying to make is that there was a lot of effort put forth by the players last night. as opposed to the NFL and NBA - they piss and moan about it and then go and half ass it.

insult to the fan my ass dude. unlike payers of NBA or NFL allstar stuff ------ this years paying fans got their moneys worth. Hamilton from Texas hit 28 homers in 1 round. a good accomplishment - even if they are hitting off of 80 year old dude - they are ALL hitting off em. its not like ti unfair or anything. and what the hell you gonna do anyways? bring CC Sabathia out to pitch to em - there would be no homers. but the derby was good this year - and so to was the All Star game. I agree the format really does suck -------- but all that participated - especially in the latter innings of the all star game - put out more effort than any other allstar game in any sport I ever seen. you could at least give them credit for that - dont be such a naysayer.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

a valid opinion. i agree ------- they went through all the a listers like the game had no chance of going past the 9th. but then again ------ the coaches are almost bound to do that. because of such a long season - only a 3 day break ------ i mean no GM wants their all-stars throwing more than 20 pitches or batting more than once or twice.

the most interesting stuff was what AL manager had to say - Terry Francona. talkin bout how miserable he was the last 2 hours of the game - espeically when it went to extra innings. he didnt even like having to use the Baltimore pitcher for 3 inningsb4 Kazmir came in.

I agree also that you want to see the A Rods and Ryan Howards there at the crucial points of the game. look all the probs everyone keeps mentioning ------ thats format stuff. and yeah its crap. anything they try and do will have drawbacks. they tried to make it a game that mattered. i like ti determining home field advantage. but nonetheless -------- expanding the rosters IS NOT the answer to what was happening the 15th - 16th inning. that will water it down worse than it already is. i dont know what the answer is. i know some of the pitchers on both sides said they coulda went a lil bit longer. so how bout once everyone is used -------- go back through the rotations a 2nd time? that may be a bad idea - but those 3 or 4 pitchers on either side that said they coulda threw 40 more pitches -------- hell make it to where they can - once everyone else has been used. lets face it - its not likely to happen often - - - but i think it is a better idea than expanding the rosters.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

A new record for strikeouts in a game and pitchers eluding jam after jam in extra innings.... a real dud, huh? What a joke. There was nothing offensive to the intelligence of the "real fan of the game".

As for it merely a way to make millions off the fans.... are you kidding? What the heck is the point of professional sports?

I get your point on having the starters re-enter the game, but why the knock on Michael Young? He is one of the best pure hitters in the game.

Oh for christ-sake already!!!! Its was a baseball game. Baseball game!!!!! Get it???? Last time I checked this was a racing forum.. You know where you share your thoughts and opinons on, RACING!!!!! Jeez, excuse my outburst there.. LOL!!!

WHY ARE WE HERE? BECAUSE WE'RE HERE. ROLL THE BONES.-
Neil Peart