From The Sports Desk

[Sancho]

Ya know, I’ve never been to a Yankees game. I’ve been to many Giants games though. Oracle Park is a great venue. I like the free area behind right field under the Levi’s sign. It’s a unique perspective of the game.

[tailor STATELY]

Never been to Oracle Park nor Yankee Stadium... Candlestick Park and Oakland Coliseum only. Yankee Stadium was on my unofficial bucket list, now in vain

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor

[bounty]

I was thinking for sure the sumo wrestler/nfl lineman teaser had been keeping you guys awake at night and that someone would have responded to my last post...!

in the meantime, I recently saw a charity pickleball match between john McEnroe & Michael chang vs andre Agassi & andy Roddick. I was initially greatly intrigued but then very quickly greatly disappointed. in theory I suppose it sounded nifty, but it felt kinda stupid watching it.

I know its been around for a long time but I was watching a teenie bit of mlb recently, and I don't like the tv-projected strike zone. its distracting.

[tailor STATELY]

re: "I know its been around for a long time but I was watching a teenie bit of mlb recently, and I don't like the tv-projected strike zone. its distracting." - I kind'a like it, especially with the clocked ball speed indicated. Haven't been able to watch a game but I see highlights on CBS Sports on my "smart" telly news feed

Pickleball sounds easy, maybe like wiffleball, but the only times I've heard of either is in the most rigorist sense.

Back to MLB... what do you think about the new pitching clock and larger base size or other recent changes this season ?

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor

[Sancho]

I gotta say, I find both the above kinda distracting. Maybe it’s my inner Luddite. That said I hardly ever watch a whole game on TV until the division playoffs. I just watch the highlight reels. And, like you Tailor, in the recap, I find the floating strike-zone box somewhat helpful. Did you guys see Dodger’s pitcher Dustin May throw a 100mph slider a week or so ago? Sheesh. With the strike-zone box you could really see that thing move. It was a most heinous display of a baseball breaking the laws of physics.

[bounty]

I haven't paid enough attention to baseball over the years to know if the complaints about how long the games last, and how slow they move along, got to a tipping point or if there was some other impetus for the change.

it'll be interesting to see if a higher density of pitches affects pitcher longevity in any particular game.

am trying to think if bigger bases favors the runners or the defense...hmmmm.

didn't know about the 100 mph slider---but im skeptical!

[Sancho]

Crikey! You’re right to be skeptical, Bounty. It was a sinker. I think I’m losing it. Over on the Quixote thread I called the windmills monsters instead of giants. Now I’m calling sinkers sliders. If yous aren’t already, y’all should take anything I say with a grain of salt.

[bounty]

ah that happens. i catch myself frequently doing things like that.

i watched a few minutes of the giants/mets game yesterday and the commentators had a graphic up related to the pitching clock. its shortened games from 3:09 to 2:39.

again, i wonder what it will do to pitcher longevity. the "density" of their throwing is increased dramatically and its likely to end with more injury, burnout, or use of relief pitchers.

they also said stolen base attempts are up, though the numbers seems close enough to maybe not be actually statistically significant. they didn't expound as to why though, im assuming because of the larger bases giving the runners a more accessible target.

i noted a couple of instant replays, one where a call was overturned and one where a call was confirmed.

the first instance was particularly interesting because it closely mimicked an issue i remember discussing in grad school. runner trying to steal second, umpire not necessarily in the best position to see the attempted tag. if the ump were to ask the second baseman "did you get him?" would he be obliged to answer? and to be truthful? in the case in the game yesterday, the runner was called out, but he clearly wasn't and it seemed like the second baseman must have known it. should he have just said "hey ump, i missed him."

[Sancho]

Haha, George Washington didn’t play Second — “Ump, I cannot tell a lie. I missed the tag.”

I’ll bet position players like the pitch clock, but I kind of like the pacing of the game like it was. When you go to a football stadium it’s all about what’s happening on the field, but when you go to a baseball park there’s all kinds of stuff going on in there and, oh yeah, there’s a baseball game being played too.

Part of the new MLB rule that institutes a pitch clock also limits the number of pickoff attempts a pitcher can make. On the third pickoff attempt, if the base runner isn’t tagged out, he automatically moves to next base. I think that’s what has the stolen-base stat up this year. A clever base runner will try to draw two throws from the pitcher and then the whole dynamic of stealing a base changes.

[bounty]

I see George Washington more as a center fielder type. James Madison plays second. laughs...

I didn't know about the pickoff attempt limit. the sports making a concerted effort to increase offense.

there is a small D-I basketball university nearby, its been years since ive gone to a game but my memory of it is I liked all the trappings of the game more than the game itself (despite the near constant motion of basketball)---the cheerleaders, the pep band, the people-watching, etc.

im looking forward to the first round of the NFL draft tonight. I don't know how long its been televised but despite my not liking hype, I watched last year for the first time and kinda enjoyed it. last evening I watched a half hour show where some of the local sports tv commentators discussed the needs for the buffalo bills and their projections as to who they'd pick. its fun to watch the life changing events for the kids who get drafted, and then it also helps build some anticipation for the upcoming season.

[Sancho]

Good call, although I might go with little Jimmy Madison at shortstop. Buh-dump-bump

[bounty]

I watched a fair amount of the nfl draft, and then some of the espn show nfl live over the subsequent days wherein they talked a lot about the picks.

its fun to watch but still, too much hype for the first round, and I have to say, im not a fan at all of roger goodell and the draftees hugging each other as if they are long lost friends. a hearty handshake and a "congratulations" would seem better. also, in the subsequent rounds, way too many talking heads and what ended up happening over and over and over, which seems really bad, is the talking heads would be on something that wasn't related to what was going on in real time behind them.

espn is making a two hour show over the release of the nfl schedule coming up soon.

the biggest nfl news is aaron Rodgers going to the ny jets. theoretically that's going to make the afc east lots more competitive.

[bounty]

im going to feel bad writing this but nevertheless here I go...

I was in the village today for a little bit in time to catch opening day of little league baseball!

lots of people supporting the kids, watching the kids, coaching and officiating and manning the concessions, it was great.

but the play---holy moly---I think if I were the coach, if it didn't ultimately harm the kids development, I would tell them not to swing at anything because the pitchers could barely get the ball over the plate (surely not 3 times out of 7), and then to steal second and third (or wait for a double steal) all the time because the catchers cant throw anyone out.

[Sancho]

Haha.
Kids these days, eh? They’re eating cotton candy while back in my day we chewed nails.
Well, maybe not. I seem to remember my first Little League game we scored about 40 runs in the top of the first. Then the opposing team scored 41 runs in the bottom of the first. And then nobody scored any runs for the rest of the game. We were all too worn out from running around the bases in the first inning.

[bounty]

i cant remember if I mentioned this before Sancho, you must read little league confidential. the title makes it sound like its an sordid expose of youth baseball, but actually its a guy's comical memoir of his first year coaching little league.