All-Star Game?

[Farmer Ted]

What's your interest in the mid-summer classic?

[metirish]

I'll watch,I have yet to see an NL win.

I'll watch the HR derby as well.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Not at all interested.

On Wednesday morning I'll check to see how the four Mets players did, and to see who won. But I haven't watched an All-Star Game since before the 1994 strike and I'd have to be desperately bored to ever watch one again.

[Frayed Knot]

No interest in the HR derby.

I always watch the AS Game but it's more of a casual watch, not one where I'm
hanging on every pitch.

[metirish]

I can't wait for the game,hearing Joe Buck calling the game is his own brilliant way,for you older people he must remind you of days of yore listening to the great voices of the past bringing you the mid-summer classic.....and Chris Berman doing the HR derby makes me quiver....back back baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

[Guest Edgy DC]

It would certainly be more engaging without the hypersubstituting and with the starting pitcher allowed to go a meaningful distance of five or so innings.

If form holds, I'll tune in and lose interest quickly.

[seawolf17]

Glued to the HR Derby tonight - love it! The game, we'll watch, but we also have the first season of Rome on DVD from the library, so we might watch that instead.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Game is gonna have a hard time holding off "Top Chef" this week, but will prolly get my attention before/during commercials/after.

[DocTee]

I find myself more interested in pre-season games than this exhibition.

I enjoyed them as a kid-- now, not so much.

[metirish]

DocTee wrote: I find myself more interested in pre-season games than this exhibition. I enjoyed them as a kid-- now, not so much.

It's not what it used to be but it's hardly that boring,pre-season games are only good to me because it means the season is coming.

[metirish]

] MLB bars ESPN from All-Star studio show THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO -- ESPN won't be able to allowed to broadcast its "Baseball Tonight" show live from the All-Star game in San Francisco on Tuesday night. Major League Baseball limited ESPN's access this week after the cable network broke an embargo and announced the All-Star rosters before the end of a selection show on TBS. Fox is broadcasting the game, but ESPN traditionally has moved its "Baseball Tonight" crew from the studio in Bristol, Conn., to the site of the game. Karl Ravech, Steve Phillips and John Kruk instead will do the show this year from the studio. ESPN does have reporters on site who will file reports but will be treated like all other non-rightsholders. ESPN will be allowed to have a one-hour show from the ballpark before the network shows the Home Run Derby. "ESPN viewers will receive the same in-depth All-Star coverage they have come to expect," ESPN said in a statement. "We have a long and productive relationship with MLB that we value." Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney declined to comment. TBS was scheduled to announce the All-Star rosters on July 1 during a show from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. But an Atlanta Braves game preceding the show had a lengthy rain delay and went extra innings, prompting a delay. ESPN reported the NL starters, including San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds, before the show on TBS aired, using a vote list mistakenly released on The Associated Press wire. The AP sent an advisory after that transmission, saying the list was embargoed until after the TBS show. ESPN also revealed the entire rosters shortly after they were announced on TBS but before the end of the TBS show in violation of baseball's embargo. The platform built to house "Baseball Tonight" will be used by photographers instead.

[Gwreck]

I voted for choice #1 (as the closest description, rather than it being accurate).

I have always enjoyed the all-star game and continue to do so. I like the spectacle; I like that a player from every team is there (it certainly always gave me pleasure to root for the guy from "my team"); I like the ceremony and fanfare.

Buck and McCarver are horrible, as is Berman, but I've had lots of practice on how to tune them out while still enjoying things. The Derby has probably become less fun over the past few years as it's moved from novelty to spectacle, but I still enjoy it.

The game itself still holds a certain mythical attraction for me. How many hall-of-famers are playing in the same game? When the best closer and the best hitter face, what's going to happen?

The homefield advantage thing is stupid, but I certainly remember how much I cared about the NL winning last year, as I thought it would be important. I've always loved the debates about who deserves to go and who doesn't.

For reasons I can't entirely fathom, the All-Star game gets a lot of flak. It is an exhibition, after all.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

As I generally do, I will casually watch the All Star game. I fthe game remains fairly close, I'll likely continue to watch, but if it becomes a one sided blow out I'll likely find something else to do with my time.

[metirish]

Pujols has joined the HR derby,it's quite possible that he's looking to find his HR swing by joining this,he's mired in a HR funk right now.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I just realized that the ASG isn't opn the same night as TChef, so I'm good.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

If I find (keyword is find, they never advertise it) the futures game, I'll watch that. Otherwise, I really just don't care.


And actually, I just found out that the game was already played. See what I mean?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I LOVE the All-Star Game. I think it's a thrill to see all the game's best players -- as well as the bastard Jeter -- in one place and in one game.

I was able to attend the Home Run Derby/workout day/softball game in Cleveland in 1997, before the derby was a big deal. And I've been able to attend FanFests in Pittsburgh (1994), Cleveland, Milwaukee (2002), Chicago (2003) and Detroit (2005).

I have a lot of near All-Star Game stuff, like a string of pennants dating back to the early 1980s, some of the banners they hang from street lights and a display of all the official balls.

I know it's just an exhibition game, but it's something I got into when I was a kid in the 1970s -- when the NL could beat those Yankee-laden AL teams -- and I've kind of stuck with it ever since.

Check out the FanFest when it comes to New York in a couple years. It's a lot of fun.

[Vic Sage]

metirish wrote: Pujols has joined the HR derby...it's quite possible that he's looking to find his HR swing by joining this,he's mired in a HR funk right now.

yeah, that worked out pretty well for D-Wright last year.

[metirish]

Vic Sage wrote: ="metirish"]Pujols has joined the HR derby...it's quite possible that he's looking to find his HR swing by joining this,he's mired in a HR funk right now. yeah, that worked out pretty well for D-Wright last year.

Wright was hitting great going into the HR derby last year,Pujols is not.

[Gwreck]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Check out the FanFest when it comes to New York in a couple years. It's a lot of fun.

Next year, actually.

I expect that it'll be at the Javits Center.

[metirish]

Dan Haren and Jake Peavy are the starters.

[Zvon]

I voted 1st pitch to last out, tho I dont care about the futures game.
But the AllStar game is more than just tradition to me.

Its like a rock concert that has 25 awsum bands!
To me, its like Christmas in July, and I find it kind of ironic that the game has somewhat gone the way of Christmas as far as overdone commercialism.

In the case of the game though - it really is a showcase for baseball.
And it really should be overdone.

[Guest Edgy DC]

But, as a showcase, doesn't it fail in it's purpose by not representing a baseball game at all?

My position gets little support, so I'll throw it out there again.

1. Give the players a full fucking week off.
   
   1. We'll get our vactions in without worrying about missing ball.
   
   
   2. We'll long for baseball to the point where there'll almost be a second opening-day atomosphere when the season re-starts.
   
   
   3. Wounded folks will heal.
2. In return for selected players not getting the week off, put their families up in Grade-A accomdations. Treat 'em like gold.
3. Play three All-Star games, with the tie-breaker on a weekend.


4. Set them in them three nearby cities on alternating days --- i.e. Tuesday at Miller Field, Thursday at Wrigley, Saturday at Comerica. --- that way children don't grow old waiting for their team to host an All-Star game.
   
   1. Like I did.
5. Play competitively, by leaving the starting pitchers in for five, and the starting players in for the full game unless stragegy demands otherwise.
   
   1. Three pitchers in each league usually deserve the start anyhow.
   
   
   2. Reserves get their chance to shine by getting starts thrown to them in Games Two and Three, not by endless and unscoreable substitutions that, rather than give everybody a chance to shine, more typically gives nobody a chance to shine --- and ruins the game to boot.
6. Have the players play for a big pot o' money --- 75% to the winners, 25% to the losers.


7. Have an equal pot go to the charitable institution choice of the players.

[DocTee]

]I can't wait for the game,hearing Joe Buck calling the game is his own brilliant way,for you older people he must remind you of days of yore listening to the great voices of the past bringing you the mid-summer classic.....and Chris Berman doing the HR derby makes me quiver....back back baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

Look at Irish taking the piss

[Zvon]

Edgy DC wrote: But, as a showcase, doesn't it fail in it's purpose by not representing a baseball game at all? My position gets little support, so I'll throw it out there again. Give the players a full fucking week off. We'll get our vactions in without worrying about missing ball. We'll long for baseball to the point where there'll almost be a second opening-day atomosphere when the season re-starts. Wounded folks will heal. In return for selected players not getting the week off, put their families up in Grade-A accomdations. Treat 'em like gold. Play three All-Star games, with the tie-breaker on a weekend. Set them in them three nearby cities on alternating days --- i.e. Tuesday at Miller Field, Thursday at Wrigley, Saturday at Comerica. --- that way children don't grow old waiting for their team to host an All-Star game. Like I did. Play competitively, by leaving the starting pitchers in for five, and the starting players in for the full game unless stragegy demands otherwise. Three pitchers in each league usually deserve the start anyhow. Reserves get their chance to shine by getting starts thrown to them in Games Two and Three, not by endless and unscoreable substitutions that, rather than give everybody a chance to shine, more typically gives nobody a chance to shine --- and ruins the game to boot. Have the players play for a big pot o' money --- 75% to the winners, 25% to the losers. Have an equal pot go to the charitable institution choice of the players.

I like all those suggestions.
The tie breaker scenario is kool, but would only apply in years when the 1st two games are split.
If they did ever go to three games, they'd never allow it to be a best of three, for fear of losing gate on that 3rd game.

And I know you didnt pose it as a best of three series. Im just saying.

I like the idea cuz for me the more baseball, the merrier I am.
The week off also brings into discussion the possibliity of going back to a 154 game season.
But Id much rather baseball went back to double headers--the kind where you got two games for the price of one.
Some aspects of what has been done to the game today, like split double headers, really makes me puke.
Like they dont make enough $$ already.
(its not the fans fault they pay players so much money. Yet, they pay for it)

And if I remember right, real double headers used to do just fine attendance wise, because everyone loves a deal like that.
Especially families and kids.
( I remember walking from Lefrak City, thru Flushing Meadows, with my friends to Shea for double headers. We all had our gloves and would play catch as we went )

Maybe they feel people today dont have the attention span (they might even think this in terms of a single baseball game these days) to sit through two entire games.

I think MLBs wrong in that regard, though Im a diehard baseball fan,...old schoolstyle. Maybe Im wrong.

[Benjamin Grimm]

="Zvon"]I like the idea cuz for me the more baseball, the merrier I am. The week off also brings into discussion the possibliity of going back to a 154 game season.

I'd rather see 162 games than 154.

The week off in the middle of the season is excessive. I much prefer real games to meaningless exhibitions. Three days is fine, the players deserve a break.

But I think less is more. If nobody's watching one All-Star Game, why would they watch three?

For a few years in the 1960's there were two. I'm not aware of the exact reasons why they decided to do that, nor why they decided to abandon the idea so quickly.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, they'd make up for lost time with a handful of Sunday doubleheaders, and there's a lot of benefits to that.

If one team claims the first two games, there's always drama in going for/averting the sweep. If there isn't enough, make the pot sweeter for the sweeper.

[Guest Edgy DC]

="Yancy Street Gang"] If nobody's watching one All-Star Game, why would they watch three?

Because the one game sucks (although it's certainly untrue that nobody's watching), and the new format cancels out a lot of the blemishes of the one-game format.

The world is bigger, the league is bigger, the player pool is bigger, the rosters are bigger, and it's all impossible to fit into one game.

As you say, more baseball beats less baseball. We just have to find a way to make the All-Star Game --- excuse me, All-Star Series --- look like baseball again.

[Zvon]

There were 2 way back in the Babes day too.

I think Edgy has a point--one week w/o real baseball during the summer would feel like a whole winter, and it would rejuice fan interest.
I know I would be jonesin and couldnt wait for baseball to resume.

Its a looooong season. It needs a shot in the ass, pardon the analogy.

I too would always favor a 162 game season, but its a summer (warm climate) type of game and time is a bitch.

[metirish]

WOW.....