Interminable All-Star Break 2012

[G-Fafif]

Approximately 122 1/2 hours until there's real baseball again. But who's counting?

[G-Fafif]

Just under 99 hours now, though it will feel like more time is being added during the home run derby.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

G-Fafif wrote: Just under 99 hours now, though it will feel like more time is being added during the home run derby.

More Berman? I Can't Go For That.

Here's a little... alternative audio programming to help.

[Ceetar]

G-Fafif wrote: Just under 99 hours now, though it will feel like more time is being added during the home run derby.

pro tip: DVR delay and/or mute. Still get to see towering home runs, takes less time.

shame the AAA Home Run Derby doesn't appear to be televised. Val Pascucci!

[ashie62]

What are the only two days of the year there are no games in any of the 4 major professional sports? (sorry soccer.)

[seawolf17]

What's with the extra day off this year?

[G-Fafif]

seawolf17 wrote: What's with the extra day off this year?

Something to do with the extra playoff spot, I think (or am imagining).

[ashie62]

Ashie62 wrote: What are the only two days of the year there are no games in any of the 4 major professional sports? (sorry soccer.)

The day before and after the MLB All Star game.

[Fman99]

seawolf17 wrote: What's with the extra day off this year?

It's a way of making this week more unbearable. Maybe Chris Berman could come over to my house and yell while we're at it.

The fuck.

[seawolf17]

You've got six dozen fuckin' kids out there, and not single one can catch a single one of these fuckin' fly balls.

[Guest themetfairy]

Plus we're stuck watching Kruk stuff his face with ribs - ICK!

[Ceetar]

G-Fafif wrote: seawolf17 wrote: What's with the extra day off this year? Something to do with the extra playoff spot, I think (or am imagining).

nah, because that was scheduled before the playoff spot was added (this has been brought up with the worry about ties at the end of the season, since they didn't necessarily leave time)

It was always either 3 or 4, I think they just decided to make it uniform for everyone.

[Edgy MD]

VAL! PASCUCCI!

Triple-A Home Run Derby winner.

[G-Fafif]

What's with the extra day off this year? Something to do with the extra playoff spot, I think (or am imagining). nah, because that was scheduled before the playoff spot was added (this has been brought up with the worry about ties at the end of the season, since they didn't necessarily leave time) It was always either 3 or 4, I think they just decided to make it uniform for everyone.

Not exactly an arbitrary decision; and it does have something to do with larger changes. It's included in the current CBA, albeit for 2013 to 2016.

E. 15/15 Realignment Beginning with the 2013 championship season, the Office of the Commissioner will prepare a schedule based on the following criteria: (A) There will be no more than 20 Interleague games. The bulk of Interleague play will be based on a rotating division format, but may include no more than one series against a prime inter-league rival unless they play two two-game series. In the years when the corresponding divisions are scheduled for Interleague play, two series of three or fewer games against the prime inter-league rival may be played. ( Each Club will play no fewer than 17 games against each Club in its division if the schedule is 181 days or more. Each Club will play no fewer than 18 games against each Club in its division if the schedule is 180 days or fewer. (C) The original schedule may contain one home split doubleheader for each Club. (D) The All-Star break will contain four days for all Clubs.

The extra day off seems compensation for the squeezing in of potential scheduled day-night doubleheaders and other complications arising from daily Interleague nonsense to come.

[metirish]

Flipped to the HR Derby last night and there was Kruk eating a big tray of ribs.......one of the players getting caught of camera doing the same this while standing next to Brett Butler.......couldn't watch though, Berman kills everything.....heard Cano got booed loudly all night.

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: Flipped to the HR Derby last night and there was Kruk eating a big tray of ribs.......one of the players getting caught of camera doing the same this while standing next to Brett Butler.......couldn't watch though, Berman kills everything.....heard Cano got booed loudly all night.

George Brett brought them over when they interviewed him.

It was Adam Jones eating them.

Berman is crap, maybe he won't be back next year. I tuned him out most of the night and just watched the hitters. It's a poor production all around though, because their was more than once that they missed home runs.

Cano sucks.



I'm curious what some of you that are/were against Interleague play in general feel about the tradeoff of possibly getting back some scheduled doubleheaders? it's one of the changes that feels like it's been under-reported. Get an extra roster spot for them too.

[metirish]

Ahhhh, George Brett.............who the feck is Brett Butler?

agree, terrible production....

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: Ahhhh, George Brett.............who the feck is Brett Butler? agree, terrible production....

they showed some home runs against the Yankees...and the pine tar incident (of course right?)

Brett Butler is the Royals representative that KC apparently wanted Cano to pick, hence the booing. He's been their 1B/DH for a couple of years now, and he's actually pretty good. So much so that KC actually extended him a couple of years ago through 2014. Wait, that's Billy Butler. Is that who you meant?

[Frayed Knot]

Berman is crap, maybe he won't be back next year.

Seriously?
Concocted non-event events like this which thrive on hype, loud calls, and more talk than actual action (see also: drafts, pre-game shows, etc.) are tailor-made made for Chris Berman; they're the reason he's employed. ESPN, which (except for the BB2N gang off in a segregated portion of the Bristol campus) can now go back to ignoring baseball now that what they think is the highlight of the season is over, wouldn't pull him off of something like this at gunpoint.

I'm curious what some of you that are/were against Interleague play in general feel about the tradeoff of possibly getting back some scheduled doubleheaders? it's one of the changes that feels like it's been under-reported. Get an extra roster spot for them too.

It's so under-reported that I have no idea what you're talking about.
What does IL play have to do with double-headers?

[Frayed Knot]

Billy Butler (16 HRs this season) is the KC DH who local fans wanted included.
Brett Butler is either the former Brave/Indian/Dodger (and brief NYM) or a female actress/comedian.

[Edgy MD]

I'm confused. Is Billy Barty an All-Star?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Why is Robinson Cano deciding who is in Home Run Derby? It's just a show for the fans, right? Why would he not choose to have a hometown favorite in the competition? I saw a quote where he said something about how he wanted to choose the best team possible. Why? Does this "count" too?

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Why is Robinson Cano deciding who is in Home Run Derby? It's just a show for the fans, right? Why would he not choose to have a hometown favorite in the competition? I saw a quote where he said something about how he wanted to choose the best team possible. Why? Does this "count" too?

They've taken to naming "captains" on each side and those guys get to pick their teams - although I suspect there's some league involvement as well.
Cano, as defending champ, was this year's AL captain. Matt Kemp was NL captain.

And, yeah, you'd think it would be smart to get some local flavor into what is essentially a meaningless contest, although it's tough to argue for kicking out one of Prince, Trumbo or Bautista to do it.

[Edgy MD]

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

So who won this thing? I didn't even try to watch.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

There are two threads discussing the Home Run derby and neither of them mentions the winner.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Why is Robinson Cano deciding who is in Home Run Derby? It's just a show for the fans, right? Why would he not choose to have a hometown favorite in the competition? I saw a quote where he said something about how he wanted to choose the best team possible. Why? Does this "count" too?

Cano won last year, and they went to a Captain format. (Matt Kemp, leading in-season HR champ was NL captain) supposedly they picked. I don't know how exactly they picked, or what input MLB ended up having. Billy Butler is not a home run hitter. He's good for about 15-20 on a season, but he's not a slugger. You could've gone Mike Moustakas, but he wasn't on the All-Star Team (better OPS/OPS+ than A-Rod though) which doesn't always matter..but..


As Greg said up above, the possibility of scheduled doubleheaders are part of the new CBA. Part of the flexibility to schedule two uneven sets of 15 teams. Not sure the logistics of it or if that's even necessary, but there will also be a 26th man available for doubleheaders on rosters.

Fielder won. I just enjoyed watched the home runs, wasn't concerned with the results. It's like Spring Training where it's fun to just watch guys hit and run and field and pitch again without worrying about the score.

[MFS62]

Another sports story to follow during the break is the never-ending saga of Dwight Howard to the Nets.
Also - I saw the headline on Yahoo Sports that Mikkleson (I'm guessing Golfer Phil, not ex-major leaguer Pete) and one of the O'Malley family are looking to buy the Padres.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Berman is crap, maybe he won't be back next year. Seriously? Concocted non-event events like this which thrive on hype, loud calls, and more talk than actual action (see also: drafts, pre-game shows, etc.) are tailor-made made for Chris Berman; they're the reason he's employed. ESPN, which (except for the BB2N gang off in a segregated portion of the Bristol campus) can now go back to ignoring baseball now that what they think is the highlight of the season is over, wouldn't pull him off of something like this at gunpoint.

America loves Berman.

[Ceetar]

Is Twitter a reliable source? (I say no)

and most of the tweets in my timeline were negative.

I'm on this MLB Fan At Bat email list that sends me surveys, and one of the questions was about the announcers. I panned them, but the way the question was worded made it seem to me that they're at least aware there is dislike of Berman (and the Fox guys)