25 replies to this topic

[Evil]

Anyone else here a baseball fan? I'm a Mets fan by blood, but I tend to follow the league as a whole. Boston's looking pretty solid again this season, like anything changes in the AL East?

Anyone see Derek Lowe (Boston Red Sox starting pitcher) and his bleeding hand this week?

Edited by Evil, 01 June 2004 - 06:01 PM.

[Ice Nine]

I love baseball.

BoSox and Dodgers are my favorite teams. We've been in a bit of a slump, but its starting to lift now.

I'd love to see the BoSox win the Series again. Damn Yankees.

[LDM]

I am a die-hard Red Sox fan. Johnny Damon rocks your socks off.

No, I have not seen Lowe's hand. What happened?

[nosferatu]

Is there any way Boston can not win this year? I mean we've got Jesus playing for us.

Edited by nosferatu, 01 June 2004 - 07:43 PM.

[Nazgul Lord]

Baseball's my fav. sport. Go blue jays . . or not

[UpGraD3]

Can you guys say the cincinatti reds. There my team baby, smoking the astro's in that 4 game series. I can only hope griffey doesn't get hurt this year (knock on wood) .

[IronRhino]

The Padres are my favorite team. And they're actually good this year. My second favorite is the Giants, so the Dodgers must die. The Yankees must die too.

[cxwq]

Did someone say Footb... oh, nevermind.

I live 20 minutes from the Angels and 30 minutes from the Dodgers but haven't been to see a game since I was about 10 years old.

[AirApache]

Alright, I've only gone to two baseball games in my entire life. THe first game, our team (Brewers) lost miserably. Second time I saw a game, like, 5 years later, we actually won, but barely, as we went into extra innings. THat was the game where there was a sausage race, and that one dude from the one team hit the girl wearing the sausge costume . I don't know if you remember that at all, but I think it made national news, and the girl sued or whatever. It was hilarious to watch. We were sitting there, you know, tied up game, and the sausage comes running along, the guy pops out and WHAM.

You could tell that the race had been pre-set to decide who won and that kinda crap, because after the race, the guy read off who won and so on, and it was all messed up... .

-AApache

[Evil]

Is there any way Boston can not win this year?  I mean we've got Jesus playing for us.

One might argue that Jonny Damon resembled Charles Manson during his "wolf man cometh" days rather than Jesus.

Oh, and Derek Lowe, I'm pretty sure had a blister tear on his middle finger. Most pitchers that use changeups, curveballs, or any kind of "breaking" ball tend to get them because the way they ride the seam of the ball to create the movement.

But Lowe's was practically squirting blood, with every pitch he kept wiping his white pants. It was pretty cool just to see a guy that intent on winning. I do believe though, that this season is starting out slow for him.

Edited by Evil, 02 June 2004 - 11:42 AM.

[Diablo]

I like baseball (Indians!), but I hate it that those stupid athletes get paid so much. If our country, as a whole, had enough money to live comfortably, I wouldn't care that these entertainers get paid a lot. But, when there are people starving in our cities and living on streets, and other people are getting paid hundreds of millions of dollars, there is a problem. I also don't like the fact that many of the good baseball players are imported from a foreign country and take advantage of our economy, especially since many hard working American citizens won't may as much money as those players do in a game in their entire life.

Oh, and food prices suck too. $3.50 for a hotdog? Kiss my ass!

[Evil]

Diablo are you kidding me?

There are only 750 major league baseball players. Only that many are that good, good enough to compete and to make baseball as a sport one of America's purest past times (minus Balco, Bonds, Giambi, etc).

This is going to sound sad, but anyone can be homeless. Those athletes you see today, the icons kids dream to be, are fewer than a fraction of a fraction of the people in the country. They're doing something truly exceptional.

Almost no one can hit a 99 MPH fastball.
Almost no one can throw a 99 MPH fastball.
Almost no one can play centerfield (well ).
Almost no one can take away a homerun over the wall.

Baseball's a big money business, it's pretty simple.

And how are foreign players spoiling our economy? If they play here, they pay here. Taxes are taxes and a player making $14.5 million a year is paying tons of income tax. So in effect, they're helping the economy, as well as diversifying the game itself.

Edited by Evil, 03 June 2004 - 11:54 AM.

[IronRhino]

I like baseball (Indians!), but I hate it that those stupid athletes get paid so much. If our country, as a whole, had enough money to live comfortably, I wouldn't care that these entertainers get paid a lot. But, when there are people starving in our cities and living on streets, and other people are getting paid hundreds of millions of dollars, there is a problem. I also don't like the fact that many of the good baseball players are imported from a foreign country and take advantage of our economy, especially since many hard working American citizens won't may as much money as those players do in a game in their entire life.

Oh, and food prices suck too. $3.50 for a hotdog? Kiss my ass!

I smell a communist.

[Diablo]

Do you think those foreign guys care about America? I don't. If they didn't play baseball here, they would probobly go back to where they came from. I know I'm sterotyping there, but that's just the way I percieve it.

And what's so exceptional about playing baseball? How is that more exceptional than having to live on the streets? You've obviously never had any personal encounters with homeless people, and by that I don't mean them asking you for money. I've hear many homeless people's stories (not the ones about needing bus money), and they are NOT pretty. It takes some serious balls to actually live on the streets, a lot more balls than it takes to play baseball.

Sure, it may take more talent to play baseball, but doesn't a doctor have more talent than a baseball player? Isn't a doctor more important in our society than baseball players? I think that more important professions should get paid more, but I understand that that isn't how it works in an entertainment driven society.

And about helping our economy, I agree. If these people didn't get paid what they did, our whole economy would be fucked. I just think that in an ideal society, people who help the most should get paid the most. But, that's an ideal society, and nothing is ideal in life.

[xedice]

I agree with Diablo. I would rather see proffessions like police officers, fire fighters, teachers and doctors make more money than they do, and baseball players and football players make less money. Anyone can work hard physically, it takes effort to work hard mentally or towards society.

[Evil]

Do you think those foreign guys care about America? I don't. If they didn't play baseball here, they would probobly go back to where they came from. I know I'm sterotyping there, but that's just the way I percieve it.

Well you're wrong when making such brash assumptions about people who live here. Just because they make serious paychecks and signing bonuses, doesn't make them villains. Foreigners that live here, have the same capacity to love and enjoy this country as much as you or myself. Money doesn't play into the equation.

And what's so exceptional about playing baseball?

The fact that it takes true, untainted talent to play it exceptionally well.

How is that more exceptional than having to live on the streets?

First of all, I bet their are more homeless people than baseball players. And not to discredit the homeless, but their loss of home didn't take an overwhelming amount of preperation, work ethic, or ability. They didn't grow up chasing a dream (to be homeless) and didn't spend years of their life preparing for the moment that they'd get their chance.

You've obviously never had any personal encounters with homeless people, and by that I don't mean them asking you for money. I've hear many homeless people's stories (not the ones about needing bus money), and they are NOT pretty. It takes some serious balls to actually live on the streets, a lot more balls than it takes to play baseball.

Well you're obviously one for speculation because I've heard plenty of stories, and read plenty of stories whether they be detailed to me in person or in print. It's a shame that anyone is homeless, however it doesn't take balls when you don't have a choice.

Sure, it may take more talent to play baseball, but doesn't a doctor have more talent than a baseball player?

No. Anyone can be educated. What a doctor does is not talent. It is the sum of intelligence, hard study, and years in colleges and universities.

And about helping our economy, I agree. If these people didn't get paid what they did, our whole economy would be fucked.

That's not necessarily true, but money is money and more taxpayers can't hurt.

I just think that in an ideal society, people who help the most should get paid the most. But, that's an ideal society, and nothing is ideal in life.

Maybe with some luck four or five years from now things could turn out like that. I'll be a teacher then so let's hope!

Edited by Evil, 04 June 2004 - 08:42 AM.

[UpGraD3]

I believe that the reds have the best record in the league! It will probably change though

[merlinski]

Ok, I have to add my two cents on athlete salaries:

I personally think that it's ridiculous that athletes get paid as much as they do. I think its ridiculous that ticket prices, soda and hot dog costs, and everything associated with sports cost that much. I think that a ticket should be $5-10, and baseball players should be payed $200,000 a year tops. Most athletes are ridiculously spoiled - especially because if they weren't making millions playing baseball, their next highest paying job would probably make about $50,000, maybe less.

Personally, I think teachers should make at least $60,000 a year. You have to make it an attractive profession financially to the number of teachers that this country really needs. I have a whole personal belief system about education, and reforms I think ought to be taken, and that's just one of them.

[cxwq]

You know, a lot of people talk about how rediculous the salaries are. It's not like this is some grand conspiracy to bilk sports-lovers out of their cash. It's called a free market economy. The price tag for a professional athlete is determined entirely by the value we, as a society, place on the entertainment they provide. It takes just as much talent and hard work to be a world class fencer or trap shooter but Joe American doesn't want to turn on the TV and watch fencing or trap shooting, they want to watch baseball, football, basketball, or hockey. Everything else is marginalized because it's placed on a lower tier as a form of entertainment.

There is a student at my school who was the youngest woman ever (at age 17) to earn an Olympic gold medal in shooting. She practices several hours every single day and will be representing her country again at the summer games this year. She'll probably never even break even on what she has spent on guns, travel, targets, and other associated costs.

The day people stop going to baseball games, they will reduce the price of tickets and hot dogs. The day people stop watching baseball on TV, ad revenue will drop, the networks won't bid as much for contracts, and baseball players will make less money.

[Evil]

Anyone see the Mets game last night? I think we're spoiled with great starting pitching this year. Come to think of it, anyone else here a Mets fan?

[TimberwolfCY]

I think baseball is pretty cool. With a couple noticable exceptions, its about the only sport left that doesn't involve a load of drama and fights. It's pretty straightforward, lasts a good long time (I view this as a plus. Nothing is more annoying to me to go to a basketball game and it only lasts an hour and a half), and definitely has its share of spectacular moments. I don't watch it very often, because I usually enjoy sports most when its a big social event, but I'm more of a loner. I usually root for the Cardinals or Royals though, since I'm from St. Louis but I'm an hour outside KC.

I think Cx makes some excellant points. However, I don't think that it will be quite as simple as simply not going. We all saw what happened with hockey these last couple years, and baseball (I think) before that: they didn't scale down prices, they just shut down stadiums in the more unpopular cities. I think that if fan attendence and other factors failed, we wouldn't see a reduction in costs, it would just collapse all together, visa vi XFL (though I know its a horrid example, please don't flame, lol).

As far as the pay thing goes, I agree with Merlinski. Doctors are pretty well payed, but most nurses don't make shit. The average teacher pay in Missouri is about $24,000 (maybe less, can't remember exactly). I can't remember exactly how much nurses are paid, but I don't think the average tops, what, $40,000? The primary difference between sports, or any form of entertainment, and professions such as the medical and education fields, is that those in the medical profession are doing something far, far more meaningful than mere entertainment: they are saving lives. Educators, in whatever form, are doing something almost if not just as valuable: shaping society. The thing about sports people is that, even if their salaries were reduced significantly (say, to the $200,000 range), it wouldn't make a huge difference, because as Evil pointed out, there are only 750 in baseball, and probably a (I guess, correct me if I'm wrong) roughly equal number in football and hockey. Point is, reducing the pay wouldn't have a huge net effect if it was shifted (somehow) to other areas. Now, all major entertainers (film, music, sports, etc.) might have an impact. I dunno, there's of stuff to consider, and my mind turns to clay even fathoming about taking it all into consideration.

Anywho, my 2C.

[Evil]

Anyone here have any favorite players that they like to watch? I know I like to watch Glavine (LSP, NYM), Everett (SS, HOU), and Vlad (RF, ANA).

[LDM]

Vladimir Guerrero is one of my favorite players. I love the way he hits.

[Spark Plug]

I love the cubs, i can get tickets to about any game because my cousin works for them. If only they made it to the world seris last year, i had tickets to game 5.

[NerfKing]

I myself am a Reds fan. I just came back from a game tonight...Did anyone get to see it? It was a sweet game. At the end of the 9th it was tied 3-3. Then Dunn came to the plate with two men on base and hit a home run to win the game(Making it his 17th homer, which is the most in MLB as of now).