04/25/24
June 30, 2007
Best-of-9 Series? Boras has Selig's ear : Boras suggests that the first two games be at a neutral site - moving a portion of the fall classic to the highest bidder.
The October November Classic
posted by NoMich at 07:54 PM on June 30, 2007
This scares me. MLB just might be crazy enough to do it. The logical next step would be for 9 different cities to host games, with all of the attendant hype at each site. If the first 2 games are played in a warm weather site, does it not make it more likely that putting the rest of the series back a few days will lead to bad weather in the other sites?
posted by Howard_T at 08:13 PM on June 30, 2007
The first World Series was a best of nine was it not?
posted by shudacudawuda at 09:10 PM on June 30, 2007
Many realize the World Series has been a misnomer for years,what with all the talent in Asia,Latin America and elsewhere. If Boras' scheme succeeds.maybe these extra games could be played overseas.
posted by sickleguy at 10:07 PM on June 30, 2007
It's just plain stupid. It's not enough that there are 162 games in a season. which by the time playoffs start I'm tired of baseball, now this Boras wants to make it even longer by adding more games to the World Series. To make it plain and simple. It's not about the sport anymore. It's all about the MIGHTY DOLLAR
posted by steelers101 at 10:26 PM on June 30, 2007
Its all about money...the longer the season the more money mlb makes.
posted by UTxsLonghorns at 11:00 PM on June 30, 2007
The first World Series was a best of nine was it not? Did you bother to read the article before you posted?
posted by tommybiden at 11:12 PM on June 30, 2007
Many realize the World Series has been a misnomer for years,what with all the talent in Asia,Latin America and elsewhere. Where do you think the talent from Asia and Latin America are playing? It's much more the "World Series" now than it was at its inception, when some of the best talent right here in the US was left off the rosters. It's not enough that there are 162 games in a season. which by the time playoffs start I'm tired of baseball, Given your ambivalence about the sport, maybe you should start bearing in mind that you are not the target audience for every decision made by MLB. It's all about the MIGHTY DOLLAR And this just in... Apple did not release the iPhone purely as a public service.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:14 PM on June 30, 2007
Hey Crafty,if you think all great players are here,think again.Cuba,Japan and Korea are full of top performers who ,for various reasons don't play in the Major Leagues.
posted by sickleguy at 11:43 PM on June 30, 2007
More potential games on FOX? Sorry, no. That's why the postseason has become so unwatchable. It's the broadcast. Do a better job with that I might actually watch teams I have no rooting interest in. And if you don't like your October (which could now potentially end in November) baseball all cold and snowy go back to scheduling some double headers (real single admission double headers) so the season ends a bit earlier. And sickleguy, I really don't get from Crafty's comment that he thinks that all of the great non-US players are already playing here. But do you know what I will infer that he thinks? That there should be a space after a freaking comma.
posted by goddam at 12:21 AM on July 01, 2007
Hey Crafty,if you think all great players are here,think again.Cuba,Japan and Korea are full of top performers who ,for various reasons don't play in the Major Leagues. How can you call them the Major Leagues when there are many great budding stars in the Minor Leagues who, for various reasons, aren't playing in the Major Leagues?
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:51 AM on July 01, 2007
From a marketing standpoint there seems to be some merit to Boras' idea, but as one of those so-called "purists" I have to say Selig should leave the damn games alone. I would buy into a best-of-9 series on the following conditions: 1. Contract back to no more than 28 teams (preferably 26) eliminating a lot of AAA talent in places like KC and Tampa Bay 2. Cut the regular season back to 154 games getting baseball out of November 3. Raise the mound back up to 15 inchesbringing back an emphasis on pitching and era in the 1.50-3.00 range instead of the 3.50-5.00 that has become common
posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 06:04 AM on July 01, 2007
Great, two more World Series games that can start at 9p EST and not end until after 1a. Can't wait!
posted by The_Black_Hand at 07:09 AM on July 01, 2007
Insanity rules again.
posted by markhjohn at 07:21 AM on July 01, 2007
Shorten the damn season. Get rid of all the interleague crap, which isn't fair anyways, and quit dragging the season into November. I do agree with some of Boras's statements, though. The current seven-game series means a team with two good (or hot) pitchers can rely only on them, practically. The Diamondbacks a few years back with Johnson and Schilling was a good example. But I also agree with those above who talk about the late start times and early-morning finishes for some series. Those are horrible.
posted by dyams at 08:13 AM on July 01, 2007
Interleague games still fill the seats. They're one of the best recent innovations in baseball, as far as fan support is concerned. I think a seven-game series that begins with two neutral site games would be interesting, though I wonder if they can get the cachet of the Super Bowl when they don't decide the champion. My biggest beef with baseball today is the game length. They have to speed up pitchers and batters.
posted by rcade at 12:26 PM on July 01, 2007
They have to speed up pitchers and batters. The rules are there to speed up the game, but are not enforced. When's the last time you saw an umpire call a ball if the pitcher did not deliver within 20 seconds? The same is true for batters who step out of the box; NCAA and NFIOA (high school) rules actually dictate when a batter may step out, and if he steps out otherwise, a strike can be called. This was actually called in a College World Series a few years ago.
posted by Howard_T at 01:32 PM on July 01, 2007
The article seems mainly concerned about the lack of the Yankees in the Series. Perhaps the Yankees should just be granted an extra strike in every plate appearance through the regular season?
posted by DrJohnEvans at 03:01 PM on July 01, 2007
I think a seven-game series that begins with two neutral site games would be interesting, though I wonder if they can get the cachet of the Super Bowl when they don't decide the champion. Would you then go to a traditional 5-game series, in the 2-2-1 format? Because that has the potential of screwing over fans of the team without home field advantage. They could get swept before they even get to play a game at home. The article seems mainly concerned about the lack of the Yankees in the Series. Perhaps the Yankees should just be granted an extra strike in every plate appearance through the regular season? Oh, stop. It's a local paper. Most of Klapisch's columns for The Record relate to either the Mets or Yankees in some way. He's not implying that MLB needs to find a way to get the Yankees into the Series. He saying they need find a way to get people to watch a World Series that doesn't involve the Yankees or Red Sox. Which they do. But they already made the mistake of signing McCarver and Buck for what, 7 more years.
posted by goddam at 05:17 PM on July 01, 2007
The article seems mainly concerned about the lack of the Yankees in the Series. Perhaps the Yankees should just be granted an extra strike in every plate appearance through the regular season? Every single sport wants the biggest market teams to advance through the playoffs. It's what makes advertisers, networks, and the leagues money, and is not unique to baseball.
posted by dyams at 09:34 AM on July 02, 2007
Perhaps the Yankees should just be granted an extra strike in every plate appearance through the regular season? I have no problem with that whatsoever. If nothing else, it'll give Abreu one extra chance to get a bunt down.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:03 AM on July 02, 2007
Wow dyams, did you figure that one out all by your lonesome? J/K If they do switch up play-off formats again, I gotta support fewer season games or schedule more double headers...as it was, I really enjoyed watchin game 5 in my halloween costume
posted by dezznutz at 11:15 AM on July 02, 2007
Wow dyams, did you figure that one out all by your lonesome? Yeah, all by myself. You haven't been around that long, so I'll update you on something: Many who post comments here tend to overlook the obvious when the Yankees are brought into the conversation. The hatred they have for that organization causes them to ignore the fact their presence in the post-season means higher television ratings. Sometimes obvious facts aren't always so obvious to everyone. That's straight from "Journalism 101."
posted by dyams at 12:34 PM on July 02, 2007
Every single sport wants the biggest market teams to advance through the playoffs. Didn't the NY vs. NY world series (which the advertisers, networks, and league were desperate for) draw, what was at that time, the worst world series ratings ever?
posted by bdaddy at 01:35 PM on July 02, 2007
I like to think Tim McCarver had something to do with that.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 02:16 PM on July 02, 2007
According to Wikipedia, the 11.5 drawn by Yankees/Mets in 2000 was at the time the second least viewed since 1985, ahead of only Indians/Marlins in 1997. But 11.5 is good by recent standards.
posted by rcade at 02:16 PM on July 02, 2007
When's the last time you saw an umpire call a ball if the pitcher did not deliver within 20 seconds? Two days ago actually. Rafael Betancourt was nailed twice against the Tigers for failing to deliver the ball within 20 seconds. Aside from that instance though, it doesn't happen very often.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:14 PM on July 05, 2007
Whoops—a little late coming back to the party. Sorry kids, I meant no harm. As a fan of the team that is officially part of MLB's Top 16 Absolute Worst Nightmare World Series Possibilities, I fully realize the draw that the Yankees have, and its genuinely beneficial affect on television ratings, and I just like to poke fun at it every once in a while. Also, I didn't actually notice that it was a Jersey publication. I blame their teeny-tiny logo.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 04:07 PM on July 13, 2007
I fully realize the draw that the Yankees have, and its genuinely beneficial affect on television ratings, and I just like to poke fun at it every once in a while. yeah, well I'm tired of getting poked at. and not in the good way. Also, I didn't actually notice that it was a Jersey publication. I blame their teeny-tiny logo. uh huh. it's the logo's fault. i guess it made you miss the "northjersey" in the URL too.
posted by goddam at 04:55 PM on July 13, 2007
Sorry, goddam. It really wasn't anything personal, just a wisecrack that wasn't thought through. And major American newspaper sites all start to look the same after a while, so I tend to ignore everything outside the article text.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:44 PM on July 14, 2007
s'ok doc. i was just joking. thankfully that particular newspaper's site will be going through a redesign soon anyways.
posted by goddam at 10:29 PM on July 14, 2007
A five game sweep? 7 games are enough. 9 may turn out to be painful