^ Yeah, that could be a problem, should the Tigers advance to the next round. I would assume they would go with Fister in game 1 of the ALCS, should they beat the A's tonight.

I hate the expanded playoffs.  Yet again there is a chance the Cardinals will get into the world series, despite finishing the year 9 games behind the Reds.  Baseball has a 162 game season which clearly determined St. Louis was *not* a team on par with the Reds, yet due to luck in the playoffs might advance. 

Guess what, the Cardinals beat the Nationals last night after trailing 6-0 and 7-5, with two outs in the top of the ninths, base loaded two base hits to tie the game and take a two run lead. This may be one of the biggest single game collapses ever in MLB playoff history. Sometime the Cardinals are going to have to lose one of these elimination games, they're like the New York Yankees version 2.0, and considering they are second to the Yankees in overall World Series titles won.

 

Tigers and Yankees tonight! Will be the biggest test for the Tigers and it will be interesting to see what happens, but it would be so nice if the Tigers won! GO TIGERS! I'd say Fister will start tonight!

Again, this is why they should get rid of the wild card and NLDS and return to the old format, 7 games for the pennant and 7 game world series.  This is total BS that St. Louis has slipped in AGAIN.  In the last two years they haven't come close to sweeping their opponents in the playoffs, it's always come down to game 5 or game 7 except for game 6 in last year's NLCS. 

If this turns out to be a Cardinals vs. Yankees World Series, then I sincerely hope both teams lose.

I agree that MLB's postseason format is terrible, but I do take pleasure in seeing Reds fans so angry about my second favorite team, the Cardinals, working their way towards another title. :)

 

I say eliminate divisions and interleague play and go back to the format where the team with the best regular season record from each league goes on to the World Series (which would now become a best-of-15 game series).  Do this and there will be little doubt that the team that comes out on top is truly worthy of wearing the crown of "World Champions."

I'd hate, hate, HATE to see a New York vs St Louis World Series, but this has been one of the most incredible playoffs I've ever seen.

I am really pulling for the Tigers.

What an emotional rollercoaster for the fans of both teams tonight after a wild game. Tigers win despite blowing a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the 9th (Valverde sucks and Leyland had a brain aneurysm). Hate it for Derek Jeter, out for the rest of playoffs with fractured ankle. I am very happy the Tigers were able to somehow, someway, pull this off.

I don't like the current format with 3 divisions.  Either go back to 2 or get rid of them entirely.  Then either have the division winners play one another or have the two teams with the best records in each league play if there are no divisions.  And I agree that interleague play has worn out its welcome.

The San Francisco Giants won the World Series last night.  And to show how weird the path to a championship can be - here's the Giants path through the playoffs.

 

- Down 2-0 in the five-game NLDS series with the Reds - the Giants win the next 3 games to advance to the NLCS.

- Down 3-1 in the seven-game NLCS series with the Cardinals - the Giants win the next 3 games to advance to the World Series.

- Then the Giants must have gotten tired of big comebacks - so they just swept the Tigers in four games.

 

This is the Giants second World Series championship in the last three years.  The last NL team to win two WS in three years was when the Big Red Machine won back-to-back WS in 1975 & 1976.

The Giants were hardly a dominant team.  Somebody had to win and it ended up being them.  They have a few great players but don't mention them in the same breath as the Big Red Machine!

The Marlins are showing the Indians how a firesale is done. Reportedly they're dropping over $80million in 2013 obligations and hundreds of millions in total future obligations in one deal.

MLB is joining the 21st century.  MLB announced that they are set to expand instant replay for all calls - except balls and strikes - starting with the 2014 season.

 

It looks like MLB would be using a replay system that borrows rules from other sports.  It would operate on a challenge system - like the NFL.  Managers would be allowed one challenge over the first six innings and then two from the seventh inning until the completion of the game.  If a manager challenges and wins, he would retain the challenge.  Otherwise, it gets used up.  Challenges left over from the first six innings would not carry over into the 7th inning to end-of-game time frame. 

 

The current home run replay rules would be incorporated into the new system and would not require a manager's challenge to review.

 

Calls that are challenged would be reviewed by a crew in MLB headquarters in New York City, which would make the final ruling.  This is what the NHL does on goal reviews.  More about this from ESPN below:

 

ESPN: MLB to expand instant replay in 2014

That's huge news. I never thought this day would come.

In my book, this make A-Rod an even bigger A-hole.....

 

Alex Rodriguez implicated Ryan Braun, other players in Biogenesis investigation, per report

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/8/16/4627510/alex-rodriguez-ryan-braun-biogenesis-scandal-suspension

comparing the 2013 season costs around mlb for spending a day at the ballpark:

 

 

I found this on NY Village Voice http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2013/09/yankee_stadium_4.php

 

The parking price was vastly different in various cities, but what percentage of Yankees fans arrive by car as compared to say Diamondbacks fans, though?

comparing the 2013 season costs around mlb for spending a day at the ballpark:

 

 

I found this on NY Village Voice http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2013/09/yankee_stadium_4.php

 

 

Hey, that Village Voice article links to cincinnati.com

Pretty emotional farewell for Mariano Rivera at Yankee Stadium last night.

 

Video at http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/09/mariano-rivera-yankees-stadium-last-appearance/

"@ProFootballTalk: A bad Vikings-Giants game drew a higher overnight rating than World Series Game 1 http://t.co/mn7Tz7tSN3"

"@ProFootballTalk: A bad Vikings-Giants game drew a higher overnight rating than World Series Game 1 http://t.co/mn7Tz7tSN3"

 

That is pretty striking, especially since the WS is between two major franchises. Wonder if it were some team other than the Giants playing the Vikings if the same would have happened.

^ its probably because even though all turned out well and fair and the best teams are playing in the ws, nobody likes either of them.

 

^ its probably because even though all turned out well and fair and the best teams are playing in the ws, nobody likes either of them.

 

 

What about the Red Sox Nation??????    There are legions of frat boys wearing the hat!

interesting way to end world series game three last night, to say the least! but that obstruction call was pretty clear cut, beltran getting getting hit was way more controversial.

interesting way to end world series game three last night, to say the least! but that obstruction call was pretty clear cut, beltran getting getting hit was way more controversial.

 

By the book it appears Jim Joyce got the call right, but then again, the runner fell back down and pushed off the back of the 3rd baseman, who had just made a play on the ball.  Since he was not "in possession" of the ball I guess technically the call was right.  But at the end of the day, it should have went to inning 10.  The Cardinals may have still won, but MLB would save itself the controversy.  As I saw a friend post on Facebook last night, if MLB needs to wonder why they get beat in the ratings by a meaningless Monday night game (Vikings-Giants), here is a reason.  Americans like clear cut and final decisions.  This is one that was purely the judgement of the ump that no replay could even help.

 

 

 

 

The 3B stuck his legs up. He made no attempt to stand up. To me, it was clear as day the right call. The reason a meaningless pro football game drew better than game 2 of the World Series is that people are sick of seeing the same teams who outspend everyone in the Series. Every team in football has an equal chance to build a team and win. Obviously, that's not remotely close to the same situation in Baseball. The Red Sox have or had nine free agents contributing to their team this year.

There does not have to be intent to cause obstruction. Any player without the ball who hinders the advance of opposing team's baserunner, whether he intended to do it or not, is an obstruction and the baserunner is then safe.

 

Controversy sells. If anything, the lack of controversy in "the gentleman's game" is what has hurt baseball's rating, IMHO. I think a controversial ending to a game (in the World Series, no less) is just what baseball needs.

 

Even so, it wasn't THAT controversial. The umps made the call exactly right. The fact that it occurred in a World Series game is makes it a big deal. And considering all the blowouts in college football last night (including OSU's 63-14 slam of Penn State), I chose to watch the World Series.

The 3B stuck his legs up. He made no attempt to stand up. To me, it was clear as day the right call. The reason a meaningless pro football game drew better than game 2 of the World Series is that people are sick of seeing the same teams who outspend everyone in the Series. Every team in football has an equal chance to build a team and win. Obviously, that's not remotely close to the same situation in Baseball. The Red Sox have or had nine free agents contributing to their team this year.

 

Yeah, even though I am a lifetime Cardinals fan, I have to admit that something like a Cubs-Indians series would be infinitely better television!

The 3B stuck his legs up. He made no attempt to stand up. To me, it was clear as day the right call. The reason a meaningless pro football game drew better than game 2 of the World Series is that people are sick of seeing the same teams who outspend everyone in the Series. Every team in football has an equal chance to build a team and win. Obviously, that's not remotely close to the same situation in Baseball. The Red Sox have or had nine free agents contributing to their team this year.

 

I think MLB's parity problem is part of it, but I also think that the changing nature of the human attention span is also at play here.  With 162 games (each of which moving excruciatingly slow), sports fans have moved on to other sports where each game has more important and/or to those sports that are more action-packed.

Whats the parity problem?

 

 

Whats the parity problem?

 

New York, Boston, and more recently Detroit and the Southern California teams spend through the nose to ensure a much better shot at the playoffs each year than teams in smaller markets.  Obviously money is no guarantee because it must be spent wisely, but it's also a big advantage and allows more room for error on roster composition.  These teams typically win bidding wars on foreign players entering the league and a team's ability to spend has even created imbalances in the MLB Draft.*

 

*As an example, Rick Porcello was considered the #1 high school prospect entering the 2007 MLB Draft, but "fell" all the way to the 27th pick held by the Detroit Tigers because his agent was Scott Boras and many other teams could not afford the bonus he was expecting.  Oh and more than a dozen other high school players went ahead of Porcello.

It was announced today that the Atlanta Braves will move out of Turner Field for the 2017 season and be relocating to the suburbs... The ballpark opened in 1997.

 

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/braves-plan-to-build-new-stadium-in-cobb/nbpNQ/

So they are just going to leave a baseball only stadium to another baseball only stadium less than 20 miles away??? Is the Turner field paid for? Seems like a HUGE waste. Ted Turner better be paying for it himself.

Certainly it's not very old, but it's not really a "baseball-only" stadium in the way that say Jacobs Field or GABP is.  It was the converted Olympic Stadium from the 1996 Olympics.  Only baseball is played there now, but it's not a baseball stadium by design. 

Also, pretty sure that Ted Turner doesn't own the team any longer (and hasn't for some time). 

One of the big complaints is that there is no rail connection to the new site. I wonder if Cobb County is willing to pay for a rail extension in exchange for the team moving there as part of the contribution they have agreed to with the Braves.

One of the big complaints is that there is no rail connection to the new site. I wonder if Cobb County is willing to pay for a rail extension in exchange for the team moving there as part of the contribution they have agreed to with the Braves.

 

I doubt it.  They said a lot more about not having enough parking spaces in that article than rail access.  Plus that's a freeway confluence.

 

It looks like a conscious decision to make for the suburbs.

 

I travel to ATL (and particularly to Cobb County) fairly often as part of my job.  That 75-285 area is already a traffic mess.  I have to think this will not help that...

One thing from an article on this I found interesting was that one of the main reasons they moved from downtown was because of Atlanta's horrible traffic. I've heard about a lot of companies looking at Atlanta for offices have been avoiding the area because traffic is so bad. Now the Braves are leaving.

^but like jdm00 noted, the traffic in suburbs, particularly this area, is just as bad as the city.

Yeah, I'm trying to think of a local example.  It would be kind of like the Reds saying they are leaving downtown because 75 is such a mess, and that they are going to locate off the Fields Ertel exit on I-71. 

They are also moving closer to their target demo, and probably where they all live too.  Same reason they built the little arena and performing arts center up there...to be closer to the money.

They are going to knock it down. wow

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9965245/turner-field-demolished-atlanta-braves-leave-new-stadium-2017-mayor-says

Here's a Grantland article that examines the sprawl angle closely:

 

"As someone who no longer lives in Atlanta but fully plans on returning, today is a tough day. Because, yet again, the city has been outfoxed by its northern counterparts.

 

In the 1970s, MARTA, Atlanta's directionally challenged, last-place-science-fair-project transportation system was expanding. Two Atlanta northside suburbs, Cobb and Gwinnett Counties, opted out of the expansion, thus denying the Authority the sales-tax revenue it sorely needed to become a real transportation alternative for an ever-growing city. The commonly held belief: With transit expansion comes an easy way for people to access the destination. All types of people. You know, city people."

 

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/82022/saying-good-bye-as-the-braves-leave-atlanta-for-atlanta

This SB Nation photo thread adequately sums up my feelings regarding the Atlanta Braves proposed move:

 

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/11/11/5092546/a-desperate-trip-into-the-ruins-of-turner-field

Here's a Grantland article that examines the sprawl angle closely:

 

"As someone who no longer lives in Atlanta but fully plans on returning, today is a tough day. Because, yet again, the city has been outfoxed by its northern counterparts.

 

In the 1970s, MARTA, Atlanta's directionally challenged, last-place-science-fair-project transportation system was expanding. Two Atlanta northside suburbs, Cobb and Gwinnett Counties, opted out of the expansion, thus denying the Authority the sales-tax revenue it sorely needed to become a real transportation alternative for an ever-growing city. The commonly held belief: With transit expansion comes an easy way for people to access the destination. All types of people. You know, city people."

 

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/82022/saying-good-bye-as-the-braves-leave-atlanta-for-atlanta

 

It should be noted that this writer would qualify, even here, as one of the more virulent anti-suburbanites.

 

"So the idea of an Atlanta sports team playing in a suburb makes me sick. Because I have no love for the suburbs. I care about cities, because that's where people are forced to intermingle. I care about cities, because that's where the culture is. And I care about my city above all, because it's mine.

 

Suburbs are where you go to buy multiple pairs of slacks. And learn how to parallel park on a Sunday afternoon. And covertly, in the case of Atlanta, suburbs are where you may go to either self-segregate or distance yourself from others"

 

The keys are he sees nothing wrong with the word "forced" and everything wrong with making an individual choice to distance oneself from the mob.

I don't think his perception of the word "forced" is the same as yours, no. Both things you pointed out are generational differences.

I don't think his perception of the word "forced" is the same as yours, no. Both things you pointed out are generational differences.

 

Dunno if I buy that.  That “f word” is almost considered cussing to my generation, that’s for sure.  But if there’s one thing that’s been consistent about innovation in our society, it’s that things that reduce the need for ”forced interaction” are nearly always successful.  I’m not saying that people don’t want to ever interact, but they seem to want it to be on their terms.  I’m not seeing younger people in general eschewing those things by going up to the counter at the bank or fast food place (instead of using the drive thru), preferring stores to online shopping, etc. any less than us.

 

Plus it was his initial argument.  It's not like he sees it as a byproduct of the benefits of the city.

 

This guy sounds more like an aberration, sort of like that guy that showed up during the casino skywalk discussion going ballistic not for architectural or preservationist reasons, but because it gave people the chance to bypass public sidewalks.

 

From: http://homeofthebraves.com/

"Turner Field needs $150 million in infrastructure work alone (replacing the seats, repairing and upgrading lighting, etc.), none of which would significantly enhance the fan experience.

 

Why do they need to replace seats.....from what I remember, the seats from old Riverfront Stadium  had been there from Day 1