MLB All Star Game Antics

How do you really feel? 

Give it a rest... If you find 10 bombs in a game off of guys throwing 97+ boring, nobody can help you...

Harper was fan-voted in (deservedly so, IMHO), just like all of the other starters... His BA is low, but he's 23 bombs and 54 RBIs... Also leads the the league with 78 walks... Major production.

MLB is trying to appeal to a younger audience, which I applaud... Still a great show for us old-farts too!

Not this old fart...found it pretty boring, I'm not a huge fan of the long ball because it takes all the strategy out of the game. Guess 97+ MPH doesn't mean jack if everyone is putting it the bleachers, eh?

I found the ASG more interesting to watch when there was something on the line, like home field advantage in the WS. Then there was something to play for.

And I don't have to give it a rest...

No need to give it a rest.  There is a legit discussion to be had about the long term health of the game and how it's going to be played going forward to ensure its survival.  There's a lot to be chewed over in a lot of places, and a lot of valid viewpoints, IMO.

For example, this old fart far prefers NL rules; others make a good case for the DH. The folks who run baseball are currently debating it. 

Just for another example, I was chatting with a friend about the 1971 Orioles, with their four 20 game winners in one rotation.  Or how about Denny McLain winning 30? Compare that to now.  The old fart in me says we've really lost something. OTOH, I see the excitement value of fresh arms, all throwing close to 100, coming in to pitch in the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

 Here's a stray thought about jacks... if you boot up your tablet in the morning and whatever you use to aggregate news links to a video with a caption that says something like "Harper Goes Yard in Walkoff Win"  and there's another video that says "Baez Steals Home to Ice Cubs Victory", which one are you going to watch? To me, of course HR's are exciting to see, but a jack is a jack is a jack.  I'm probably going to watch the running play.   When that aspect of the game is gone, I probably will be too.

GaryMe posted:

I found the ASG more interesting to watch when there was something on the line, like home field advantage in the WS. Then there was something to play for.

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Disagree on this.  That was soooooo bogus.  Just completely random.  I'm very glad to see both it and the guy who thought it up gone.

Was never a fan of him either, JCG, but the concept compelled me to watch the game, because suddenly it mattered.

That guy also added the extra wildcard team/game into the playoff picture too, which adds a lot of excitement and intrigue at the end of the season IMO.

If you are not into a sport, you may watch the finals, championship, majors, big rivalry or highlights but you are probably not going to watch an all-star game.  But if you are into the sport, you will have some level of intrigue in seeing a gathering of the very best players in that sport, playing against each other.  

All-Star games have limitations but they have intrigue as well.  I chuckle at all the attempts to make it something more.  I guess some of those attempts have worked out, i.e. the HR derby (although that has been around much longer than most imagine).  It is what it is.  It is something great.  It's just different than regular games that count in the standings.  The baseball version is still far better and more true to  it's sport than the others (football, basketball, hockey).  There is unquestionably far more straight up competing and less tanking for the purposes of avoiding injury.  

I remember, as a kid, watching to see how the guy or guys from my team would stack up against the best of the rest.  Would they do something special?  I remember wanting to see how the best hitters would do against the best pitchers.  Would these rival players that seem to hate each other get along in the same dugout?  And, who are the new young guys?  This, combined with all the best players on the field at one time?  Come on... 

I totally enjoyed the game this year.  It's nice to see players be able to have fun and enjoy the moment. The MLB All Star Game is still a competitive event unlike the NBA, NHL or NFL.  Pitchers can't just come out and go through the motions and the hitters have to be focused.  

cabbagedad posted:

If you are not into a sport, you may watch the finals, championship, majors, big rivalry or highlights but you are probably not going to watch an all-star game.  But if you are into the sport, you will have some level of intrigue in seeing a gathering of the very best players in that sport, playing against each other.  

All-Star games have limitations but they have intrigue as well.  I chuckle at all the attempts to make it something more.  I guess some of those attempts have worked out, i.e. the HR derby (although that has been around much longer than most imagine).  It is what it is.  It is something great.  It's just different than regular games that count in the standings.  The baseball version is still far better and more true to  it's sport than the others (football, basketball, hockey).  There is unquestionably far more straight up competing and less tanking for the purposes of avoiding injury.  

I remember, as a kid, watching to see how the guy or guys from my team would stack up against the best of the rest.  Would they do something special?  I remember wanting to see how the best hitters would do against the best pitchers.  Would these rival players that seem to hate each other get along in the same dugout?  And, who are the new young guys?  This, combined with all the best players on the field at one time?  Come on... 

You chuckle? That's so cute

Bolts-Coach-PR posted:

Give it a rest... If you find 10 bombs in a game off of guys throwing 97+ boring, nobody can help you...

Harper was fan-voted in (deservedly so, IMHO), just like all of the other starters... His BA is low, but he's 23 bombs and 54 RBIs... Also leads the the league with 78 walks... Major production.

MLB is trying to appeal to a younger audience, which I applaud... Still a great show for us old-farts too!

No one can really slam the Mets for taking Tebow to boost ticket and merchandise sales when teams pay guys to strike out and hit a few homeruns in order to boost tickets and merchandise sales.   It’s show biz now.