The All-Star game used to be the opportunity for the stars to come out (Note: For further information on this I refer you to FOX's abhorrent opening montage before last night's game). It used to be the one time all year you got to see all the stars play on the same field.
But with all the saturation in the media of baseball games: MLB.tv, Extra Innings, Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Leap Year Night Baseball, and FOX Saturday games, plus Interleague play, I can watch the "stars" play all the time. In the 60s, 70s and 80s, you maybe saw two games a week!
Look at the original fan voting, the AL "stars" were all Yankees and Red Sox. They play 19 times a year.
Remember, these are the same fans that voted in A.J. Pierzyinskimackovichjerkface. And not Travis Hafner. Or Francisco Liriano. Or Chris Capuano. Clearly, then, fan voting is a popularity contest. Not a true measure of the "stars" (despite, once again, that great opening montage by FOX).
And what does Manny's being at the game prove? That he's the most popular kid in the majors? Oh my gosh, no way! I so voted for him. He did not dis me like that. I cannot believe, he, like, isn't here.
Bud's an idiot. The game's stupid. And Manny's somewhere in the Amazon I believe.
The thing of it is: Do you think that in the next 7 years, FOX can get Zalasko and Kennedy some headsets? It's the 21st century. Can't we at least pay someone to hold their mic's for them? It's ridiculous.
3 comments:
I think maybe it's overstating the case to say you saw maybe two games a week in the 80s.
As early as '82 or '83, my cable system had the Indians, Mets, Braves, Cubs, and sometimes Pirates. I'd guess there were 8-10 games a week available to me on television.
IMO, it's interleague play that's the elephant in the room.
Operative word in your reply being "cable". Cable didn't become a feature in many U.S. households until the early 90s...when it became affordable and showed it had some staying power.
And I agree, interleague play is the elephant in room. Ironically, I didn't forget that. Perhaps making Interleague "count" might increase my enthusiasm for that dreadful idea. How about the league or team with the best record gets homefield advantage in the series?
Also, as per the All-Star game, my suggestion: Fans pick 40 players from each league. Managers narrow that list to the 25 best they think can help their league win the game. Everybody wins this way.
Interesting site. Useful information. Bookmarked.
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