2007 Baseball Season is about to start--talk about anything you want

[tim_m]

Yeah they really have been boring the last few years. I blame this years on all the fucking off days. Colorado having to sit around for 8 days is just too long. MLB has got to find some way to address this. I honestly would be in favor of eliminating ALL off days during a series. I mean how many were there in the ALCS 3? Why? Teams play for 2 weeks straight during the season without a day off why do they need so many off during the playoffs. I say eliminate all off days during a series and if one series ends quickly like a sweep the next series should start as soon as possible to cut down on off days. If this had been done this year the rockies would've still had a few days off but not 8. I think they would've had 4-5 off but they waited nearly 3 full days after boston won to start the world series mid week, again why?

The reasoning is twofold. One business, one not.

The business reason is to "get" the games on a certain schedule so the networks are happy....it allows them to garner more ad revenue, etc.  If it were JUST this reason, I'd agree....but you'd likely have "competing" games on at the same time, especially in the 1st round....and maybe even in the NLCS vs ALCS. 

The 2nd reason is to allow for travel time.  While you DO see teams play 2 weeks straight without an off day, you don't see it happen very often where they go from the East Coast to the West Coast in a 24 hour span.  It happens, but not often.  They build the off days in to "protect" teams from having to do that twice in 7 days, in case you have a series between and East and West Coast team.

I understand that but something has to be done here. They can't continue to allow these lobsided world series' where one team just kills the other. The ratings if that continues will be a big fat 0. I say eliminating off travel days unless the teams have a long distance to travel and having less days before the start of the next series would help a lot. There was no logical reason i can see why they had to wait an extra 2 3/4 says to start the series after boston won the alcs. To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks.

[tim_m]

Source: Girardi expected to accept Yankees' offer
ESPN.com news services

The Yankees officially offered their managerial job to Joe Girardi on Monday morning and he is expected to accept it, a source has told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.

"The Yankees have offered Joe the opportunity to become their next manager. Discussions are ongoing," Steve Mandell, Girardi's agent, said.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told Don Mattingly and Tony Pena that they will not be getting the job.

Girardi was in Denver for the World Series. A source said he is expected to fly to New York for the announcement, which is likely to come Tuesday. Girardi's contract is expected to be in the three-year, $6 million range.

Mattingly will not accept a position on the Yankees coaching staff, Marchand and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney are reporting.

"Don was extremely disappointed that he wasn't the organization's choice to fill the manager's vacancy," Mattingly's agent, Ray Schulte, said in a statement.

Hank Steinbrenner, one of owner George Steinbrenner's sons, said Monday he wasn't sure when an announcement would be made. He added there would be more discussions during the day concerning the candidates.

"These guys were put through the ringer," he said from Tampa, Fla. "I think we're ready to make an informed decision."

Howard Rubenstein, a spokesman for George Steinbrenner, said: "We have nothing to announce right now."

Girardi caught for the Yankees from 1996-99, served as a bench coach in 2005, then managed the Marlins the following year and was NL Manager of the Year. He kept a young team in contention until September, then was fired, apparently for clashing with owner Jeffrey Loria and others above him.

The 43-year-old Girardi turned down the Baltimore Orioles' managerial job last summer, choosing to spend time with his father, who had health problems.

Girardi, working as a broadcaster Sunday night for Fox Sports from the World Series in Denver, said he had nothing to announce regarding his status as a manager.

"Still former," Girardi said. "Nothing extra tonight."

Girardi was the first to interview Monday, followed by Mattingly on Tuesday and Pena on Wednesday. Pena won AL Manager of the Year in 2003 after the Kansas City Royals (83-79) posted their first winning season since 1994 -- Hank Steinbrenner told The Times that Pena was "definitely under consideration."

Mattingly has no managerial experience. He spent three seasons as New York's hitting coach before he became Joe Torre's bench coach last year. A six-time All-Star, Mattingly is among the most beloved players in Yankees history.

Torre declined a one-year offer to return at a reduced salary after leading the team to four World Series championships and 12 playoff appearances in as many seasons.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3085167

Well looks like Girardi is the guy. I admit i'm a bit surprised. I really thought they'd offer it to Mattingly. I think this was the right choice just surprised. I don't think Mattingly is quite ready. Now Mattingly is upset and says he won't take a job on the coaching staff. Did we just alienate the most beloved yankee of the last 30 years?

[C0ma]

"To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks"

There are a few reasons why that will never happen.

1.Money
2.Money
3.Money

Baseball makes a significant amount of money selling the Sunday and Wednesday Games to ESPN, the Saturday games to FOX, and the playoff series to TBS(TNT) and Fox (MLB would never make the same amount broadcasting the games themselves). Those companies pay amazing amounts of money for these rights and expect in return to be paid huge amounts of money for advertising. It's simple... Prime time ad's cost more.

You are never going to see an afternoon Series like we used to see before.

[pilferk]

I think the Yankees' "opt-out and you're gone" position was a little surprising.  The Texas subsidy amounts to $21 million and while I can't in good conscience use "only" and $21 million" in the same sentence, these are the Yankees we're talking about - not exactly the most fiscally conservative organization - along with the fact that the cost would be spread out over about 10 years.  Maybe they just don't think he's worth it and would prefer to invest in more pitching.

By the way, some articles out there are suggesting that Boras, in violation of MLB tampering rules, has an in-principle deal with another team on the table already. 

On the 21 million...actually it would only be spread out over 3 years, unless Texas negotiated something new with the Yanks...that's the terms they have in the original contract to subsidize Arods pay.  So 7 million a year over the next 3, which isn't exactly chump change.

I think their point was that...they were going to offer Arod a mint, but in doing that they wanted to at least realize SOME savings by keeping the Texas money.  If Arod was going to "cost" them 21 million, they weren't interested in keeping him around.  I think it speaks VOLUMES about what he really wanted, no matter what he paid lip service to, that he wouldn't even meet with the Yankees and listen to their spiel prior to opting out.  To me...that says exactly what Hank Steinbrenner says it does: "I don't want to be a Yankee".

More power to him.  It's a tough market to play in and if he can't hack it.....leave.  It sucks to lose the best player, for sure.  But, given the Yanks were quite clear in their position on this, you can't take any more away from this than that.

On Boras having a back door deal in place....I think he at least had back door offers on the table with a "What if I had a perennial all star 3rd baseman/shortstop who was also a perennial MVP candidate on the market...with these historical numbers...what would you pay?".  Everyone would know what he was talknig about.  The question is....I wonder if those offers, knowing the Yanks are no longer negotiating, stay quite as high.

It'll be interesting to see where he lands.

[pilferk]

I understand that but something has to be done here. They can't continue to allow these lobsided world series' where one team just kills the other. The ratings if that continues will be a big fat 0. I say eliminating off travel days unless the teams have a long distance to travel and having less days before the start of the next series would help a lot. There was no logical reason i can see why they had to wait an extra 2 3/4 says to start the series after boston won the alcs. To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks.

The problem is...they can't predict the future.  And the series schedule is set LONG before it actually happens.  It's actually ready when the season begins, I think...at least tentatively.  So there's no way to know if the teams are going to be far apart, or across a state or two and they have to plan for worst case scenario.

I think the playoff contracts for the ALCS, DS, and WS are all longer term than '09.  Not sure though...I'll have to check.  I know the DS/one LCS contract with TBS is signed for 7 years...so that's til at least 2014.

[pilferk]

Sounds like Torre, Mattingly, and POSSIBLY Pena and Bowa are headed to the Dodgers.

[tim_m]

"To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks"

There are a few reasons why that will never happen.

1.Money
2.Money
3.Money

Baseball makes a significant amount of money selling the Sunday and Wednesday Games to ESPN, the Saturday games to FOX, and the playoff series to TBS(TNT) and Fox (MLB would never make the same amount broadcasting the games themselves). Those companies pay amazing amounts of money for these rights and expect in return to be paid huge amounts of money for advertising. It's simple... Prime time ad's cost more.

You are never going to see an afternoon Series like we used to see before.

Yeah and it sucks that they want money instead of a competitive series that people would watch.

[tim_m]

I understand that but something has to be done here. They can't continue to allow these lobsided world series' where one team just kills the other. The ratings if that continues will be a big fat 0. I say eliminating off travel days unless the teams have a long distance to travel and having less days before the start of the next series would help a lot. There was no logical reason i can see why they had to wait an extra 2 3/4 says to start the series after boston won the alcs. To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks.

The problem is...they can't predict the future.  And the series schedule is set LONG before it actually happens.  It's actually ready when the season begins, I think...at least tentatively.  So there's no way to know if the teams are going to be far apart, or across a state or two and they have to plan for worst case scenario.

I think the playoff contracts for the ALCS, DS, and WS are all longer term than '09.  Not sure though...I'll have to check.  I know the DS/one LCS contract with TBS is signed for 7 years...so that's til at least 2014.

Yeah i think you're right about that. Next year the NL like the AL this year gets to pick 8 or 7 day series' maybe that will help assuming the two teams that make the series picked the same amount of day series.

[tim_m]

I understand that but something has to be done here. They can't continue to allow these lobsided world series' where one team just kills the other. The ratings if that continues will be a big fat 0. I say eliminating off travel days unless the teams have a long distance to travel and having less days before the start of the next series would help a lot. There was no logical reason i can see why they had to wait an extra 2 3/4 says to start the series after boston won the alcs. To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks.

The problem is...they can't predict the future.  And the series schedule is set LONG before it actually happens.  It's actually ready when the season begins, I think...at least tentatively.  So there's no way to know if the teams are going to be far apart, or across a state or two and they have to plan for worst case scenario.

I think the playoff contracts for the ALCS, DS, and WS are all longer term than '09.  Not sure though...I'll have to check.  I know the DS/one LCS contract with TBS is signed for 7 years...so that's til at least 2014.

7 more years of those on TBS? Ugh.

[tim_m]

Sounds like Torre, Mattingly, and POSSIBLY Pena and Bowa are headed to the Dodgers.

I heard Torre and Mattingly but not Pena and Bowa. Where did you hear the other two names?


It looks like Girardi wants Mike Harkey on his staff and possibly Paul O'Neill. Paul seems to be interested.

[freedom78]

I understand that but something has to be done here. They can't continue to allow these lobsided world series' where one team just kills the other. The ratings if that continues will be a big fat 0. I say eliminating off travel days unless the teams have a long distance to travel and having less days before the start of the next series would help a lot. There was no logical reason i can see why they had to wait an extra 2 3/4 says to start the series after boston won the alcs. To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks.

The problem is...they can't predict the future.  And the series schedule is set LONG before it actually happens.  It's actually ready when the season begins, I think...at least tentatively.  So there's no way to know if the teams are going to be far apart, or across a state or two and they have to plan for worst case scenario.

I think the playoff contracts for the ALCS, DS, and WS are all longer term than '09.  Not sure though...I'll have to check.  I know the DS/one LCS contract with TBS is signed for 7 years...so that's til at least 2014.

7 more years of those on TBS? Ugh.

I don't mind TBS...they DID get Ripken and Gwynn, which shows they want to do a good job, but it was sub-par.  The graphics were somewhat difficult to discern.  My wife kept asking what bases had men on, because the difference between the white and yellow they used just wasn't always obvious.  And TBS had that one guy, seemingly at every game, who was their sideline reporter, and who seemed to be in a competition with himself to see if, each and every day, he could get me to say "Damn!  That's the ugliest fucking suit I've ever seen!"  He was successful.  But, they'll have many years to improve, and it meant fewer games...

on Fox!, which has Joe Suck and Tim TardCarver.  Though their general presentation of the product, otherwise, is well done.  Hey, at least they got rid of that talking baseball (Scooter?) from a couple of years ago.  McCarver wanted to be its friend, and he hugged it so tight, that it's poor little body was crushed. 

[tim_m]

I understand that but something has to be done here. They can't continue to allow these lobsided world series' where one team just kills the other. The ratings if that continues will be a big fat 0. I say eliminating off travel days unless the teams have a long distance to travel and having less days before the start of the next series would help a lot. There was no logical reason i can see why they had to wait an extra 2 3/4 says to start the series after boston won the alcs. To prevent games from being played at the same time they could go back to how it was years ago. Play during the day even in the LCS. I think making changes like this will be much easier in 09 when the baseball channel launches. They can put all the games except the series on there and not have to negotiate schedules with networks.

The problem is...they can't predict the future.  And the series schedule is set LONG before it actually happens.  It's actually ready when the season begins, I think...at least tentatively.  So there's no way to know if the teams are going to be far apart, or across a state or two and they have to plan for worst case scenario.

I think the playoff contracts for the ALCS, DS, and WS are all longer term than '09.  Not sure though...I'll have to check.  I know the DS/one LCS contract with TBS is signed for 7 years...so that's til at least 2014.

7 more years of those on TBS? Ugh.

I don't mind TBS...they DID get Ripken and Gwynn, which shows they want to do a good job, but it was sub-par.  The graphics were somewhat difficult to discern.  My wife kept asking what bases had men on, because the difference between the white and yellow they used just wasn't always obvious.  And TBS had that one guy, seemingly at every game, who was their sideline reporter, and who seemed to be in a competition with himself to see if, each and every day, he could get me to say "Damn!  That's the ugliest fucking suit I've ever seen!"  He was successful.  But, they'll have many years to improve, and it meant fewer games...

on Fox!, which has Joe Suck and Tim TardCarver.  Though their general presentation of the product, otherwise, is well done.  Hey, at least they got rid of that talking baseball (Scooter?) from a couple of years ago.  McCarver wanted to be its friend, and he hugged it so tight, that it's poor little body was crushed. 

They did do better then Fox that much i agree with.

[pilferk]

I heard Torre and Mattingly but not Pena and Bowa. Where did you hear the other two names?


It looks like Girardi wants Mike Harkey on his staff and possibly Paul O'Neill. Paul seems to be interested.

Just the standard rumor mongering amongst the baseball boards.  Bowa is/was being chased by the M's...but loves working with Torre. 

Pena has reportedly told the Yanks he won't return under Girardi, and the speculation is that he'll land with Torre in LA...either as 1st base coach or (if Guidry doesn't come too) as the pitching coach.

Edit: Pena has reportedly reversed course, and will stay on with Long and Thompson.

So the Yanks will need to replace Mattingly, Bowa, and Guidry. 

[pilferk]

I don't mind TBS...they DID get Ripken and Gwynn, which shows they want to do a good job, but it was sub-par.  The graphics were somewhat difficult to discern.  My wife kept asking what bases had men on, because the difference between the white and yellow they used just wasn't always obvious.  And TBS had that one guy, seemingly at every game, who was their sideline reporter, and who seemed to be in a competition with himself to see if, each and every day, he could get me to say "Damn!  That's the ugliest fucking suit I've ever seen!"  He was successful.  But, they'll have many years to improve, and it meant fewer games...

on Fox!, which has Joe Suck and Tim TardCarver.  Though their general presentation of the product, otherwise, is well done.  Hey, at least they got rid of that talking baseball (Scooter?) from a couple of years ago.  McCarver wanted to be its friend, and he hugged it so tight, that it's poor little body was crushed. 

My BIGGEST issue with TBS is.....their HD channel just launched and isn't carried by my cable service.  Watching baseball in standard def, after being "spoiled" by high def on YES, ESPN, and Fox all season is REALLY tough.

Yeah, I know....poor me.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Craig Sager!  Ha!  When I was a rabid basketball fan, I would see him everytime there was a game on TBS/TNT.  He's a character, that's for sure.

As far as the whole Torre situation, I heard on ESPN that he is indeed trying to bring Mattingly, Pena AND Bowa, and that is what is holding up the contract negotations.

I think with all the young talent the Dodgers have, Torre can do what he did back in the mid 90's with the Yankees.

(But please, for the love of Axl, let's not have A-Rod join the team.)

[freedom78]

Craig Sager!  Ha!  When I was a rabid basketball fan, I would see him everytime there was a game on TBS/TNT.  He's a character, that's for sure.

As far as the whole Torre situation, I heard on ESPN that he is indeed trying to bring Mattingly, Pena AND Bowa, and that is what is holding up the contract negotations.

I think with all the young talent the Dodgers have, Torre can do what he did back in the mid 90's with the Yankees.

(But please, for the love of Axl, let's not have A-Rod join the team.)

Obviously Mattingly wants to manage, so why doesn't he just seek out a minor league job and work his way up a la Ryno?  Granted, there's a lot to be learned from sitting on Torre's bench, but at some point you have to truly get your feet wet, and it's best he does so for some AA team, rather than the Yanks or any other club.  He may make a great manager...I have no idea, to be honest.  But there are a lot of career managers who've worked their asses off in the minors, and I'd hate to see them passed up because some team wants to hire a first time (at any level) manager.

[tim_m]

I don't mind TBS...they DID get Ripken and Gwynn, which shows they want to do a good job, but it was sub-par.  The graphics were somewhat difficult to discern.  My wife kept asking what bases had men on, because the difference between the white and yellow they used just wasn't always obvious.  And TBS had that one guy, seemingly at every game, who was their sideline reporter, and who seemed to be in a competition with himself to see if, each and every day, he could get me to say "Damn!  That's the ugliest fucking suit I've ever seen!"  He was successful.  But, they'll have many years to improve, and it meant fewer games...

on Fox!, which has Joe Suck and Tim TardCarver.  Though their general presentation of the product, otherwise, is well done.  Hey, at least they got rid of that talking baseball (Scooter?) from a couple of years ago.  McCarver wanted to be its friend, and he hugged it so tight, that it's poor little body was crushed. 

My BIGGEST issue with TBS is.....their HD channel just launched and isn't carried by my cable service.  Watching baseball in standard def, after being "spoiled" by high def on YES, ESPN, and Fox all season is REALLY tough.

Yeah, I know....poor me.

Haha well hopefully they'll carry it by next october.

[tim_m]

Craig Sager!  Ha!  When I was a rabid basketball fan, I would see him everytime there was a game on TBS/TNT.  He's a character, that's for sure.

As far as the whole Torre situation, I heard on ESPN that he is indeed trying to bring Mattingly, Pena AND Bowa, and that is what is holding up the contract negotations.

I think with all the young talent the Dodgers have, Torre can do what he did back in the mid 90's with the Yankees.

(But please, for the love of Axl, let's not have A-Rod join the team.)

Obviously Mattingly wants to manage, so why doesn't he just seek out a minor league job and work his way up a la Ryno?  Granted, there's a lot to be learned from sitting on Torre's bench, but at some point you have to truly get your feet wet, and it's best he does so for some AA team, rather than the Yanks or any other club.  He may make a great manager...I have no idea, to be honest.  But there are a lot of career managers who've worked their asses off in the minors, and I'd hate to see them passed up because some team wants to hire a first time (at any level) manager.

Thats a very good point. I don't know why he won't do it that way. He seems to want to learn as bench coach but hey you can't say thats the wrong way togo. It worked for Girardi.

[Malcolm]

Torre hired as Dodgers' manager

LOS ANGELES - Joe Torre was hired Thursday to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers, taking the job two weeks after walking away from the New York Yankees.

The winningest manager in postseason history, Torre moved from one storied franchise to another and got a three-year, US$13 million contract. The Dodgers finished fourth in the NL West this season and have only one playoff victory since winning the 1988 World Series under Tom Lasorda.

"I'm so happy for him. I think his record speaks for itself," Lasorda said. "I think what he accomplished with the Yankees, he should have been able to control his destiny. We're happy that he's here - very happy."

The 67-year-old Torre will be introduced at a news conference Monday at Dodger Stadium.

Torre becomes the Dodgers' eighth manager since they moved west from his hometown of Brooklyn, where he rooted for the rival New York Giants.

[tim_m]

I saw this one coming a mile away best of luck to him though he deserves another chance to manage.