"Leon Lussier" <RedSoxTres8 DeleteThis @webtv.net> wrote in message
news:12003-4699B731-367@storefull-3318.bay.webtv.net...
> In fairness to the second base umpire, he was standing on the other
> side of Glaus. His view was obstructed and he may not have been able to
> clearly see that Dustin missed the tag. Human error happens.
And every means possible should be taken to reduce it and remove it
from the game. Umpires are not a part of the game. Only the players
are a part of the game. Umpires are outside of the game to simply
makes sure that the rules are followed and to make judgement calls.
However, that doesn't mean that technology can't be used to reduce
the number of errors and increase the chances the right call is made.
>I don't
> ever want to see instant replay come to baseball. There are things that
> make baseball unique among all other sports. Why have umpires at all?
> We can just put that annoying ESPN device that Joe Morgan is so in love
> with and have that call the balls and strikes.
> Unlike all other sports, in baseball you can't:
> 1. Hand the ball off to your best player. Jordan carried the Bulls.
> Payton carried the Bears and Orr carried the Bruins. You can't pass the
> ball off to the best player. Manny only comes up once every nine at
> bats and Becket only pitches once every five days.
Baseball is a team game. And while your best, most productive hitters
often do carry the team, the nature of the game is such that you really
need contributions from most of the team to have a productive offense.
After all, your big RBI guys don't drive in runs from empty bases (unless
they hit a solo homer).
Another related thing that I like about baseball is that players are largely
expected to be different. You don't have 9 Manny's or 9 Pedrioa's in
the lineup or on the field. The nature of the game is such that players
of different sizes and abilities tend to better suited to different
positions.
And there's no real minimum size in baseball.
You can be a 5'9" guy and play 2B or SS, and largely no one will be
bothered. It's not like baseketball where a sub 6-footer can only have
a chance if he's lightning fast with exceptional skills, because his lack
of height will always be a liability. Being a little short at 2B or SS is
no real liability. Indeed, it may help you field grounders better than
someone who is particularly tall.
Or you can be a little chunky and stout and you'll be well suited to
being a catcher. Or overly tall but slow, and you might be well suited
to playing 1B or pitcher.
I also like that hitters aren't all expected to be "good" hitters in the
same way. We expect big, strong guys like Manny and Papi to hit
their share of homers. But we don't really expect smaller guys to
be the same sort of hitters as the sluggers. Since offense ison't only
about home runs, smaller players can be productive contributors
with whatever they're capable of hitting. Even a no-power, speedy
slap hitter who lays down the merest of hits, the bunt, can be productive
when he gets a bunt single.
I like that players in baseball can come in different sizes and aren't
expected to be carbon copies of one another!
> 2. Baseball has no clock. Unlike all other sports, you can't kill a
> clock to win a game. Each team gets an equal number of chances to win,
> or lose, a game. What many kids hate about baseball, I love. The
> slowness builds tension and drives me to the verge of a heart attack.
I'm with you here, Leon. People have to remember that baseball
is a summer game. It's intended to be played at a slower pace with
only spurts of activity, rather than being constantly in motion.
> 3. No substitutions. You can't rest your player for later in the game.
> If he's out of the game then he is no longer a factor.
I wouldn't put it this way. But let's also be fair. Baseball isn't as
wearing as other sorts. That is, baseball tends to happen in spurts
and has plenty of opportunity for winded players to catch their breath.
For example, a big guy hits legs out a triple and is winded. If the next
guy
up works the count for a while, it may be a couple or more minutes until
the ball gets put into play and the big guy on third has to move again.
And sometimes, if a hitter or a catcher gets hit by a foul ball,but it's
clearly
not serious enough to warrant the trainers coming out, the ump will almost
always give the player enough time to let the immediate pain pass. Just as
if the ump got hit by the foul ball, the catcher often goes out to talk to
the
pitcher, just to give the ump time to get over the pain.
> 4. No instant replay. What you see is what you get. If you are lucky,
> the umpires will all get together and overturn a bad call. (2004 Game 6
> A.L.C.S anyone?). That is rare indeed. Hopefully, a bad call against
> you today will be a bad call for you tomorrow.
This phenomenon of umpires getting together is only a recent "innovation".
I don't see a lack of IR as a "good thing". I see it as stubborn and
anti-progress.
> It is for this reason that baseball is truly a thinking person's game.
> Long may this game live!
>
Oh, baloney. A lack of IR has got nothing to do with baseball
being a thinking person's game.
Regardless, I do whole-heartedly agree that baseball is a thinking person's
game.
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