2016 MLB Season Thread Baseball • Page 346

Growing up, I collected a ton of baseball cards. I loved poring over players' stats, but I also really enjoyed looking at where players were from as well as their birthdays. I loved finding players with the same birthday as me.

I read a ton of baseball books as a kid. Tons of biographies. I used to get trivia books and quiz myself.

I always went out into the yard as a kid and threw the ball up to myself, mimicing the batting stances of various players, creating game scenarios to play out. It's how I learned to hit left-handed.

One of my favorite traditions was listening to Cubs games on the radio in the car with my dad. Also had the privilege of going to a decent amount of games a year. The best was when my dad would pull me out of school for a day game and I'd gloat to everyone about how I was going to Wrigley.

I spent many summer nights running around U.S. Cellular stadium because my dad had the weekend package of season tickets for the Sox.

Now I just watch tons of baseball on mlb.tv.

 

I have this same exact experience! I used to create trades though too. Some were better than others haha. I'd also call players up from the minors, if I knew any on a team because I went to various minor league games aside from the Tribe.

 

My dad would ALWAYS pull me out early for Opening Day, just long enough so I wouldn't be counted absent haha!

 

I'm not saying Magglio Ordonez is better than George Brett, or that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, but......

and also

Magglio Ordonez goes from MLB star to socialist mayor in one year

 

He was a great hitter, just hard to get that notoriety in that era I think.

 

Marlins got hosed in that Straily deal, what else is new

 

Even as a Cubs fan, I didn't totally hate the "Oh-Wee-Oh, MAGG-Lio" chants

 

I thought Magglio was the coolest as a kid. Him, Frank Thomas, Konerko and Buehrle were the only Sox players I liked.

 

Has the MLB Hall Of Fame always been such a hot topic about who gets in or has just the steroid era caued more attention?

 

Always. Or, at least as long as I've been paying attention. The baseball HOF has always been much more selective than other HOFs. It makes it that much more exclusive, but also seems arbitrary or petty at times. (See: Rob Santo).

 

That's a solid core haha. I wonder how many kids during that late '90's/early aughts era drifted towards the Southsiders because of it. Although, the Cubs had some good squads around that time as well.

 

I will be in DC this weekend protesting Trump/looking for someone I can talk to about Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker not being in the Hall of Fame

 

Probably a decent amount! I always wonder how much of fandom is geographical, how much of it is because of family, etc. My dad has always favored the White Sox, my sister worked for the White Sox in the mid 2000s as a graphic designer, and I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago in White Sox territory, but I always more captivated by the history and allure of the Wrigley and the Cubs, as well as watching Sammy Sosa and Kerry Wood.

 

That's amazing and probably really fucking annoying for Brady. I think we know what the next move is here.

 

Incredibly, Castillo+ for JUST Straily. Who's barely a #5 starter.

 

Late to this, but I'm so glad Pudge got into the HOF. He single-handedly made the Tigers relevant in this city again, and we were lucky to have him here. As much heartbreak as this team gives us over the last few years, we would've continued to be a bottom dwelling team if it wasn't for that signing.

 

cant wait to hear more bullshit 'speed up the game' 'add the DH to NL' takes.

 

Do you know what his actual announcement was?

 

The thing that pops out most to me regarding "making baseball great again" is to allow players to have more personality, specifically as it pertains to their cleats, bats, other accessories like wrist bands or whatever. I understand not allowing players to mess with the actual pants, jersey and hat, but seeing players wear interesting cleats would be so cool. I feel like I see Bryce Harper and Mike Trout receive cool custom cleats all the time, but they can never use them in game.

Also, MLB just has to do a better job with marketing the young stars. It sucks they were dealt a bad hand with Mike Trout since he's the most uninteresting person in the world, but Bryant/Rizzo, Harper, Lindor, Altuve, Syndergaard, Betts, etc are all good personalities that should be touted more.

Also if the players themselves allowed each other to have fun without taking it as a personal affront if someone watches a ball too long or whatever. More Jose Fernandezs, less Brian McCanns.

 

oh missed the part where it said 'am' haha no i didnt. im just guessing

 

i have no problem with the stuff like cleats and whatever (i'm also okay with bat flips/celebrations/etc too), but baseball just isn't star driven sport, and i dont think it necessarily has to be. It's more about the team and having passion for that specific team.

Now with that said, they could still do a better job of putting these players on TV more often with endorsements or whatever.

 

Baseball is increasingly regional, but I'd still like to see the stars marketed more in order to attempt to attract younger viewers. Plus more youth funding. Baseball and hockey are so ridiculously expensive at the youth level.

 

Yeah, I mean, I have no problem putting Jose Altuve on more Subway commercials and letting Jose Bautista throw the bats in stands and having Kershaw host SNL, I just don't want to go too far into the NBA side of things, where it's ALL about the star players and literally nothing else.

And with little league, it's hard. There's just SOOO much competition for younger kids attention that it might be one of those battles you have to accept. Also, with what sounds like a dip in youth football, could be a blessing for little league.