MLB attendance for the 2018 season thus far has been well below the Mendoza line. Boasting just 27,328 per game,
attendance is down 6.6% from this date last year and 8.6% overall. You
don’t have to be a sabermetrics savant to know that this is the baseball
equivalent of an 11.50 ERA.
(BroBible.com)
Showing posts with label mlb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mlb. Show all posts
Friday, June 8, 2018
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Monday, August 28, 2017
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
I Ask, Does Anyone Still Care?
Now in its fourth season, there's no end in sight for the Dodgers' TV blackout
There is no end in sight to the dispute between DirecTV and Charter Communications, which inherited the mess when it bought Time Warner Cable. (Charter sells cable service under the Spectrum brand name.)
This is the fourth season of the Dodgers’ television blackout. The team has won the National League West in each of the previous three seasons. Meanwhile the team-owned SportsNet LA channel that carries the games has been unavailable in millions of homes in Southern California that don’t have Spectrum.
How many fans switched to Spectrum in April and May after the 10-game KTLA package?
Charter won’t say.
Charter is pitching Spectrum as the only place to see the Dodgers — “No Spectrum? No Dodgers!” — in its advertising. Are there a lot of Dodgers fans that have not switched?
Yes. The KTLA broadcasts were seen in an average of 105,000 DirecTV households and another 20,000 AT&T U-Verse households — in sum, half again as many households as see an average SportsNet LA broadcast. (AT&T is the parent company of DirecTV.)
Until DirecTV loses a critical mass of subscribers because it does not air the Dodgers, industry analysts say, there is little incentive for the company to pay Charter for the right to carry SportsNet LA.
So none of those Dodgers fans have complained to DirecTV about missing their team on TV?
Sure they have. They might even threaten to switch to Spectrum. But, whether the fans do not actually want to deal with the hassle of changing providers, or whether DirecTV persuades them to stay by giving them free NFL Sunday Ticket or other goodies, the bottom line is that too few have switched to affect DirecTV’s bottom line.
How did the Dodgers get into this mess?
Time Warner Cable agreed to pay the Dodgers a record $8.35 billion over 25 years in exchange for the exclusive right to sell SportsNet LA to other cable and satellite providers. But no carrier besides TWC and Charter agreed to carry SportsNet LA, with DirecTV the most prominent outlet to just say no.
Are the fans stuck with this contract for the next 21 years? Are the Dodgers exploring how they can modify the deal, or walk away from it in search of a deal that would end the blackout?
The Dodgers say it’s premature to conclude this deal doesn’t work if DirecTV won’t negotiate in what the team considers good faith.
(LATimes.com)
There is no end in sight to the dispute between DirecTV and Charter Communications, which inherited the mess when it bought Time Warner Cable. (Charter sells cable service under the Spectrum brand name.)
This is the fourth season of the Dodgers’ television blackout. The team has won the National League West in each of the previous three seasons. Meanwhile the team-owned SportsNet LA channel that carries the games has been unavailable in millions of homes in Southern California that don’t have Spectrum.
How many fans switched to Spectrum in April and May after the 10-game KTLA package?
Charter won’t say.
Charter is pitching Spectrum as the only place to see the Dodgers — “No Spectrum? No Dodgers!” — in its advertising. Are there a lot of Dodgers fans that have not switched?
Yes. The KTLA broadcasts were seen in an average of 105,000 DirecTV households and another 20,000 AT&T U-Verse households — in sum, half again as many households as see an average SportsNet LA broadcast. (AT&T is the parent company of DirecTV.)
Until DirecTV loses a critical mass of subscribers because it does not air the Dodgers, industry analysts say, there is little incentive for the company to pay Charter for the right to carry SportsNet LA.
So none of those Dodgers fans have complained to DirecTV about missing their team on TV?
Sure they have. They might even threaten to switch to Spectrum. But, whether the fans do not actually want to deal with the hassle of changing providers, or whether DirecTV persuades them to stay by giving them free NFL Sunday Ticket or other goodies, the bottom line is that too few have switched to affect DirecTV’s bottom line.
How did the Dodgers get into this mess?
Time Warner Cable agreed to pay the Dodgers a record $8.35 billion over 25 years in exchange for the exclusive right to sell SportsNet LA to other cable and satellite providers. But no carrier besides TWC and Charter agreed to carry SportsNet LA, with DirecTV the most prominent outlet to just say no.
Are the fans stuck with this contract for the next 21 years? Are the Dodgers exploring how they can modify the deal, or walk away from it in search of a deal that would end the blackout?
The Dodgers say it’s premature to conclude this deal doesn’t work if DirecTV won’t negotiate in what the team considers good faith.
(LATimes.com)
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Monday, February 20, 2017
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
That's A Damn Good Question
Which 16-year dynasty reigns supreme: Patriots or Yankees?
The New England Patriots have defied nearly everything about the NFL, especially its insistence that championship-level teams get dragged back to the pack sooner rather than later. For 16 years they have outperformed and outsmarted a system built around parity and equal opportunity, inspiring fans to search for a modern equivalent in a different sport.
When it comes to all things New England, New York is the first and last place to look for a rival. And in this case, the 1996-2011 New York Yankees belong in the conversation with the 2001-2016 Patriots.
Scott Pioli/Nick Caserio vs. Brian Cashman
This is a tough one to call, given Belichick's final say in personnel. Both sides have had their hits and misses, though high-schoolers' eligibility makes pre-draft evaluations in baseball tougher. Pioli didn't succeed while running his own program in Kansas City but has bounced back to help another former Patriots staffer, Thomas Dimitroff, put the Falcons in the Super Bowl. (Caserio has yet to go out on his own.) Cashman gets credit for four of the Yanks' five titles (he was Bob Watson's assistant for this first one), for weathering Boss Steinbrenner's storms, for flying solo in New York for such a long time and for transitioning to a promising Yankees youth movement without suffering a losing season along the way. He has had significant financial advantages over his football counterparts and, for the most part, he has taken advantage of them. Edge: Yankees
Kraft vs. George/Hal
Kraft made it to seven of his eight Super Bowls in the designated 16-year period, and the Steinbrenners made it to seven of their 11 World Series in theirs. George Steinbrenner is best-known as a founding father of free agency, even as an impetuous owner who twice got himself banned from baseball, once for life (though he was later reinstated). Whereas Torre had to manage Steinbrenner's personality in the post-suspension phase of George's reign, Kraft has been the one to soften Belichick's rough edges, accept his quirks and give him the requisite space to lead as he sees fit. Kraft saved the Patriots from moving to St. Louis in the 1990s and then found his sweet spot as an owner after feuding unnecessarily with former coach Bill Parcells. Steinbrenner could be an obstacle between the Yanks and winning. But for the Patriots, two years ago, when Kraft marched into New England's first Super Bowl news conference and set a defiant and helpful Deflategate tone for the week, Kraft removed an obstacle between the Patriots and ring No. 4. Edge: Patriots
(ESPN.com)
The New England Patriots have defied nearly everything about the NFL, especially its insistence that championship-level teams get dragged back to the pack sooner rather than later. For 16 years they have outperformed and outsmarted a system built around parity and equal opportunity, inspiring fans to search for a modern equivalent in a different sport.
When it comes to all things New England, New York is the first and last place to look for a rival. And in this case, the 1996-2011 New York Yankees belong in the conversation with the 2001-2016 Patriots.
Scott Pioli/Nick Caserio vs. Brian Cashman
This is a tough one to call, given Belichick's final say in personnel. Both sides have had their hits and misses, though high-schoolers' eligibility makes pre-draft evaluations in baseball tougher. Pioli didn't succeed while running his own program in Kansas City but has bounced back to help another former Patriots staffer, Thomas Dimitroff, put the Falcons in the Super Bowl. (Caserio has yet to go out on his own.) Cashman gets credit for four of the Yanks' five titles (he was Bob Watson's assistant for this first one), for weathering Boss Steinbrenner's storms, for flying solo in New York for such a long time and for transitioning to a promising Yankees youth movement without suffering a losing season along the way. He has had significant financial advantages over his football counterparts and, for the most part, he has taken advantage of them. Edge: Yankees
Kraft vs. George/Hal
Kraft made it to seven of his eight Super Bowls in the designated 16-year period, and the Steinbrenners made it to seven of their 11 World Series in theirs. George Steinbrenner is best-known as a founding father of free agency, even as an impetuous owner who twice got himself banned from baseball, once for life (though he was later reinstated). Whereas Torre had to manage Steinbrenner's personality in the post-suspension phase of George's reign, Kraft has been the one to soften Belichick's rough edges, accept his quirks and give him the requisite space to lead as he sees fit. Kraft saved the Patriots from moving to St. Louis in the 1990s and then found his sweet spot as an owner after feuding unnecessarily with former coach Bill Parcells. Steinbrenner could be an obstacle between the Yanks and winning. But for the Patriots, two years ago, when Kraft marched into New England's first Super Bowl news conference and set a defiant and helpful Deflategate tone for the week, Kraft removed an obstacle between the Patriots and ring No. 4. Edge: Patriots
(ESPN.com)
Monday, August 1, 2016
Why I Read MMQB Religiously #2
h. One other football connection to that Aaron home run. Al Downing of the Dodgers threw the pitch. In New Jersey American Legion baseball more than a half-century ago, in a game in Trenton, Downing gave up two home runs to a northern New Jersey baseball prospect … Bill Parcells.
(MMQB.SI.com)
(MMQB.SI.com)
Why I Read MMQB Religiously #1
“I’m not blowing smoke … Everybody we touch gets better.”
—Tom House, the off-season quarterback tutor and mechanics coach for 13 projected NFL starting quarterbacks this year, to Albert Breer of The MMQB, in a video story we’ll post this week on this site. I’ve seen it, and it’s a really good, insightful look at the Brees/Brady-whisperer in SoCal.
Football quiz of the week: House pitched for eight big-league seasons in the ’70s as a reliever. He was 29-23 in a nondescript career for Atlanta, Seattle and Boston. But he is most famous for a catch he made in 1974. What, far and away, is Tom House most famous for? (Answer below in No. 10 of 10 Things I Think.)
g. Answer to Tom House quiz. (See Quote of the Week II.) On April 8, 1974, House was in the Atlanta bullpen when teammate Hank Aaron came to the plate against the Dodgers. At that moment, Aaron and Babe Ruth were tied for the all-time home-run lead, with 714 homers. Aaron hit a home run over the left-centerfield fence—and the ball fell right into the glove of House. Yes, Tom House, a relief pitcher, caught one of the most famous home runs (maybe the most famous home run) of all time.
(MMQB.SI.com)
g. Answer to Tom House quiz. (See Quote of the Week II.) On April 8, 1974, House was in the Atlanta bullpen when teammate Hank Aaron came to the plate against the Dodgers. At that moment, Aaron and Babe Ruth were tied for the all-time home-run lead, with 714 homers. Aaron hit a home run over the left-centerfield fence—and the ball fell right into the glove of House. Yes, Tom House, a relief pitcher, caught one of the most famous home runs (maybe the most famous home run) of all time.
(MMQB.SI.com)
Friday, July 29, 2016
The Top 10 Is Lefty Heavy
All-Time #MLBRank, Nos. 10-1
1. Babe Ruth
4. Ted Williams
5. Barry Bonds
6. Mickey Mantle
7. Lou Gehrig
8. Ty Cobb
10. Stan Musial
Complete list (ESPN.com)
1. Babe Ruth
4. Ted Williams
5. Barry Bonds
6. Mickey Mantle
7. Lou Gehrig
8. Ty Cobb
10. Stan Musial
Complete list (ESPN.com)
Monday, July 25, 2016
Did They Choose The Right Pair From Your Team? - NL Edition
Picking best Hall of Fame position player/pitcher pair for each NL team
Los Angeles Dodgers
Position Player: Jackie Robinson (1947–56)
Pitcher: Sandy Koufax (1955–66)
Robinson boldly crashed through the game's longstanding color barrier in 1947 and sparked the Dodgers to six pennants in 10 seasons, including their only championship in Brooklyn in '55. In that 10-season span, only Stan Musial and Ted Williams outdid his 61.5 WAR, and nobody outdid his courage. Koufax, meanwhile, took a while to harness his control, but from 1962 to '66, he put together one of the most dominant runs in pitching history. He lead the NL in ERA five straight times, threw four no-hitters, won three Cy Young awards, helped the Dodgers to three championships and set a single-season strikeout record (382 in 1965) before walking away at age 30 due to arthritis in his left elbow.
Complete list (SI.com)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Position Player: Jackie Robinson (1947–56)
Pitcher: Sandy Koufax (1955–66)
Robinson boldly crashed through the game's longstanding color barrier in 1947 and sparked the Dodgers to six pennants in 10 seasons, including their only championship in Brooklyn in '55. In that 10-season span, only Stan Musial and Ted Williams outdid his 61.5 WAR, and nobody outdid his courage. Koufax, meanwhile, took a while to harness his control, but from 1962 to '66, he put together one of the most dominant runs in pitching history. He lead the NL in ERA five straight times, threw four no-hitters, won three Cy Young awards, helped the Dodgers to three championships and set a single-season strikeout record (382 in 1965) before walking away at age 30 due to arthritis in his left elbow.
Complete list (SI.com)
Friday, July 22, 2016
Dodger Pitchers Own 2 Hallowed MLB Records
The Dodgers and baseball’s unbreakable streaks
Fifty-nine. Eighty-four.
Those numbers represent [two] of baseball’s most unbeatable streaks — Orel Hershiser’s scoreless-innings run, Eric Gagné’s consecutive saves record
(MLBBlogs.com)
Fifty-nine. Eighty-four.
Those numbers represent [two] of baseball’s most unbeatable streaks — Orel Hershiser’s scoreless-innings run, Eric Gagné’s consecutive saves record
(MLBBlogs.com)
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Did They Choose The Right Pair From Your Team? - AL Edition
Picking best Hall of Fame position player/pitcher pair for each AL team
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
As for position players: Someday, Mike Trout could rank as the Angels' signature Hall of Famer, but until then, the spot is occupied by Carew, who spent the last seven seasons of his career in Anaheim. There, he made six All-Star teams and two postseason appearances and collected his 3,000th hit in 1985.
Complete list (SI.com)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Position Player: Rod Carew, 1B (1979–85)
- Pitcher: Nolan Ryan (1972–79)
As for position players: Someday, Mike Trout could rank as the Angels' signature Hall of Famer, but until then, the spot is occupied by Carew, who spent the last seven seasons of his career in Anaheim. There, he made six All-Star teams and two postseason appearances and collected his 3,000th hit in 1985.
Complete list (SI.com)
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
There's A New Career Leader
Ichiro Suzuki collects 4,257th hit, says record not an intended goal
SAN DIEGO -- Ichiro Suzuki doubled in the ninth inning on Wednesday off San Diego Padres reliever Fernando Rodney for his 4,257th hit spanning the Japanese and North American major leagues, surpassing Pete Rose's record total in Major League Baseball.
(ESPN.com)
SAN DIEGO -- Ichiro Suzuki doubled in the ninth inning on Wednesday off San Diego Padres reliever Fernando Rodney for his 4,257th hit spanning the Japanese and North American major leagues, surpassing Pete Rose's record total in Major League Baseball.
(ESPN.com)
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
The Results Are Not Too Suprising
Why Basketball Runs in the Family
A new WSJ study finds 48.8% of players are related to an elite athlete—that number is 17.5% for the NFL and 14.5% for MLB
(WallStreetJournal.com)
A new WSJ study finds 48.8% of players are related to an elite athlete—that number is 17.5% for the NFL and 14.5% for MLB
(WallStreetJournal.com)
Monday, May 23, 2016
I Hope This Change Gets Approved
MLB could see changes to strike zone, intentional walks
The four throws outside of the strike zone that signal an intentional walk may be done away. Under the proposed changes, a team may soon be able to signal to the umpire its intention to walk a batter and immediately send him to first base.
(SI.com)
The four throws outside of the strike zone that signal an intentional walk may be done away. Under the proposed changes, a team may soon be able to signal to the umpire its intention to walk a batter and immediately send him to first base.
(SI.com)
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
I Feel Ya On This, Buddy
Five Questions with Kenny Albert
Calling four games from three sports in five days nothing new to Rangers, NHL announcer
You throw in baseball every now and again to this, so do you ever catch yourself wondering where you are, making the wrong call, those types of moments?
"Once in a while, you lose track of the hotel room you're in. I never used to forget, but now I do have to carry the little card around they give you with the room number on it. That's the biggest thing. You just have to be organized and get ahead.
(NHL.com)
Calling four games from three sports in five days nothing new to Rangers, NHL announcer
You throw in baseball every now and again to this, so do you ever catch yourself wondering where you are, making the wrong call, those types of moments?
"Once in a while, you lose track of the hotel room you're in. I never used to forget, but now I do have to carry the little card around they give you with the room number on it. That's the biggest thing. You just have to be organized and get ahead.
(NHL.com)
Thursday, April 28, 2016
One Of The Most Impressively Confusing Baseball Sequences Ever
Chicago White Sox Pull Off 9-3-2-6-2-5 Triple Play Against The Rangers
On Friday night, the Chicago White Sox were able to pull off a 9-3-2-6-2-5 against the Texas Rangers mostly because the Rangers had a brain fart and forgot how to run the bases.
Video link (BroBible.com)
On Friday night, the Chicago White Sox were able to pull off a 9-3-2-6-2-5 against the Texas Rangers mostly because the Rangers had a brain fart and forgot how to run the bases.
Video link (BroBible.com)
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