Sunday, July 06, 2003

More Baseball Thoughts

Julie, Jason and I hit a Nashville Sounds game tonight. The Sounds won 7-1 on the strength of John Wasdin's pitching and a couple of timely homers, including a monster shot to center by Randall Simon, who's down from the Pirates on rehab.

We got free tickets. That was awesome! A Little League team (or other such group) had three extra and they gave them to us. I felt like Blanche from Streetcar.

I ate a bratwurst. And a hot dog. And I had a beer. And I didn't have to pay a $50 fine to do it.

Julie ate cotton candy and Jason ate ice cream out of a tiny baseball helmet.

And we were all much calmer afterward. Baseball is very soothing.

Except for the All-Star teams.

I just saw the rosters for the All-Star game, to be played July 15th.

Not good, which is typical of Bud Selig and his contrivances. Not terrible, but definitely not good.

On the American League squad: You cannot tell me that Lance Carter deserves to be the Devil Rays' representative over Rocco Baldelli. And though I hate Frank Thomas, he's having a decent year. And for neither he nor Magglio Ordonez to make the A.L. squad to play in their home park is a little sad for White Sox fans.

This new selection process kind of sucks, I think. The only way this method will work properly is if we abolish the rule where every team has to be represented. Let's make it so that the only team required to be represented is the team hosting the game.

Also: that stuff where Hideki Matsui of the Yankees is voted to start the game is absolute bullcrap. And you can't even call it the stupidity of the fans, unless you're calling the entire nation of Japan stupid. I hate to make it an us vs. them thing, but all of Japan was voting for Ichiro and Matsui, while America was voting for Ichiro and about 12 other people.

But ultimately, it's a fan thing, and it's simply a popularity contest, and there's no sense arguing the winner of a popularity contest.

On the senior circuit: I'm not that impressed with the National League's squad, either. I realize that Dusty and MLB (like Scoscia on the A.L. side) were handcuffed by the selection process and that pesky rule that each team be represented. But neither Armando Benitez nor Mike Williams is an All-Star.

As for the thing where you go to mlb.com and do the E-Topps voting for the 32nd man, I suggest voting for Corey Patterson in the N.L. and Frank Thomas on the A.L. side. I'd never have thought I'd say vote for Thomas, but the SouthSiders are hosting the event. Give 'em some love.

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