World Series Texas vs Arizona

[movesiron]

Predictions? Do you even care?
Sounds strange even saying it. I bet most people can't name half the players on either team.
I've been following the Rangers for some time and they have sucked for a long time.
I didn't expect them to get this far this year.
The one thing it seems with baseball and I would also say with hockey is that all you need to do is get in and if you get hot at the right time, you can go all the way even as a bottom seed. Seems like this happens more with MLB and NHL compared to NFL and NBA.
I got Rangers in 6 (more hoping than anything). I expect craziness.

 

[rechavoc]

Texas in 5

 

[Santa]

It happens now in baseball because they expanded the playoffs, added all the wild cards and they have best of 3, 5 and 7.

Playoff baseball comes down to pitching and timely hitting (which these days just means home runs usually). I doubt the World Series will get the ratings it deserves but the games themselves should be interesting.

I’ll root for Texas since I live here now. I hope it goes 7.

 

[Diesel59]

I bet most people can't name half the players on either team.

This has been the biggest problem facing baseball for quite some time IMO. There are few recognizable stars. If Mike Trout or Juan Soto or Bryce Harper show up at a shopping mall, most people would not recognize them. I imagine the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, etc. would get quite a bit of attention in the same scenario.

When I first got into sports in the early 2000s, MLB still had mainstream stars like Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Manny Ramirez, etc. The league has failed to create new stars since those days, despite having great players.

 

[Santa]

This has been the biggest problem facing baseball for quite some time IMO. There are few recognizable stars. If Mike Trout or Juan Soto or Bryce Harper show up at a shopping mall, most people would not recognize them. I imagine the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, etc. would get quite a bit of attention in the same scenario.

When I first got into sports in the early 2000s, MLB still had mainstream stars like Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Manny Ramirez, etc. The league has failed to create new stars since those days, despite having great players.

Something like 30% or more of the league is foreign born and can’t speak English all that well (not a knock just is). And the American born stars have guaranteed contracts of over 300M+. Those guys have no need to do State Farm commercials or anything like that.

Then you have the unwritten rules of baseball and guys can’t show any emotion after hitting a home run or they get hit and a brawl starts. If they do, they get labeled as cocky, arrogant.

I prefer the juiced up 90’s. Deep down the league does too. When McGwire and Sosa were battling for the Home Run lead ever bar in America tuned in.

Now we get K, K, BB, HR, K. Real exciting.

 

[Diesel59]

Something like 30% or more of the league is foreign born and can’t speak English all that well (not a knock just is).

This is a very fair point. I know Stephen A. Smith has gotten roasted for expressing a similar sentiment but he's right.

There is a reason Nikola Jokic is less marketable than most great players in the NBA, and it's not just his "boring" playing style.

And the American born stars have guaranteed contracts of over 300M+. Those guys have no need to do State Farm commercials or anything like that.

Great point.

Then you have the unwritten rules of baseball and guys can’t show any emotion after hitting a home run or they get hit and a brawl starts. If they do, they get labeled as cocky, arrogant.

I prefer the juiced up 90’s. Deep down the league does too. When McGwire and Sosa were battling for the Home Run lead ever bar in America tuned in.

Now we get K, K, BB, HR, K. Real exciting.

Me too. That was the last time baseball felt like a truly big deal IMO and it was exactly what the sport needed after the 1994 disaster.

What do you think can improve things moving forward?

 

[j2048b]

This is a very fair point. I know Stephen A. Smith has gotten roasted for expressing a similar sentiment but he's right.

There is a reason Nikola Jokic is less marketable than most great players in the NBA, and it's not just his "boring" playing style.



Great point.



Me too. That was the last time baseball felt like a truly big deal IMO and it was exactly what the sport needed after the 1994 disaster.

What do you think can improve things moving forward?

Dodgers need to stop suckin eggs in the playoffs and the rockiee need to quit sellin the house instead of payin players…

Pitch clock was bs… drove them to make crap faster and threw off pitchers…

Sand diego needs to also play up to their paychecks as well…

Not like the old yankees who would pay and get results

And joker (jokic) is boring to watch tbh… i scream at him all the time… he seems so damned slow yet puts up streeetched out numbers due to his stamina

 

[Santa]

What do you think can improve things moving forward?

They need to continue to take the advantage away from the pitcher. The clock has made the game easier to watch, now they need to do more to get the ball in play. Move the mound back or something. Guys are throwing hard and fast. I like watching pitching duels but not every game with dozens of strike outs. Baseball now is walk, strikeout, home run.

I also think the sport is now a rich kids game in America (expensive bats, travel teams, private coaching, etc) or they come from the baseball factories outside of the US. Where all they do is play ball. They need more ‘athletes’ in baseball. I don’t see this changing anytime soon.

 

[kornzpepper]

They need to continue to take the advantage away from the pitcher. The clock has made the game easier to watch, now they need to do more to get the ball in play. Move the mound back or something. Guys are throwing hard and fast. I like watching pitching duels but not every game with dozens of strike outs. Baseball now is walk, strikeout, home run.

I also think the sport is now a rich kids game in America (expensive bats, travel teams, private coaching, etc) or they come from the baseball factories outside of the US. Where all they do is play ball. They need more ‘athletes’ in baseball. I don’t see this changing anytime soon.

What do you think about making the strike zone automated to match the box you see on TV and there is no doubt what is a strike and what is not? Anything not touching the box line or inside the box is a ball.
I hate when umps are inconsistent with their balls and strikes but still I think this may go too far. I can see it coming up though and being seriously considered.

 

[Thrawn]

I do not understand baseball, golf, or curling, so I fall in the idc category.

 

[Santa]

What do you think about making the strike zone automated to match the box you see on TV and there is no doubt what is a strike and what is not? Anything not touching the box line or inside the box is a ball.
I hate when umps are inconsistent with their balls and strikes but still I think this may go too far. I can see it coming up though and being seriously considered.

I prefer the human element of having an umpire call the games. If they’re giving the corners and they’re consistent with it, then swing the bat and make contact/put the ball in play.

I think it would be boring with the strike zone being called by robots. Who are the managers going to yell at?

 

[kornzpepper]

I prefer the human element of having an umpire call the games. If they’re giving the corners and they’re consistent with it, then swing the bat and make contact/put the ball in play.

I think it would be boring with the strike zone being called by robots. Who are the managers going to yell at?

I agree that it would be too much. Also I think it would result in higher scores. Batters wouldn't even bother swinging at borderline pitches because odds would be better that a ball would be called with an automated system.
As it stands now batters have to try and feel out how the balls and strikes are being called. For the most part, I say umps are consistent but there are some bad apples out there that are inconsistent quite often and that is extremely frustrating.

 

[BigChief1]

Holy chet! I had no idea the Rangers were in the series. That’s my home team. Not that I’m a baseball fan. I haven’t turned on the tv in weeks. Glad no bombs got dropped lol

 

[Big_Paul]

I'm still upset the Dodgers folded once again.

 

[rechavoc]

Texas in 5