GDT: All things Baseball

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Want to eliminate sign stealing? Give the catcher and pitcher headsets.

Or quit whining. Teams have been stealing signals since the dawn of the game. This is just the latest incarnation. Quit playing like it's the next White Sox scandal and make some smart decisions for a change. This just just some hand wringing crybaby bull****.

I agree with you but also agree that as more info comes out it is a bigger deal. Wireless devices on a player’s body that gives them signals from someone off the field (that are illegal) is different than the mind game of figuring out the sign itself and communicating via your own signs. Even football shuts the headsets off at a certain point on the play clock, it’d be bad for them to keep the headset on past that point too.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

OK, it's a little bigger deal, but this is the same sport that let steroids go unchecked for a decade because The Long Ball was good for business, ignoring the fact that encouraging drug use was killing guys like Ken Caminiti. I'm pretty much done with baseball's self righteous nonsense.

 

[HisIceness]

Sounds like a WWE type gimmick, have teams pick their opponents.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Sounds like a WWE type gimmick, have teams pick their opponents.

As a Mariners fan, I both support more playoff spots, yet still know we'd find a way to miss.

 

[Tryamw]

As a Mariners fan, I both support more playoff spots, yet still know we'd find a way to miss.

I'm an Oriole fan. I feel ya

 

[Canes]

As a Mariners fan, I both support more playoff spots, yet still know we'd find a way to miss.

The NHL has had 16 team playoffs forever now and the Canes still found a way to miss out a stupid amount of times, so yeah, truly lost teams most likely won't really benefit.

As for the idea itself:

 

[Navin R Slavin]

don't care

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

Fine, I'll be the contrarian. I like it. Maybe I'd like to see it tested in the minors first, but it's a novel idea. And novel ideas aren't something baseball is known for.

I like that there's an incentive to finish with the best record. And I like how, even if the #1 spot is out of reach, the selection process still gives you an incentive to finish strong.

As for that process, it is slightly gimmicky, but it also sounds like a rivalry builder. Imagine being told, "you look like the easiest out for us, so pack your bags and come play a series in our house." They're going to bring it.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I don't mind it. Even though the single game wild card is entertaining, it really bites to use only one game to determine what happens to two teams after 162 games. I also think more teams should make it, whether this format or something else.

 

[MinJaBen]

When you start doing crazy shit to your playoffs, your league has jumped the shark.

RIP Nascar and Baseball.

 

[WreckingCrew]

When you start doing crazy **** to your playoffs, your league has jumped the shark.

RIP Nascar and Baseball.

These two words should have NEVER gone together

 

[MinJaBen]

These two words should have NEVER gone together

Exactly! And yet, here we are.

 

[Canes]

Fine, I'll be the contrarian. I like it. Maybe I'd like to see it tested in the minors first, but it's a novel idea. And novel ideas aren't something baseball is known for.

No one cares about the minors postseason so a test there wouldn't mean much.

 

[HisIceness]

Saw this, thought it was interesting.

I'm not sure how good or bad Nashville would be for an MLB team, but I would imagine the abundance of tourists would at least help. A team in Charlotte would have to rely pretty heavily on locals and folks from the Triad/Triangle/SC visiting for a weekend or something.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Saw this, thought it was interesting.

I'm not sure how good or bad Nashville would be for an MLB team, but I would imagine the abundance of tourists would at least help. A team in Charlotte would have to rely pretty heavily on locals and folks from the Triad/Triangle/SC visiting for a weekend or something.

bring Tampa or Marlins to Nashville, sure. Add another team, please no.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Never really thought of Nashville for baseball, but it wouldn't be worse than the Florida markets as mentioned.

 

[Svechhammer]

Never really thought of Nashville for baseball, but it wouldn't be worse than the Florida markets as mentioned.

Loria poisoned the well in Miami, but they have potential. I think Tampa is a complete lost cause.

 

[HisIceness]

bring Tampa or Marlins to Nashville, sure. Add another team, please no.

Thing is, I think MLB is hellbent on expanding by two no matter what.

 

[Svechhammer]

Thing is, I think MLB is hellbent on expanding by two no matter what.

I'd love the Triangle to somehow get a team. Much like the Canes, there's plenty of room for growth, and there's a big hole in our summer sports schedule, especially now that the MLS bid pretty much fell through.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Thing is, I think MLB is hellbent on expanding by two no matter what.

I understand this to be true. Baseball is slowly dying but adding two teams is the way to save it.... Manfred is the worst commissioner in sports by a mile, which is saying a lot with Bettman hanging around.

 

[cptjeff]

I understand this to be true. Baseball is slowly dying but adding two teams is the way to save it.... Manfred is the worst commissioner in sports by a mile, which is saying a lot with Bettman hanging around.

Baseball is doing just fine financially, and they'll stop stagnating once they finally get a cap system- actually having more than 10 competitive teams in a year will really help build enthusiasm and thus revenue.

And Bettman is actually a damn good commissioner, IMO. The NHL is the strongest it's ever been these days. Manfred, however- woof. Can't argue with you there.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Baseball is doing just fine financially, and they'll stop stagnating once they finally get a cap system- actually having more than 10 competitive teams in a year will really help build enthusiasm and thus revenue.

And Bettman is actually a damn good commissioner, IMO. The NHL is the strongest it's ever been these days. Manfred, however- woof. Can't argue with you there.

The MLBPA is thoroughly against a cap system.

baseball is doing okay financially but it is slowly losing interest. It will continue to lose interest as the boomers start getting too old. The tradition factor will fade.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I'd love the Triangle to somehow get a team. Much like the Canes, there's plenty of room for growth, and there's a big hole in our summer sports schedule, especially now that the MLS bid pretty much fell through.

The DBAP could be expanded to hold 30k. Maybe Tampa and Durham could switch places.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Tampa is moving to Montreal so the Blue Jays can have 20 extra home games a year.

I'm not salty ur salty

 

[cptjeff]

The MLBPA is thoroughly against a cap system.

baseball is doing okay financially but it is slowly losing interest. It will continue to lose interest as the boomers start getting too old. The tradition factor will fade.

The NHLPA was thoroughly against a cap system, too.

You know how baseball can create new fans? Excitement in lots of different markets. If your team goes on a run, people get interested. Oh, and appeal to Latinos in certain cities with huge latino populations by implementing a salary floor along with the cap. If you can even just make the Marlins relevant you can grow by your fanbase a couple percentage points.

MLB may stagnate a while, but it'll still be a major player for a very, very long time.