Major League Baseball does a disservice to the Houston Astros

September 16, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · 1 Comment 

I just want to say that Major League Baseball has done a disservice to the Houston Astros, the hottest team in baseball.

Why do you ask?

Well they sent the Astros to play the Chicago Cubs to play a game in Milwaukee when they were supposed to play in Houston.

Now they couldn’t play in Houston because of Hurricane Ike.  But they could have played the game somewhere else.  Maybe Arlington, anywhere else besides Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is an hour from Chicago.  So who do you think the crowd was rooting for? Not the Astros.  The Cubs dominated them in the first game through a no-hitter by Carlos Zambrano.  They were then one-hit by Lilly the next evening.

Major League Baseball did a disservice to the Astros. They could have handled it a lot better.

Update:  Here is an article from the Denver Post discussing the situation with the Houston Astros, “Bad brew for Astros’ home”.

Major League Baseball, get some better umpires

August 1, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · Comment 

Major League Baseball, please get some better umpires.  In tonight’s game between the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins they blew a couple of calls that cost the Colorado Rockies. Luckily the Rockies now have a 5-0 lead.

The first blown call, Ubaldo Jimenez was up and he foul tipped a ball into the dirt and into the glove of the catcher with two strikes.  It should have been a foul ball, but it wasn’t.  

The umpires were not paying attention and ruled it in out saying the catcher caught the ball.  Even the first base umpire, Bob Davidson who was out of baseball for a while because of misjudgments, didn’t see it hit the dirt called him out.

Give me a break!

It gets even worse.

With a runner on first base and no outs, Garrett Atkins hit one to center field.  The umpire ruled that it was a catch and they doubled off the runner for two outs.  The replays clearly showed that it was a short-hop and not a catch.  

The umpire who was supposed to get into position to see the play from a different angle, didn’t move and wasn’t in the right position.  So when Clint Hurdle came out to question the call, the umpires did the obligatory gathering and still ruled them out.

Umpires never over-rule themselves and will protect the original call.  It is just stupid.

Major League Baseball always keeps secret how they deal with umpires, but that should change.  They need to be open.  They also need to institute instant replay immediately.

The umpires are doing a disservice to the the players, the Game, and the fans.  If Major League Baseball should hold the game to the highest standard, when they have umpires who can’t do the same, they should be gone.  

In the meantime, let the technology help them out and be used in the games. NOW!

The Colorado Rockies stand still on the trading deadline

July 31, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · Comment 

The Colorado Rockies have stood still on the Major League Baseball trading deadline and then proceed to get blown out in Miami by the Florida Marlins.   It is currently 10-1 in the bottom of the fourth.

I am wondering if this was a good thing or not.  Their pitching has been great lately, but the bullpen has blown some games and tonight their starting pitcher didn’t even last two innings.

Nothing is wrong with their offense, but there pitching has been suspect.  In my opinion, it would have been nice if they would have gone out and done something.

But I guess nothing wasn’t there.  Let’s see what happens the rest of the way this season.

ESPN - Papelbon’s pregnant wife reportedly felt threatened

July 15, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · Comment 

ESPN - Papelbon’s pregnant wife reportedly felt threatened - MLB.

I just want to say this is taking a rivalry too far.  You kid, you taunt, you trade barbs, but you never, ever phsically threaten a player or his family.  This just shows how classless the New York fans are.

The Red Sox-Yankee rivalry is a great thing for Major League Baseball, but when people threaten another player on the opposite team, give me a break.

This rivalry doesn’t need any more fuel on this fire and the media in New York should be ashamed.  But the people who should be more ashamed are the people who threatened a pregnant women.

The Colorado Rockies are embarrasing, just plain embarrassing

July 13, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · Comment 

I just want to say the All Star Break couldn’t have come soon enough for the Colorado Rockies.  It has been a horrible first-half.  I don’t think they could have played any worse.

It gets embarrassing because the last two game they played were on National Television, yesterday on Fox Sports and tonight on ESPN, in front of biggest media market of the world, New York City.

The Colorado Rockies, just off a World Series appearance, are now 39-57 and 8.5 games back in the standings.  In the last three games against the New York Mets, they had 11 hits and 1 run.  That is pathetic. Read more

Why you need to pay attention at baseball games…

May 10, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · Comment 

Woman gets stitches after Taveras’ foul ball nails her in face

This is the perfect example of why you need to pay attention when you are at a baseball game. A women sitting behind first base took a foul ball on the chin from Willy Taveras of the Colorado Rockies.

She was checked out at the ballparks first aid station and then taken to the hospital for stitches.

This is why when you are at the baseball game you need to pay attention and possibly take a glove. Balls are coming off that bat extremely fast and have spin on them.

Major League Baseball does its best to protect fans, but it can’t do everything.

Nats Stadium

April 24, 2008 · Filed Under Sports · Comment 


Nats Stadium

Originally uploaded by Mile High Soapbox on Flickr

I am at the Washington Nationals game and it is a nice stadium. Look for a review later.

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