On Tap Today: Giving away Opening Day
-
- March
- 25
Opening Day. Boston and Oakland. In Japan.
I don’t care if MLB wants to play overseas. But, Opening Day used to be special. It was something you looked forward to with anticipation.
In the interest of padding its coffers, MLB just gave away something that was unique to its sport.
Now, the start of the season is no different than that of basketball and hockey.
Big yawn.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 8:36 am by John Delcos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Print This Post
| 
Advertisement
I agree with you.
Just another one of Bud Seligs’ bad choices.
Building the game on a world wide basis is not a bad thing. Baseball ruined opening day when they made the traditional opener in Cincy and DC, later Baltimore, non-entities. Since they had already ruined opening day this is irrelevant….
But what is relevant is the Red Sox organization that I see is being debated elsewhere on this site. The mix of vets and kids just never ends. Their RF JD Drew is hurt, boom, the Red Sox have another fresh kid to step in, no problems, first HR… couldn’t get smile off his face. In Mets land players are chastised for showing their joy of an accomplishment. Minaya/Randolph are worried our kids will show up the other team. The Red Sox care about themselves.
Agreed that opeining day ceased being special when it was moved from Cincy and DC/Baltimore. The Opening day that is special is your team’s home opener. That they cannot take away.
Quite frankly I didn’t realize the game was today. But isn’t revenue and attendance at record levels? People may not like old traditions being cast aside but they are still going to games.
This may not fit anyplace but how many of us have looked back to 2007 and say how proud we were that Tom Glavine won his 300th game in a Met uniform? The odds are against Randy Johnson’s back holding up for him to make it. It may be 15 or 20 years until we get another 300 game winner. But I think of Glavine’s and the Mets last game.
Time begins on opening day—but not when it’s like 12 time zones away!
Growing the game is good, but Japan is already big on baseball. Next year: Opening Day in Johannesburg?
It’s got to play havoc on the body to go all the way over there. And then come back to the U.S. for more spring training games? Just dumb.
What the heck. I’m just glad MLB didn’t send the Mets to Japan.
I hate this whole globalization kick, and am just glad that the Mets didn’t draw the short straw and have to play in Japan this season. I already woke up at 6am to watch the Mets play in Japan once (Benny Agbayani walk-off, anybody?), and I’d rather not have to do it again.
The Only way this would have been worthwhile is to fly all of Red Sox Nation to Japan and not allow them back in this country, along with their team. Let the Red Sox play all 162 games in Tokyo. Then it might be a good thing. Otherwise, I agree with your sentiment on this issue.
They’ve done this twice already, so opening day was lost back in 2000 if not earlier. The espn sunday night game ‘before’ opening day is just another sign baseball doesnt care about tradition, but then the DH and the wild card are much bigger offenses if you are a traditionalist…
its not like any of them are going back to the way it was.
Another sell-out idea for MLB. It’s the same kind of crap that turned me away from baseball for years.
Selig needs to go. Having a tie in the all-star game? Bringing congress into baseball over drugs? I know my job doesn’t bring congress into drug testing. (it was the strike backing in the 90s that did it in for me) Plus he’s a Brewers fan. Why do we have a Commissioner who is a fan of one team?
All this integrity talk is bogus. It comes down to money.
Why didn’t they just call this game another exhibition (as an extension to spring training)? I guess that would make sense.
DH is lame too. Since when should a pitcher not have his whacks at the plate too? He fields but doesn’t provide offense? (very one sided). They either have both leagues have DH or none at all (which I prefer none at all)
When I was kid, fielding was much more of chore (for lack of better word). In little league I wasn’t like “wow I can’t to get out there and field me some grounders and pop flys” It was more like “I can’t wait to get a piece of this pitcher and kick his ass.” While pitching was fun. Batting was always better.
To me having the DH is the only reason why the AL is stronger than the NL. AL have a bunch of pitching sissies.
I can see the need for a Wild Card because it looks like that comes down to statistics in terms of team elimination.
Not a Selig fan, but rebels comments on off the mark:
1. Having a tie in an All Star game: The first tie was way before Selig was Commish, and the game doesn’t count. Selig added a tad of meaning to the game after the tie.
2. Bringing congress into baseball: Do you think Selig asked for it? Don’t beleive it was his first ot ten thousanth choice.
3. Why didn’t they call this game another exhibition: Because this game counts in the standings..
4. DH is lame: Did Selig make the DH rule? NO. Under what commish did MLB offer to eliminate the DH in return for larger roster’s but have it turned down in collective bargaining. UNDER SELIG…. Would you want a lockout over the DH??