For anyone who thought I was a crackpot for accusing the MLB for throwing the games in the White Sox favor, apparently I was right as commissioner Bud Selig even admitted his bias towards the Sox. Even though Houston played about 90% of their home games with their roof closed and had a much better record than with it open, Selig ordered the roof open citing that it would level the playing field. Of course that is code for giving the road team a better chance to win. This was a blatant move to help out the Sox. If Selig wanted a level playing field, why did he let game two be played in the cold in the rain? If fact to “level the playing field” why did they not order Chicago to put a dome over their stadium. If Selig truly want a level playing field, pull a NFL and made the series on a neutral site. And Minute Maid Park was a publicly funded stadium, who is Bud Selig to make that call? If I ran the stadium, right before the game started I would have shut the roof. As much as Selig wants the Sox to win, there is no way he would have made the Astros forfeit because of it or delay the game until the opened it and screw over their television partner in the progress. I hope the Astros organization take a stand and close the roof tonight, permission or not.
Having the roof open did come into play. Even in the most crucial situations, the crowd sounded almost as loud as when Albert Pujols hit his homerun. And on Sportscenter, someone mentioned that when the roof is open, there is a strong current flowing to right field which just happens to be the place both Sox homerun just barely got over the fence. If Crede flies out in the fifth, it’s a different ballgame. Of course if there wasn’t’ a magically shrinking strike zone that inning too (then grew against Ensburg the next inning, then shrunk once again) that might have changed thing too.
So it’s time to add yet another blemish to the Selig Era. This guy has screwed up so many times I’ve lost track. You know it’s never a good when the commissioner has to go on television minutes before a game and explain something which he’s had to do multiple times these playoffs. When was the last time you saw the commissioner for the NFL (whose name I know, I just don’t have any desire to look up to see how to spell it), David Stern (who made a funny comment saying he may make a cloths stiffen cutoff for people who make money just less that Marcus Camby, who made the outrageous request in the fist place), or Gary Bettman having to make statements during their playoffs? So if the Sox end up winning, it will be yet another thing during the Selig Era that will need an asterisk next to it.
As mad as I am about Selig’s unashamed bias, I am even madder at the Astros because they had a legit chance to end it in the bottom of the ninth. I don’t see why you don’t squeeze with your fasted runner at the plate and your second fastest on third. There is no way Taveras is popping up two bunts in one game.
Someone made a comment the other day questioning why exactly why MLB would throw the games for the Sox. A simple two point answer, the simpler being it would be a better story, as seen by last year, having a cursed team finally winning the World Series after almost a century of futility. The more logical reason would be why anyone would do something shady in the country – $. The MLB already has Fox’s money so it really doesn’t matter who’s in the fall classic not to mention viewership has been abysmal in recent years no matter who is playing, Yankees, Red Sox, the Angels in southern California. So it doesn’t really matter who’s in there, MLB will most likely be taking a pay cut in the next negotiations. And since the gate goes to the city, the only place for MLB to make money is on merchandise, which they get a major cut on. And with everyone and their mother (and grandmother, and cousins, etc) in Boston, and New England for that matter, last year picking up World Series memorabilia, they saw a potential of a repeat of that cash cow if the other “cursed” city, Chicago. If the Sox don’t blow it, everyone in Chicago, and that includes a big chuck of Cubs turncoats, will shell out a lot of money for championship money because it was the first in almost a century. Since the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels have all won in recent years, only the die-hards would buy more championship gear.
Not to mention as a Astros fan, I am well aware that many calls went the Astros way (Molina’s phantom tag, LaRussa & Edmonds having legitimate gripes about the strike zone or even getting thrown out in the first place, Selig not caring about a “level playing field”) bring in more money that way with a less rapid fan base buying up their first ever NL Championship gear. So I am well aware things have benefited my team too. Of couse I have no idea why anyone would want to throw a game for fan who beat up women like Craig Biggio’s wife. So Chicago fans beat up women, old dudes (see Tom Gamboa), what’s up next, you gonna beat up somebody’s kid at a game? What a classy town, you guys make Detroit look like alter boys. At least they attack grown men.
And if there is any reason for the MLB to let the Astros win one, there is no better one that if there is no game tomorrow, Fox will be showing the movie Maid in Manhattan and I can’t imagine anyone who could live with themselves for forcing more Jennifer Lopez on the world.
Ah, I see you decided not to take my advice. In that case, you should really see a professional about that before it gets worse.
ReplyDeleteStill, for a guy who has a great drifting blind spot that interferes with the function of their memory and reasoning, you put together a pretty good argument. Sure, it's riddled with self evident contradictions and careful omissions, but the resulting holes in your argument are none too noticeable if your readers are willing to detach themselves from reality.
Only you could make Bud Selig look competent.
Ah, blogs, the new bottle for losers. I'm off to watch Eight Men Out and enjoy my functioning synapses.
Houston Astros Delende Est
You have to be kidding!! It was 71 degrees and sunny. Why would you need the roof closed? So your fans can sound louder? How about clapping? How about slapping a foul ball away instead getting out of Uribe's way? You have a point about the homerun to right....but the idea that you need the roof closed to generate the sort of noise that many stadiums generate organically is pathetic...
ReplyDeleteMLB could have handled this better but roof open or closed...you still get swept. Baseball is an outdoor sport and it should played outdoors whenever possible.
Oh, also, what happened to the umpires? Are they in on the fix anymore, or not? You backpedaled off that argument so fast you've got blisters on your heels.
ReplyDeleteAlso, am I mistaken, or did it rain on both teams in Chicago? I've heard this argument elsewhere, and it makes no sense. The climate in Chicago is for the most part dry, and we just got done with summer. Yet you seem to believe that the rain somehow favored us. Perhaps it rained harder when the Astros were in the field? Puzzling.
Maybe mother nature just hates the Astros.
Also--because it's just fun to poke more holes in your argument--you say that the White Sox's WIN has a better story. In fact, you are mistaken. FOX wouldn't know a good story if it came up and bit them in the ass...which, ironically, is what the white Sox's story did. They could have had cameras in Caracas, in any number of south side bars, in Havana, or in Tokyo. Instead, they had one camera in Jimbo's, I kid you not.
Furthermore, they could have shown one of the most famous images ever taken, the photo of Al Smith and the beer cup falling on his head in the 1959 world series. Here it is:
http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=al+smith+white+sox
Further, they could have referenced the wealth of information about the only team ever to throw a world series, a team that ushered in the end of the dead ball era and the modernization of baseball. They could have referenced Eight Men Out--the movie or the book. They could have referenced "City on the Make" by Nelson Algren or "You know me, Al" by Ring Lardner. They could have referenced work Mike Royko, Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray, or Field of Dreams.
Literally, they had a wealth of information, history, and potential at their hands, and they barely scratched the surface. Disappointing.
Anyhow, back to my point: The astros had a good story as well. This might be the last time the original killer B's play together. Also, an ESPN poll showed that 60% of respondents were rooting for the Astros, making that story a more popular one to sell.
In addition, if the Astros win it, a huge number of people from Texas, a much more populous state than Illinois, will buy World Series memorabilia. Texas has two teams that have never won a world series. With Houston, the nation's fourth largest city, and Texas Rangers fans buying gear, the sales would have been monumental. In addition, a Texas World Series would have given the people what they want (Remember, 6 in 10 were rooting for the Astros) and attracted many casual baseball fans in Texas into being more serious fans. Baseball in Texas could have stolen fans from Nascar, the Texans, and the Cowboys, and baseball fans with only a casual interest would also be hooked.
So Bud Selig would actually be much more intelligent to have broken his own protocols (Remember, he forced the Arizona Diamondbacks to open their dome in the 2001 WS.), which state that weather should determine the status of the roof, and thrown the series to the Astros. Thankfully, he resisted the tremendous potential gain an Astros win offered, and stayed neutral throughout the entire series. The integrity of baseball was preserved, and the best team won. A high mark for Mr. Selig in an otherwise spotty record.
A moment of your time, sir—please. Though it may be harsh, I'm starting a petition to force Major League Baseball to tell the truth: that Brad Lidge and Morgan Ensberg—and possibly others—conspired with gamblers to throw the 2005 World Series. It will be a shame and a black mark on the name of baseball if these two men are allowed to continue to play the game whose name they so licentiously sullied with their abominable play during baseball’s highest games.
ReplyDeleteThis scandal comes at the worst possible time for the future of baseball, as it follows the steroid related suspensions of dozens of players over the minor and major league levels. Baseball must take a strong stance against gambling and fixing games, as this is a shame that is, if possible, deeper than the one that steroids have brought on the game.
But that’s not all: In order to remove the taint, and show that Major League Baseball’s players are of the highest moral fiber, it’s necessary to expel from baseball players who knew the fix was in, and who did nothing to stop it. A lifetime ban from baseball of any kind is the only solution. Harsh as this “Buck Weaver” solution may sound, it is necessary for the game to move on, and to send a message of integrity and honesty to the game’s fan and players. These players who may not have actively fixed the games, but knew the fix was on, include LF/1B Lance Berkman, pitchers Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls, and the team’s manager Phil Garner.
Other players whose incredibly poor performance indicates that they may have been involved: Wandy Rodriguez, who tried as hard as he could to allow as many runs as possible; Brad Ausmus, who threw out not a single runner for the series though he was forewarned the White Sox liked to run; Adam Everett, who did not even hit one fifth of his weight; Jason Lane and Mike Lamb, who combined killed an incalculable number of rallies with strikeouts; and last, Roger Clemens, whose injured hamstring may have been the stuff of fairy tales.
Won’t you please, please sign for the future of baseball, and to force Bud Selig into action? I place this in your hands, knowing that you’ll do the right thing.