So, I’m sitting here at the official Slog Bar of Chicago, Bruno and Tim’s, prepping for summer school and watching the Cubs-White Sox game (ah, Interleague Play: boon or bane? Discuss in comments). The Cubs are up 6-3, just got out of the 8th, and the commercial that comes on: the Cubs It Gets Better Project video.
Now, the cynic in me says that this is because ratings are down, it’s the local cable sports network, who cares? Another part of me says: Good for them. They coulda sold another couple 30 second spots for fast food or used cars. Instead, we see some Cubs players and coaches and the out lesbian co-owner sending a positive message to any GLBT kids watching the games with their families, who may or may not know, who may or may not be supportive, who may or may not be bullies—but who are baseball fans. Nice to see.
UPDATE: Cubs Win. Yay. Now a 12-game winning streak would get them back to .500. That would make it better for me.
Meanwhile, the Mariners seem to be hanging around in a weak AL West. The Rangers have played below expectations after last year’s World Series appearance (ie, loss), and the M’s have played over their heads. Insane business at the day job has kept me from much Slogging, but maybe summer school will allow me time to contemplate how the M’s can be winning without Milton Bradley and with Ichiro having his worst season yet.
Boon. Otherwise the Cub and Sox would play every 500 years.
I’m a Seattle guy now but I grew up on the south side, go sox!
I mostly like interleague. Heard one of the realignment proposals would necessitate having the IL games/series spread throughout the season, rather than all concentrated in competition with each other at the same time, which I think would make me like it even more. Mariners really are playing well with a fun, likable team. Games moving along at a fast, competitive pace, etc…
OTOH, really wish all the teams IGB vids would have featured more players (so as to appeal to the youth their targeting. Cubs actually had a couple big names though, which was cool. And probably shouldn’t complain, given they’ve done anything at all.)
This thread is now an official discussion of the usefulness of second guessing the intent behind positive action.
Interleague play is fine, as long as the games don’t count. If the point of the season is to decide the best teams in the league, let them play a balanced schedule against every other team in the league.
Then you’d have a league champion (best record) and could let the top four teams from each league, or top 6, or hell, all of them, play each other in the tournament (“post-season”) to decide the MLB champ.
But that would make too much sense, given that it’s how sports leagues in most sports in every other country in the world arrange matters. Better to have your team’s record against teams outside your division, let alone league, decide division championships, and assume 164 games isn’t enough to actually decide anything beyond that.
(Bonus: say hello to the Mariners, your 2001 American League Champions!)
Interleague play is a good thing. The Marlins playing the Mariners this weekend in Seattle under NATIONAL LEAGUE RULES is even better. Who was the last pitcher to homer in an American League park?
(Oh, and Eric F, there are 162 games in an MLB season. You sound like a soccer fan. This is America, learn the rules.)
@ 6, really? Why are they playing by NL rules in an AL park?
I generally think it’s a good thing, but I come from a city that’s too isolated geographically to have any sort of natural rival. That seems to be the selling point of interleague play – Yankees vs. Mets, White Sox vs. Cubs, Royals vs. Cardinals, Rays vs. Marlins, etc. (Well, that and the chance for our club to play the Red Sox outside of a lopsided World Series.)
162 games. I thought I was off, thanks for the correction. Doug, how many games are there in a Premier League season? I’ll give you a hint: the Premier League has 20 teams (all of which have to earn their place in the league, not just buy one).
@7: Matt, The Marlins – Mariners games had to be moved from Fla to Seattle due to a postponed U2 concert (takes ten days to set up and tear down the staging).
So, although the Fish are coming here they technically are the home team. We play by NL rules and they bat last. Gonna be a total clusterfuck of confusion for the casual fans!
@ 9, that is so weird. Well, hope it’s a fun series. Maybe the teams can even switch dugouts and locker rooms while it’s going on!
Bane. They’re separate leagues for a reason; facing each other in the World Series should be the only “inter-league” game. Also, the All Star Game shouldn’t count.
How are the M’s winning? Pitching…Pitching…. and more Pitching.
Matt — you totally have me laughing, because when I first heard this I was thinking that the Ms should have to use the visitor clubhouse/dugout and the Marlins should get the home team’s digs.
BTW, this is not the only series affected by last years postponed U2 shows. If my memory is right two others series had to be rescheduled and I think one of them was also interleague.
38! You play each team twice, once at home, once away. Best record wins the league. It… makes so much sense.
As a fan, I love interleague, mostly because I love to watch AL pitchers at the plate. In fact, the only part I really find unfair about it is the natural rivalries. Sucks for the teams whose natural rivals are powerhouses, year in and year out. Maybe THOSE games shouldn’t count, except that the local fans in NY, Chicago, Texas, wherever would never stand for it.
As to Ichiro, yes, worst season so far… but he’s 16 for 34 in the last eight games. Back on track.
As a kid, I loved interleague games. There were between 5-8 per season, referred to as the All Star Game and the World Series.
And the M’s are winning for the same reason the Cubs are losing– pitching, fielding, timely offense. Letting the younger quality players do their thing while the overpaid vets take a back seat. That fly ball Alfonso Soriano casually watched fall into the ivy the other night? Sam Fuld would have caught it.
What nothing about your savior Carlos Silva?
Baseball is boring and retarded. Discuss.