I usually tune in to football starting 4th quarter, you can check internet for time. If it’s exciting, the 4th quarter is enough for me, don’t mind what I missed. If it’s dull, didn’t waste an afternoon.
MLB What Do You Think?
- Thread starter Bengel
- Start date
I kinda thought a shift was any noticeable or large change from traditional positioning of the infield.
And have I not seen four players between 1st and 2nd? (a question, not a statement.....) or the 3rd baseman playing close to second in a sort of ss position. -i.e., on the third base side of second, but closer than the traditional spot of a shortstop.
And have I not seen four players between 1st and 2nd? (a question, not a statement.....) or the 3rd baseman playing close to second in a sort of ss position. -i.e., on the third base side of second, but closer than the traditional spot of a shortstop.
I've never had the time to pursue it on a regular basis, but I've noticed what great baseball games are available at non-MLB level, or even in the minor leagues within the MLB system. The Durham Bulls (N.C.) has a handsome stadium and a good schedule all season, and the baseball itself is as interesting as any (depending on how you feel about that).
But hey, wonderful games are played by amateur adult leagues, high school and college teams, male and female, and little and pony leagues. Some little league games are highly tuned and full of skill and talent. Even when they aren't, the unpredictability provides some amazing moments, better than some afternoons with the professionals.
And of course, sometimes the comic mistakes and saves are worth the watching. The only drawback is you have to track down schedules like a private detective, online or otherwise, since most amateur games receive little public notice. Sometimes, you just randomly check out the parks where they're played and take pot luck.
One of the best soccer (football) games I've seen was a pick-up game in Atlanta with players of all more-or-less adult ages, with no uniforms. I still can't figure out how they knew who was playing in which direction, but it was tight competition with lots of skills in evidence.
But hey, wonderful games are played by amateur adult leagues, high school and college teams, male and female, and little and pony leagues. Some little league games are highly tuned and full of skill and talent. Even when they aren't, the unpredictability provides some amazing moments, better than some afternoons with the professionals.
And of course, sometimes the comic mistakes and saves are worth the watching. The only drawback is you have to track down schedules like a private detective, online or otherwise, since most amateur games receive little public notice. Sometimes, you just randomly check out the parks where they're played and take pot luck.
One of the best soccer (football) games I've seen was a pick-up game in Atlanta with players of all more-or-less adult ages, with no uniforms. I still can't figure out how they knew who was playing in which direction, but it was tight competition with lots of skills in evidence.
In the shift, the third baseman usually goes on the other side of the shortstop. In the examples in the pics, he’s the player nearest the second baseman. Shortstop usually stays closest to his position. But again, there are several variations, and it all depends on a particular hitter spray chart. But generally your middle infielders are your best gloves, and you want them placed wherever the highest chance for the action will be
And yes, it’s either 3 or 4 players on the right side of the infield. When the shift goes to the left side of the infield, it’s only 3 players bc you need to leave your 1B on the right side to get the ground ball out.
Once the shift is banned next season, I expect to see a lot more “small ball” as ground ball base hits will have a greater chance of sneaking by. And of course some of this threat can even be mitigated by positioning middle infielders within their positions or by them playing deeper in their positions. But hitters will have a better chance of poking a hit past 2 guys instead of 3 or 4.
Check this out: I had heard that when you watch a football broadcast, you only actually watch 11-13 minutes of actual football being played. The rest of the game is stoppages or the 40 second play clock running between plays.
I thought NO WAY.
So in 2012 or something, my wife and I watched a Green Bay game with the stopwatch app on the phone and timed it from every snap to every whistle. Sure enough, it was just a little over 11 minutes.
Now I know there’s plenty of important stuff going on before a snap, particularly with players in motion, audibles, etc. But it blew my mind there was only 11 total minutes of action to decide the winners and losers.
Dang I love sports though.
Before they won the Series we saw Baez and Schwarber both play on the A team here in Boise at the same time, then go onto the majors and win with the Cubbies. What is not to like and I am life long Cards fan ?
Speaking of baseball on radio, before TV became universal -- yeah, I go back that far -- my grandfather used to listen to games with a pencil and a shirt cardboard that came back from the cleaners to keep the shirt crisp. He'd use it as a sketch pad to draw a diamond and then track the players on base. I think fans were probably more engaged then. It was never background. When someone got a hit, everyone would lean forward, and there wasn't much conversation that didn't relate to the game.
In my minds eye I can see the picture, from Ken Burns Baseball documentary, of a crowd outside a tavern watching someone place tokens on a board to relay the game to them.
On baseball on radio here is a good article with links at the end
Radio Days: A Treasure Trove of Old-Time Baseball
Tales of a winter spent in aural exploration of the national pastime.
MLB has made a lot of improvements over the past decade to make it a better experience for the fan.
Most of the childish "intent to injure" plays have been removed, particularly spiking into 2nd and the collisions at home plate.
Video challenge has removed the really bad calls from the game that cost teams games.
Analytics and coaching have added a lot of parity to the league.
Steriod a have been removed.
Less tolerance for pitchers throwing at players.
In general I enjoy watching it now more than any time I have watched it in the past and I've been following it for 6 decades now.
Most of the childish "intent to injure" plays have been removed, particularly spiking into 2nd and the collisions at home plate.
Video challenge has removed the really bad calls from the game that cost teams games.
Analytics and coaching have added a lot of parity to the league.
Steriod a have been removed.
Less tolerance for pitchers throwing at players.
In general I enjoy watching it now more than any time I have watched it in the past and I've been following it for 6 decades now.
@dctune
I also timed the action in a football game and came out a bit under 12 minutes.
Also, European football- there's a lot of dead time with the clock running. Delayed throw-ins, lengthy free kick set up, celebrations after a goal, and on and on. One game lost a half hour in a 90 minute game.
Sure there's always "added time" but it never compensates fully for the inactive times of the game.
I also timed the action in a football game and came out a bit under 12 minutes.
Also, European football- there's a lot of dead time with the clock running. Delayed throw-ins, lengthy free kick set up, celebrations after a goal, and on and on. One game lost a half hour in a 90 minute game.
Sure there's always "added time" but it never compensates fully for the inactive times of the game.
I love amateur baseball, whether it’s a local club or high school or college team. Great fun to watch.
i used to listen to games on the radio. My Granddad and I would tune in to hear the Brooklyn Dodgers or the New York Giants ( never the Yankees ). Then the reality of professional baseball reared it’s head and the Dodgers and Giants moved to the west coast. They abandoned thousands of loyal fans for more money. That ended my interest in pro ball.
i used to listen to games on the radio. My Granddad and I would tune in to hear the Brooklyn Dodgers or the New York Giants ( never the Yankees ). Then the reality of professional baseball reared it’s head and the Dodgers and Giants moved to the west coast. They abandoned thousands of loyal fans for more money. That ended my interest in pro ball.
I stopped watching all sports. I haven’t watched MLB since they struck in 1994. Bunch of overpaid out of touch greedy douchebags IMO. I’d rather play sports than watch them. The problem is most of my lardass fellow Americans would rather commit their nights and weekends to watching sports on television. Seems like a waste of time to me. Plus now all these dingdong athletes want to interject their politics into the game. I’m sorry but most of them wouldn’t have passed 10th grade if they weren’t athletes at their high school…and yet I’m supposed to care about their opinion?! If I was hypothetically tuning in it would be for entertainment not politics. It’s almost like mainstream media wanted a new way to spread their poison to those that don’t watch the news. So now sports are dead to me and many I know, a lot of former die-hard fans. Unfortunately the masses will still give their time, money and support to these corrupted institutions.
Hell's bells, I'd rather play them than watch, but except for golf and lawn bowling, ping pong and maybe tennis doubles, I can't play the others now. (not that I ever could play football at a high level, 144 pounds for decades.)
I could shoot, target or trap; do archery and a few other things, but they are not available here that I know of.
I could shoot, target or trap; do archery and a few other things, but they are not available here that I know of.
One can do both. I watch or listen to competition events to see people at the top of any discipline do their thing. A bunch of 40 year olds playing a game of baseball at the local park, while fun, isn’t the same as watching what’s capable at a professional level.
Two different experiences that serve very different objectives.
Two different experiences that serve very different objectives.
You can do both!
Oh, forgot to mention shooting pool and billiards; still can do both. (I don't consider playing cards. dominoes or backgammon as sports.)
Oh, forgot to mention shooting pool and billiards; still can do both. (I don't consider playing cards. dominoes or backgammon as sports.)
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