For those MLBaseball season ticket holders out

[FirefightnRick]

Someone explain to me, now that the professional U.S. baseball players have embarrassed themselves before the world, why it is that anyone would pay $25 a ticket to watch a bunch of overpaid, lazy, strike-talking-every-3-year bunch of crybaby's play baseball when their brand of the sport is now not even the 3rd best version in the world?

I can stomach losing to Mexico like tonight, or Puerto Rico or Cuba or any of the central american region countries because baseball is now so deeply rooted into their culture, even though those countries don't have the massive farm programs and hundreds of well financed colleges to pull talent from as the U.S. has. But to lose to South Korea and Canada? Does Canada even have 3 months of summer to play ball in?

This will be my 6th year straight that I will refuse to pay to attend a MLB game. Without a salary cap and rising ticket prices the league will continue to spiral downward. I refuse to pay to see it happen.

Rick

[NorthTexan95]

Someone explain to me, now that the professional U.S. baseball players have embarrassed themselves before the world, why it is that anyone would pay $25 a ticket to watch a bunch of overpaid, lazy, strike-talking-every-3-year bunch of crybaby's play baseball when their brand of the sport is now not even the 3rd best version in the world?

I can stomach losing to Mexico like tonight, or Puerto Rico or Cuba or any of the central american region countries because baseball is now so deeply rooted into their culture, even though those countries don't have the massive farm programs and hundreds of well financed colleges to pull talent from as the U.S. has.  But to lose to South Korea and Canada?   Does Canada even have 3 months of summer to play ball in?

This will be my 6th year straight that I will refuse to pay to attend a MLB game.  Without a salary cap and rising ticket prices the league will continue to spiral downward.  I refuse to pay to see it happen.

Rick

←

And last year Kansas City swept the Yankees. The point is that in a short series any team can win.

Over paid? All professional athletes as well as many other professions are over paid.

Lazy? Few players who make it to the major leagues are lazy. Most never make it. Most who do have to work their butts off to stay there.

Not even the third best version? MLB is still the greatest professional basebal league in the world -- and second place is far, far behind.

Edited March 17, 2006 by NorthTexan95

[FirefightnRick]

And last year Kansas City swept the Yankees.  The point is that in a short series any team can win. 

Over paid?  All professional athletes as well as many other professions are over paid. 

Lazy?  Few players who make it to the major leagues are lazy.  Most never make it.  Most who do have to work their butts off to stay there.

Not even the third best version?  MLB is still the greatest professional basebal league in the world -- and second place is far, far behind.

←

Short series or not, everyone has had to play the same amount games. The U.S. finished 3-3 including loses to South Korea and..Canada for crying out loud. That's Canada!?!?

Yes, overpaid. No one is worth what the Rangers paid A rod. His career in Texas will be most remembered by how much he was paid, not what he did here. Yes, many pro athletes are overpaid, but most have to work every day. In baseball the pitchers don't even have to suit up but once ever 3 to 5 days to perform. And it seems more and more these days players in baseball get a pass with a pulled hang nail and continue in the league for many many years while doing it. The average pro football carreer is less than 3 or 4 years. There are million dollar pitchers who have played in the minors longer than that. It's pathetic.

Make all the excuses you like but right now, the U.S. pro baseball player is not even the third best worldwide. And if Mexico gets dropped in Pool play, what does that make the U.S.?

Canada??????????

Rick

Edited March 17, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

Canada??????????

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If I remember correctly, Canada is very pleasant during the summer

[Green92]

All star teams suck. Any one of the MLB teams as a whole team would have cleaned up. Same with basketball. Any one of our NBA teams would kill the rest of the world. We have to put together these all star teams and they don't work.

All professional athletes in the major sports are over paid. Baseball just looks worse because there is very little running involved and they seem to miss weeks on end because of strange injuries. Oh well. It was very embarrassing to lose to Canada.

[Eagle-96]

Someone explain to me, now that the professional U.S. baseball players have embarrassed themselves before the world, why it is that anyone would pay $25 a ticket to watch a bunch of overpaid, lazy, strike-talking-every-3-year bunch of crybaby's play baseball when their brand of the sport is now not even the 3rd best version in the world?

I can stomach losing to Mexico like tonight, or Puerto Rico or Cuba or any of the central american region countries because baseball is now so deeply rooted into their culture, even though those countries don't have the massive farm programs and hundreds of well financed colleges to pull talent from as the U.S. has.  But to lose to South Korea and Canada?   Does Canada even have 3 months of summer to play ball in?

This will be my 6th year straight that I will refuse to pay to attend a MLB game.  Without a salary cap and rising ticket prices the league will continue to spiral downward.  I refuse to pay to see it happen.

Rick

←

So by that logic you are saying that:

Sweden has the best hockey league in the world?

Brazil has the best soccer league in the world?

Argentina has the best basketball league in the world?

Edited March 17, 2006 by Eagle-96

[FirefightnRick]

All star teams suck.   Any one of the MLB teams as a whole team would have cleaned up.   Same with basketball.   Any one of our NBA teams would kill the rest of the world.   We have to put together these all star teams and they don't work.

←

What MLB team ISN'T an All-Star team, especially the ones from the big markets? Chicago, the current WS Champions are showing 6 players on their current 40 man roster that's been with the White Sox for more than 2 years prior to the upcoming '06 season. Just in the past week and a half they have "Optioned" or "Moved" 18 players up and down, over there, over hear. I don't see how people can even keep up with it or even be a "Fan" of nothing more than the uniform, since that and the arrangement of the parking lot is the only thing that doesn't change. In these world events such as this baseball classic, unless I'm mistaken, everyone has to put together an allstar team just like we do. Same with basketball. Speaking of...

There was a good report on ESPN prior to the last Olympics about how poor U.S. youth basketball has become because of the lack of good skills displayed by U.S athletes. It mentioned that the previous(of that year) NBA draft had 3 European players among the top...5? or something like that. It also included interveiws of professional European basketball association leaders who gave several indicators why they do not look for U.S. talent out of college like they used to due to the lack of skills by our athletes. Ironically, that was followed up by the dismal showing by the U.S. in the Olympics later on that year that included a loss to Venezuela.

Rick

Edited March 17, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[gksmith]

As for the knock against baseball players not being athletic, I disagree. As with any sport, it takes talent to play the game. It takes talent to hit the baseball where you want 30% of the time, throw it to make it curve/speed up/slow down or get it to go 90+ MPH for 5-7 innings, judge a fly ball correctly 95% of the time, or snag a line drive that is out of reach for most, or having the speed to run 90 feet from first to second in about 4 seconds (the time it takes the ball to leave the pitcher’s hand to the catcher and the catcher throw it to second base). There are a lot of other talents that I didn’t list because of space.

As for the economics of baseball, I hate the fact there is no salary cap. For the sheer interest of having a level playing field for all teams there should be a cap. Right now, on a consistent basis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay will not be able to vie for a championship with New York Yankees, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Boston. Every once in a while a small market team makes it to the playoffs and even wins. It is “one and done.” Small market teams have little to look forward to normally.

The economics of all sports is a bit off. Right now, baseball is the cheapest ticket around. Any seats for football, basketball, or hockey are very over priced – over $100 for 4 bad seats. I don’t have $50 - $100 to drop on a professional sporting event (that is food, parking, and 2 tickets for the wife and me).

Granted, athletes have a small window of opportunity to earn enough money to last a lifetime (or enough of a lifetime), and you want them to be able to be “professional athletes” and not have to work a separate job in the off season (the way it was before 1940s or 50s). But there is something drastically wrong when anyone in this country can’t live on $300,000/year (I think that is below league minimum for any of the four major sports).

Don’t think that owners are ‘saints” either. Jerry Jones is not all that different from all sports franchise owners. Jerry just won the lottery getting the city of Arlington to build him a new stadium. Jerry held Dallas, Irving and the whole area hostage for a while. “Build me a stadium or I’ll move the team.” How different is that from the baseball migration to the west coast of the Dodgers and Giants, the Colts move to Indianapolis in football (literally sneaking off like a thief in the night from Baltimore) and the Raiders move from Oakland to Los Angeles and back, the Cardinals to Arizona or the Rams to St. Louis, the hockey moves to Arizona and Carolina, (fortunately basketball hasn’t had a shuffle like this in a while).

There is a happy medium in there somewhere but athletes and owners of all sports claim poverty when neither is. Players will nto agree to playing for less. Owners will not charge less for tickets even if player salaries were to drop. In the end, the fan is the one who gets screwed.

[bigrobdsp]

And last year Kansas City swept the Yankees.  The point is that in a short series any team can win. 

Over paid?  All professional athletes as well as many other professions are over paid. 

Lazy?  Few players who make it to the major leagues are lazy.  Most never make it.  Most who do have to work their butts off to stay there.

Not even the third best version?  MLB is still the greatest professional basebal league in the world -- and second place is far, far behind.

←

I am overpayed, lazy, and no where near the third best at what I do... no one payes to watch me.

... I am going on strike.

[MeanMag]

Rick, can you not handle that sometimes America doesn't always win, in more than just baseball. People better realize that the rest of the world is catching up. Fast. Just about all of these guys are the best of the best in the world. It takes a lot to make it to the bigs, and any team can beat anyone else on any given day.

FYI: the US didn't play South Korea, but nobody has beat them either. They werent even supposed to beat Japan. They just have good chemistry right now.

[Coach]

The problem with USA baseball is everyone plays for the home run. The problem with USA basketball is that everyone plays for the dunk or the three pointer. The mid-range skill game has disappeared. The NBA players that do have a developed mid-range game are among the elite (Garnett, Duncan, Nowitzki). I don't get to follow sports as closely as I used to, but I did notice before the WBC, everyone was saying it was a non-event, terrible idea, and a bust. But when the US lost, all of a sudden, it was meaningful. I heard David Gold say today it was emblematic of the downfall of our society. The truth is probably in the middle, other countries could manufacture runs, while we waited for the three run homer, but the WBC did not receive so much attention, training, preparation, and emphasis to be linked with every obstacle facing modern American athletic endeavors.

[Mad Hatter]

How much of it has to do with our "All Star" teams that have no chemistry because they never play together. Some of the other teams we face will have more than a week or two to practive together and get a feel for the play of those around them. We can throw out the best of the best, but if they never play together, they're impact isn't as strong.

[FirefightnRick]

Rick, can you not handle that sometimes America doesn't always win, in more than just baseball.

←

Is this a trick question? I'm a Mean Green Fan. I and everyone else on this board probably can handle just about anything.

FYI: the US didn't play South Korea, but nobody has beat them either. They werent even supposed to beat Japan. They just have good chemistry right now.

They lost to SOUTH KOREA 3-7 on March 13th.

http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/n...usaint_korint_1

By the way, some of the Korean players won't have the luxury of enjoying their fat-cat lifestyle like our boys here will be when the classic is over. Several of them will continue with their two-year military requirement that falls on all Korean men. Their baseball organization had to ask for a pass from their government should their team make it pass round play, which they now have done and are undefeated in the classic at 6-0.

Also, the pitcher who got the win for Canada, Adam Loewen, pitched goose eggs through 3 2/3 innings, and Canada built an 8-0 lead through the first five innings in their game against the U.S. Loewen pitched in Class A last year.

Rick

Edited March 17, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[MeanMag]

Is this a trick question?  I'm a Mean Green Fan.  I and everyone else on this board probably can handle just about anything.

Ok, you got me.  I lied.  They lost to KOREA 3-7 on March 13th. 

http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/n...usaint_korint_1

By the way, some of the Korean players won't have the luxury of enjoying their fat-cat lifestyle like our boys here will be when the classic is over.  Several of them will continue with their two-year military requirement that falls on all Korean men.  Their baseball organization had to ask for a pass from their government should their team make it pass round play, which they now have done and are undefeated in the classic at 6-0. 

Also,  the pitcher who got the win for Canada, Adam Loewen, pitched goose eggs through 3  2/3 innings, and Canada built an 8-0 lead through the first five innings in their game against the U.S.  Loewen pitched in Class A last year.

Rick

←

Those Korean players will be playing here in the MLB soon. Playing the rest of the american teams on a daily basis just like the rest of the world does. These players realize that if they show off in the WBC it will lead to more money and dreams (in the MLB) than they could possibly imagine.

I just don't understand your hatred of MLB. It's like mixing up the MLB teams and having country names on them instead of american and canadian city names.

[buff64]

A lot of the players on the non-USA teams are major league players , not only were their players natives to those countries ,but USA players that parents , grandparents ,etc. had ties to those countries were eligible to represent other countries.

[FirefightnRick]

Those Korean players will be playing here in the MLB soon.  Playing the rest of the american teams on a daily basis just like the rest of the world does.  These players realize that if they show off in the WBC it will lead to more money and dreams (in the MLB) than they could possibly imagine.

I just don't understand your hatred of MLB.  It's like mixing up the MLB teams and having country names on them instead of american and canadian city names.

←

Not too soon, at least not for 11 of the South Koreans who have yet to fulfill their 2 year military requirement, but I certainly hope so someday for the sake of the MLB. More than likely when the asian players get here and take over more positions we will see better play with less crying about more money etc. It looks like SOUTH KOREA

is going to win this thing after beating Japan for the second time.

Rick

Edited March 18, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[MeanMag]

Not too soon, at least not for 11 of the South Koreans who have yet to fulfill their 2 year military requirement, but I certainly hope so someday for the sake of the MLB.  More than likely when the asian players get here and take over more positions we will see better play with less crying about more money etc.  It looks like SOUTH KOREA

is going to win this thing after beating Japan for the second time.

Rick

←

Ah, so they did play South Korea I stand corrected. (I am on spring break)

Well, hopefully someday they will get here and take the huge contracts away from everyone else so that we can hear a different group of people complain about money. That will be fun. It isn't going to stop just because they are from a different country.

PS. As average Joes, isn't it fun to call professional athletes lazy and overpaid?

Edited March 18, 2006 by MeanMag

[CaribbeanGreen]

Look at some of these rosters.... compare team USA to the D.R. roster head to head, and tell me who has more talent? The talent gap in baseball is not what it is in the other US-centric sports. Baseball is an international game, especially in the Caribbean and Far East.

Upsets happen. Other countries are allowed to have "miracles" too -- and as was said, baseball is unique because anybody can beat anybody in one game - that's why the season is 162 and they play 7 game series.... that being said, I strongly believe that even if the WBC had somehow gone to that format, the D.R., Cuba, P.R., Japan, and Korea would have as much of a chance as team USA.

Hardly lazy and uncaring... they just got beat. If you want to be upset at someone, be upset at the MLB players who begged out. You think team USA could have used Barry Bonds or Randy Johnson??? You thing the Dominicans would have liked to have a couple innings of Pedro yesterday against the Cubans?

[CaribbeanGreen]

Oh, and as for the money, don't blame the players for taking what they can get. Blame the owners for paying it. It's the nature of the industry. I, personally, don't have a problem with it -- hardcore capitalism, baby -- but let's see those Korean players turn down money when they get offered those fat MLB contracts. You serious??

[FirefightnRick]

Hardly lazy and uncaring... they just got beat. If you want to be upset at someone, be upset at the MLB players who begged out.

←

Thank you for making my point. I'll enjoy watching some of the best baseball of the year tonight when Cuba takes on Japan in the championship game in which there are only two MLB players between the two of them.

P.S. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Korea finished the tournament 7-1 without comitting a single error?

Rick

Edited March 20, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[EagleD]

I won't be going to any game either. Not that I'm protesting, but because the bang is not worth my buck. It's expensive. I've got better things to spend my money on. I'm still gonna follow the Rangers, and I'm still gonna be disappointed.

I long for the days when I could say, "Hey I've got $10. I'll catch a game."

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!!

When do we get a baseball team?

[calvin]

Off the subject but how come athletes are the ones that always get slammed for being "overpaid." When a movie star can make 30 million for one movie. It is not like it is cheap to go see a movie. The whole athlete overpaid wears me out.

[LongJim]

I won't be going to any game either.  Not that I'm protesting, but because the bang is not worth my buck.  It's expensive.  I've got better things to spend my money on.  I'm still gonna follow the Rangers, and I'm still gonna be disappointed.

I long for the days when I could say, "Hey I've got $10.  I'll catch a game." 

Grandstand seats are still $6. Parking's $10. Not too bad. The wife and I went alone to one game last year and were out $16. We got a free ticket w/Star-Telegram Press Pass.

You can also bring a cooler if it's soft and no bigger than 12"x12"x6". We brought in more food and drink than we could eat, and only spent another $20 bucks on ballpark-specific items.

Anyway, FWIW.

Also, the FW Cats put on a pretty good show, and the kids love it. Tuesday's are 1/2 price, so you can get in for as little as $2. Parking is $3 I think.

[Monkeypox]

Off the subject but how come athletes are the ones that always get slammed for being "overpaid."  When a movie star can make 30 million for one movie.  It is not like it is cheap to go see a movie.  The whole athlete overpaid wears me out.

←

I think the only time it's okay to refer to them as overpaid is when they complain about something or don't behave in a professional manner.

Otherwise, at some point fans have to realize that WE'RE the one's paying them every time we buy the tickets or the merchandise or tune in to Sportscenter or...

Don't like what they get paid, don't support the game.

And it's not always athletes that get slammed for it, but athletes complain a lot more than movie stars because of the contract situations that come up. I can't think of the last movie star who complained about pay, as they're rarely under any multi-year contracts.

[FirefightnRick]

I think the only time it's okay to refer to them as overpaid is when they complain about something or don't behave in a professional manner.

Otherwise, at some point fans have to realize that WE'RE the one's paying them every time we buy the tickets or the merchandise or tune in to Sportscenter or...

Don't like what they get paid, don't support the game.

And it's not always athletes that get slammed for it, but athletes complain a lot more than movie stars because of the contract situations that come up.  I can't think of the last movie star who complained about pay, as they're rarely under any multi-year contracts.

←

They do complain, but they usually complain while on set. "Where's craft service?", "This food sux blah blah blah", "I'm not wearing that, it's not in my contract", "I need more towels!". I agree, their overpaid too. But, unlike the annual contract, actors/actresses have to be smart about their money because they may work for 3 months, and not work for the next 8. They may have work throughout the fall, and not find work for the next two years. I learned a lot during the filming of "NR".

Rick