2017 MLB spring training running thread

And the way Tony Clark announced it on the stage, it sounded like HE thought it was just for the championship game, too. He said something like "tonight's MVP" more than once.

Reminded me of that time MTV gave Michael Jackson the Video Vanguard award and his acceptance speech kept referencing Artist of the Millennium.

 

The Pirates finally admitted they will have to open the season without Jung Ho Kang, who still hasn't made it to spring training because he hasn't been able to get a work visa. Of course, the team has made noises about some form of discipline due to his recent legal troubles, but they insist they won't take action until he joins the team. I can imagine that idea going away given the time he is already missing.

Pirates make nine cuts; Kang likely not ready for opening day

Still waiting for the other shoe to drop on McCutchen. Maybe they wait until the deadline so they can bring up Meadows at the same time.

 

I like the WBC better than the MLB product. Seems more modern. No references to Take Me Out to the Ballgame, or players who have been dead for 50 years. No tributes to Jackie Robinson, or Vin Scully. Seems as "today" as baseball gets. Thumbs up on the WBC.

 

Easier to dump the history when there isn't much history, as is the case with the WBC. Also, it's a relatively short tournament, not a 162-game season.

 

An easy way to create more interest in the WBC would be to hold it in the baseball season. Just swipe soccer's World Cup format. Since it's only once every four years, one or two weekends a season could be "international breaks" with qualifying play. Then play the semi-finals and finals in a week-long All-Star break, replacing the utterly most obsolete event in the sport.

 

There is nothing wrong with the current format.

 

As a competition, no. But holding it in spring training is always going to a) lessen fan interest and b) keep big stars from participating because they rightly feel that spring training is for practice.

 

Agree to disagree.

 

One of these things is not like the others.

 

I think the pitching demands are going to forever consign this event to meaningless exhibition. No team (or fan base) wants its guy to roll up those extra innings when their World Series hopes hinge almost exclusively on pitchers making it to the finish line.

 

Unless you're going to do something radical, like take a month off in the middle of the MLB season, I don't think there is a way to guarantee that the best players are playing at peak shape. And baseball isn't exactly known for doing radical stuff.