BASEBALL IS BACK JULY 23rd ???

I still like playing Strat, but I could care less if MLB ever plays another game. If I want to watch a sport where cheating is swept under the table, and only punished with a slap on the wrist if FORCED to deal with it, i'll watch wrestling. It's the whole PED thing all over. I detest Pete Rose, I think he's a piece of garbage, but the one thing he and I agree on is that it's a joke that he's suspended for life for betting on his own team, while the players that have actually cheated, and in some cases stole a World Series, get no punishment at all.

How much less could you care?

I never said I didn't care about the issue. I just said I don't care if they ever play another game

Ha--I think Steve was just messing with you gamiam, since you said you could care less. So we all wondered...well, how much less?

And hey no prob freeman--good points and to each their own. I definitely concede the athletic prowess of the average player today. That is indisputable. But we can disagree on perceptions and context. I mean, after all, players in the 30s for instance certainly had a much more limited pool of top athletes, to be sure. But then again, they didn't have personal training staffs of today, nutrition, physiological performance science, analysis technology like hi-res annotated video, and they had to put up with a huge strike zone and the ever-present threat of getting thrown at.

But one thing that I don't think could be disputed, is the game is not nearly as popular anymore. Whether live or remote, it just is not the draw it used to be, which we would probably agree is too bad.

Finally the NL is stepping into the 21st Century. No more watching pitchers who hit at a high school level facing MLB's best. Who wouldn't want to see more talent? Watching a pitcher bat is not entertaining at all.

Why not just make the punter play QB once every other series. It would add to the strategy.

Old guys:

It's bad enough that they changed the name of my pancake syrup, now no DH? Change confuses me and makes me uncomfortable. I like baseball the way it was played in my day. Even if that means watching a pitcher who hasn't batted in years face MLB's best arms.

Ah, well now the conversation has become intelligent and interesting. Another thread saved!

As for baseball, the band is still playing, so why head for the lifeboats.

I wonder if the lack of popularity Frankie T has something to with an ever increasing societal ADD: I'm 53 and I have difficulty sitting through a baseball game...but I have difficulty sitting through any sporting event for 2 or 3 hours. And baseball is slow compared to football, basketball and hockey. On the other hand, my brother says he cant stand the three possible outcome of today's gme: k, bb or hr. The game is less popular and whether that is due to it being less watchable due to changes...or something else...we all have the right to out our subjective viewpoint.

I am not here to say that Ted Williams wouldnt be the best hitter if he played in today's game. On the other hand, he wasnt facing Bob Feller's velocity on every bat...of course he crushed Feller, too!

Could be. I'd consider that thought further...but....squirrel!
Seriously, well said

I am not going to pine for the good old days...when the athletes were not nearly as good.

No question this is true. However, baseball today is unwatchable.

Time transport the '70 Baltimore Orioles into 2020:
Earl Weaver: Sorry Jim, I know you're throwing a 2 hit shutout in the 7th, but you've thrown 105 pitches, so I have to pull you and bring in my set up man/lefty specialist/righty specialist/closer.

Jim Palmer: <decks manager> Brooks Robinson and Mark Belanger pull him off the field.

Get off my lawn