Category Archives: Major League Baseball

Houston Astros, Major League Baseball, Texas Rangers

I’ve Got a Fever and the Prescription is Baseball, and More Cowbell

In a little under two weeks the 2013 Major League Baseball season will officially begin with the prime-time Easter Sunday showdown between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Minute Maid Park will be the site of the first game of the 2013 Major League Baseball season. Photo R Anderson
Minute Maid Park will be the site of the first game of the 2013 Major League Baseball season.
Photo R Anderson

Ever since I bought my ticket to that game I have found myself with a little spring in my step knowing that soon the games will count for real.

I guess it is not to say that Spring Training does not count but there is certainly a difference between the validity of a Spring Training record versus a regular season record.

Another factor that has me ready for the start of the season is the historic aspect of being present for not only the first game of the season but also the first game for the Astros in the American League.

So with all of the excitement one might even say I have a fever for baseball.

The fever got me thinking about a classic Saturday Night Live skit involving Christopher Walken. In the skit Walken plays a music producer who has a fever and the only cure is more cowbell.

Throughout the skit Will Ferrell runs around like a man possessed banging his cowbell all over the sound stage to the dismay of his band mates.

With the baseball season approaching I am in the mood for more cowbell. Photo R. Anderson
With the baseball season approaching I am in the mood for more cowbell.
Photo R. Anderson

If you have never watched the skit I highly recommended you do so if for no other reason than to watch one of Jimmy Fallon’s many times that he broke character and laughed during a skit.

Inspired by the skit, teams soon made sure that cowbells were available in the various gift shops for fans to make sure they get into the spirit.

Of the ballparks that I have visited I have to say that Tropicana Filed, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, is the most cowbell frenzied one.

While the Rays often rank near the bottom each year in terms of attendance one cannot deny that the fans who are there definitely make some noise and that noise is often fueled from cowbells.

What can I say there is just something fun about thousands of one’s closet friends clanging on the cowbell in unison.

Fred Schneider of the rock band The B-52's is definitely someone who enjoys more cowbell has demonstrated during a concert at Tropicana field. Photo R. Anderson
Fred Schneider of the rock band The B-52’s is definitely someone who enjoys more cowbell as demonstrated during a concert at Tropicana field.
Photo R. Anderson

But like everything in life there is a time and a place for the cowbell.

The most appropriate times to ring the cowbell are when a pitcher has two strikes on an opposing batter, the home team player reaches base or scores a run, and of course whenever one is prompted to do so by the stadium announcer or visual cues.

Of course another time for cowbell in the ballpark is when the B-52s are in concert there. That was the case during my first visit to Tropicana Field. For those unfamiliar with the band, they do enjoy their cowbell as well.

So hopefully the thoughts of baseball and cowbells have you pumped for the start of the season as well.

Now if you’ll excuse I need to make sure my cowbell is still in tune. And remember don’t fear the cowbell.

Copyright 2013 R Anderson

Cactus League, Grapefruit League, Major League Baseball, Spring Training

Spring Training Goes a Little Greener on St. Patrick’s Day

For those of you living under a rock, or perhaps more appropriately under a blarney stone, yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day is named after Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland. The actual origin story and legends surrounding St. Patrick are varied and tend to depend greatly on the source material one looks at.

There is of course the legend about St. Patrick driving all of the snakes out of Ireland. However, most scholars and scientists agree that there is no evidence in the historic or fossil record of snakes ever being in Ireland to begin with so the likelihood of a single man driving them all off of the island is highly improbable.

I guess now is also a good time to mention that despite Walt Disney’s assurances and “documentary” techniques King Brian and Darby O’Gill also didn’t really exist.

What is agreed upon is that St. Patrick was born in England in the late 4th century A.D. and was kidnapped as a child and brought to Ireland.

He escaped his captors after six years and returned to Ireland as a missionary combining Irish pagan beliefs with Christian sacrament while devising the Celtic Cross.

Tis the season for all things green, including green felt hats. Photo R Anderson
Tis the season for all things green, including green felt hats.
Photo R Anderson

In the centuries that have followed St. Patrick’s Day has been less about the man and more about green clothes, green beer, green hats and pretty much anything else green.

Over the past couple of years the green movement has moved to the fields of Major League Baseball as well.

No, I am not talking about the grass on the fields.

I am not even talking about the number of teams who are now encouraging recycling and other “green initiatives” inside their ballparks.

What I am talking about is the green that is popping up on the players.

For the past few years the Spring Training games on St. Patrick’s Day have included teams wearing green uniforms and hats.

The first team that I recall, going green was the Boston Red Sox. The green uniforms and hats seemed an obvious choice based on the amount of Irish American fans in the Boston area.

Other teams followed the green trend and soon it became a league wide tradition as part of the day where everyone can claim to be a little Irish.

The teams that go green each year vary with some teams forgoing the green for their more traditional colors.

The Houston Astros joined the St. Patrick's Day green movement this season. Photo R Anderson
The Houston Astros joined the St. Patrick’s Day green movement this season.
Photo R Anderson

The first time I saw a televised game with the Red Sox wearing the green uniforms I actually thought there was something wrong with my televisions set since the sight of teams in colors other than their normal ones can take some getting used to.

This year the Baltimore Orioles took the green movement a step further with a charity auction of autographed game worn green cartoon bird caps.

Don’t feel like bidding on green Orioles hats? Don’t worry you can still get into the green swing as well with various green items available for purchase for all 30 teams.

The full circle marketing of St. Patrick’s Day to include green items for the fans was just a matter of time since Major League Baseball, like most successful businesses, has made a habit of capitalizing on every opportunity to make money.

Don Zimmer (far right) is a special adviser to Joe Maddon and the Tampa Bay Rays and is not to be mistaken for a leprechaun despite what one might think from seeing the Zim Bear giveaway item last year. Photo R Anderson
Don Zimmer (far right) is a special adviser to Joe Maddon and the Tampa Bay Rays and is not to be mistaken for a leprechaun despite what one might think from seeing the Zim Bear giveaway item last year.
Photo R Anderson

While the green gear is popular with the fans it also allows the players to try something new in Spring Training. There are special uniform nights throughout the season but green uniform day is the only one that falls during Spring Training.

So as a public service announcement next time March 17th rolls around do not adjust your set when you are watching that Spring Training game. Your eyes are not playing tricks on you and the players really are wearing green.

Now if you see a leprechaun at the ballpark and ask to see his pot of gold odds are it is just Don Zimmer.

Now if you’ll excuse me all of this talk about green things has me in the mood for some green eggs and ham.

Copyright 2013 R Anderson

 

Major League Baseball, World Baseball Classic

Big Time Fights, They Aren’t Just for Hockey Anymore

The other day I decided to watch the World Baseball Classic game between Mexico and Canada.

Part of the motivation for watching the game was to try to figure out how it was that Team USA lost to the Mexican team the day before. The other motivation was the fact that I had watched Team Canada play in a tournament in St. Petersburg, FL last year.

Members of Team Canada take batting practice during a 2012 exhibition game at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, FL. Photo R. Anderson
Members of Team Canada take batting practice during a 2012 exhibition game at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, FL.
Photo R. Anderson

So as I settled in to watch the game I knew that while there are Major League Players on each of the rosters, the World Baseball Classic plays by international rules which differ from the MLB rules in some areas.

One of those rules involves running up the score when possible to help the run differential numbers.

In most cases running up the score is frowned upon in sports when the lead is well in hand.

In fact, high school and college games include an 11-run mercy rule to help prevent really lopsided scores.

Back when I covered high school baseball I actually found myself rooting for the mercy rule to come into play many a night.

It wasn’t that I wanted a team to lose by that much, but a shortened game meant that I could get back to the office sooner and in theory get the pages on the press earlier. It did not always work out that way but when it did it was uber nice.

So during the Canada versus Mexico game, and with Canada having a very safe lead late in the game, the lead off batter in the eighth inning for Canada dropped down a bunt and reached safely when the third baseman was late to react.

There was nothing inherently dirty about the bunt. As mentioned earlier, the tournament was set up to encourage teams to score as many runs as possible.

Apparently the third baseman for Team Mexico missed that memo and directed the pitcher to deliver a message to the next better. One international constant in baseball it seems that is understood in every language is the intentional hit batter when a team feels it has been wronged.

So, the pitcher hits the batter in the back, the batter takes offense and starts to charge the mound, and both benches clear and partake in an all out brawl.

Team Canada and the Baltimore Orioles during a 2012 exhibition game. Photo R. Anderson
Team Canada and the Baltimore Orioles during a 2012 exhibition game.
Photo R. Anderson

While not as common as say a fight in hockey, baseball fights do occur now and then. The main catalyst for these fights usually centers on a player getting hit by a pitch.

One of the more absurd elements of these fights for me is the sight of the bullpen pitchers running all the way across the outfield to get to the fight, which in many cases has already ended by the time they arrive to participate.

The fight between the Canadian and Mexican teams was atypical in the fact that it seemed to last a lot longer than most.

Once the teams were finally sent back to their dugouts and the dust had settled, fans of the Mexican team started throwing items into the Canadian team’s dugout. The most glaring of these being a mostly full water bottle that hit one of the coaches in the head.

Fans were ejected and the game was finally able to continue with Canada advancing and Mexico getting eliminated from the tournament.

While I do not go to a baseball game hoping to see a fight, I know that sometimes emotions run high and tempers flare leading to a dust up like the one at the game the other day. What I have no patience or sympathy for is unruly fans or people trying to get in on the action by throwing things onto the field.

For the most part athletes are not looking into the stands, except for Alex Rodriguez trying to get phones numbers, so they are more at risk of not seeing items flying in their direction. These projectiles falling from a long distance can create serious injury.

The fan mob mentality of throwing things is not limited to American soil. Soccer is known for the massive riots that erupt oversees. And many of those riots end with people being killed.

Seriously, people it is just a game. And there will be other ones so there is no need for people to lose their lives over it. Also, in many of those riots it is innocent people that end up paying with their lives over the action of a few.

I have had the opportunity to go to several sporting events that have included Canadian fans, both hockey and baseball. And by and large they are some of the most well behaved and considerate fans I have ever been around in terms of stadium etiquette.

Even when they are “heckling” the other team it seems polite and never rises to the level of personal attacks. Now, I am sure that there are bad Canadian fans, just like there are good and bad fans anywhere, but I have yet to see them.

My point is not to say that fans cannot get emotional about their teams. Quite the opposite healthy passion for one’s team is at the very heart of sports. What I am saying is that it is possible to be passionate and polite at the same time. If you don’t believe me just try sitting next to some Canadians some time.

Now if you’ll excuse me all of this talk about Canada has me in the mood to watch some Bob and Doug McKenzie movies.

Copyright 2013 R. Anderson

Major League Baseball

The DH Turns the Big 4-0

Forty years ago this week the American League introduced the designated hitter, or DH, and the game of baseball was forever changed.

Once the designated hitter was introduced pitchers on the American League ball clubs were no longer burdened with the hassle of having to bat. National League pitchers would continue to take their swings at the plate.

Of course there are exceptions for when the DH is and isn’t used. For example, during the World Series and Inter League play the rules of when a designated hitter is used depends on the home ballpark. National League home ballparks continue to be DH free forcing the American League pitchers to bat while the American League ballparks use the DH and force the National League teams to designate a DH for those games.

Mention the designated hitter in polite dinner conversation and one will quickly find out how divisive the topic really is among fans.

The pro designated hitter camp will point to the fact that by eliminating the pitcher as a batter the rallys can continue without the fear of a nearly guaranteed out with a pitcher batting.

The foes of the DH rule will say that having pitchers batting, despite the almost guaranteed out they provide, is a truer form of the game and is more historically accurate while creating more cat and mouse strategy between the managers.

Former Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Carlos Pena will be the first full time designated hitter in Houston Astros history. Photo R. Anderson
Former Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Carlos Pena will be the first full time designated hitter in Houston Astros history.
Photo R. Anderson

I grew up primarily in American League towns so the DH was a common sight for me.

It wasn’t until I moved to Houston that I started watching National League games on a regular basis and in turn saw many pitchers at the plate.

Of course with the Astros moving to the American League, Houston is now a DH town as well.

Having watched both types of games over the years I have to side with the pro DH camp.

While it happens infrequently pitchers can get injured batting and running the base paths. With the amount of money that teams spend on their starting pitchers I would cringe as a General Manager of the ball club whenever a pitcher stepped up to bat.

And for all of you out there who say surely a pitcher can’t get hurt just trying to bunt or swinging wildly I give you the story of Andy Pettitte. During a feud with the Yankees over money, Houston area native Andy Pettitte decided to take his skills to his hometown Astros when he became a free agent. While this move in turn ended up allowing Roger Clemems to also join the home team Astros it was not without its share of pain for Mr. Pettitte.

As a long time pitcher in the American League who did not have to bat regularly, Pettitte injured his left elbow while trying to check a swing in his debut game with the Astros. He missed the next three weeks with a strained elbow. And as a footnote Mr. Pettittie found his way back to the Yankees at his earliest opportunity and while he is still very injury prone he no longer has to bat regularly.

Granted Pettitte is one of the more injury prone pitchers in the game and countless pitchers bat each day without hurting themselves but the fact remains pitchers can get hurt at the plate.

With all of the money they are paying Stephen Strasburg the Washington Nationals can ill afford to lose him to an injury. Strasburg's injury risk, like that of other National League pitchers is increased by the fact that he has to bat as well as pitch. Photo R. Anderson
With all of the money they are paying Stephen Strasburg the Washington Nationals can ill afford to lose him to an injury. Strasburg’s injury risk, like that of other National League pitchers is increased by the fact that he has to bat as well as pitch.
Photo R. Anderson

Risk of injury to the pitcher is far from the only reason why I think that the day of pitchers needing to bat has come and gone.

Watching a National League game where the pitchers bat is definitely not for everyone. With few exceptions if there is a runner on base when the pitcher is up you know that they are going to try a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over. If there is not a runner on base you know that the pitcher is most likely going to strike out within three pitches.

There are certainly exceptions to the rule and some pitchers can hit. But, by and large when a pitcher is up to bat everyone in the stadium knows that the at bat will result in an out one way or the other.

Of course the manager can choose to pull the pitcher out of the game and put in another better if he wants to sustain a scoring rally but that means the pitcher is out for the game and another pitcher will have to be brought in.

With the designated hitter in place, teams are not forced to choose between a pitcher having a good day on the mound or the need for a hot bat at the plate to drive in some crucial runs.

Another factor that has developed during the 40 years of the era of the DH is the lengthening of player careers.

No, I am not talking about the use of performance enhancing drugs as a means to extend a player’s career. I am talking about the ability to DH as a magic fountain of youth that has extended many careers past their normal expiration dates.

Former Houston Astros pitcher Wandy Rodriguez is one of the few pitchers with actual pop in their bat. Photo R Anderson
Former Houston Astros pitcher Wandy Rodriguez is one of the few pitchers with actual pop in their bat.
Photo R Anderson

When older players can no longer play the field regularly they can make a very decent living as a DH as long as they can still make regular contact with the ball.

It is not uncommon to see players prolong their careers well into their 40’s in a DH only role.

So who is right, and who is wrong when it comes to the DH? The answer will continue to depend on the person who asks the question. I do not see a time in the near future where the DH will go away anymore than I predict a time when the National League will start using them in their home ballparks.

So, it will continue to divide people like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. One is certainly sweeter than the other but it all boils down to which one tastes better going down to the person drinking it.

Now if you’ll excuse me, all of this talk about soft drinks has left me a little thirsty.

Copyright 2013 R. Anderson

Houston Astros, Major League Baseball

Sometimes Dynamic is Far From Dynamic

There are many dynamic things about the game of baseball.

There is the dynamic between a pitcher hurling a ball towards a batter close enough to look tempting to hit but not too close to end up over the wall for a home run.

There is the dynamic of the outfielder timing his jump just right to rob the opposing batter of an extra base hit.

There is the dynamic of a manager trying to decide when to apply an infield shift or make a pitching change based on certain factors or match ups.

There is even the dynamic in the stands of trying to decide how soon is too soon to start the wave and whether it really is wise to eat those chilli cheese fries that look so good but always end with you in pain.

There is also a recent trend of calling things dynamic when in reality they are anything but.

The Houston Astros recently announced plans to adjust their home ticket price in relation to home popular the team coming to town is. Photo R. Anderson
The Houston Astros recently announced plans to adjust their home ticket price in relation to how popular the team coming to town is.
Photo R. Anderson

The Houston Astros recently announced plans to join this group of dynamic blunders when they announced that this season will include dynamic pricing for all seats at all of the games.

The team tried a small roll out of dynamic pricing in certain sections of the ballpark last season with some seats costing more on some days than others.

In the simplest form, dynamic pricing is a way for teams to charge more for games that people want to see.

The formula has been used by teams for years whenever the Yankees and Red Sox would come to town since it was felt that there was a higher demand for those tickets and in turn more money could be charged.

The Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs have some of the largest fan bases in the nation. So, the dynamic pricing says that those fans will flock to see their team and pay more in the process regardless of where they are playing. Some teams go even further to cater to their out of town fans.

For years teams have charged more when the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees come to town.
Teams have charged more when the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees come to town for several years now.Several times during the game it was unclear whether the Red Sox or the Astros were the home team.

This pampering to out of town fans was put on display two years ago at Minute Maid Park when the Red Sox came to town.

I am not talking about fans cheering loudly for both sides. I am referring to the public address system seeming to cater to the out of towners by playing various songs that were very specific to what would be played at Fenway Park.

What’s next? Will they erect a miniature Green Monster now that the Red Sox will be visiting more frequently since the Astros have moved to the American League?

There are several reasons why I find dynamic pricing offensive. As a fan who has definitely watched his share of really bad Astros games I am offended that the so called primo games could be priced out of some people’s budgets.

The Astros are set to stuff their piggy bank with dynamic pricing this season that will make certain games more valueble than others based solely on who the visiting team is and what day of the week the game falls on. Photo R. Anderson
The Astros are set to stuff their piggy bank with dynamic pricing this season that will make certain games more valuable than others based solely on who the visiting team is and what day of the week the game falls on.
Photo R. Anderson

And why should every Friday and Saturday game cost more than a Tuesday game just because of the day of the week it falls on?

Dynamics were already in place with the supply and demand factors and economics of baseball.

For years certain teams have drawn better than others and of course games on the weekend will be more packed than those dreaded Tuesday night contests. So, in that way the dynamics are already set. But charging more for the games that more people want to go to just screams of basic greed.

Plus, with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, and little advertised plans to change that anytime soon, it is highly unlikely that the extra revenue received will go towards salary.

Most likely the move to dynamic pricing is an admission that the team is going to lose a lot of games this year and attendance is going to suffer.

With most experts predicting the third consecutive 100 plus loss season for the Astros there is not too much winning to cheer for.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are bound to be one of the teams that bring the lowest ticket price as part of the new dynamic approach being rolled out.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are bound to be one of the teams that bring the lowest ticket price as part of the new dynamic approach being rolled out as they and others do not carry the same fan base or prestige of the Yankees and Red Sox.

When I first heard about the ticket plan my first thought was to not give the Astros a single cent of my money next year in protest. Now, in the grand scheme of things the several hundred dollars I spend at the ballpark is small potatoes and will probably not be missed by the team. But, if there are hundreds, or thousands of people who feel the same way I do then it is bound to hit the team in the pocket.

Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go see about getting my tickets to the Sugarland Skeeters. Something tells me they are going to be very popular this season with the disgruntled fans leaving the Astros behind.

Copyright 2013 R Anderson