Head says Oakland, but nostalgia factor (and Big Game James on the mound against A's hitters who have not exactly been lighting it up for the past month or so) says KC.
Head says Kansas City. Heart says Oakland. Play-in games are dumb, but then so are instant replay, the designated hitter, stepping out of the batter's box every bloody pitch, not selling beer in the stands (in California, anyway), people removing their hats for a song that's not the National Anthem, and Joe Buck's inability to shut up.
I watch baseball because it's baseball and I enjoy it, warts and all.
Go instant replay and the DH. Down with umpires indulging batters and pitchers slowing down the game. (You can't get a beer in the stands in CA? What devilry is this?)
Royals, by God! I was a month old when they won the World Series. I've been waiting 29 years for them to get to the playoffs again. My twins are now one month old. It's been a generation of failure (Lima Time? Buddy Bell? Mark Redman? Ken Harvey?!?) that has somehow, despite every oddity of this team the entire year (last in walks? last in home runs? HOW DOES THIS WORK?), made the playoffs. Win one, and it's October baseball, baby. Let's make this happen.
Conversely, it unfairly penalizes the team that won the Wild Card in one of the better playoff systems in sports, three division winners and one Wild Card to balance out a 2-league, 30 team system.
I don't know quite when they ended it, but it's true at all sports facilities in California -- you can't sell beer from guys walking the stands. In the fancy fancy seats, "waiters" can bring you drinks, though. I don't get the difference, but there it is.
Obviously, you can walk up to the beermongers and get what you need.
Head says Oakland, but nostalgia factor (and Big Game James on the mound against A's hitters who have not exactly been lighting it up for the past month or so) says KC.
ReplyDeleteNeither. I don't watch loser ball. If you can't win your division, then get off my lawn.
ReplyDeleteThough they have now established an outpost (and their tallest waterslide) in KC, Schlitterbahn remains a New Braunfels institution.
ReplyDeleteI'll take the playoffs when they start on Thursday, after the tiebreaker game tomorrow between San Francisco and Pittsburgh.
ReplyDeleteKansas City should be playing Anaheim today instead of this stupid play-in idea. Oakland has no business being there.
ReplyDeleteHead says Kansas City. Heart says Oakland. Play-in games are dumb, but then so are instant replay, the designated hitter, stepping out of the batter's box every bloody pitch, not selling beer in the stands (in California, anyway), people removing their hats for a song that's not the National Anthem, and Joe Buck's inability to shut up.
ReplyDeleteI watch baseball because it's baseball and I enjoy it, warts and all.
Not me. Go Oakland.
ReplyDeleteGo instant replay and the DH. Down with umpires indulging batters and pitchers slowing down the game. (You can't get a beer in the stands in CA? What devilry is this?)
ReplyDeleteCome on, Oakland! This August collapse has been so, so painful to watch. Turn it around, Billy Beane!
ReplyDeleteRoyals, by God! I was a month old when they won the World Series. I've been waiting 29 years for them to get to the playoffs again. My twins are now one month old. It's been a generation of failure (Lima Time? Buddy Bell? Mark Redman? Ken Harvey?!?) that has somehow, despite every oddity of this team the entire year (last in walks? last in home runs? HOW DOES THIS WORK?), made the playoffs. Win one, and it's October baseball, baby. Let's make this happen.
ReplyDeleteLove the play-in. Properly incentivizes winning the division.
ReplyDeleteConversely, it unfairly penalizes the team that won the Wild Card in one of the better playoff systems in sports, three division winners and one Wild Card to balance out a 2-league, 30 team system.
ReplyDelete"Won the wild card" isn't winning anything; winning divisions are meaningful things, and should be rewarded.
ReplyDeleteLike winning the Wild Card, a meaningful distinction that means you're in the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteI don't know quite when they ended it, but it's true at all sports facilities in California -- you can't sell beer from guys walking the stands. In the fancy fancy seats, "waiters" can bring you drinks, though. I don't get the difference, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteObviously, you can walk up to the beermongers and get what you need.