** If you watch a game on TV, at some point the announcers will tell you about exit velocities and launch angles. Why? Because baseball today thinks it's sexy. We all love the three-run blast but we've turned the game into a home run derby and not the game of baseball. Broadcasters explain away strike outs because "they don't matter anymore." Yes, they do. It's called an out and you only get 27 of them a game. Earl Weaver used to hate the bunt sacrifice for just that reason. He never wanted to give an out away.
Then, out of the other side of their mouths, announcers will lament the lack of hitting and scoring. If you put the ball in play, things happen. Sure, you might make an out but somebody may misplay the ball or the ball might find a gap in the defense. Either way, you get on base. That's important because NOBODY ever scored a run while sitting on the bench. If you strike out. neither of those two things can happen. Secondly, I was taught that if you do strike out, you immediately check to see if the catcher dropped the ball so you could run to first and perhaps get on. If the catcher throws you out, so what? You were already out, but you can force him to make the play and then things can go wrong.
If you swing from the heels on every pitch, your odds of hitting go down. If you swing at pitches that are out of the strike zone, you've reduced your chances of hitting the ball. Pitchers are smart. If you swing at pitches that are low and away, out of the strike zone, count on seeing a lot of them. There's a reason they call it the Strike Zone. It's where it's easiest to strike the ball. These are the reasons we've seen six no-hitters already this season. And I believe we will see more.
**Problem number two can be blamed on the people responsible for teaching the game. They aren't teaching the GAME, they're teaching Home run hitting and strike out pitching. To score a run, you need to touch all four bases - and I shouldn't have to say this - in order. It's called base running, boys and girls and there are maybe a dozen current players who know how to do it.
MLB's answer, of course, is so silly it defies logic. "You want more base running in the game? Sure, it's easy. We'll make the bases 3 inches bigger so it will be easier to steal." Add to that the oven mitt players are allowed to wear and reaching 2nd base from first involves taking 4 steps and falling down with your arm outstretched and you're at 2nd base.
**I don't really follow Pro Basketball, but there's still time since the Championship games may last as long as July 22. If you miss that, training camps open on September 28. What are we going to do for those two months?
***THEY SAID IT***
"For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are in
the all-yellow strip." -- Comentator John Motson
"As MLB finalizes its memo on rule pitchers using foreign substances, reminded of Gaylord Perry when he was asked if he ever used a foreign substance on a baseball. "Nah, Vaseline is manufactured right here in the United States." -- Janice Hough
"Several years ago U.S. tennis star, Sloane Stephens, said she wished "boys weren’t so stupid." I'm guessing now that she has matured, she wishes men weren't so stupid." -- RJ Currie
"All CWS tickets are digital this year. You need a smart device to get into the stadium...it's just as well that Arkansas didn't qualify." -- Brad Dickson
"I watched the excerpts of NBC reporter’s interview with Putin. I give Vlad credit. He answered all the tough geopolitical questions cogently, directly, thoroughly. But boy did he hem and haw when asked whether he’s ever used Spider Tack" -- Marc Ragovin
"Sure, there have been some injuries and deaths in boxing, but none of them really serious." -- Boxer Alan Minter
"CONCACAF Nations League final between United States & Mexico was marred Sunday by unruly fan behavior that included objects thrown on the field. Where did fans think they were, at an NBA playoff game?" -- Janice Hough
"CivicScience polled 2,621 adult Americans and they had Aaron Rogers trailing only all-time quiz whiz Ken Jennings as the preferred choice to succeed Alex Trebek. Meanwhile, in POLL OD Green Bay Packer fans, Rogers was the number one choice to be tarred and feathered." -- Patti Dawn Swansson
"I saw where Joe West just set a MLB record by umpiring his 5376th game. By my calculations, that means he's been cussed at 1.978,455 times." -- Mike Bianch
"Reader Frank Macy, watching the College Softball World Series on ESPN,
heard that thus far Oklahoma’s record is 56-4. “Sixty games! When do
these student-athletes attend school?” You looking to make trouble,
Frank? Sooners fans don’t take kindly to your type." -- Phil Mushnick
Chad Picasner
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