Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for March 11, 2023

Sad but true.

Because I like watching baseball, not a batter stepping out and adjusting his gloves, inspecting his bat, and grabbing his crotch between every pitch…then when he finally steps in, the pitcher steps off the rubber, takes a stroll behind it, adjusts his crotch, then if we’re lucky he’ll throw another pitch before both repeat the same ritual.

And yet NO BODY complains about a kneeling ball game that drags on for hour, upon hour, upon hour.Guess that allows one to get to better ‘know’ his buddy sitting thigh to thigh, next to each other on the couch.

I always had more fun playing sandlot baseball as a kid than watching games. If someone hits a homer into Mrs. Mobley’s garden don’t step on her plants just grab the ball and run.

It’s just fun watching the teams beat each other or flop, whatever comes first.

“Because TV money is more important than ballpark beer sales.”

A truth for the ages.

fusilier

James 2:24

If they really wanted to speed up the game, get rid of “God Bless America” on Sundays.

Nailed it.

Now, it’s time to do something about the last two minutes of a pro basketball game.

BINGO!

It is no longer a sport. It’s just big business.

It’s a good thing games are not lengthened by commercials.

The ballpark is a different experience. Watching on TV, you get the banter of the color guy and the play-by-play, so you don’t notice the slow parts of the game so much. TV gets you to focus on the game. Going to the ballpark, even if you want to focus on the game, you can’t, there are just too many distractions — getting the hot dog — the long walk to the men’s room - the attractive cheerleaders with t-shirt cannons- and the other people around you. The ballpark is an experience unto itself. I think a baseball nerd is happier with his TV experience. Here in Houston, the Juice Box has bars where you can sit on a stool with your drink and watch the game on TV, while the actual stands, with eyeballs on the actual players, is 10 yards away. (There is a bar in the Club Level, left field, with an actual view of the game. The rich people have an actual bar — I’ve seen it on a stadium tour, it’s a thing of beauty — in the section at Field level behind home plate, hidden from view. You walk thru the bar to get to your seats.)

Mark Buehrle never needed a pitch clock.

Most ballparks you can’t buy a beer after the 7th inning. Makes it tough when they go several extra innings.

I went to my first spring training game Wednesday. Twins and Jays. Full 9 inning game in just under 2 1/2 hours. It was wonderful

How much is a ticket for a game? How much for a game played 2 years ago? Basically they want more money for an abbreviated game. “Greed is Good!” quote from Gordon Gecko in the movie Wall Street.

Yanks and Red Sox over 4 hours?THAT’S real baseball.

Looks like Al Lang stadium