Since I've been busy this week writing LOST and 24 posts, I figured I'd let ESPN's Jayson Stark, one of the kings of baseball trivia, take it away this morning:
@jaysonst: Today's Mike & Mike trivia question coming up in 5 minutes: Name the only 4 active pitchers with 100+ wins & an ERA under 3.50.
Bonus question from ESPN's TMI blog: "In Sunday’s game Trevor Hoffman recorded a hold while his teammate picked up the save for the first time since September 12, 1993. Who closed the game for the Padres on that date?"
Post your answers in the comments below. I will reveal the correct answers later.
Showing posts with label Jayson Stark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jayson Stark. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Should Major League Baseball Go To The Olympics?
With how much fun the Winter Olympics were with hockey, imagine what the Summer Olympics could be with baseball? 85% of Canada watched the USA/Canada Men's Olympic hockey final and the ratings in the United States were the highest for any hockey game outside of the last two games of the 1980 Olympics. Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (Insider access required) today pointed out that twice as many Americans watched that hockey game than watched the last game of the Angels-Yankees ALCS and eight million more than watched the World Series. So Stark posed to Bud Selig the question: Don't you think the commish would at least be thinking about whether to reconsider his stance that major league baseball players and the Olympics shouldn't ever mix?
I've debated this with my friends and myself over the past few days as well. Incorporating in Starks' and Selig's analysis here are the lists of Pros and Cons of having the Major League Baseball players play in the Summer Olympics. But I really want to hear what you think. Go to the comments and let me know your ideas if you're for or against MLB players in the Olympics and whether you agree with my plan more. Here we go:
Pros: The World Baseball Classic is a farce as currently constructed. Played in Spring Training, there is a disincentive for many players--hardly ready to go nine innings in a preseason game--from playing in it, especially pitchers. This would truly put baseball on the world stage, able to be seen in places like Europe and Asia where baseball is always trying to expand their breadth. The Olympics would essentially replace the All-Start game every 4 years so the interruption for baseball would occur only a quarter of the seasons. And baseball players in the Olympics are subject to the most stringent testing guidelines for anti-doping, proving once and for all who is now clean. Baseball isn't a physical game so injuring teammates isn't as much of an issue. Imagine what the top rosters would look like if teams couldn't opt their players out like the Yankees and others do for the WBC--especially the United States, the Dominican Republic, Japan, South Korea, Cuba and Puerto Rico (with Mexico and others as dark horses).
I disagree with Stark that the Summer Games are different than the Winter Games in popularity--I think there would be tremendous coverage/interest in seeing this. At least at this time of the season, pitchers can throw 100 pitches without injury, players can play 9 innings, and the best baseball in the world can finally be on truly a world stage as the "World Series" implies. Imagine Derek Jeter vs. Mariano Rivera or Jon Lester vs. David Ortiz. This would be a ton of fun--and it would ensure baseball would stay in the Olympics.
Cons: It wouldn't work with the schedule. I've tried to think ways around it, but the reality is it wouldn't, especially since the last two Summer Olympics ended in late August. Here's Bud's reasoning:
Pros: The World Baseball Classic is a farce as currently constructed. Played in Spring Training, there is a disincentive for many players--hardly ready to go nine innings in a preseason game--from playing in it, especially pitchers. This would truly put baseball on the world stage, able to be seen in places like Europe and Asia where baseball is always trying to expand their breadth. The Olympics would essentially replace the All-Start game every 4 years so the interruption for baseball would occur only a quarter of the seasons. And baseball players in the Olympics are subject to the most stringent testing guidelines for anti-doping, proving once and for all who is now clean. Baseball isn't a physical game so injuring teammates isn't as much of an issue. Imagine what the top rosters would look like if teams couldn't opt their players out like the Yankees and others do for the WBC--especially the United States, the Dominican Republic, Japan, South Korea, Cuba and Puerto Rico (with Mexico and others as dark horses).
I disagree with Stark that the Summer Games are different than the Winter Games in popularity--I think there would be tremendous coverage/interest in seeing this. At least at this time of the season, pitchers can throw 100 pitches without injury, players can play 9 innings, and the best baseball in the world can finally be on truly a world stage as the "World Series" implies. Imagine Derek Jeter vs. Mariano Rivera or Jon Lester vs. David Ortiz. This would be a ton of fun--and it would ensure baseball would stay in the Olympics.
Cons: It wouldn't work with the schedule. I've tried to think ways around it, but the reality is it wouldn't, especially since the last two Summer Olympics ended in late August. Here's Bud's reasoning:
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