Various baseball questions

[Guest DrTom]

Why in the Holy Fuck won't they put in a salary cap? Has every other sport in the entire universe not enough precedent for you Selig? You'd think a tightwad like him especially would be in favor of a cap.

Short answer: The players' union would bend him over and fuck him like a bitch.

 

Longer answer: baseball has had its present salary structure for a long time. Salaries have been spiraling upward at dangerous levels since the mid-1980's. That's when a cap could have been put in, but now that the players (and their agents) are so used to making the money they're making, it'll never happen. The news isn't all bad: baseball is a self-regulating free market, and this offseason, spending was down and fiscal common sense was the order of the day. If we have a few more offseasons like that, then the cry for a cap should die down.

[Guest Grand Slam]

I despise the DH. And I have to disagree with the guy who says it puts the NL at a disadvantage in the Series. Look at it this way:

 

In an AL park, the NL team gets to use the DH. Usually if a team makes it this far, it is because they are deep enough to have a utility guy that has played 40 - 60 games or an accomplished Pinch Hitter.

 

In a NL park, the NL pitchers have been taking their cuts every five days against real pitching during the season. Who would you rather have at the plate in a tough bunting situation? The guy who has done it 50 or 60 times this year or the AL guy who hasn't picked up a bat since sping training?

[Guest alkeiper]

The Salary Cap Issue....

 

The only way the salary cap effects the fan is if it effects competitive balance. Every other sport has a salary cap, and every other sport has bad teams. Adding a salary cap to baseball would not eradicate bad teams. And the current structure is good for baseball anyway.

[Guest Kingpk]

Will Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley Field ever be abandoned for new facilities? I can see the Yankees moving (there are plans on the table), but I don't know about the other two.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

Will Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley Field ever be abandoned for new facilities? I can see the Yankees moving (there are plans on the table), but I don't know about the other two.

Yankee Stadium and Fenway will be abandoned in the near future. I'd also be willing to bet Shea and Candlestick's days are numbered. But good old Wrigley Field. The Trib would have to be crazy to move out of Wrigley. Because without the Wrigley Field Experience, the Cubs are just an average ball club. The only thing that threatens Wrigley's existence is the Cubs' success, because then the Tribune can say "They're a good team, it doesn't matter where they're playing."

 

I believe the Cubs and Bears almost moved to Addison and Schaumburg, respectively. So Da Mare just said something along the lines of "Fine, be the Addison Cubs and the Schaumburg Bears and see who gives a shit."

[Guest DerangedHermit]

I'm pro DH all the way. I don't want to pay $30 to see Mike DeJean bunt.

I don't want to pay $30 to see Mike DeJean at all.

 

What is the best stadium built in the past ten years (1993 on)?

 

Who agrees with me that the Yankees are the Red Wings of baseball and the Mets are the NY Rangers of baseball?

[Guest The Czech Republic]

What is the best stadium built in the past ten years (1993 on)?

Miller Park. Too bad the Brewers are a joke.

[Guest alkeiper]

Given NYC's budget problems, I doubt we'll see new Yankee or Mets stadiums anytime soon.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

It will truly be a sad day when Fenway goes under.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

The Giants don't play in Candlestick anymore.

 

The best new stadium in the last 10 years is PacBell Park.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

The Giants don't play in Candlestick anymore.

 

The best new stadium in the last 10 years is PacBell Park.

I agree. Especially since Candlestick was a dump.

[Guest MrRant]

I vote SafeCo as the best park.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

That was my 2nd choice. Talking to my cousin who lives out in the Seattle area ,and has been to some games he loves it.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

The Giants don't play in Candlestick anymore.

 

The best new stadium in the last 10 years is PacBell Park.

Why did I say Candlestick? I meant Metrodome. I'm fucking stupid.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Why is Carl Everett so crazy but so entertaining?

[Guest alkeiper]

Isn't Candlestick still in use for 49ers games?

[Guest DrTom]

Will Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley Field ever be abandoned for new facilities?

Yes, yes, and yes. I predict Fenway will be replaced within 10-15 years. It doesn't seat enough people, has terrible amenities for the players, and doesn't have enough high-ticket seats to support an extravagant payroll. The best thing the Sox could do is build a modern ballpark with the same field dimensions and layout, so the feeling of Fenway is preserved.

 

Yankee Stadium will probably survive a little longer. It probably has more history going for it than Fenway, and seats a bunch more people. It's also been remodeled several times, and could probably last 20 more years with another facelift.

 

Wrigley Field is in a similar boat to Fenway. The reality is, an ivory-covered brick wall isn't exactly the best for outfielders, the seating capacity is small, and the luxuries and amenities just aren't there. The Cubs need a new park, with a real outfield fence people can run into without breaking themselves in half. I give Wrigley another 15-20 years, which is probably too long. If Tribune ever sells the Cubs, expect it to go quicker.

[Guest alkeiper]

I think Wrigley has staying power. It seats around 40-45k (the modern parks are seating around 48-50k), and they charge a bundle just for simple bleacher seats.

[Guest cartman]

Fenway isnt going anywhere for a LONG time. WHen it starts falling apart we might see some chance of a new park but that's about it.

 

The new ownership just doesnt have the money to build a new park in Boston, and there's not much room to boot. Also, vacating Fenway would kill local buisnesses and goed forbid THAT happens. Through the next few years your gonna see more ways to get more people into Fenway(although they have had just 1 sellout this year so far).

[Guest Some Guy]

Will Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley Field ever be abandoned for new facilities?

Yes, yes, and yes. I predict Fenway will be replaced within 10-15 years. It doesn't seat enough people, has terrible amenities for the players, and doesn't have enough high-ticket seats to support an extravagant payroll. The best thing the Sox could do is build a modern ballpark with the same field dimensions and layout, so the feeling of Fenway is preserved.

 

Tom, 10-15 years is a little optimistic at this point. They can't even figure out where to put a new one. The new owners have done an unbelievable job maximizing Fenway (Monster seats, new rows near teh dugouts, fan events on Landsdowne St. (Ted William's Way, etc...) The only problem this year, as Cartman mentioned is that they haev one sellout, but may I opint out that's it's fucking freezing here still. Pedro pitched last night in 32 degree weater, 21 with the windchill. Who wants to pay $50 to freeze their ass off in tiny seats? Which is my biggest bitch about Fenway. Ther is no leg room and the seats are way too small width wise to fit any one over 15. I went last year with 3 friends, all of us are thin and we were shoudler to shoulder, throw a fat ass in there and you're crushed. fat people were a big problem in Foxbore Stadium too, they had bench seating and the fatties forced the last three or four people in a row off the bench.

 

It's impossible to get anythign done in Boston. It's a liberal dominated buereacratic (sp?) mess. Every neighborhood says they don't want a new park any where near them and we have these "Save Fenway" lunatics as well.

[Guest DrTom]

What is the best stadium built in the past ten years (1993 on)?

If I can go back to 1992 for a moment, then it's definitely Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It's been the model for just about every park that's followed it. Of the post-93 ones, I've always been partial to The Jake, but PacBell is a nice park, too.

[Guest DrTom]

Why is Carl Everett so crazy but so entertaining?

Because people enjoy a freakshow. It's like watching the ambulance pull up after a grisly accident: you know it's probably better if you don't look, but you just can't seem to turn away.

[Guest DrTom]

I think Wrigley has staying power. It seats around 40-45k...

I'm pretty sure Wrigley seats around 38,000 or so.

[Guest DrTom]

The new ownership just doesnt have the money to build a new park in Boston, and there's not much room to boot.

No one forced them to spend 2/3 of a billion dollars buying a fricking sports franchise. Besides, most ballparks are funded at least partially by public money. Maryland built the new stadiums in Baltimore thru instant lottery revenues and an increase in the hotel tax. As for room, Baltimore's a crowded city, but they still found room for two amazing stadiums, right next to each other.

 

Tom, 10-15 years is a little optimistic at this point.

Why? Camden Yards was conceived, legislated, planned, and built in about eight years.

 

The new owners have done an unbelievable job maximizing Fenway (Monster seats, new rows near teh dugouts, fan events on Landsdowne St. (Ted William's Way, etc...)

But it still has narrow, uncomfortable seats, a lot of which don't even face the right way to catch the action. The seats atop the Green Monster face somewhere around the first-base dugout, don't they? Keep in mind the tiny clubhouse (especially for the visitors); I'm sure the players love the tradition of a Fenway Park, but they have to bloody loathe actually going there to play.

 

It's impossible to get anythign done in Boston. It's a liberal dominated buereacratic (sp?) mess. Every neighborhood says they don't want a new park any where near them and we have these "Save Fenway" lunatics as well.

Baltimore was the same way in the mid-1980s, when it was decided that Memorial Stadium needed to be replaced. Thankfully, they were able to get a nice, unused plot of land (Camden Yards was a retired rail depot, basically) and built two stadiums on it. Surely there's something like that floating around a city like Boston.

[Guest Kingpk]

Baltimore was the same way in the mid-1980s, when it was decided that Memorial Stadium needed to be replaced. Thankfully, they were able to get a nice, unused plot of land (Camden Yards was a retired rail depot, basically) and built two stadiums on it. Surely there's something like that floating around a city like Boston.

Yeah, the riverfront on the south end, which is where Kraft wanted the new Patriots stadium, but the residents hemmed and hawwed about the traffic and the drunks it would draw on Sundays. You think they would put up with it 4-5 days a week? The owners should do what Kraft did: threaten to move to Hartford and watch Beacon Hill cave.

[Guest Some Guy]

Tom, 10-15 years is a little optimistic at this point.

Why? Camden Yards was conceived, legislated, planned, and built in about eight years.

 

I don't think you understand Boston. There is virtually no land in the city to build on and what land there is the residents won't allow to be used. There is a reason why property is outrageously expensive here, there's no space. Maybe they should use the land that will be created above the big dig to build a new Fenway. At leats that clusterfuck would be good for something then. I like the riverfront idea that's bveen brought up countless times, they could even doa PacBell type deal and put the Monster up against the river and have people in boats chase down HRs. But it ain't gonna happen.

 

Tom, Memorial stadium was about 30-40 years old when they built Camden Yards, right?

 

Fenway is 90 years old, if you don't think they've been trying to get a new park for the last 10 years at least, you're being naive. There have been tons of designs, ideas for lots, etc... but it's all for not because noone will cooperate.

[Guest treble charged]

What is the best stadium built in the past ten years (1993 on)?

I want to go to Pittsburgh, just so I can go to PNC Park. That place looks awesome, as does PacBell.

[Guest ISportsFan]

I'm ok with the DH, but I think it puts the NL at a disadvantage during the World Series. An American League team can afford to carry a DH. A National League team can't.

What about the disadvantage it gives the AL when they go to NL parks? An NL pitcher has been batting all year and has some minor experience (at least) at the plate (and probably bats about .175-.200), whereas an AL pitcher has not batted all year. That is a huge disadvantage.

 

Plus, I'm sure the NL team can throw a decent benchwarmer into the DH spot that could hit .250-.300. Sure, not a "power-hitter," but a good replacement for a pitcher nonetheless.

 

So, I think the AL is at the real disadvantage.

 

Jason

[Guest DrTom]

Tom, Memorial stadium was about 30-40 years old when they built Camden Yards, right?

If memory serves, it was about 40 years old. I think it was built there after another park burned down, but that's *well* before my time. Either way, I think it opened in 1953 or '54.

 

Fenway is 90 years old, if you don't think they've been trying to get a new park for the last 10 years at least, you're being naive.

I don't live in the area, so I'm not privy to the local reports, but I don't remember hearing about serious plan to replace Fenway. I've heard of some speculation, which got national baseball writers into a tizzy about tradition and all that, but little else.

 

Isn't it also possible that the Sox would have an easier time getting the land the Patriots were going to use? The Sox should be tons more popular than the Patriots, and it's football fans who have the bigger reputation for being violent drunks. It sounds like that's an avenue the city should explore.

[Guest Kingpk]

Isn't it also possible that the Sox would have an easier time getting the land the Patriots were going to use? The Sox should be tons more popular than the Patriots, and it's football fans who have the bigger reputation for being violent drunks. It sounds like that's an avenue the city should explore.

Not really. As anyone who's ever been to Fenway knows, Red Sox fans aren't exactly known for being perfect angels, ESPECIALLY during the Yankees series. The Fenway area has plenty of bars surrounding it which are packed before games so I guess you could say that is similar to Patriots fans tailgating before games. Plus, the Patriots are just as popular as the Sox now, I would guess since they have actually won a championship in the last decade. There were actually talks of putting TWO stadiums in that area to accomodate each team, but the aforementioned bitching and the legislature's refusal to use taxpayer's money (like they don't have enough to go around), killed that idea. It's nearly impossible to pry their wallet open: Kraft paid for Gillette mostly out of his own pocket (which is why tickets are $65) and I believe the FleetCenter was mostly private money, too.