Billy Packer out at CBS Sports

Billy Packer was let go from CBS Sports as lead analyst of college basketball sitting alongside Jim Nantz. (Read the AP story here.)
This is bittersweet news.
Sweet because I thought Packer came across as arrogant and overconfident and I disagreed with many of his views. I thought there were many CBS teams who called the game better than Nantz and Packer (more on that later)
Bitter because he is replaced by Clark Kellogg. Kellogg comes across a bit clueless and gutless in the studio. Not willing to tell it like it is and seems a bit lacking in knowledge despite being a former player, often stating the obvious.

More ranting on MLB All Star game

This is a common rant but I have to say it... attaching home field advantage for the world series to the all star game is one of the most illogical, ridiculous ideas in MLB. Having home field advantage for the world series is important - not THE most important thing - but given the choice, any manager would choose home field.

The all star game is one of the most worthless exhibitions in sport.

#1: most of the players in the game will have nothing to do with the world series, yet they will decide home field advantage.

#2: (another rant for another post) fans are choosing the starters. So the players who determine home field advantage are there by popularity rather than talent.

#3: (another rant for another post) the players who are there by popularity are there by ballot box stuffing. So I may vote once to have Nate McLouth start as NL outfield and a teenage girl may want Alfonso Soriano. Equal popularity right? Nope, because the girl voted 100 times for Soriano. So the semi-popular players start the game.

#4: The supposed best players don't get to finish the game - they play 3 innings and sit. And the home field advantage is determined by the bench.

#5: They call it real game because home field is at stake but the players attitude shows they don't care. Barry Bonds tackles Tori Hunter because he robbed his home run?! They don't care. Alex Rodriguez slows up going around 3rd and is tagged out standing up. They don't care. Careless players are deciding home field.

#6: MLB managers do not want their players caring and playing hard because they do not want them injured for the real games.

#7: Just because they "make the game matter" doesn't mean they won't have another tie. Bud Selig played the fool on '02 when the all star game ended in tie after 11 innings. What happens if the game goes 16 innings this year? The managers are forced to get just about everyone in the game - they can't assume a tie. They WILL run out of pitchers after 16 innings - then what? Is Joe Torre going to want one of his position players pitching in the all star game and risking injury? No.

#8: Selig says they won't use best record to determine home field advantage because they need to know the 2-3-2 city set-up far in advance...even though you still have to wait for the LCS to end before you can set it all up.

Ugh... Bud Selig

MLB sellout

Say it ain't so. There are big trade rumors about where the Indian's C.C.Sabathia will be dealt. What!? The Indians get off to an average first half and that's it? Trade the defending AL Cy Young Award? To the Yankees?!

The Indians were one win from the World Series last year, meaning, one win from winning it all (No way the NL could be the AL last year). 8 months later after some big injuries and you are going to trade your best player?

This is the trend in baseball for more and more teams. Win now. No time to build. And if you have experience winning recently, then there is no time to lose.

The Indians are not even out of it yet. The AL Central is playing mediocre this year - 85 wins could take it. DON'T TRADE C.C.!

Another questionable baseball rule

Here is a head-scratcher concerning official statistics. A starting pitcher cannot receive a Win unless he pitches at least 5 innings, but a reliever can get one out a receive the win.

Consider this scenario:

Orel Hershiser pitches for the Dodgers and his offense gives him an early 10-0 lead to work with. He pitches 4 2/3 innings and with a runner on first the manager decides to pull his starter and give him some rest. Alejandro Pena comes in for relief. Pena immediately picks the runner off first for the final out of the 5th inning. Tim Leary comes in to pitch the 6th inning and finishes the game.

Hershiser pitches 4 2/3
Pena pitches 1/3
Leary pitches 4

The win goes to Pena who didn't even throw a pitch!

Women's Basketball Paradox

Last night in the NCAA Women's basketball championship Tennessee beat Stanford to win it all. I didn't watch the game, but I know many did on ESPN and the arena was sold out.

In fact, for the women's game, NCAA is the pinnacle. But once they get drafted by the WNBA, where they play for money, the arenas are no longer filled; in fact the arenas a very much empty. I know many college sports are AS popular as their professional counterparts, but I can't think of another sport where the popularity of the amateur/college sport dwarfs the professional counterpart.

What is it that WNBA stands for? A friend of mine suggested: "We Need Better Athletes"

Bracket Improvement

A suggestion to improve the near flawless NCAA mens basketball tournament:

About eight years ago the bracket was expanded to incorporate 65 teams. Since one more conference was awarded an automatic bid, the committee decided they didn't want that small conference team to take the place of a big name school. So they make the 2 smallest schools play a game before the tournament starts. The loser of this game does not even get to play in the actual tournament even though they received an automatic bid.

So, what they could do is declare who the last 2 bubble teams were to get into the tournament without an automatic bid. Since they didn't even win their conference these 2 teams should play the "play-in" game before the tournament.

Sure, these big school bubble teams (like this year's Arizona squad) are better than the small time "play-in" school (like this year's Coppin St). So instead of having Coppin State play Mount St. Mary's in a "play-in" and having the winner take the #16 seed to play #1 North Carolina, have Arizona play Kentucky (2 bubble teams this year) and have the winner take the #12 seed and play the #5 seed.

Reward a conference champion and make a bubble team play the pre-tournament game.

Payroll Minimum

You know its bad when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays - yes, the Devil Rays who are known for fielding an uncompetitive team year after year while management refuses to fork over money for talent... You know its bad when these hapless Devil Rays have a payroll TWICE as much as you.

Unbelievably, the Florida Marlins payroll this year is only 21 million dollars. Tampa Bay's payroll is almost 44 million. The Yankees payroll is 209 million dollars, nearly ten times that of the Marlins. Alex Rodriguez will make 28 million this year, 7 million more than the entire Florida roster.

Instead of complaining about the deep pockets of the Yankees, is it time to start complaining about the bottom end? Do we need to have some sort of minimum spending limit?

Here's what can happen if we don't: Let's say Florida has a spending budget of 80 million (which is about what Milwaukee and Cleveland spend, who are both in the middle of the chart.) Florida chooses to spend 20 million every year putting double A talent on the field while saving 60 million every year. Then six years later they reach into their 360 million savings account and buy all the best players and win a championship. The next year, they have a fire sale and let go of the payroll and start over.

Funny thing, that's exactly what Florida did after they won the World Series in 1997 and again six years later in 2003. Its a strategy that may work, but is that what we want? Is that good for the game?

Here is an idea for a rule. The ticket price amount should be in direct proportion to payroll. So if Florida management decides to spend only 21 million, then their ticket prices should be near zero. That way since you put a no-name product on the field (which most people will not spend money to see), you will at least try to fill up the stadium with people who otherwise would never go to a game except now that it is free. They can make money on concessions.

Appealing a Called 3rd Strike (revisited)

On a check swing when the plate umpire calls a ball, the catcher can appeal for the umpire down the line for help. (Its funny that the catcher can only get that appeal if the home plate ump grants it. Its possible that the line ump gets a better view but will not get a chance to correct the call because the plate ump will not grant it!) Let's assume the plate umpire grants an appeal. The plate umpire thinks he has it right - they only appeal if the catcher asks. The assumption is the plate umpire is humble and generous and admits he might have missed it - lets ask the gentleman down the line if he got a better view.

My question is, why does the catcher have to appeal? Why can't the umpire down the line just make the call if the plate umpire missed it? Don't they want the right call anyways? You could actually have a situation where the line ump sees a strike after the plate ump called a ball and if the catcher never asks for an appeal, the game goes on with a missed call. This is ridiculous. Eliminate appeals. Just let the line ump correct a call without the catcher asking.

In this line of thinking, the opposite should also be true. Sometimes the batter has a close check swing. The plate ump points at the batter and calls a strike. Shouldn't the batter be able to ask the line ump for an appeal like the catcher can? The situation is no different. In both cases the plate ump thinks he's right. Why is it that he can only get help to correct a ball?

MLB Opening Day(s)?

Boston and Oakland travel to Japan for opening day which was actually in the morning in the US. Washington and Atlanta play Sunday night which is called opening night. Then on Monday we have the traditional opening day.

This doesn't do it for me. There are too many problems. First, Boston comes back to Los Angeles after playing regular season games in Japan and is then expected to play the Dodgers in a meaningless exhibition game. The Boston travels to Oakland to resume their regular season series with the A's. Hmm.

Another problem I see is with opening day being a one-game series. Wouldn't you think Washington, after opening their new stadium Sunday night against Atlanta, would play on Monday against Atlanta? Nope, Washington traveled to Philadelphia on Monday while Atlanta traveled home to play Pittsburgh.

Then it gets stranger. On Tuesday, Washington and Philadelphia both get the day off and then resume their series on Wednesday.

Can we just start everybody off on Monday and call it a national holiday and stay home and watch all the team play at the same time? Just like we do at the start of March Madness. Strange things are afoot in the MLB offices.

More to Come

Hang in there - more rants to come!

Baseball Uniforms and Managers

Terry Francona (Boston manager) was upset this last week, when right in the middle of an inning during a game against the Yankees, someone from MLB offices summoned him from the dugout to see if he was wearing the proper uniform under his windbreaker. Bad timing by the MLB fashion police.

But this just adds fuel to a bigger fire. Why are managers required to wear uniforms? There are no other sports where coaches are required to wear the same uniforms as the players. It would be comical to see Phil Jackson sport a Lakers uniform while he coached or Bill Parcels wear the footbal pants just over the knees.

You see, the baseball uniform is designed for an athlete who poses a body in supreme athletic condition. Thats why guys like David Wells wear giant baggy uniforms. So when you have out-of-shape coaches who are aged and have large bellies, it is not good for them to wear a uniform! Allow these to wear slacks and a polo at least.

They even have this silly rule at the high school level. When I coached, I always felt a little silly in the tight white pants. Yet the rule book stated I could not coach third base without the uniform. In fact during one game I had an umpire tell me to take off a red and white Reebok jacket because "I didn't coach the Reeboks."

There are two places that have it right: Softball coaches are not forced to wear the uniform and little league coaches are not forced. Can you imagine the Little League World Series with coaches wearing the full uniform?

On behalf of coaches of the next generation...someone stand up against this rule!

No throws needed for IBB

Technically it isn't necessary for a pitcher to make any pitches for an intentional walk. According to the rules, anytime a pitcher touches his hand to his mouth while on the mound the umpire shall declare a ball to the batter. Instead of throwing 4 pitches to the catcher standing up, why not just touch your hand to your mouth 4 times. It is not a balk and you save 4 pitches from your pitch count.

Only 2 potential problems:
1. In cold weather games there is no penalty for touching your hand to your mouth.
2. Repeat offenders can be fined by the league president.

CBS Golf - Make some cutbacks

I watched Tiger Woods take his 13th major this weekend at the PGA Championship played in Tulsa. I enjoy CBS coverage and I think they have a great team covering the analysis. I especially like the hiring of Nick Faldo into the coveted #2 position next to Jim Nantz in the 18th tower. I wasn't too fond of Lanny Wadkins in that spot over the last few years.

CBS also does well with its star roving reporter, David Feherty, covering the final group.

They also have Peter Kostis doing swing analysis - OK, not a bad thing.

They also have funny man Gary McCord traditionally stationed at the 16th tower. OK - fine.

They also have Peter Oosterhouse and his British accent stationed at the 17th tower. Very well then.

They also lured Ian Baker-Finch away from ABC. Maybe he hides in the 15th tower.

So far that makes 7 guys covering the broadcast. That is too many. How can anyone get a word in? But CBS went further for this major.

CBS covers The Master's every April and Augusta National Golf Club has banned CBS from using Gary McCord for its broadcast because of some comments he made on air some time back. So for the Masters, CBS brings in Verne Lundquist to take the 16th tower for McCord. For the PGA Championship, CBS had McCord AND Lundquist - that makes 8.

But CBS also lets their interview man, Bill Macatee, get a piece of the broadcast action also. That makes 9.

I could do without Macatee. Not a smooth voice. CBS makes their money having McCord and Feherty joke with each other with Kostis and Oosterhouse playing the straight men. Now they bring over Faldo and they have a sort of all-star team. Baker-Finch does a great job, but there is no room for him.

My suggestion: Put Baker-Finch, Lundquist, and Macatee on the bench and leave more air time for your high paid all-stars.

HBP and Umpire Warnings

Something very interesting is going on in baseball concerning batters getting hit and umpires giving teams the warning and MLB will need to address this soon.

Here's what happens: If the umpire feels like a pitcher intentionally throws at a batter, he warns both benches, and if it happens again, the pitcher and his manager get ejected from the game.

But watch what happens. Because of the culture of modern baseball, a batter feels like everytime he gets hit, it must have been intentional. So the response of the batter is influencing the umpire on whether or not the HBP was intentional.

So look at the power a batter can have now: It's the top of the first and your star #3 hitter gets plunked on an inside fastball. There was nothing intentional by the pitcher - it was inside and got away. But...if you tell your star #3 hitter to make a scene out of it, he will have power over the whole situation. If the batter charges the mound and fights, he will get ejected, so you don't want him to do that. You just have him say a few words to the pitcher, give the catcher time to get out and stop him, the benches might clear - one of the quasi-fights we see so often. Nobody will get ejected in this situation but the umpire will be forced to give the warning to both benches so that nothing gets out of hand!

Even though the warning goes to both pitchers, it especially holds true for the pitcher who just hit the batter. That pitcher can no longer pitch inside or run the batter off the plate or even hit a batter without getting ejected. He is forced to throw outside and the opposing lineup knows it. They are diving over the plate crushing every pitch and if the pitcher wants to keep them honest by throwing inside - he'll get ejected.... all because the star#3 hitter made a fake scene after he got hit earlier.

If the star #3 hitter would have just ran to first after he got hit, like a mature, real player should, none of this would happen. No warnings, no nothing. But because the player acted like a selfish, overpayed baby, he controls the potential outcome of the game.

You've got to want it

It is funny when coaches yell at their players during a close game, "You got to want it more than them!" I'm not sure exactly what this means. Maybe nobody does.

The statement questions the player's desire. It is true that some players, regardless of their talent, don't care if the team wins or not. But if a player doesn't care, a speech is not going to make him care. But it doesn't matter, because careless players can sometime be more successful in a pressure situation precisely because they do not care.

But lets say a good speech by the coach does make everyone care. The same speech can be given by the opposing coach at the same time. Every player on the team "wants" the win as much as the other guy but someone still has to lose. In this case the player had desire and still lost.

So it is just as likely for the team that doesn't want it as much to win.

But...the losing coach will still yell at his team that they didn't "want" it as much as the winning team. Maybe if the team yelled a cheer as loud as they could - then they would have the "want" that it takes to win the game.

Pickoff help

One thing that has always bothered me about high school and college baseball is when coaches require their bench players to yell "Back" when the opposing pitcher makes a pick-off attempt at first base. Is this actually helping? The runner is watching the pitcher. The bench is watching the pitcher. When the pitcher makes his move, the player should be making his move back to first. By the time the bench recognizes the pick-off, the baserunner is already in motion. If the baserunner waits to listen for the bench to help, it'll be too late.

If the bench's yell was actually of profit, then it would be fine for the player to take his lead-off with his eyes closed and just wait for the bench to tell him to get back.

Steroids and Kids

There is a commercial that airs during games to prevent kids from getting into steroids. They show a clay statue that crumbles into pieces - a picture of what will happen to you if you ever use steroids. (Very similar to the famous anti-drug commercial with the fried egg: "This your brain, this is your brain on drugs.") The message is: don't use steroids or your body will fall apart and you may die.

There are two problems with this commercial. First, where are all the athletes that are dying from steroid use? We have the Lyle Alzado case, but not many others. The problem here is, at the moment, the ratio of steroid users to people dying from steroids is very high. In fact, that is why so many people use steroids in the first place. The risk for death is extremely low. All these people who make these commercials scaring kids out of steroids would probably get more kids scared if what they claimed were actually true. But the evidence is not there. It is funny though; if the evidence were there - if steroid users were dying - fewer athletes would use steroids because of the risk, and they wouldn't need these commercials. I guess that make the commercial useless.

The second problem is the reasoning. It is a problem very typical of American culture. If you want kids to stray from steroids, make the motivation not about health, make the motivation about morality. Tell kids to not do steroids because it is WRONG. Tell kids to not do steroids because it is CHEATING. Not because their body will fail. This is the problem. People are not motivated by morality. Ask a kid why he will not do drugs. He will tell you they are bad for his body, or because he wants to be a doctor. They will not say, "Because they are against the law," or "because I want to be a good citizen."

But on the positive, the people who make the commercials can feel good about themselves that they tried.

NBA Timeouts

The value of timeouts in the NBA and even a bit in the NCAA has been diminished due to the increase in TV timeouts. You know they have been diminished when you see players scambling for loose balls and screaming for a timeout at the same time. If the timeout is granted, the player is praised for making a good play. You know teams have too many timeouts when they can waste one on a loose ball.

A timeout should have more value than a possession. In other words, when a player is about to fall out of bounds and he calls a timeout, the timeouts should be few enough where it would be better to lose the possession and save the timeout for a late game situation.

Compare NBA timeouts to NFL timeouts. Outside of 2-minute offenses, have you ever seen an NFL coach happy about calling a timeout? No. That's because with only 3 timeouts per half, they have more value in the NFL. Those NFL timeouts are precious for the end of the game. I would like to see the same in the NBA. Players can rest during TV timeouts and be forced to save the timeouts for the final minutes.

Appealing a called strike

On a check swing when the plate umpire calls a ball, the catcher can appeal for the umpire down the line for help. (Its funny that the catcher can only get that appeal if the home plate ump grants it.) The plate umpire thinks he has it right - they only appeal if the catcher asks. The assumption is the plate umpire is humble and generous and admits he might have missed it - lets ask the gentleman down the line if he got a better view.

My question is, why does the catcher have to appeal? Why can't the umpire down the line just make the call if the plate umpire missed it? Don't they want the right call anyways? You could actually have a situation where the line ump sees a strike after the plate ump called a ball and if the catcher never asks for an appeal, the game goes on with a missed call. This is ridiculous. Eliminate appeals. Just let the line ump correct a call without the catcher asking.

In this line of thinking, the opposite should also be true. Sometimes the batter has a close check swing. The plate ump points at the batter and calls a strike. Shouldn't the batter be able to ask the line ump for an appeal like the catcher can? The situation is no different. In both cases the plate ump thinks he's right. Why is it that he can only get help to correct a ball?

Another quirky baseball rule

It is funny how first base is in fair territory and the runners lane to first is in foul territory. Often times on bunts to the right side you see the runner ruled out for not running in his lane...even though first base isn't even in the lane. This is especially difficult for a right handed batter who is already on the wrong side of the lane to start. He must get in his lane and then swipe first base as he goes by? Then the runner and firstbaseman must both have a foot on the base as the runner goes by. Tight squeeze.

Maybe beer league softball is on to something by having 2 first bases next to each other. It kills to birds with one stone.