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!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
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.
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.
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