The View From Wisconsin
Just a random set of rants from a Sports Fan from Wisconsin.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The DH doesn't stand for Doctor Horrible
Maybe it's just me, but I don't get why everyone is enamored with the Dr. Horrible's blog by Joss Whedon. I guess I'm just old. (As he wolfs down another slice of bacon from his Original Grand Slam from Denny's - from the 2GO menu.)
Anyways:
Anyways:
- When I found out the final score from Tuesday's All-Star Game, for some odd reason I felt gypped. I'm also now starting to swing back to the idea that maybe instead of "making it count" for the home-field advantage in the World Series, maybe they should just make it mandatory that the starters in each league (except the pitchers) play at least five innings or three at-bats, whichever comes first. And, at least two positions players be required to play at least nine innings, and (except for injury) the starting pitcher must face at least nine batters (if he gets at least one batter out) or six batters (if he does not get anyone out).
- One other little thing: maybe it's time that the interleague play rule about using the DH should be changed - in reverse. Have the pitcher bat in the AL parks, and have the DH bat in the NL parks. Either that or else mandate that the DH be used full-time in interleague play.
- The Home Run Derby is starting to get way too frustrating for me to watch. One guy puts up huge numbers in the first round - and always loses the contest. ALWAYS. What they should consider is this: if a player in the first round hits 20 or more homers to lead all contestants, he should get an automatic bye to the finals. And, if no other player in the first round gets within 10 homers of his total, he gets three extra "outs" in the finals. Also, consider going back to having each round with fewer outs (10 in the first, 8 in the second, 6 in the finals).
- So, Timmy Donaghy is saying he wasn't alone in his "fixing" of games, hm? And what's this? Scott Foster, another NBA ref, got a whole bunch of calls from Donaghy, and surprise, surprise, the records show that there was something fishy going on in high-spread games? Oh, my, doesn't THAT make you want to just go drop a couple thou on courtside tickets? (My bad - that'd get you 400-level seats at most NBA arenas.) The NBA - it's faaaaaan-tastic.
- The Radulov situation gets even stranger every day. He's started in on training camp in Ufa (aside: this place is about the Russian equivalent of Calgary or Boise; it's out in the middle of proverbial nowhere in the middle of mountains - hockey and industry is all they got). The IIHF has handed down suspensions from international play until the contracts can be legally determined - yeah, right. That'll have about as much teeth as UN sanctions. The KHL is claiming that Radulov and five others signed their contracts before the league and the NHL agreed to honor their respective league's existing contracts. That's about the same attitude as, "well, I did it before you said I couldn't, so it's okay." Yeah, sure.
- Dear Darrell Bevell: Next time you talk to a living legend from Mississippi, keep your mouth shut. Signed, a fellow UW System Alumnus.
- Getting a mosquito bite on your leg is always a bummer. However, somehow I got three bites, all within a small area on the back of my right calf. And no amound of hydrocortisone cream or Benadryl spray seems to be helping. The problem isn't that it's itching; the problem is that the damn thing must have tapped into a muscle or something.
- Least thrilling news item of the week: the National Weather Service issued a (wait for it) flash flood watch for Waukesha County on Wednesday night. No, it didn't end up raining that bad or that long, but still - people are jumpy around here when the skies start to darken.
- Last thing regarding the "this time it counts" deal: How about, instead, if the World Series home-field advantage goes to the league that has the better overall record in interleague play (including the All-Star Game)? Or, better still, give home field advantage to - wait for it - the team with the best record. I know, such a radical idea. You wonder why no one's ever thought of it before.
Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Joseph Houk. All rights reserved.
