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The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

G-Fafif Aug 16 2013 02:05 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 16 2013 02:14 PM

Any of you Mid-Atlantic types planning a lovely Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park to see your Mets make their final trip to DC on September 1? Not so fast there... ESPN announced today three September game selections for Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell – Major League Baseball’s exclusive national game of the week. The September slate is highlighted by several of MLB’s biggest stars competing on baseball’s biggest stage, including David Ortiz, Yasiel Puig, Bryce Harper and Robinson Cano. On the September 1 edition of Sunday Night Baseball, the New York Mets and Marlon Byrd will visit the Washington Nationals and Bryce Harper in a National League East showdown, airing on ESPN2. On September 8, the red-hot National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers – led by Yasiel Puig – will visit the Cincinnati Reds and Joey Votto. On September 15, the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox and David Ortiz will host the New York Yankees and Robinson Cano. Quite the inconvenience for you and the Mets (who are flying south thereafter for a Labor Day matinee at Atlanta), but how can American be expected to be deprived of starry, starry Byrd?

bmfc1 Aug 16 2013 02:14 PM Re: The Stars at Night are Big and Bright

(I wrote this for a different thread but move it in deference to a published author.) ESPN exercised its right to pick any game from the Sunday schedule (as allowed by the Crypt Keeper himself) and move it to 8 PM regardless of where or when those teams will play the next day and selected the Mets @ Nationals game on September 1. Even though Harvey isn't pitching (perhaps Strasburg is), even though the game is likely meaningless (unless they want to analyze the Mets 9/1 call-ups!), and even though the Mets have a 1:10 game in Atlanta the next day (which might be the same day by the time the Sunday game ends), they picked this game (Oakland is playing Tampa, smaller TV markets but a better game). (The Nationals are out of town the next day as well but it's a night game and it's in nearby Philadelphia).

G-Fafif Aug 16 2013 02:15 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Selig flips America the Byrd.

G-Fafif Sep 01 2013 06:29 AM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Vic Black is the new Marlon Byrd. Actually, ESPN is promoting the Mets as led by Eric Young, Jr., which is true in a batting order sense.

Gwreck Sep 01 2013 11:43 AM Re: The Stars at Night are Big and Bright

regardless of where or when those teams will play the next day and selected the Mets @ Nationals game on September 1. Even though Harvey isn't pitching (perhaps Strasburg is), even though the game is likely meaningless (unless they want to analyze the Mets 9/1 call-ups!), and even though the Mets have a 1:10 game in Atlanta the next day (which might be the same day by the time the Sunday game ends), they picked this game I highlighted the relevant parts. The Mets will take a bus (maybe even with a police escort) directly from the stadium to the airport. They won't stand in the TSA security lines, they'll board their chartered jet to take them directly to Atlanta; they'll deplane and not have to wait for their bags, they'll be driven straight to their five-star hotel rooms where they'll get plenty of rest before going to the park on Monday. There are plenty of things that suck about Sunday night baseball games from the fan's perspective. Player inconvenience is not one of them.

Edgy MD Sep 01 2013 01:42 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

I have to think this is the most brutal schedule the Mets have ever encountered.

dgwphotography Sep 01 2013 01:45 PM Re: The Stars at Night are Big and Bright

regardless of where or when those teams will play the next day and selected the Mets @ Nationals game on September 1. Even though Harvey isn't pitching (perhaps Strasburg is), even though the game is likely meaningless (unless they want to analyze the Mets 9/1 call-ups!), and even though the Mets have a 1:10 game in Atlanta the next day (which might be the same day by the time the Sunday game ends), they picked this game I highlighted the relevant parts. The Mets will take a bus (maybe even with a police escort) directly from the stadium to the airport. They won't stand in the TSA security lines, they'll board their chartered jet to take them directly to Atlanta; they'll deplane and not have to wait for their bags, they'll be driven straight to their five-star hotel rooms where they'll get plenty of rest before going to the park on Monday. There are plenty of things that suck about Sunday night baseball games from the fan's perspective. Player inconvenience is not one of them. Ok, let's do the math (with a lot of assumptions, and guessing)... Let's say the game lasts 3 hours - that's 11:10. An hour in the clubhouse for showers, interviews, etc (probably longer, but we'll say an hour), that's 12:10. Driving to the airport, boarding the plane, getting clearance to take off, another hour? (1:10)... An hour flight.. 2:10... So, with luck, they'll be in their rooms around 3, and that's if all goes well. Yep, not inconvenient at all...

Edgy MD Sep 01 2013 01:49 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

It's not about convenience, really. It's about their ability to perform at a reasonably competitive level the next day.

dgwphotography Sep 01 2013 01:50 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Edgy MD wrote: It's not about convenience, really. It's about their ability to perform at a reasonably competitive level the next day. I agree. I was just attempting to refute the previous post.

Edgy MD Sep 01 2013 01:51 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Of course. And I agree. I'm sure we'll hear what time the team gets in to Atlanta.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 01 2013 01:54 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

They should even things out a bit-- have the Braves spend a compulsory night at a Buckhead club, carrying large man-bags, until 2 or 3.

MFS62 Sep 01 2013 02:07 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: They should even things out a bit-- have the Braves spend a compulsory night at a Buckhead club, carrying large man-bags, until 2 or 3. They couldn't get out of there until 2 or 3 anyhow, because of the huge traffic jams in Buckhead. Later

Gwreck Sep 01 2013 02:11 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

dgwphotography wrote: Edgy MD wrote: It's not about convenience, really. It's about their ability to perform at a reasonably competitive level the next day. I agree. I was just attempting to refute the previous post. These are professional athletes in their athletic prime. They're going to be fine. Additionally, the fact that it's a Sunday night game means they get extra rest between Saturday's game and Sunday's game. I'm quite sure we will indeed hear about what time the team gets into Atlanta, and I'm quite sure that if it's too "late," we'll hear unwarranted excuses about how tough it is to travel. Wah wah wah. Cry me a river.

Frayed Knot Sep 01 2013 02:24 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

I'm not about to start a telethon for these guys, but two games in 17 hours in two different cities isn't a piece of cake no matter how you slice it. - That it's an ESPN game just adds to things by making the starting time an hour later than usual and that it's likely to be a longer game. - The bus ride to the airport, police escort or not, is still likely the better part of an hour (on a good day) seeing as how Reagan Airport, because it's right up against the city, doesn't operate at that hour so it's the 30+ mile trek out to Dulles. The bigger problem is that it's just another example of the sport ceding control of its schedule to a TV network. That 2 or 3 games per year can be changed, generally weeks or months in advance, is a minor deal. But what this shows is that MLB doesn't have any veto power when circumstances like a day game in a different city on a holiday half a day later dictate that this is a stupid idea. It also illustrates how ESPN used up too many games from their "name" teams early in the year and therefore had limited options over which games they could bump.

Edgy MD Sep 01 2013 02:39 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

It's not about excuses, Sarge. It's about the competitive disadvantage. The "extra rest" between Saturday night and Sunday night is irrelevant because their opponent shares that benefit. Their opponent tomorrow, Atlanta, are in the middle of a homestand and coming off an early evening game.

Gwreck Sep 01 2013 02:48 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

There are always going to be small variances in competitive advantage or disadvantage. One would think througout the course of the 162 game schedule there are always going to be instances where one plays a team in the middle of a long homestand, both teams having traveled the night before, neither teams needing to travel the night before, and so on. The competitive disadvantage here is so minor as to be a nonissue. I know that because it wasn't prohibited in the Basic Agreement which does indeed have very specific restrictions regarding Sunday night games.

G-Fafif Sep 01 2013 03:04 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Either way, America is getting psyched for EYJ! I'm psyched every night, though I might take a psyched-breather between 9 and 10 for Breaking Bad.

HahnSolo Sep 01 2013 05:48 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Didn't it used to be part of the collective bargaining agreement that you couldn't play a day game following a night game in a different city?

Frayed Knot Sep 01 2013 06:00 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

HahnSolo wrote: Didn't it used to be part of the collective bargaining agreement that you couldn't play a day game following a night game in a different city? I think that's been trumped by the clause in the contract called 'The ESPN Exception'. Seeing as how the network knew this game was slated to run on ESPN2 (while the main station shows fast cars turning left) I suspect the reason they opted for this match-up is that they knew the ratings were going to be diminished anyway so why waste it on "good" teams. They can't have Yanx/BoSox every week so they'll grab these teams tonight so that next Sunday they can show ... Yanx vs BoSox!! I suspect Eric Young Jr. is on the marquee because he's the only NYM player in the line-up that the network has ever heard of.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 01 2013 06:00 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Jeez, this might cost the Mets the pennant.

Gwreck Sep 01 2013 06:45 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

HahnSolo wrote: Didn't it used to be part of the collective bargaining agreement that you couldn't play a day game following a night game in a different city? No. The provision is (and has been): "Getaway games shall not be scheduled or rescheduled to start later than 5 P.M. if either Club is required to travel for a day game, scheduled the next day, between cities in which the in-flight time is more than 11/2 hours. In each season, the championship season schedule may contain six exceptions to the rule in the immediately preceding sentence provided that the traveling Club is traveling to Chicago to play the Cubs and the in-flight time does not exceed 21/2 hours."

Fman99 Sep 01 2013 07:32 PM Re: The Stars on Sun Night are Big and Bright

Gwreck wrote: dgwphotography wrote: Edgy MD wrote: It's not about convenience, really. It's about their ability to perform at a reasonably competitive level the next day. I agree. I was just attempting to refute the previous post. These are professional athletes in their athletic prime. They're going to be fine. Additionally, the fact that it's a Sunday night game means they get extra rest between Saturday's game and Sunday's game. I'm quite sure we will indeed hear about what time the team gets into Atlanta, and I'm quite sure that if it's too "late," we'll hear unwarranted excuses about how tough it is to travel. Wah wah wah. Cry me a river. I ran eighteen miles this morning on four hours sleep and I was just fine. These guys can go play baseball after lunch on short night's rest. I'm guessing Dice-K (Monday's scheduled starter) is already there and tucked into bed with his Hello Kitty blankets.