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Side Effects

Edgy MD May 08 2020 11:11 AM

I think a lot about what this non-starter of a season is going to do to baseball long-term. I've got to think a lot of things about baseball will be impacted long term. How many minor league teams will never return? How many players were in their last year before minor league free agency, and will get lost in the market because of the flooding? Will scouting channels contract with the lower demand and thinned-out resource chains? How many nascent careers will end prematurely as players pursue another life in baseball's absence. How many talented pitchers will actually flourish long term because of a year away? Bill James used to claim (perhaps he still does) that the high number or long-term pitching careers to come out of the sixties was due in part to minor leaguers missing a summer for military service or non-arm injury rehabilitation. I don't know when or if true ballpark culture will return. I imagine some cities will be comfortable congregating closely faster than others, and New York, ironically, may be slower than some others, despite the ever-present density of the NYC lifestyle. How boring will the games be with initially empty stands only gradually filling out? Will there be one exciting Friday night matchup in July 2023 where suddenly everybody is in their seats at once in a packed house in a tight game and suddenly everyone will realize this was how it used to be? Clubhouses, buses, airplanes, media scrums. All will return to normal at different paces, but some or perhaps much of it, arguably, never should. It would be a wonderful time for a generation of visionaries to appear in the game, but like in government, I really don't see who or where these folks might be, and I think the system is rigged to always frustrate such folks and keep them away from positions of authority.

Benjamin Grimm May 08 2020 01:37 PM Re: Side Effects

I think a lot of minor league teams will never return. They were talking about reducing the number of teams even before this happened. Now it becomes much more likely to happen. I suspect Kingsport is doomed. The fan experience will eventually get back to normal. It may not be until we're all vaccinated, but it will happen. There will be a lot of young players whose careers end in 2020 who will spend the rest of their lives wondering if the virus prevented them from becoming a big leaguer. And they'll never know the answer.

G-Fafif May 08 2020 02:43 PM Re: Side Effects

How many hot dogs will be passed down the row from vendor to customer?

metsmarathon May 08 2020 04:12 PM Re: Side Effects

i know it's a quaint tradition and all, but man, i hate not having a say over which people get to touch my wiener.

Fman99 May 08 2020 08:37 PM Re: Side Effects

=metsmarathon post_id=36601 time=1588975927 user_id=83] i know it's a quaint tradition and all, but man, i hate not having a say over which people get to touch my wiener.

I've never thought this once in my life.

Lefty Specialist May 09 2020 06:45 PM Re: Side Effects

What'll happen is the speeding up of things some people (not necessarily fans) want. The universal DH. The realignment and the elimination of the American and National Leagues. Expansion of the playoffs. Expansion of rosters. Banning reporters from the clubhouse. All things that will be hastened by a Covid-shadowed season, whether it's this year or next.

LWFS May 09 2020 10:34 PM Re: Side Effects

Lefty Specialist wrote: What'll happen is the speeding up of things some people (not necessarily fans) want. The universal DH. The realignment and the elimination of the American and National Leagues. Expansion of the playoffs. Expansion of rosters. Banning reporters from the clubhouse. All things that will be hastened by a Covid-shadowed season, whether it's this year or next. Yyyyyep. It'll be like the sporting equivalent of these random immigration restrictions/industry subsidies the federal government is shoehorning into COVID-19 relief bills and such.

batmagadanleadoff May 09 2020 11:02 PM Re: Side Effects

Ricky Bottalico? One of these things is not like the others.

Ceetar May 11 2020 06:50 AM Re: Side Effects

Lefty Specialist wrote: What'll happen is the speeding up of things some people (not necessarily fans) want. The universal DH. The realignment and the elimination of the American and National Leagues. Expansion of the playoffs. Expansion of rosters. Banning reporters from the clubhouse. All things that will be hastened by a Covid-shadowed season, whether it's this year or next. Yyyyyep. It'll be like the sporting equivalent of these random immigration restrictions/industry subsidies the federal government is shoehorning into COVID-19 relief bills and such. It's funny because all the small business/people relaxing ones will be QUICKLY rescinded. "okay, 'all better', gimme 6 months of rent/mortgage NOW!"