(Happy) Meals to Go!
“When I was a kid….” So many times those words precede a statement that is only true in our minds, not based in reality. Not a lie. It’s just how we remember things. The WAY we want to remember. Nana (Grandma) Wriz made the best mashed potatoes in the history of Thanksgiving dinners. I already overheard Momma Wriz tell Poppa Wriz that she’ll take it to the grave that “Nana couldn’t cook for shit.” Yet, I still crave those mashed potatoes every November.
“When I was a kid, MLB umpires were second to none. The best you could find. Not like these clowns who steal every time they cash a paycheck.” If you saw the ending the Braves/Pirates 19 inning marathon, you’d think I was talking about the egregious call Jerry Meals made when he called Julio Lugo safe to score the winning run. Meals was the only one who saw it that way. Not the fans. Not the Pirates. Not even the Braves. But I actually said it the day before watching the Phillies/Padres game. When I was a kid, I remember watching games with Momma Wriz and we both would scream at the TV when the Phillies got hosed on a call only to see the “super slow motion” replay confirmed the umpire made the right call. But now, time and time again, MLB Umpires are CLEARLY blowing easy calls. I was firmly against any kind of video replay last year when Jim Joyce self admittedly blew the call to ruin Armando Galarraga’s perfect game. Standing by my notion that the boys in blue did not an adequate job, but bordered on perfection, I was under the assumption the one or two calls a month that could be corrected by instant replay wouldn’t be worth the time it slowed down the game. But it’s not one or two a month but one or two a series if not a game. Video replay is used in the NBA, NHL and NFL. Tennis uses the Cyclops system which uses infrared laser light beams to determine if a ball is in or out. Every sport had clear resistance to begin using replay but it has shown to be a clear asset. I’m not saying everything should be reviewable. Balls and strikes would still be handles by the umpires and not reviewable. I would certainly be interested in a challenge system. Each manager gets 2 which he could reuse if the call was reversed. And I see no need for the entire crew to go watch the replay. Only the crew chief should leave the field.
When I was a kid the Pirates were one of baseballs best teams. God forbid the feel good story of the year, the Pittsburgh Pirates, miss the playoffs by one game. You will hear about last night’s game forever. The Pirates haven’t even had a winning record since 1992 let alone make the playoffs.
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You Decide! |
When I was a kid I was a baseball purist. I still am but maybe there is room for improve or at least correct blatant mistakes.
See ya at the ballpark!
Jay Wrizight
Also when I was a kid Happy Meals were the shit. Greasy Burgers, Fries cooked in animal fat and no shitty-ass apples.
The call was hosed yes. New Happy Meals suck yes. MLB umps suck overall... not so much.
ReplyDeleteBill S/aka netfather
I agree about the Happy Meals Wriz. Shitcan those Apple slices. As for replay I say leave it as is. Baseball needs to speed up, not slow down. A regular season Yankees/Sox games is already a 4 hour affair. If you give Girardi & Francona 'Challenges' those games may never end.
ReplyDeleteBasically my point is the technology is there to improve the game why don't they look at scenerios that could/would work.
ReplyDelete@DB if the Umps get it right the challenges become a non-issue.
@Bill You've probably watched more baseball and longer than anyone I know. You don't think there has been a dropoff in the quality of MLB ump? I believe there has. They are good but not great anymore.
Honestly, I think the ump wanted to go home and saw a way to do that, the chump.
ReplyDeleteMeg I thought that too for a split second, but those guys make like 175K for a working 6 months a few hours a day and have in season vactions. No way you give that up because you didn't want to go 20 innings
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