710 ESPN Seattle's Shannon Drayer
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E-mail thisGot some things on my mind. My changing mind which is big news. I am big on tradition when it comes to baseball. My immediate reaction is, change is bad. Just because really. I love baseball and I don't want to change it. Pure and simple.
Over the past few days though I have changed my mind on a couple of things. At some point even I need to let go of the past for what is good for the game. For what is essential to better the game and ultimately help it survive in a challenging environment.
I was staunchly against replay in any form. Human error is a part of baseball as far as I am concerned. Like in life, sometimes just because it is supposed to happen doesn't mean it will. Sometimes you do the right thing and are not rewarded. Like in life, there are no guarantees in baseball and I can live with that. What's a homerun or a blown call here or there?
The problem is on the grand stage of the playoffs the integrity of the game is thrown into question when the guys in black have influence over which team takes the championship. Get the champion wrong and never mind the guys actually on the field it hurts the sport itself.
Tonight the umpires got it right on the Rollins double play. They got together, talked it over and six minds and six views came up with what we could see on TV. Had they not it could have been the start of a scoring inning for the Yankees in a tight game. It could have been a difference maker in the game and in the critical series opener. After what we saw in the playoffs leading up to the World Series we cannot take this for granted and safeguards need to be put in place for the post season.
When instant replay was instated on homerun calls my biggest fear was once the door was open there would be more to follow. I still do not like it in the regular season and I do not want to see it expanded. Why? Because despite the fact that it is being viewed as a success this year the pitchers I have spoken to, most recently Ryan Rowland-Smith still think that it takes too long. Even a minute and a half can disrupt the rhythm of a starting pitcher. He hates the rule.
So to recap. Expanded replay, quickly in the post season I am okay with. During the season, I still want no part of it. You want better calls, get better umps. There is a full staff that evaluates them throughout the year. Well do something with those evaluations! If guys are screwing up on a consistent basis, get them out of there!
Moving on. My other change of mind comes reluctantly but again is for the good of the game. I hate cheaters. There is nothing more that I would like than to be able to vilify Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds until the end of time. I sure as heck do not want to honor them. I have always struggled with the fact that there are guys that have been caught that I liked. Some that I really liked. Because of this I wanted to forgive them, but if I forgave them, then did I need to forgive Arod, Bonds and Clemens? Do I need to look at the last twenty years and say that it was just a part of the game?
When Mark McGwire was announced as hitting coach of the Cardinals this week my immediate reaction was thank goodness. This guy needs to be back in the game. My next thought was, where the heck did the first thought come from! He was a cheater and a Cardinal! I grew up a die hard Cubs fan so no love for big Mac here. But if Arod can be enjoying a post season why shouldn't McGwire be allowed out of exile? Yes, I know. It is different. Alex had the press conference, McGwire the non answers to Congress. Still, the alleged crimes were the same. As I said this reaction completely surprised me but I guess the sad thing is there was so much of it, it cannot be erased. For the better of baseball, maybe we have to move on.
Something I will not change my mind on? Playoffs schedule. This thing should be done and over. For the good of baseball figure it out. Momentum plays as big a part with the fan base and viewership as it does on the field. Eight games in twenty one days is not acceptable and not representative of what this game is. You can go 21 days in the regular season without a day off. By this time each year since 2001 every Series was either over or on the final game. In 2003 the World Series wrapped up three days ago! Quit bowing to the television schedules! If you have to start the baseball season on a Wednesday, do it! If you have to go up against football, or even against another baseball game in the Division Series, do it! And for goodness sake, no off days except for travel and start the darn series as soon as both teams are ready! Five and six day layoffs are ridiculous. GET IT DONE BASEBALL!
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