Updated Oct 28, 2009 - 8:36 pm

Changing My Mind

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Got 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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• safecchatter wrote...

  Cheating

  Cheating In Baseball Made me upset when manny got such a big welcome back. I'm thinking...come on,this guy is a cheater! i guess some folks got no morals at all. but as far as cheating,it's been around a long time. the hall is full of pitchers who loaded up the baseball. and batters who altered their bats. the funniest one i saw was six superballs bouncing around the infield after graig nettles broke his bat. how about the "black sox scandle"? heck even maury wills once ordered the altering of the batter boxes at the king dome. so,where do you draw the line? for me i guess it's when players start altering their bodies with drugs. IMHO manny should not have been allowed back this year. maybe longer.. baseball history will look at this as the "steroid era".

  October 29, 2009 7:08 pm

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• Old Centurian wrote...

  Tradition vs. Technology

  Shannon, you made some good points, but the "game" of baseball is continuing to evolve, just like most other sports. It's hard to strike a fair and equitable balance between how baseball was played in the "old days" and making use of the available technology to eliminate human error. The problem with the whole instant replay issue is that TV coverage now emphasizes detailed replays of almost everything, raising the fan's expectation of perfection on the part of umpires. That perfection is just not going to happen. Opening the door to instant replay will eventually lead to every call being up for challenge. Balls? Strikes? Hit By Pitch? Eventually, MLB umpires will become largely irrelevant, and the unpredictable beauty of baseball will be reduced to a live equivalent of PlayStation. I'd prefer to see close calls handled like last night's umpire conference...it was quick, they got it right, and the umpires weren't marginalized by a TV camera.

  October 29, 2009 7:18 pm

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• lowgere wrote...

  Tradition vs Technology

  Old Centurian, my hat is off to you. Your analysis is marvelously rational, eloquent, and succinct. Like the rare beauty of an unassisted triple play!

  October 29, 2009 10:34 pm

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• bigmike04 wrote...

  To Shannon

  I like what you wrote but I have to dissagree with what you said about Mark McGwire. We all know he did steroids but he denied it and live with it when he retired and now is back at hitting coach which and when he tells the truth than let all accept it ok. A-Rod did steroids and he will be in hall of fame weather you like it or not as MLB choose him to be their man and back him when he was doing Steroids, so if anyone to blame you blame MLB and the owners as they had no problem with A-Rod doing roids. If anyone to be blame for Roids era it Baseball itself. If the higher up wanted to get clean than they need to get clean themself and stop being a hypocrite and come out and say that we allow it and now we want to change.

  October 30, 2009 12:44 am

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• Frito wrote...

  Cheaters

  Here some interesting info I came across from writer Jack Marshall. Once you read it, you decide if the "cheaters" of the game deserve a second chance. I for one say, "Good riddance." Bad Conduct (Indicating lack of integrity, bad sportsmanship, or bad character) 1. Throwing a game 2. Murder on the field 3. Attempted murder on the field 4. Accepting a bribe 5. Gambling on baseball 6. Extensive use of performance-enhancing drugs 7. Attacks on fans or umpires. 8. On-field impairment affecting performance 9. Major crimes during the season 10. Major crimes during the player’s career 11. Dishonest, uncivilized or other embarrassing personal conduct during a player’s career 12. On the field cheating, unrelated to drugs. 13. Unprofessional conduct on the field 14. Post-career serious crimes 15. Post career conduct involving dishonest, anti-social or offensive acts 16. General reputation for bad character 17. The expression of extreme or offensive views (racist, homophobic, misogynistic, anti-American, etc.) 18. Betrayal of the confidences of teammates in printed material and interviews. Good Conduct (Indicating integrity, sportsmanship or good character) 1. Team leadership 2. Unusual hustle, “playing the game right.” 3. Special acts of courage, heroism or integrity during a game 4. Charity and community service 5. Special acts of courage, heroism or integrity during a season 6. Special acts of courage, heroism or integrity during the off-season 7. Post-career charity and community service 8. Distinguished career in baseball post plying career 9. Outstanding military service 10. Distinguished career achievements after playing career 11. Military service generally 12. Special individual acts of heroism, generosity, charity or other exemplary conduct, post career. Source: www.hardballtimes.com/main/printarticle/measuring-the-character-of-baseball-greats/

  November 2, 2009 8:51 pm

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