NFBC Message Boards

In my mind, baseball has changed for the worse over the last generation. I enjoyed it more when players would do anything to win a game. When was the last time you saw a 2b or ss tumbled on a double play ball?

I enjoyed it more when players disliked each other, if only for the reason that they had on different uniforms. Now, they have the same agent. I enjoyed razzing from the dugout. Now, they duck into the clubhouse. I enjoyed barbs in the papers, now they sugarcoat.



Choreographed handshakes should be left to cheerleaders. ANYTHING choreographed should be left to cheerleaders. Baseball is a spontaneous game. At least it was. Pies in the face used to be done in the locker room, enjoyed by teammates,now, they find a camera.

Celebrating a "walk off" is blasphemous! Win the game, like you've done it before, dammit.



The changing of the guard happened around 20 years ago. About the same time that the following story took place...



Deion Sanders was new to the Major Leagues. Even new to the Bigs, he brought with him his 'I can do everything MY WAY' type of attitude. His way was not hustling, if it didn't benefit himself.

Carlton Fisk was nearing the end of his career and watched Deion's lacksadaisical play until he couldn't stand it anymore.



After hitting a pop up, Sanders strolled toward first base. Fisk boiled. "Run the fu--'ing ball out, you piece of shitt- Thats not the way we do things here!"

Two innings later, Deion came back up to the plate. He looked at Fisk and said, "The days of slavery are over". Fisk responded, "If you don't play the game right, I'm going to kick your ass here in front of a lot of people!". Both dugouts emptied and Fisk never got the chance.

Dammit.

you blame it on deion, i blame it on espn. once they made the highlights about the individual rather than a team concept, all bets were off. and it impacted all sports. except hockey

so, to recap:

espn sux

fanball sux

Danny boy I can see you have read the book the Baseball Code. I read it too and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact my 2nd favorite "non serious" book this year. Sh!t my Dad Says is my favorite and highly recommend it.

dan- read the quote by philips on the cards- all is not lost. i also saw alexi almost get killed twice trying to turn 2 last week. as for the celebrations- just shoot nick swisher after his next one, that should end those.

I take it Coghlan and Morales could not be reached for comment?



I'm a bigger fan of the bubble gum gag than the shaving cream pie routine...

Originally posted by Chest Rockwell:

Danny boy I can see you have read the book the Baseball Code. I read it too and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact my 2nd favorite "non serious" book this year. Sh!t my Dad Says is my favorite and highly recommend it. A great read!!

I try to read every baseball book.

That one ranks near the top.



I just finished the new Willie Mays autobiography. A little disappointing. I thought that since Mays authorized it that there may be a lot of insights missing from previous biographies.

The chapter about his house being denied in San Francisco had a lot more information than other biographies, besides that, not many anecdotes and not much 'new' information. Very slanted as well.

I have always thought the players dislike for players on other teams was a little overblown.Maybe some players disliked each other due to teams playing each other so often.People forget each team had two or three hitters worth a damn and shortstops weighed 140 lbs.The players of today are bigger,faster,stronger,and much more skilled.Players could police themselves much better with no DH and no pitchers warnings.Let a pitcher deck a guy if he needs to,and then have to bat.

Originally posted by NorCalAtlFan:

you blame it on deion, i blame it on espn. once they made the highlights about the individual rather than a team concept, all bets were off. and it impacted all sports. except hockey

so, to recap:

espn sux

fanball sux Talk about wanting to be on the highlights.What a weekend Bob Davidson had.One night yelling at the Marlins coaches telling them to sit down and shut up.Next night yells at some fans to sit down and shut up(He is big on sit down and shut up),next night calls a ball foul and he was not looking at the ball.

The All-Star Game isn't the same either. I still watch it but it's just not quite the same.

on the foul ball in the marlins game- as usual the 3 idiots on mlb tonight did not know the rule. the foul call in that situation is the same as in soccer- and parents don't know the soccer rule either. if the ball goes out of bounds in the air in soccer- it is out. does not matter where it lands. same in the 3rd base situation- he had no need to watch it land; he felt it was foul going over the bag. might have been a wrong call- but where it landed had nothing to do with it. the ball did look to be "cued" and might have spun back fair.

You are correct.Past the bag has no effect.The ball went over the bag.Davidson blew the call.I am not saying these guys have to be perfect.But,get some help,ask the other guy.Do not be afraid to say Hey I blew it.The Braves have the biggest complaint.This one call could easily cost them the playoffs.I am the first one to say take care of it yourselves and win the games.But,this call was blatant.