Major League Baseball

[rousseau]

I'm going to get in early and switch things up this year. Instead of creating a new thread each season here's a catch all thread that can continue from season to season..

The way forward looks unclear for Jose Bautista

Encarnacion deal weighs down the Indians

What does the Dodger's dynamic pricing mean for fans?

Milwaukee Brewers moves do not push them past Cubs

Astros: The Window of Contention Shouldn't Close Any Time Soon

Yankees State of the System: Second Base

And here are pictures of Wrigley and PNC:



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[TSwizzle]

I just read the article on Dodger "dynamic pricing" and I am disappointed the way things are going. I'm sure the Dodgers aren't the only MLB team doing these shenanigans with ticket prices but going to a Dodger game is just such poor value for money I doubt I will be attending any games this season. I may drive the extra miles and go watch the Angels if I feel like going to a game.

 

[rousseau]

I just read the article on Dodger "dynamic pricing" and I am disappointed the way things are going. I'm sure the Dodgers aren't the only MLB team doing these shenanigans with ticket prices but going to a Dodger game is just such poor value for money I doubt I will be attending any games this season. I may drive the extra miles and go watch the Angels if I feel like going to a game.

It's the same in Toronto for the Raptors and Leafs. I've still never seen an NHL or NBA game live because it's just not worth the price of a ticket and the hassle to get to Toronto and back. Especially when the city I'm in is host to good junior hockey teams and Canada's basketball league. A little hard up for baseball, but our inter-county team will do in a pinch.

Jays games have actually stayed fairly reasonable given the baseball market in Canada, but I've been to so many in the past four years I'm long due for a break.

 

[TSwizzle]

It's the same in Toronto for the Raptors and Leafs. I've still never seen an NHL or NBA game live because it's just not worth the price of a ticket and the hassle to get to Toronto and back. Especially when the city I'm in is host to good junior hockey teams and Canada's basketball league. A little hard up for baseball, but our inter-county team will do in a pinch.

Jays games have actually stayed fairly reasonable given the baseball market in Canada, but I've been to so many in the past four years I'm long due for a break.

I sometimes buy Dodger tickets on Vivid seats on game day. You can get decent value for money, usually the ticket price is below face value as a season ticket holder would rather get something for the seat than nothing. I think I will search out a minor league team in the LA area and see if I can't get along to a couple of games. I just don't enjoy the MLB ballpark experience as much as I used to. Way too expensive, parking, beer, food, tickets, it's a small fortune. I'm sure there must be a minor league team near LA to check out.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I just read the article on Dodger "dynamic pricing" and I am disappointed the way things are going. I'm sure the Dodgers aren't the only MLB team doing these shenanigans with ticket prices but going to a Dodger game is just such poor value for money I doubt I will be attending any games this season. I may drive the extra miles and go watch the Angels if I feel like going to a game.

Dynamic pricing?

What happens if prices lower after I purchase my tickets?
Tickets are always priced based on current market factors. By utilizing advanced computer pricing software linked to the team's ticketing system, the Yankees may adjust ticket prices based on changing factors that affect market demand. As with all Yankees tickets, all sales are final and non-refundable.

That be a lot of words for "you're fucked".

I saw the Cardinals and Yankees sites both say near equivalent things: "By utilizing advanced computer pricing software linked to the team's ticketing system, the Yankees may adjust ticket prices based on changing factors that affect market demand."

They say it like it is a consumer perk! We utilize algorithms to be able to know how high ticket prices can be and still get away with selling tickets.

 

[rousseau]

I just read the article on Dodger "dynamic pricing" and I am disappointed the way things are going. I'm sure the Dodgers aren't the only MLB team doing these shenanigans with ticket prices but going to a Dodger game is just such poor value for money I doubt I will be attending any games this season. I may drive the extra miles and go watch the Angels if I feel like going to a game.

Dynamic pricing?

What happens if prices lower after I purchase my tickets?
Tickets are always priced based on current market factors. By utilizing advanced computer pricing software linked to the team's ticketing system, the Yankees may adjust ticket prices based on changing factors that affect market demand. As with all Yankees tickets, all sales are final and non-refundable.

That be a lot of words for "you're fucked".

I saw the Cardinals and Yankees sites both say near equivalent things: "By utilizing advanced computer pricing software linked to the team's ticketing system, the Yankees may adjust ticket prices based on changing factors that affect market demand."

They say it like it is a consumer perk! We utilize algorithms to be able to know how high ticket prices can be and still get away with selling tickets.

In the last couple years I recall hearing about the Yankees implementing something that kept the ticket prices reasonable, I wonder if they changed systems recently.. struggling to find information.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Chief Wahoo's days are numbered. Our logo will be C. Perhaps I see Chief Wahoo through rose colored glasses but I am saddened. Does anything bring on a wave of nostalgia more than baseball. Chief Wahoo, John Adams and his drum, The Jake, they are all part of that nostalgia. The current iteration of Chief Wahoo is drawn in an innocent manner. Oh well. Progressive Field is still The Jake and Chief Wahoo will still be a part of my Indians. He will die slowly with his baseball fans who love him for what he represents to them, Cleveland Indians baseball and nothing more.

A lousy C.

 

[rousseau]

It's the same in Toronto for the Raptors and Leafs. I've still never seen an NHL or NBA game live because it's just not worth the price of a ticket and the hassle to get to Toronto and back. Especially when the city I'm in is host to good junior hockey teams and Canada's basketball league. A little hard up for baseball, but our inter-county team will do in a pinch.

Jays games have actually stayed fairly reasonable given the baseball market in Canada, but I've been to so many in the past four years I'm long due for a break.

I sometimes buy Dodger tickets on Vivid seats on game day. You can get decent value for money, usually the ticket price is below face value as a season ticket holder would rather get something for the seat than nothing. I think I will search out a minor league team in the LA area and see if I can't get along to a couple of games. I just don't enjoy the MLB ballpark experience as much as I used to. Way too expensive, parking, beer, food, tickets, it's a small fortune. I'm sure there must be a minor league team near LA to check out.

Agreed. Between the hecklers, people trying to start the wave, high ticket prices, and selfies going around, anymore I'd rather take in a game from my living room with a store-bought beer.

You're lucky you have access to the minors, no such thing in Canada, although the Tigers had a double-A team right here in town in the late eighties and early nineties. To date the best baseball experience I had was similar: spring training in Lakeland last March. Nothing but hard baseball fans interested in watching the game, small, beautiful ballpark, small amount of marketing and theatrics. Just baseball on a nice day.

For similar reasons I wouldn't mind checking out a game at PNC, but who knows when I'll muster the motivation to drive to Pittsburgh.

 

[TSwizzle]

Agreed. Between the hecklers, people trying to start the wave, high ticket prices, and selfies going around, anymore I'd rather take in a game from my living room with a store-bought beer.

For us in sunny CA, we can sit outside on the patio and watch the game . I do enjoy that experience. I have a swimming pool and can watch the game while in the pool. The only downside is that sometimes the glare from the sun and white fence can make it difficult to see the picture on the TV. But in the early evenings, it is really nice to sit outside and watch the game.

You're lucky you have access to the minors, no such thing in Canada, although the Tigers had a double-A team right here in town in the late eighties and early nineties. To date the best baseball experience I had was similar: spring training in Lakeland last March. Nothing but hard baseball fans interested in watching the game, small, beautiful ballpark, small amount of marketing and theatrics. Just baseball on a nice day.

That sounds pretty good and I have thought going to a spring training session but the drive puts me off. I think the players interact with the crowd more too.

 

[rousseau]

Agreed. Between the hecklers, people trying to start the wave, high ticket prices, and selfies going around, anymore I'd rather take in a game from my living room with a store-bought beer.

For us in sunny CA, we can sit outside on the patio and watch the game . I do enjoy that experience. I have a swimming pool and can watch the game while in the pool. The only downside is that sometimes the glare from the sun and white fence can make it difficult to see the picture on the TV. But in the early evenings, it is really nice to sit outside and watch the game.

You're lucky you have access to the minors, no such thing in Canada, although the Tigers had a double-A team right here in town in the late eighties and early nineties. To date the best baseball experience I had was similar: spring training in Lakeland last March. Nothing but hard baseball fans interested in watching the game, small, beautiful ballpark, small amount of marketing and theatrics. Just baseball on a nice day.

That sounds pretty good and I have thought going to a spring training session but the drive puts me off. I think the players interact with the crowd more too.

I'm not really a 'bucket list' kinda guy, but I used the phrase last year when my fiancee wanted to visit Disney World. I figured we'd plan it so I could catch a couple spring training games and the day in Lakeland (Tigers vs Pirates) was one of the best I've had in recent memory.

I paid extra to get in early and watch batting practice at about 10 am, then hung around the park until game time. Joker Marchant was also just re-done so the facility was fantastic. On top of it all I got my hands on an official spring training ball during the Pirates batting practice.

Show

We also saw a Jays-Braves game at Atlanta's home field in Orlando, but it was the first game of the season so we didn't see any of the Jays starters.

 

[rousseau]

Chief Wahoo's days are numbered. Our logo will be C. Perhaps I see Chief Wahoo through rose colored glasses but I am saddened. Does anything bring on a wave of nostalgia more than baseball. Chief Wahoo, John Adams and his drum, The Jake, they are all part of that nostalgia. The current iteration of Chief Wahoo is drawn in an innocent manner. Oh well. Progressive Field is still The Jake and Chief Wahoo will still be a part of my Indians. He will die slowly with his baseball fans who love him for what he represents to them, Cleveland Indians baseball and nothing more.

A lousy C.

I get it, but hard to tally up the reasons why it's got to go, even if it's mostly benign.

 

[rousseau]

Unrelated to this season.. does anyone know of any good, up to date books or resources on sabermetrics?

I've been wanting to find something that gets pretty heavy on the math/statistical side of the game. I've been reading Moneyball, which is pretty good but less explicitly about stats, and more about the beginnings of the sabermetric era.

As an aside, I've also started reading The Mental Game of Baseball but that's a different thing altogether.

 

[TSwizzle]

Unrelated to this season.. does anyone know of any good, up to date books or resources on sabermetrics?

I've been wanting to find something that gets pretty heavy on the math/statistical side of the game. I've been reading Moneyball, which is pretty good but less explicitly about stats, and more about the beginnings of the sabermetric era.

I'm sure that sort of stuff is interesting but I personally think that getting into the detail of sabermetrics takes some of the humanity out of the game. I remember years ago a player that was on the San Diego Padres was disheartened by the use of sabermetrics as it would probably have ruled him out of actually being considered as a MLB prospect. I can't remember his name but he was a decent player, he was short. His nickname was "the pest".

I loved the movie Moneyball.


erm, no I don't know any books

 

[rousseau]

Unrelated to this season.. does anyone know of any good, up to date books or resources on sabermetrics?

I've been wanting to find something that gets pretty heavy on the math/statistical side of the game. I've been reading Moneyball, which is pretty good but less explicitly about stats, and more about the beginnings of the sabermetric era.

I'm sure that sort of stuff is interesting but I personally think that getting into the detail of sabermetrics takes some of the humanity out of the game. I remember years ago a player that was on the San Diego Padres was disheartened by the use of sabermetrics as it would probably have ruled him out of actually being considered as a MLB prospect. I can't remember his name but he was a decent player, he was short. His nickname was "the pest".

I loved the movie Moneyball.


erm, no I don't know any books

After reading Moneyball I'm inclined to make the opposite conclusion, sabermetrics have put more humanity in the game.

Prior to the sabermetric era scouts often chose players based on arbitrary criteria like their appearance or body shape, or any other plain prejudice or bias. After the sabermetric era scouts and managers had basically just learned how to accurately identify players that are actually good players. And so now you're more likely to make the majors due to your skill level, and not something else.

I can see it being a bit disheartening having your every move run through statistical analysis, but I don't know that this is any worse than being eyed up by a prejudiced scout with no ability to identify talent.

 

[rousseau]

BTW, Moneyball is a great book, highly recommend.

 

[TSwizzle]

After reading Moneyball I'm inclined to make the opposite conclusion, sabermetrics have put more humanity in the game.

Prior to the sabermetric era scouts often chose players based on arbitrary criteria like their appearance or body shape, or any other plain prejudice or bias. After the sabermetric era scouts and managers had basically just learned how to accurately identify players that are actually good players. And so now you're more likely to make the majors due to your skill level, and not something else.

I can see it being a bit disheartening having your every move run through statistical analysis, but I don't know that this is any worse than being eyed up by a prejudiced scout with no ability to identify talent.

I didn't read the book Moneyball but I did watch the movie and I do remember there was an emphasis on Billy Bean's disdain for the scouts after his own experiences as a prospect. I'm sure sabermetrics is an invaluable tool for the managers. I really enjoyed the movie Moneyball but I doubt I will ever read the book. My favorite scene in the movie is where Billy Bean and Scott Washington are trying to convince Scott Hatteberg to sign as a first baseman, a position the catcher has never played. .

Billy: Playing first base is not that hard, tell him Wash.

Washington: It's incredibly hard.

And last season I was watching a game and the commentators were jabbering on about a scout that spotted good players by the size of their hands. They were banging on about it for quite a while.


Anyway, spring training has started !! Catchers and pitchers started this week !!

 

[rousseau]

I lost track of time and it turns out spring training games are now underway. Most welcome news. Tigers/Yankees will be accompanying me this afternoon.

I fell off the wagon last year and didn't watch much until late season, but hope to change that this year. Although MLB will be competing with the NHL for a while.

 

[TSwizzle]

Oh FFS !! Facebook to stream 25 MLB games.

 

[rousseau]

Oh FFS !! Facebook to stream 25 MLB games.

What's your beef with it? Not enough games?

 

[TSwizzle]

Oh FFS !! Facebook to stream 25 MLB games.

What's your beef with it? Not enough games?

I don't want Facebook encroaching on my life.