WE NOW INTERRUPT THIS SEASON…
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Thursday, May 19, 2005
Top of the 1st
WE NOW INTERRUPT THIS SEASON…
We’re just getting started. We’re getting into a groove. There’s a flow. There’s a rhythm. We’re starting to look with interest at the standings. We’re starting to pay attention to other teams. We’re obviously starting to have fun and…it’s time to stop
The ninth season of interleague play between the American and National Leagues will begin on Friday. Over the next two months, May 20-22, June 6-19 and June 24-26, we will interrupt the natural flow to play 252 interleague games.
We do that because…I’m thinking….because Diamondback and Royals fans have been waiting for this match-up? No, we do this because since its inception in 1997, the average attendance for interleague games is 32,663 fans per game, representing a 13.4 percent increase over the average intraleague attendance from 1997-2004. Is that worth it?
Chew on these numbers, in 2004, Major League Baseball averaged 32,914 fans per game during interleague play, a period covering 250 dates. The 2004 interleague average was 9.3 percent higher than the intraleague average (30,109 fans per game). I’m no math whiz, but it seems to me that we are screwing around with the season to bring 2,800 more fans into the ballpark.
That doesn’t sound worth it to me.
This season, American League East clubs will face teams from the National League Central; NL East clubs will play the AL West; and the AL Central takes on the NL West. Due to the uneven number of clubs in each division and the difference in the number of clubs in each League, certain clubs will not face every team from their Interleague counterpart division and some clubs will face interleague opponents from multiple divisions.
Clubs will continue to play their "prime rivals" (whatever those are) in two series.
Here’s some numbers that have no meaning whatsoever. After the first eight seasons of interleague play, the NL holds a narrow edge over the AL, 988-960 (.507). In 2004, AL clubs finished with a 127-125 mark over the NL. NL clubs have batted .268 all-time in Interleague play and have posted a 4.44 ERA, while AL clubs have compiled a .267 average and a 4.45 ERA. The Oakland Athletics have baseball's best all-time record in interleague play at 85-55 (.607), while the Atlanta Braves have the NL's best mark at 79-57 (.581). Last season, the St. Louis Cardinals (11-1, .917) and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (15-3, .833) set the pace in interleague play.
Instead of this gimmick, perhaps, baseball should truly take a step towards the future and radically realign the leagues and division. Billy-Ball reader, Charlie O’Reilly proposes this setup (http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/bb21.htm) wherein there are five six-team divisions which more closely reflect geography and existing rivalries.
The EAST would be comprised of Baltimore, Boston, NY Mets, NY Yankees, Philadelphia, and Washington.
The SOUTH would consist of Atlanta, Cincinnati, Florida, Houston, and Texas
The NORTH would have Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and Toronto.
The CENTRAL’s teams would be Arizona, Chi Cubs, Chi White Sox, Colorado, Kansas City, and St Louis
Finally, the WEST would have the LA Angels, the LA Dodgers, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.
O’Reilly explains, “In a 26-week schedule with three days out for the All-Star break, there are 51 “natural” series. But a 162-game schedule breaks down most easily as 54 three-game series. As a result, several season series against division opponents would be played as two four-game series and two two-game series, so as to more readily fit the schedule into a seven-day week. For certain close-by opponents, such as the Mets and Yankees or Baltimore and Washington, the two-game home-and-away series might be played back-to-back, or, as has been done in the New York-Penn League, as one four-game series on an alternating basis between the two yards.”
Now, I don’t know whether Charlie has the answer or not, but I’m going to give it some thought this weekend, probably during the Cleveland-Cincy games this weekend or maybe I’ll wait until June when the Royals and the Rockies face-off. I can’t to see the attendance for that match-up.
Top of the 2nd
WELL, WELL, WELL
David Wells returned from the DL yesterday and, well, he didn’t seem quite well. Facing the Oakland A’s, Wells put the Red Sox in a well, giving up 7 runs in just an inning and a third. The Sox ended not feeling particularly well as they lost, 13-6 (Oakland missed an extra point).
Well on the other hand, Kip Wells limited the Cubs to one run and four hits over eight innings, the sixth successive start in which he has allowed three earned runs or fewer but his Pirates still lost, 3-2. Once again closer Jose Mesa didn’t pitch well and blew the save the opportunity.
Well, what are you going to do?
Top of the 3rd
BONDS NEEDS HOUSE
San Francisco Giants slugger Barry B*nds had an IV removed yesterday, but will need to keep taking oral antibiotics to fight an infection in his troublesome right knee. The IV had to removed after fluid started backing up causing the IV bag to start swelling up and getting larger and larger and….
Top of the 4th
STREAKS
The Yankee 10-game winning streak came to an end last night as they dropped a 7-6 decision to the Mariners. You didn’t think they would never lose again did you? Okay, you have to admit you did consider the possibility. New York failed to hold leads of 4-0 and 6-2. The Yankees last won 11 straight from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10, 1985.
Khalil Greene hit a pair of three-run homers to lead the Padres to their seventh straight victory, 8-4 over the Atlanta Braves. The first place Padres won for the 16th time in 19 games. San Diego has swept consecutive three-game series against Atlanta and Florida and has won six straight series. It was San Diego's first three-game sweep of the Braves since May 1991. The Padres have won nine straight at home, where they are 16-4, best in the majors.
Chicago White Sox are looking like the real deal. Mark Buehrle won his sixth straight decision combining with two relievers to shut out the Texas Rangers, 7-0. His catcher A.J. Pierzynski homered in his fourth straight game.
Top of the 5th
SHEA IT AIN’T SO
Dominic Valila, the head groundskeeper at Shea Stadium was one of three dozen people indicted on charges they took part in a gambling ring that handled about 2,000 bets a day and took in $360 million in two years, authorities said yesterday. The operation, in which gamblers wagered on sporting events including horse racing, football and baseball, benefited the Bonanno crime family and funded other illegal activities.
I’m surprised it took prosecutors so long to nail this one. I knew Valila was involved when I watching a game from Shea and I saw carved in the outfield grass, “Don’t bet on the Mets.”
Top of the 6th
DOCTOR, DOCTOR, GIVE ME THE NEWS
Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre missed the Mariners' game against the New York Yankees 
with tightness in his left hamstring. Beltre’s former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, upon hearing the news released a statement that read, “In the words of Nelson Muntz, “Ha-Ha”.”
Detroit shortstop Carlos Guillen, who left the Tigers' game against Tampa Bay on Tuesday night with a sore right knee, was not in the lineup yesterday and Tigers manager Alan Trammell said that Guillen, second in the American League with a .376 batting average, will probably not play in Thursday afternoon's series finale. He hopes to have Guillen back Friday against their natural rivals, Arizona.
Mets starter Pedro Martinez, who had been scheduled to pitch Friday's opener of the Subway Series against the New York Yankees, had a cortisone shot in his right hip and was pushed back in the New York Mets rotation. Pedro will pitch Sunday's game which will be now be called “Who’s Your Daddy Day?”
The Arizona Diamondbacks placed closer Brandon Lyon on the 15-day disabled list because of mild tendinitis in his right elbow. Lyon had been held out of Arizona's last five games after pitching in three straight last week. His role will be filled by reliever Brian Bruney, who got his third save of the season against Houston in a 7-6 win last night.
Colorado Rockies closer Chin-hui Tsao's return date from the disabled list is doubt after an MRI revealed a possible torn labrum in his right shoulder. Tsao started the season on the disabled list with a sore shoulder and went back on the 15-day DL on Friday with the same problem. Tsao will be replaced by…well, it really doesn’t matter.
Top of the 7th
BILLY-BALL-A-GRAM - 5/19/2005
Happy 76th birthday to this former Cardinals and Phillies pitcher from Egypt.
MRS. MISCOUNT
BILLY-BALL-TRIVIA - 5/19/2005
Name the player who stole the most career bases without ever leading the league in that category.
Send your answers to Bill@billy-ball.com
Bottom of the 7th
BILLY-BALL-A-GRAM ANSWERS - 5/19/05
There are many birthday boys today, but obviously his is the only one that counts because he is the straw that stirs the drink.
JERK GOING ACES - Reggie Jackson
I like you too.
BE ORNERY - Rob Neyer, who has been kind enough to name out little daily event at Link of the Month (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/neyer/index)
BILLY-BALL-TRIVIA-ANSWER - 5/19/05
How many times did Willie Mays lead the league in RBIs?
Mays never led the league in RBI's despite gathering 1,903 career RBI's and hitting 100+ RBI's 10 times.
Top of the 8th
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite losing to the Cardinals, 8-4, the Phillies’ Bobby Abreu three-run drive in the gave him homers in nine of the last 10 games. Abreu extended his hitting streak to 11 games and tied a 
team record by driving in a run in 10 straight games. Pinky Whitney also did it in 1931. Abreu has 11 of his 12 homers in May. Mike Schmidt holds the club record with 12 homers in May of 1980
Top of the 9th
SCHLEMEIL, SCHLEMAZEL
Apparently, baseball fans have been preparing themselves to watch Brewers games for the last 25 years illegally. Apparently, a city ordinance passed in 1980 says it's unlawful for anyone to drink alcoholic beverages in public parking lots or public structures. That would include the parking lots around Miller Park, which was built on the site of the old County Stadium instead of downtown in part because the team wanted to maintain the tailgating tradition.
Getting drunk before games is as much a part of the Brewers as the secret stadium sauce, giant
racing sausages, their lederhosen-clad mascot, Bernie Brewer, who used to slide into a giant beer mug at the old ballpark and mediocre baseball.
Alderman Michael Murphy has introduced legislation that allows tailgate drinking this season as a "special event" under the city's ordinance while he worked out a proposal to make the exemption permanent.
"I tried to make it illegal to drink Budweiser," while keeping locally brewed Miller products free of fines, Murphy joked (or did he?).
The city's Common Council is scheduled to vote on the permanent exemption Friday, and it's not expected to receive any opposition. "You're talking about Milwaukee here; we’re all drunk all day, every day," Murphy said and broke into the theme song of “Laverne and Shirley.”
Have a great day!
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