When this first began so many years ago, they called it the Mayor’s Trophy Game. It was an exhibition game, one game, with a cheesy trophy and bragging rights at stake. I can remember lots of times, the teams brought up minor leaguers to play at least a portion of the game, giving the regular a respite after a few innings and to hedge against someone getting hurt. I know The Boss hated to lose these games but I don’t think that the players cared too much one way or another. I think for the Yankees it developed into a “lets win this so we don’t have to listen to George rant and rave again about losing” kind of game.
MLB in its infinite wisdom has now made this simple concept into a public relations circus, complete with a bunch of games against teams in the opposite league. Natural rivalries abound (side note – how can the Atlanta Braves be the Red Sox natural rivalry. This is the crack in the MLB armor in this regard) with the two New York, two Chicago, two LA, two Bay, two Texas, two Florida, two Washington area and two Midwest teams facing off. But never known to let a good thing rest, the owners with $ signs in their eyes, make it interdivisional play and different teams appearing in ballparks that they only went to in the World Series before. I like some interleague play, I really do but the inequity of it – DH rule, weaker teams playing some and not others, are two examples, has removed some of the excitement.
Rainouts have created two situations in the Subway Series that we very rarely see – double headers with one game in each ballpark, only a few miles away in distance but worlds apart in tradition and ambience. Just the thought of ballplayers getting on buses and going to the other stadium is mindful of the little league and Legion Baseball caravans that were so much a part of my adult fatherhood.
I hate losing to the Mets. The only thing worst than losing to the Mets would be losing to the Red Sox and there has been quite enough SUCK this season so far with the Sox winning 5/6 games to date. I do not need to have loses to the Met added to the suckitude. The only time it could be worse would be if the Yankees ever lose to the Mets in the World Series. This is a height that the Sox / Yankees cannot meet as they will never meet in a World Series, the ultimate championship game. By the way, in the NY Mets / Red Sox World Series, I rooted for a plane crash.
So that is it, three slightly more than interesting games with bragging rights in the balance. The Yankees with little to gain and everything to lose. We shall see how it goes.
MLB in its infinite wisdom has now made this simple concept into a public relations circus, complete with a bunch of games against teams in the opposite league. Natural rivalries abound (side note – how can the Atlanta Braves be the Red Sox natural rivalry. This is the crack in the MLB armor in this regard) with the two New York, two Chicago, two LA, two Bay, two Texas, two Florida, two Washington area and two Midwest teams facing off. But never known to let a good thing rest, the owners with $ signs in their eyes, make it interdivisional play and different teams appearing in ballparks that they only went to in the World Series before. I like some interleague play, I really do but the inequity of it – DH rule, weaker teams playing some and not others, are two examples, has removed some of the excitement.
Rainouts have created two situations in the Subway Series that we very rarely see – double headers with one game in each ballpark, only a few miles away in distance but worlds apart in tradition and ambience. Just the thought of ballplayers getting on buses and going to the other stadium is mindful of the little league and Legion Baseball caravans that were so much a part of my adult fatherhood.
I hate losing to the Mets. The only thing worst than losing to the Mets would be losing to the Red Sox and there has been quite enough SUCK this season so far with the Sox winning 5/6 games to date. I do not need to have loses to the Met added to the suckitude. The only time it could be worse would be if the Yankees ever lose to the Mets in the World Series. This is a height that the Sox / Yankees cannot meet as they will never meet in a World Series, the ultimate championship game. By the way, in the NY Mets / Red Sox World Series, I rooted for a plane crash.
So that is it, three slightly more than interesting games with bragging rights in the balance. The Yankees with little to gain and everything to lose. We shall see how it goes.
I have to say that I do not like interleague play - for the reasons you state, and because I think it makes more sense to play, say, Anaheim more, and Pittsburgh less. And I do hate losing to the Mets, as well, we have a chance to get back to 7 over this weekend. Let's punk 'em.
ReplyDelete- Manhattan Man