Team.usa is a joke

 
I might be in the minority on this, but on my sports radar this series doesn’t merit a blip. I would rather watch a spring training game between two MLB teams. I guess it’s great for some baseball fans who see it as some sort of World Cup, but I just see MLB teams not having key players in their own spring training camp.
 
I posted that this is an exhibition. The US doesn't take it seriously, it's great for other countries because of the Olympic feel and their sense of belonging. I did watch some but mainly because there was no basketball on at the time. It's really not that big of deal. Fox paid alot of money to broadcast it and got the eyeballs they wanted.
 
I’m a baseball fan and I watched a couple innings last night 5,6,7th. Japan has some very good players and I‘m sure beating the US was a big deal. Congrats to them.
 
What I found most interesting was the cultural variations on the game, not only the style of play but even the style of unis. My wife thought the Japanese players looked like Max Patkin in their baggy pants and jerseys where as the US guys looked so much more athletic. Also the chest protector for the catcher looked like the balloon thing the umps used back in the day. In style of play those Japanese pitchers sure seem to have the split finger down.
 
1679519700983.png

I'm (somewhat) embarassed to say I did not know this was a thing until this year. I guess I go from NCAA bball to hockey to MLB with blinders on. lol
 
I think the Japanese catcher grabbed this chest protector from the basement in Cooperstown and slapped a rising sun flag on it.

1679574573450.png
 
14Red said:
I posted that this is an exhibition. The US doesn't take it seriously, it's great for other countries because of the Olympic feel and their sense of belonging. I did watch some but mainly because there was no basketball on at the time. It's really not that big of deal. Fox paid alot of money to broadcast it and got the eyeballs they wanted.
Click to expand...
They sure looked like they took it seriously.
 
cjb5656 said:
I might be in the minority on this, but on my sports radar this series doesn’t merit a blip. I would rather watch a spring training game between two MLB teams. I guess it’s great for some baseball fans who see it as some sort of World Cup, but I just see MLB teams not having key players in their own spring training camp.
Click to expand...
Practice vs games with an actual stake 🤔
 
y2h said:
They sure looked like they took it seriously.
Click to expand...
Most players loathe spring training, they were looking for any excuse to get out of it. And if the US took it seriously, the best pitchers would not only be there, but pitch more than an inning or two at a time. It's a Fox, made for TV event. The baseball starved countries lap it up because they get little to no coverage otherwise.
 
14Red said:
Most players loathe spring training, they were looking for any excuse to get out of it. And if the US took it seriously, the best pitchers would not only be there, but pitch more than an inning or two at a time. It's a Fox, made for TV event. The baseball starved countries lap it up because they get little to no coverage otherwise.
Click to expand...
They weren't there because their teams wouldn't let then be there. You are going to let your 30 million dollar pitcher blow out his arm in this event? The players that were there if you saw their reactions you'd know it meant something more to put USA on their chest than just get out of spring training.
 
y2h said:
They weren't there because their teams wouldn't let then be there. You are going to let your 30 million dollar pitcher blow out his arm in this event? The players that were there if you saw their reactions you'd know it meant something more to put USA on their chest than just get out of spring training.
Click to expand...
Believe me I agree, if I was an MLB owner, none of my players would play in it. The Mets season is over because Diaz is done. Now his was non-baseball related because he was celebrating, but if he's in Mets camp, does he get hurt? Likely not.
 
14Red said:
Believe me I agree, if I was an MLB owner, none of my players would play in it. The Mets season is over because Diaz is done. Now his was non-baseball related because he was celebrating, but if he's in Mets camp, does he get hurt? Likely not.
Click to expand...
The event is put on by MLB, of course they're going to encourage players to play. You keep using Diaz as an example when again, it wasn't baseball related. To say it wouldn't have happened had he been at Spring Training is impossible to prove. There are players every year that end up on the DL from showering.
 
brianwr112 said:
The event is put on by MLB, of course they're going to encourage players to play. You keep using Diaz as an example when again, it wasn't baseball related. To say it wouldn't have happened had he been at Spring Training is impossible to prove. There are players every year that end up on the DL from showering.
Click to expand...
The closer of your playoff hopeful team?

Yes, I understand that injuries happen. Who was the guy just last week who got hurt at the end of spring training? It was a significant injury. I get it. My thoughts are that if you get hurt on MY dime, that's a risk I have to take. But if you get hurt on YOUR dime, meaning under another system, I have a problem with it. Especially if you are a big part of my team. It's not an accident that most of the top line American starters didn't participate.
 
Yep, when pitchers like Verlander, Scherzer and Cole are participating we'll know MLB is serious about it and then I will give a ****. I am not really too concerned when the USA is playing the BEST players from the other countries with guys like Adam Wainright and Lance Lynn on the mound.
 
clarkgriswold said:
Yep, when pitchers like Verlander, Scherzer and Cole are participating we'll know MLB is serious about it and then I will give a ****. I am not really too concerned when the USA is playing the BEST players from the other countries with guys like Adam Wainright and Lance Lynn on the mound.
Click to expand...
Don’t hate on Big Lance. He’s an underrated very good starting pitcher.

But Wainwright is getting toward washed-up status.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
AEW Champion said:
Don’t hate on Big Lance. He’s an underrated very good starting pitcher.

But Wainwright is getting toward washed-up status.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
Click to expand...
Agreed, he's a fine pitcher but if you're building an All-USA starting rotation without limitations, he's not in it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top