Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Rule

Will you add Billy Wagner to the "Hate List" now that he has blown an All-Star game like the NL players on your list? The dinger he gave up ended up being the difference in the game. IF the Mets make the World Series and don't have the home field advantage, you won't have Trevor Hoffman to pick on. -Anonymous commenter
Well, that's a mighty cheery sentiment.

The answer, quite frankly is no.

First off, and I've said this many times before, this World Series home field advantage rule is stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If Billy Wagner's ill fated gopher ball costs the Mets home field advantage in the World Series, then it simply means that the team that actually makes the World Series is responsible for its own fate. In this era of stupid rules, I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is not having a Mets/Tigers World Series Game One in Shea Stadium because Trevor Hoffman gave up a triple to Michael Young, and Miguel Cabrera wouldn't dive for a ground ball...and last I checked, none of the three played for the Mets, or the Tigers.

And one other thing: if the Mets have to play Games 3, 4, and 5 of the World Series at Shea Stadium because Billy Wagner gave up a home run ball to Victor Martinez, then that still means that we're in the World Series! Would you rather Billy Wagner gives up a home run to So Taguchi in the NLCS? Or Brian McCann in September? Or Pat Burrell in...

Strike that.

Besides, have you checked the Mets road record? It's not bad.

(Editor's note: Metstradamus reserves the right to continue to pick on Trevor Hoffman, who had the bases empty and two men out with a two run lead in the 2006 World Series. This is non-negotiable. Metstradamus also reserves the right to pick on Chris Young, giving up a home run to a man half his size...then again, most men are half his size.)

12 comments:

Jaap said...

One can always hope if the Mets DO make it to the World Series they will face JJ Putz and the Mariners instead of oh, say Beckett, Papelbon and the Red Sox...

I'm more excited about the implications of the Mets' hitting trio going a collective 5 for 10 with a double and a triple. Perhaps we shall see a ripple effect throughout the batting order in the second half of the season.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Metsra. I read every day but rarely comment. I just wanted to say that, though I may be in the minority, I like the WS home-field-advantage rule. What I couldn't stand was the way it was before, where it was just an even-year, odd-year situation. What was that about?

Plus this reinforces a sense of pride in your league. When I was a little kid, National League fans derived great satisfaction from the fact that we usually drubbed the AL in the All-Star Game. Interleague play took a lot of the starch out of sentiments like that; the WS HFA rule adds a little bit of partisanship fervor back into what had become a pointless exhibition.

Anonymous said...

Typical that liberals from new york ruin the all star game played in LIBERAL san francisco. irony is sweet sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Anon commenter 9:18 has officially posted the dumbest comment ever on this site, which is saying quite a lot.

What about your hatred for Tony LaRussa? Or for Pujols, if he did indeed leave the building or at least the bench at the top of the 9th?

Anonymous said...

Maybe, Larussa knew that his club wouldn't make it back to the WS and decided to blow it for the eventual NL Champ by leaving his guy on the bench. (OK enough conspiracy theories.) The All Star Game needs to go back to its irrelevant self again. Give home field advantage to those who actually deserve it, i.e. best overall winning pct!

Unknown said...

Amen. Tony LaRussa is on my hate list. Word has it that he and Pujols we're playing gin rummy in the 9th inning for the last box of Ritz crackers. That's why Pujols couldn't pinch hit.

Anonymous said...

Rounding third ... I'm guessing a local Cincinnati person. My take on NL/AL pride is that of a fan's perspective, not players. It's not a relevant or compelling concept to a pro player. Guys like Griffey have crossed league lines as have countless other All Stars. I can't, for the life of me, figure why someone like Griff -- who won't see the post season unless there's an "S" on his cap -- would give a rats patootie about the Mets, Dodgers, etc., and their hopes for home field advantage.

I agree re: best record, w/Dr. K ... but again, what if that's not decided until game 162? How are teams going to control for tickets, scheduling, etc? A small problem, but one with a lot of logistical issues to be sure!

So the alternating year thing brings about as much excitement as it does logic ... but it's the lowest logistical impact, so far as I can see.

Jeffrey said...

look at my comment here:

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=12468344&postID=3168638464446470069

" Jeffrey said...

fire Rick Down (now hitting coach)
move HoJo (1st base coach) to hitting coach
make Rickey Henderson (why Jose Reyes can steal so well) the 1st base coach

11:49 AM "

I called this move!

Anonymous said...

I thought I saw that scenario laid out somewhere..nice call!!

Anonymous said...

Logistics? Nobody knows who's gonna be playing in the WS until the LCS's end anyway, so what does it matter if homefield isn't determined until the last day? It doesn't *at all*.

Philly Sports Talk Now! said...

Have some fun and listen to our Phillies webcast here:

www.phillywebcast.com


We'd love to have Metstradaus on an upcoming show!

Rich

Metstradamus said...

Jeffrey, you have proven that you are the real soothsayer.

And Rich, I accept your invitation...anytime after July 23rd.