How much baseball do you watch?

[LEHR]

I'm in the 20-50 game camp, and that includes playoffs and the World Series games. I still enjoy the modern game, and even have MLB.TV, but I'm often too busy with other stuff to just sit and watch baseball in the summer. I seem to always have more free time November to April, so I've been watching a lot more hockey in the last 5 years or so. I probably watched 80+ complete hockey games last year, and really find it to be the most entertaining of modern sports.

[shoreball51]

Go to about 15 games a year with my wife, grandson, and son. Great family bonding. Watch about 50 games on tv and turn on games when in the car.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

I'd estimate that I've watched 90+% of every Red Sox game since 1986. This season I watched every game except 1. This level of fandom doesn't allow me to watch any other sport and stay married. haha. So except for Super Bowl, I don't watch any football, basketball etc.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

And I love Cracker Jack! Sadly though it's no longer available at the Rogers Centre here in Toronto or most other MLB stadiums.

really?! bummer. I've had it at every park I've been to this year including Seattle, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Diego and NY Y.

[Balticfox]

Yeah I agree. I doubt you'll find many Canadians who think that Rogers aren't bums.

Originally Posted by AI Overview

No, Cracker Jack is no longer sold at the Rogers Centre. Although it was once available, it has been phased out by the venue, which has introduced a new lineup of "trendy" and creative food options instead.

Incidentally, is Cracker Jack still sold in little boxes in the States? Here in Canada it's now sold only in potato chip type bags.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by z28jd

I was covering minor league ball for years when I saw a shift in the batter teaching in 2017 I believe. All of a sudden charts with exit velocity were being posted on walls for everyone to see, and a heavy emphasis on launch angle was being spread more.

Hmmmmm. A couple of thoughts:

1) I wonder if they post similar charts with metrics for hitting the ball where it's pitched and hitting it where they ain't?

2) I wonder what some of the all time great hitters such as Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams, Pete Rose, Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn would say to suggestions that they give consideration to launch angles and exit velocities when stepping up to the plate?

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Hmmmmm. A couple of thoughts:

1) I wonder if they post similar charts with metrics for hitting the ball where it's pitched and hitting it where they ain't?

2) I wonder what some of the all time great hitters such as Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams, Pete Rose, Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn would say to suggestions that they give consideration to launch angles and exit velocities when stepping up to the plate?

Ted Williams would have probably given the suggestions an in-depth analysis.

[mortimer brewster]

I don't watch any games.


When it comes to baseball I live in the past. I lost interest when all of the players of my youth retired (early 1990s).

Pre youtube I built up a large archive of radio broadcasts by recording games and trading with other collectors. On a clear night in North Buffalo I used to pick up the Twins and Rangers broadcasts. Now I can barely pick up the Blue Jays 90 miles away. I listen to these old broadcasts regularly.

Nothing like listening to Harwell and Cary. Herb Score, Dave Van Horne, Shannon and Buck, Tom and Jerry and the rest.

[WillBBC]

I've been on the same cycle every year.

From April through mid May I watch like a madman. 90% of Yankee games, 75% of Nats games, multiiple screens going to watch ABs of guys like Ohtani, Chourio, Vlad, the big names I love.

From June until early September it's 2-3 games a week, tops. Once September rolls around it's just like April. Game(s) on just about every night right until the end of the World Series.

[molenick]

I totally understand why some people are not interested in the current game. I would just say that it is worth looking in every now and then because there are some amazing players performing at a very high level and it would be a shame to miss them (case in point, Ohtani today).

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by molenick

I totally understand why some people are not interested in the current game. I would just say that it is worth looking in every now and then because there are some amazing players performing at a very high level and it would be a shame to miss them (case in point, Ohtani today).

+1
Arguably the single greatest performance in the history of baseball.

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

+1
Arguably the single greatest performance in the history of baseball.

K'ing 10 in 6 scoreless innings...and hitting 3 homers.

It's amazing seeing this guy doing everything at a HOF-caliber level except playing defense. I would really like to see at least 2-3 healthy season in a row while he's still in his prime to see what he's really capable of.

[calvindog]

He’s the greatest player that ever lived and I’m not sure how it’s even debatable.

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by calvindog

He’s the greatest player that ever lived and I’m not sure how it’s even debatable.

Agree!
Last night was for the ages
& just a year past his 50/50 season

[rats60]

Originally Posted by calvindog

He’s the greatest player that ever lived and I’m not sure how it’s even debatable.

When he wins a Cy Young and at least 8 MVPs. That was Babe Ruth.

[premiercardcollectors]

He is a 1 in 100 year player. Just unbelievable what he can do.


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[premiercardcollectors]

Originally Posted by rats60

When he wins a Cy Young and at least 8 MVPs. That was Babe Ruth.

Not taking anything away as Babe was the GOAT of his era but he never won a Cy Young (award didn’t exist until 1956) and only 1 MVP.


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[premiercardcollectors]

Originally Posted by calvindog

He’s the greatest player that ever lived and I’m not sure how it’s even debatable.

Agreed


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[D. Bergin]

I probably attend more Minor League and College League games in a season and watch from beginning to end, then I actually watch games on TV.

I still follow the games pretty religiously, check in on the box scores and highlights while the games are going on and I'm doing other stuff or hanging with the wife on the couch while she's watching "not sports".

Might catch a few innings at the end after the wife falls asleep on the couch...and before I fall asleep on the couch.

Wish I had the foresight to catch the Ohtani show last night in real time though. Not a fan at all of the Dodgers, but remembered seeing Kirk Gibson's HR off of Eck as it happened, and it's been etched in my brain ever since. This would have been similar. Like if Reggie hit 3 HR's on 3 swings in the 77' Series...and then threw 6 shutout innings on top of that.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by mortimer brewster

Pre youtube I built up a large archive of radio broadcasts by recording games and trading with other collectors. On a clear night in North Buffalo I used to pick up the Twins and Rangers broadcasts. Now I can barely pick up the Blue Jays 90 miles away. I listen to these old broadcasts regularly.

Nothing like listening to Harwell and Cary. Herb Score, Dave Van Horne, Shannon and Buck, Tom and Jerry and the rest.

Have you tried picking up radio broadcasts of baseball games from the internet?

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by molenick

...there are some amazing players performing at a very high level and it would be a shame to miss them (case in point, Ohtani today).

I just wish that Shohei Ohtani played for a team I liked.

I've never liked the Angels for whom he played from 2018 to 2023. The California Angels name the team used from 1965 to 1996 and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim name that they used from 2005 to 2015 permanently poisoned me against the team. (Los Angeles Angels or Anaheim Angels would have been fine.)

Meanwhile the Dodgers were the anti-Yankees while in Brooklyn until the start of the 1958 season. They were David trying to slay the Yankee Goliath. But since 1958 they've been the West Coast Yankees.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by premiercardcollectors

Not taking anything away as Babe was the GOAT of his era but he never won a Cy Young (award didn’t exist until 1956) and only 1 MVP.

But would Babe Ruth actually have won a Cy Young for either of his 1916 or 1917 seasons? In just the American League, Walter Johnson and Eddie Plank would have competed with Ruth for that honour. Then there were Christy Mathewson and Grover Alexander in the National League.

[drmondobueno]

Bought the lower rent mlb package to pretty much watch Skenes. Dude is playing for the worst owner in baseball with a ca-RAPPY defense and bullpen behind him. One big problem with the mlb deal is the sheer number of games blacked out because of baseball’s need for local team revenue. Won’t be doing this next year.

P S. The Angel owner is an evil money grubbing self-sabotage loser. Hard for me to watch the team. As for the Dodgers, always blacked out. Always.

Ohtani? A performance to remember. Timeless, legendary. Never saw that level of focus on the mound from him before. Gutsy, dominant, breaking pitches just sharp as a knife.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

But would Babe Ruth actually have won a Cy Young for either of his 1916 or 1917 seasons? In just the American League, Walter Johnson and Eddie Plank would have competed with Ruth for that honour. Then there were Christy Mathewson and Grover Alexander in the National League.

You mmight want to check the baseball stats. Yes, WaJo and Alexander would have been viable candidates for Cy Young awards in 1916 and 1917, but NOT Plank and Matty. Matty's great career was over after 1916, and he played sparingly in his last year.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Ted Williams would have probably given the suggestions an in-depth analysis.

Like here perhaps?

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

You might want to check the baseball stats.

Checking Babe Ruth's stats was trying enough for the day.

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by drmondobueno

One big problem with the mlb deal is the sheer number of games blacked out because of baseball’s need for local team revenue. Won’t be doing this next year.

Blackouts, those days are numbered.

In the past 5 years regional and national (ESPN, notably) baseball contracts have been abandoned with those waiting to pick up the pieces either absent or not willing to pay anywhere near the old values.

All of this while stadium revenues and the popularity of the game is strong...not a good indicator of the health of the current model for distributing the game.

The owners will have to re-imagine how the game broadcast framework is going to work and the money from local/regional commercial sales are being less important.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Checking Babe Ruth's stats was trying enough for the day.

Note to self - No longer put faith in this poster's comments.

[Balticfox]

I'll be needing to steel myself mentally for looking over Babe Ruth's stats for another question that's popped to mind.