The Tragic Death Of Baseball Tonight
Yesterday, I did something that I never thought I would have to do. I deleted my Baseball Tonight Season Pass on TiVo. It had actually gotten to the point where I would turn on the TV, see that Baseball Tonight was on, and look for something else to do because it was recording and I couldn't change the channel.
I remember a time, less than two years ago, when Baseball Tonight was a must-see every night. Web Gems, fantasy stats, a simple list of everyone who hit home runs that night... it was a simple formula, executed to perfection by people who knew what they were talking about.
Now we have idiots like John Kruk and Steve Phillips trying to rationalize why some pitchers get more run support than others, and brilliant analysis like Jeff Brantley's "If I could have one player to start a major league team with, it would be Jonathan Papelbon" comment the other day.
(Quick aside - I love Papelbon. I love his confidence, I love his rising fastball, I love his Ricky Vaughn haircut, and I love the fact that he once entered a game in a save situation to the Ultimate Warrior's theme music. But there are only two correct answers to that question: Albert Pujols and Johan Santana, although I'd listen to arguments for A-Rod. That's it - that's the list. Way to go, Jeff.)
Beyond the idiocy, the entire show has changed - it's just a mini-SportsCenter now (and don't get me started on SportsCenter...). There's a two-minute intro where they go over what they're going to talk about on the show, giving away the outcome of at least three games. Between "Diamond Cuts" and players calling in for puff piece interviews, you're subjected to at least two to three minutes of Bonds worship (what did he do in his last at bat? what's our #17 all-time Bonds moment? did Gammons find any evidence clearing his name yet?). Guys, please... nobody likes him. He's a cheater, a liar, and a grade-A scumbag. We don't care. Move on.
So what does this leave? About 15 minutes for actual highlights and scores... which is only the reason that you tuned in in the first place. Way to go, ESPN. I actually should have seen this coming from the network that brought us over-exposed garbage like Tilt and Playmakers. But it doesn't make it any less painful.
6 comments:
Albert Pujols, the 4-time All-Star, batting title winner, reigning NL MVP, is only 10 months older than Papelbon.
Exactly - and the only reason I think Pujols is a clear choice over A-Rod is because he's a few years younger. You could argue that a SS/3B is more valuable than a 1B, though, so he's worth mentioning in the conversation.
I think if I had one person, it would be Pujols. Age being the obvious reason over ARod.
And everything else he does being the reason over everybody else.
I haven't quite deleted it from my TiVo yet, although I never watch it except when Connor's up at 3 in the morning and I want to make sure I stay tired so I can get back to sleep easily. Except when Kruk talks, it usually makes me angry, and that wakes me up.
Pujols is an easy choice given his age. Then you have A-Rod, David Wright and Miguel Cabrera in some order, plus Santana if you really want to start with a pitcher (you shouldn't).
I think I would only start with a hitter. Pitchers are too much of an injury risk. Hitters can get hurt just as easily, but they are much less likely to be a career altering injury.
Well, if you have an NL team, you may choose Santana over Pujols if you think Pujols projects as a DH in the future. But yeah, Cabrera and Wright could also be options, but I'd still take Pujols regardless.
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