Interleague Play
The baseball calendar has returned to interleague play this weekend as AL and NL teams square off. This sets off an annual tradition as sports columnists around the country write columns complaining about it. The complaints are tiresome but I don't see much fighting back, so without further ado...
One huge thing that the critics often overlook is something unique to baseball. There is no other sport in which the stadium plays such a huge role in the game. NBA, NHL and NFL games are played on fields that are rigidly the same by rule. Each baseball field is different, especially with the boom of new parks. Tonight I'm watching the White Sox play at the beautiful gem in San Fran. I've stood outside the place but rarely watch games taking place there. Now I can see my team try to hit a ball into the bay.
I bet that Twins fans were excited to see their team playing in Colorado this weekend. That's because the state is notorious for homerun hitting (although that's been countered to some extent). The Twins only visit there once every six years or so and that makes it special.
To the lemon-suckers, get over it and just sit back and enjoy.
- Unexciting matchups. Every year we're treated to thoughts about games between the Royals and Marlins and how no one cares about them. Fair enough. On Oct 5th, the Buffalo Bills will play at the Arizona Cardinals, combining two of the smallest fan bases in the NFL. Obviously that means that inter-conference play in football sucks and should be ended, right? Any sports schedule is going to include games between bad teams. Get over it.
- Bad for non-rivals. For some areas, interleague games are a no-brainer (Cubs/White Sox, Yankees/Mets, etc.). Others don't have a natural rival so it's not as good. The solution is obvious, keep the ones that work and rotate the others. Yes, that means that some regions get a better experience than others. In the scope of life, this is pretty tiny so get over it.
One huge thing that the critics often overlook is something unique to baseball. There is no other sport in which the stadium plays such a huge role in the game. NBA, NHL and NFL games are played on fields that are rigidly the same by rule. Each baseball field is different, especially with the boom of new parks. Tonight I'm watching the White Sox play at the beautiful gem in San Fran. I've stood outside the place but rarely watch games taking place there. Now I can see my team try to hit a ball into the bay.
I bet that Twins fans were excited to see their team playing in Colorado this weekend. That's because the state is notorious for homerun hitting (although that's been countered to some extent). The Twins only visit there once every six years or so and that makes it special.
To the lemon-suckers, get over it and just sit back and enjoy.
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