Play Ball!

Needs fake noise

#asteriskseason

MLB 2020 Opening Day(*)

fixed that for ya...

For those keeping score:

• An extra-innings rule will begin each extra inning with a runner on second base. The batter (or a substitute for the batter) who leads off an inning shall continue to be the batter who would lead off the inning in the absence of this extra-innings rule.
• The runner placed on second base at the start of each half-inning shall be the player (or a substitute for such player) in the batting order immediately preceding that half-inning’s leadoff hitter. By way of example, if the number five hitter in the batting order is due to lead off the tenth inning, the number four player in the batting order (or a pinchrunner for such player) shall begin the inning on second base. However, if the player in the batting order immediately preceding that half-inning’s leadoff hitter is the pitcher, the runner placed on second base at the start of that half-inning may be the player preceding the pitcher in the batting order. Any runner or batter removed from the game for a substitute shall be ineligible to return to the game, as is the case in all circumstances under the OBR.
• For purposes of calculating earned runs, the runner who begins an inning on second base pursuant to this rule shall be deemed to be a runner who has reached second base because of a fielding error, but no error shall be charged to the opposing team or to any player. 

so this xtra inning base runner gets an official at bat? If he scores does he get a run scored if he hasn't advance past first base (he starts at second base)

Your score card will be a mess...

interview yesterday with sound guy was pretty interesting.

they are using video game sounds.

the guy has to "play the game" ...

are they gonna dub in the sound of LA fans leaving in the 7th?

I'll have to watch some just to see how weird it is.

for me the biggest story isn't who wins, it's whether they can play and not have  guys get sick. if they can, no-fans football will probably be possible.

i dunno walstib...do they have a sound for altuve's cheat wire?

Between the DH and the ridiculous extra inning rule, I'm out.

what a fuckin joke this cursed 'season' is

https://clairemonttimes.com/take-me-out-to-the-mind-game/

does MLB attract fans that aren't middle aged and/or older white guys? 

>>> does MLB attract fans that aren't middle aged and/or older white guys?

No. It's just like the Grateful Dead.

Next question!

The Orioles should have a great year in 2020
 

They're only set to lose like 50 games!

(((opening day)))

i had eddie murray autograph my glove

He'll always be the king of the switch-hit homer in my book

Personally hope both of those rules continue on. The Giants used to give fans who stayed until the end of an extra innings game at candle stick a medal. 

^one of the best times I had at the ballpark was an extra inning game that ended at 5:50 am.

<Personally hope both of those rules continue>

What's next, the 10 run mercy rule?

Seeing a game in person is going to be the ultimate get - that all the billionaires will be perusing this year. 

Nino, you know in extra innings the lead off hitter will be bunting, and the second hitter will be looking to hit a sac fly...just about every time

Maybe not the Giants, Kapler doesn't like to sacrifice bunt

What?  No "bitch move" rule?^

^it's all about ending the game ASAP. It's a joke

do people still watch this sport anymore? 

does jeff (JR) only post leading, rhetorical questions?

On a personal level it's a bummer to not be able to go to games, but the games are not about fans and never have been, so under the circumstances no fans in the stands means almost nothing to me. It's weird but of little real consequence.

The fake noise is infantile and insulting, but so far it hasn't been ridiculous, hopefully they'll keep it that way.

Oh, but the real sounds of baseball are as good or better than the sounds of any other game, and those are all enhanced in an empty stadium. The crack of a ball hit squarely by a wood bat in an empty stadium is nothing short of epic, and it affects the viewing experience on TV, as you can tell immediately if a hit ball is a rocket or a scud. I think the enhanced sounds of the game is actually a very cool byproduct of this bizarre season.

I can live with the DH because that's been a done deal for the NL for a while. It significantly dumbs down the game, but if our current president has shown us anything it's that there are a lot of significantly dumb people in this country, so what are you going to do?

The extra innings deal is an abomination and is something the dumbasses who run MLB & the TV networks have been quietly pushing for a while, but I actually think it makes some sense in this situation and will ultimately be a good thing, as in practice it will clearly expose, even to all the dumb people, that it's a DUMBASS idea and will not carry into the future.

As for asterisk's or whatever, who cares? It will be the most unique season in baseball history, forced on us by an historic situation, making the best of a bad situation. It will still be baseball and competition at it's highest level, performed by the most elite few, and that, as always, will be great to watch.

Baseball is a unique, beautiful, amazing game that is awesome to watch live, maybe the best of all games to watch in person, but unless you have a team you root for baseball is dulldulldull to watch on TV, so for those who don't have a team to follow or who just don't get the game, that's too bad. Fortunately I do get the game and have a team I root for & love.

Baseball in particular is a great sport if you like to follow a specific team, as it's a daily game with always subtly changing parts but where you really develop a connection to the players. This seriously shorted season where every game will be really important and with so many different, unique aspects is going to make it really interesting to follow, so I'm very excited to get this started and watch it unfold, and I hope that they can make it work so it can carry through to October.

Here on the west side the Dodgers are SERIOUSLY stacked, the Fuckin' A's look good and my Giants are in transition but could be sneaky good (shut up, I'm a fan) so let's get this thing going, and...

DUCK THE FODGERS!!!!!

GOOOOOOOO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry OCLT but the DH will be here to stay after the new collective bargaining agreement next yr.  And maybe the extra inning bullshit too.

When Hamilton is healthy, the Giants will put him at 2nd in an extra inning game. He has unbelievable success stealing 3rd base.

Absolutely hate the piped sound effects. Total BS.

Soto out today with Covid.  I really hope they can complete the season.  Watching the Giants, playing fantasy baseball, both leagues and daily, will help this quarantine thing pass by. Personally, I am stoked to get it going.

And yeah, GO Giants!!!!!!

>Sorry OCLT but the DH will be here to stay...<

Yep. Like I wrote, I'm out

Trouble in paradise already.

Kershaw on the DL with back stiffness. Again.

I'm sure he'll be fine to fade again in the playoffs though.

(I kid because he's a Dodger, I actually grudgingly really like that guy)

And I really don't think the little league extra inning thing will carry over, it's just TOO stupid, even for the average sports fan.

>>>Kershaw on the DL with back stiffness. Again.

Yea but they got Carrot Top to take his place so it's all good.

Lol!!

How fucking bad can espn be?  I could go on and on. They missed the first pitch of the season by cramming in too many commercials. Then did it again an inning later. Those announcers suck.

Will be good to hear the Giants voices again tonight. And Kuip will make sure we don't miss a pitch.

And what's with the commercials in the middle of an inning?  And WTF was that interview with Chapman there for? They just ignored the game. Total bullshit.

Even so, damn glad to have baseball back!

Soto tested positive and was scratched just before the early game. What happens if 10 or 15 guys from a single team test positive? And hopefully this never happens, but what if a player dies from covid. Season over?

Only time....

The Rays are home to the "homeless" Toronto Blue Jays in St. Pete tonight.

I'll take it.

314 million.

>>>How fucking bad can espn be?  

That station is unbearable.

MLB Extra Innings is where it's at.

I'm Åll in.

Can't believe I have to wait a whole week before Basketball season starts.  ;)

SoCal!!!!!! How the hell are ya buddy?

Doing great, Mark.   

Cubs on now, Ångels next.

Stoked to have baseball back.

Hope everything is good with you.

Kyle Hendricks = 2020 NL Cy Young

Good grief, Fox just took a major shot at Dodgers fans.

A few times during today's Giants/Dodgers game from LA they showed Dodger Stadium completely filled with video game fake fans (even had them doing the wave... ugg) but coming into the 8th inning they showed the stands as less than half full.

I guess Fox is just all about keeping it real?

Or maybe the director is a Giants fan.

Whatever, the fake fans deal was idiotic but that bit was pretty funny (although I bet the Dodgers organization isn't happy about it) and the Giants stagger but hang on for their first win!

HUMM BABY!!!!!

at least they never put a fake rock disney thing in...

They should take the netting down behind the plate and if your foam board fan head gets taken off by a foul ball they send you the ball as a souvenir. 

That would be awesome.

^^^^^^^^ brilliant PR idea^^^^^^^^^

Assuming they are foam board. They could be a pvc type material which would be a little more difficult to decapitate but still possible.

With the speedy Brett Phillips starting the 10th inning on second, Royals pinch-hitter Erick Mejia moved the runner to third with a sacrifice bunt. Phillips then scored on a Maikel Franco sacrifice fly to give the Royals the lead.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/cleveland-pitcher-mike-clevinger-blasts-ext...

Haven't watched yet but I heard the players are just going through the motions and it's just super boring. Baseball without fans is pretty lame. 

>> Baseball without fans is pretty lame

>> it's just super boring

100% agree, Timpane. I have also found that concerts without fans are also boring. Instead I like to look up old live shows and watch them instead. Tons on youtube, of course. There is nothing that can re-place the energy between fans and performers - and that even comes through in the difference between people streaming performances in a sterile space and an old concert video. Just my .02. I'm sure others disagree with me.

Baseball without fans is strange and a bummer, but it's not lame at all. It's just different and forced by something out of anyone's control.

And it has been dull for me to watch a random game this past week without any of the crowd distraction to occupy my interest, but I've always become bored quickly when watching a regular season baseball game on TV if I don't care who wins. But it hasn't been boring or lame at all watching the Giants games this week. Just depressing and/or infuriating.

The players just going through the motions? Based on what? That's just ridiculous.

And I agree that watching new music played from living rooms or bands connected virtually by Zoom isn't as good as any old video of a good, raucous concert, but if a good band was playing in a completely empty venue except for me, that would be better than watching the greatest concert of all time on a video.

And I can speak with some experience on that, as I've gotten to do that more than a few times, and it's pretty fucking great even without all you drunken, jabbering loons there too.

The baseball situation is a drag but especially if you follow a team it's sure as hell better than nothing.

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haters gonna hate.

I am glad there is baseball in this shitty time.

MLB season in jeopardy after coronavirus outbreak on Marlins | Yankees take precautions in Philadelphia

Why are the Yankees playing Philly during a short season?

And just like that the season is coming to a screching halt. Virus going to virus. 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29546814/sources-marlins-cancel-game...

>>Haters gonna hate.

Everyone who disagrees with your opinion is a "hater".

Jeezum! That sounds like Trump's take on everything.

https://twitter.com/KT_So_It_Goes/status/1287756636791218176

And Jackie Bradley Jr will hold the record for the highest batting average in the history of baseball

GAMES CANCILLED IN BATTLEGROUND STATES WHAT A FUCKING COINCIDINENCE!!

Which states?
 

What's the coincidence there?

Wow watching my first game Red Sox - Mets and the canned cheering is just pathetic particularly when they can't time it right

At least 14 members of the Miami Marlins, including 12 players, tested positive after playing three games in Philadelphia. Their game against the Orioles and a Yankees-Phillies game were called off.  
“The health of our players and staff has been and will continue to be our primary focus as we navigate through these uncharted waters,” Derek Jeter, the Marlins’ chief executive, said in a statement, adding that the team needed to “take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation.”  
 “This thing really hits home now that you see half a team get infected and go from one city to another,” said Washington Nationals Manager Dave Martinez.  "I’ll be honest with you, I’m scared, I really am.”   Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, who returned to his team Monday after missing the opening series following a positive coronavirus test, said the Marlins’ outbreak was sobering.  “It seems like it’s spreading like wildfire,” O’Hearn said. “It’s definitely a scary situation. Everyone realizes the kind of risk we’re taking.”

drunken, jabbering loons 

hey - i thought that you generally tolerated me...

we make up "we"

we will survive, and live to jabber and jump again

(on the topic, I'm not digging baseball - seems fake to me )

Looks like you can get a cardboard cutout of yourself in the seats for 40$ lol

I watched a little Sports Center last night for first time in months. Watched players from the NBA, MLS, MLB all jumping all over each other, high fives, huddling before a play, etc. They need to require the distancing or all the sports/leagues are doomed.

The baseball thing isn't going too well.  How long until they shit it down?

How long before they shut it down?

I'll go with 2 weeks 

Oops, bad typo.  

* shut

^ Trump will swoop in and "mandate" they stay open for business. Professional sports being shut down (again) is a death punch to his re-election.

Another MLB series canceled...

https://apnews.com/c71558093e38150c5a545f58e3a3bb35

#JoeKelly Fight Club

"Nice Swing, Bitch"

F##@#@ the Astros

So the Giants had a celeb at their game this weekend....

^ that is awesome 

now back to doom and gloom and reality

https://apple.news/AdDcpaYneQNujOQQavmSxQw

dont hold your breath fans

MLB total shit show, meanwhile the NBA is showing how it's done in their bubble. Another reason why baseball in America is close to irrelevant outside of over 50 white guys. 

The Giants have put many a bay area celeb's photo in the stands. They listed Jerry but no photo was available. I might be willing to pay 99.00 to have my photo sit next to Jerry if the season goes on.

And once again jr sticks his negative bs in where it is not needed. Thanks jr. You contribute so much.

I was impressed the Jerry image isn't a Heroin Jerry era photo, like most public images of Jerry tend to be.

And it's been entertaining watching the scrappy Giants so far, I'd really like to see this very unique season continue. MLB is run by buffoons but I'm hoping the league is learning as they're going; there is no road map for any of this.

Either way, all the leagues are at least creating those roads right now. There are going to be mistakes and lessons learned from every league.

One lesson learned so far - don't go to a strip club... for dinner? Liar.

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So are the A's doing so well because they are used to playing in empty stadiums?

Really fun to have the games, especially since the Rockies have been playing well (Sorry Lance).

LOL is that Bernie?

>>>are the A's doing so well because they are used to playing in empty stadiums<<<

Ba-dum TSSS!

But no, they're doing well because they're damn good.

Fuckers.

And it's OK Ned. The Rockies have been a "rock" in the Giants shoe for many years now, it's nothing new.

It would help if the Giants could actually catch the ball. They're pretty good at banging into it, next comes getting it into the glove.

Right now they could be the worst defensive team I've ever seen.

In a way it's actually kind of funny.

Fuck 'em all...

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I watched a few games and between the cut-out fans and laugh track audience I'm skipping this season......

The cutouts are harmless, and the canned crowd noise is generally not as bad as it could be, differing from venue to venue.

I thought it was going to be piped in from the TV people, but it's run in the stadiums, is mostly just a background hum and it was the players who requested it, so it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

Funny thing, at the first home game for the Giants it was nothing but a distant murmur until the 3rd or 4th inning, then someone decided to ramp it up and it got ridiculous. I groaned and had to turn the sound off, so I missed Krukow & Kuiper apparently totally bagging on it (and those guys are REALLY good at trash talk) and it's much better since then.

One more reason to love Kruk & Kuip.

GG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Figures.

I kinda like the cutouts under the circumstances. But I do agree the audio is BS. Much rather listen to the game.  But all in all, IT"S BASEBALL!!!!!

GO GIANTS!!!

I marvel every game at just how good Kruk and Kuip are.  Especially compared to what else is out there. A lot of those guys are unlistenable.

Anyone who actually thinks that this cheap hollow stinking carcass of a product that's being pushed & peddled to masquerade as MLB... is actually legitimate...

is a moronic morally-bankrupt honorless donkey.

what you're watching is nothing more than a psy-op dog'n'pony show and watching it is turning your brain to mush.  you are indeed being engineered.

#NOTbaseball

#NotEvenCLOSE

I haven't said up yours in a long while, but I think it is appropriate here.

SF Giants should of done a virtual Jerry Day. Sold some T-shirts and schwag  to support first responders. McNamee could of rented out Oracle and played ontop the dugout...

Love having baseball back….especially this year.

The sport on the field has been pure baseball.

The fake fan stuff – take it or leave it. 

Hope they can navigate through the virus.

Mark D – agree on your Giants announcers.  They stand out.

>>>The sport on the field has been pure baseball<<<

Not quite pure, as watching the DH every night this season is really supporting the case that it's lame. It flattens the game in multiple ways, dulling it & dumbing it down. I can't understand how any baseball fan older than 7 can like it.

"Don't give people what they want, give 'em what they SHOULD want". That Bill Graham philosophy is so right so often.

And of course the extra inning BS is the stupidest thing ever, but with it being used in this bizarre short season it has to be obvious to even the stupidest of fans and league management that it's bogus and needs to be flushed forever.

Other than that it's big league ball (mostly, but the Giants defense... OUCH!) and even dumbed down, big league ball is a great thing.

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I ignored the DH, and I lied about the extra inning thing, but they're playing big-league ball and I'm enjoying it.

Mike Trout is on the tube every night.   It doesn't suck.

One other thing, the ball is obviously even more juiced than it has been the past couple of years. 

It's just ridiculous.

And yeah, Mike Trout. That dude can play.

juiced balls

don't make a juiced game

Hi MarkD - do not take it so personal, geez  I can't swallow it, (and I can't do streams either)  -its all amount the Benjamins  to each their own  - HIGH BILL

Juiced balls or not-

White Sox are slingin some wood! 28 homers in the last 8 games. Abreu and Anderson are dialed in, The whole line up is crushin it!

If their starting pitching doesn't suck, look out!

^ meh

Abreus six homers were impressive.

If the season ended today, the Giants would be the 7th seed in the playoffs.

>>> ^ meh 

smells like a cubs fan 

>>> If their starting pitching doesn't suck, look out!

I guess the starting pitching doesn't suck.

No hitter by Lucas Giolito! Congrats Lucas!

Yep, good for Giolito!

Giolito got me 73 pts for my team.

PADRES! PADRES! PADRES! PADRES!

(it looks so stupid spelled out)

I am so thankful to have baseball this yr.  The Giants.  Fantasy league(11th yr). Daily fantasy.  Good stuff. Especially under current conditions.

Gotta admit, Kapler has the Giants playing pretty damn well right now. I like their chances but hey have a tough schedule ahead. And Farhan should be exec of the yr.

Go Giants!!!!

I guess I'm living under a rock. I didn't realize the playoff are going to be in neutral locations. 

https://twitter.com/MLB_PR/status/1305926031723892738