Baseball Question

[JudgeDredd]

I was watching New York Yankees against the Boston Redsox last night. It stopped for rain and I didn't go back to it. So I was watching the replay today and Sabbathia wasn't pitching. I remember them saying Sabatthia would be wanting to make the last pitch (he had a good chance of getting the Redsox 3rd out) but would probably be annoyed that he wouldn't be pitching again and wouldn't get credited with the win if the Yankees won...

Questions...
1. Why would Sabbathia not be pitching again when play resumed?
2. Why would he not be credited with the win? From what I saw in the replay today, he had pitched 4 and 3/4 of the game...that's more than half

[KG Erwin]

1. Starting pitchers never pitch two days in a row, even if it's a partially completed game.

2. Starters must finish 5 innings before they can be credited with a win.

[JudgeDredd]

Also - when the coach approaches the mound...what do they talk about? Is anyone ever privvy to it? Is he chastising for being crap? Trying to steady the pitcher? Telling him if he doesn't get his act together he's replaced?

Oh - and now I've actually sat and watched a few games, I'm amazed at the amount of effort required by both the pitcher (to get the ball into that little invisible rectangle) and the batter to hit something moving that fast - not to mention the fact he's got to determine whether the ball is going to be in the rectangle or not...making him decide whether to check his bat or not - resulting in a Strike or a ball!

[JudgeDredd]

KG - do you know the game I'm talking of? I don't know if the game was stopped entirely or not..all I know is when I looked on ESPN North America today, the same game was listed and when I started watching it, Sabbathia was pitching just before the rain came (which is where I left it last night)...so I don't know if the game was continued last night and I'm only seeing a replay of the game or not

[KG Erwin]

No, I didn't watch the game. In the case of mound visits, it is usually to allow a reliever a little more time to warm up, and to ask the guy on the mound how tired he is. Completing a game doesn't mean much these days.

[JudgeDredd]

Watching the game now...the Redsox have put a "position" player on the mound on the 9th as a reliever...why? Why would they not play one of the closers or other dedicated relievers?

[htuna]

Probably didn't bring him back because the delay was so long Judge... Need a rest after throwing at that level!.. Sox suck this year [&:]

[JudgeDredd]

Well I've just heard it was an hour 45 minutes...so I guess after throwing so long, the only option was to keep his arm warmed up which wouldn't be possible for that long, therefore they decided to put another pitcher in as his arm would've cooled down.

Good match and opens your eyes to what they go through.

One thing I find amazing...in Colchester (where I live) the town came to a virtual standstill when Colchester United were playing a game...and that was only once a week. How do Cities and towns in America cope with the influx of people for a game more than 3 or 4 times a week. And how do they pack those stadiums out? I can't afford £20 a week to go see Colchester United a season ticket is around £400 I think).

[htuna]

I think a lot of stadiums in America are actually quite empty.. either lack of interest or price of tickets (going through the roof!).. Yankees and RedSox are two that don't have that problem.. they always sell out.. a few other cites are like that as well... Depends on the Infrastructure as well.. New England Patriots (football) has always been bad.. would take hours to get away from the general area of the Stadium after the game (but that's only once a week if they're home)

[bairdlander2]

ORIGINAL: cmurphy625

I think a lot of stadiums in America are actually quite empty.. either lack of interest or price of tickets (going through the roof!).. Yankees and RedSox are two that don't have that problem.. they always sell out.. a few other cites are like that as well... Depends on the Infrastructure as well.. New England Patriots (football) has always been bad.. would take hours to get away from the general area of the Stadium after the game (but that's only once a week if they're home)

Yes The Toronto Blue Jays stadium is always pretty much empty.But I think its more to do with changing demographics than anything else,like the fact they suck.

[Arctic Blast]

ORIGINAL: bairdlander

ORIGINAL: cmurphy625

I think a lot of stadiums in America are actually quite empty.. either lack of interest or price of tickets (going through the roof!).. Yankees and RedSox are two that don't have that problem.. they always sell out.. a few other cites are like that as well... Depends on the Infrastructure as well.. New England Patriots (football) has always been bad.. would take hours to get away from the general area of the Stadium after the game (but that's only once a week if they're home)

Yes The Toronto Blue Jays stadium is always pretty much empty.But I think its more to do with changing demographics than anything else,like the fact they suck.

Also, the fact that that ridiculously massive dome was a dull antique the instant the throwback style ball parks appeared in Cleveland, Texas and Baltimore. Now, that's what every market builds, while Toronto is stuck with a boring dome that's way, WAY too big.

[Adam Parker]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd
I can't afford £20 a week to go see Colchester United a season ticket is around £400 I think).

My wife and I paid $170 a piece to sit on the Green Monster in a 6 inning rain out last year! But we feel to be a fan you have to suffer too [:D]

Honestly, it was still a fantastic experience. We aim to be back in 2011.

ORIGINAL: cmurphy625
Sox suck this year.

It's looking like that huh... At least Papi's woken up but I just want Papelbon to get his "Cinqo Ocho" mojo back [:)]

[JudgeDredd]

What's "the Green Monster" - I think they mentioned something like that in the game? Is it a part of the stadium? Do all parks have one?

Is that $170 for a season? Whilst I was watching the game, they were advertising you get a Chilli Dog, Pepsi and seat for $22

[captskillet]

After pitching Judge and then sitting for any extended period of time such as in a long rain delay the arm tends to stiffen up, thats why you see the pitcher with ice on his arm after he is pulled from the game to help reduce stiffness/swelling. The arm of a pitcher goes through some pretty amazing contortions in the act of snapping your wrist/arm durinmg the pitching motion. The amazing Ted Williams had a good quote about the difficulty of hitting and I paraphrase slightly....'the hardest thing about baseball is to hit a round ball with a round bat SQUARELY'...........where else Judge can a man be successful 3 out of 10 times (a .300 hitter) and be considered good.

PS.....the Monster is the big Green wall in Left Field at Fenway Park in Boston and no Judge most stadiums dont have walls that tall.

[htuna]

Judge, the reason there is a Big Green Wall (Monster) in Fenway, is because the park is 'smaller' than the average field. So to compensate and be equal to 'other' parks.. they built the big wall.. that way you would still have to hit the ball well (high) in order to get a homerun in Fenway...

[JudgeDredd]

How much is a season ticket for people going to games? Just intyerested in if any of you have season tickets, how much it costs, how many games you get in that and whether you tend to go to all games or just sone.

Just trying to understand the mind of the baseball fan (average).

[sysrkm]

Hi Judge,

Nice to see an interest in baseball from across the pond. If you think the Green Monster is weird, try googling Tal's Hill in Minute Maid park in Houston, 45 km south of where I live in Texas.

Not only is there a 30 degree incline in our outfield, (Tal's Hill) but there's also a freakin' FLAG POLE in the middle of it, which is IN PLAY, meaning if the ball strikes the pole, the ball is still in play! There have been a couple of weird caroms off the pole since the park has been running, much to the dismay of both friendly and enemy outfielders.

Now that I've mentioned it, I wonder what the call is if a fly ball hits the flag pole and then goes into the stands on the fly. Home run or ground rule double?

Regards,

Rob

[JudgeDredd]

WOW> That's one hell of a moveable roof. But I would think of all the stadiums around, the south would've needed cover less, no?

[RedArgo]

I think the southern stadiums are domed so they can have air conditioning and for rain protection. I saw a show on the dome in Phoenix, Arizona and they have a huge building next door that provides the AC for the baseball stadium.

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

Also - when the coach approaches the mound...what do they talk about? Is anyone ever privvy to it? Is he chastising for being crap? Trying to steady the pitcher? Telling him if he doesn't get his act together he's replaced?

Oh - and now I've actually sat and watched a few games, I'm amazed at the amount of effort required by both the pitcher (to get the ball into that little invisible rectangle) and the batter to hit something moving that fast - not to mention the fact he's got to determine whether the ball is going to be in the rectangle or not...making him decide whether to check his bat or not - resulting in a Strike or a ball!

Hitting a baseball thrown by a talented pitcher is the single hardest task in all of sports. The rules give you multiple chances to hit it in each at bat, and if you hit it successfully 3 times out of 10 you will be an All Star. [8D]