Did Selig do the right thing?
Here's my understanding of what happened. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Bud Selig overturned a rule of MLB that has stood for 100 years or whatever. He changed it so that now, World Series games must go the full 9 innings (or 8.5).
(Freakishly, I hear there has never been a shortened World Series game up until now, though the rules would have allowed it, just as it is allowed in the regular season)
So that's one thing.
And then the other thing relates to the spreading of the information. Apparently just a few select people were told. There was no big announcement.
Okay so here's my take. I give Selig
for changing the rule. I think the old rule sucked. It would have sucked if they had called the last game after 5 innings and Philly was awarded the World Series at that point - which would have been possible with the old rules.
That specific example aside, it just seems right to me that World Series games should go 9 innings. I am sure traditionalists will disagree but I am an anti-traditionalist. I think it was a very positive change that should have been made long ago.
The other part: the spreading of information.
What was up with that? Did you know when the game was going on what the rules were? I don't think the Fox broadcasters did. From interviews, I know some of the players didn't.
Think about that. It was the potentially deciding game of the World Series and some players didn't know the rules. Brutal. Obviously team officials have to share in the blame for that but wouldn't a big honking announcement from the commish have been called for to begin with?
(Aside: I have to think Bud wanted to stand up and cheer when TB tied the game in the 6th - just for the sake of appearances. Because suppose they called the game when it was 2-1 Phils and
and all the Philly fans are saying, "Okay, for 100 years this means we just won the World Series. WTF, why are we still going to play some more?")
Bud Selig overturned a rule of MLB that has stood for 100 years or whatever. He changed it so that now, World Series games must go the full 9 innings (or 8.5).
(Freakishly, I hear there has never been a shortened World Series game up until now, though the rules would have allowed it, just as it is allowed in the regular season)
So that's one thing.
And then the other thing relates to the spreading of the information. Apparently just a few select people were told. There was no big announcement.
Okay so here's my take. I give Selig
for changing the rule. I think the old rule sucked. It would have sucked if they had called the last game after 5 innings and Philly was awarded the World Series at that point - which would have been possible with the old rules.That specific example aside, it just seems right to me that World Series games should go 9 innings. I am sure traditionalists will disagree but I am an anti-traditionalist. I think it was a very positive change that should have been made long ago.
The other part: the spreading of information.
What was up with that? Did you know when the game was going on what the rules were? I don't think the Fox broadcasters did. From interviews, I know some of the players didn't.
Think about that. It was the potentially deciding game of the World Series and some players didn't know the rules. Brutal. Obviously team officials have to share in the blame for that but wouldn't a big honking announcement from the commish have been called for to begin with?
(Aside: I have to think Bud wanted to stand up and cheer when TB tied the game in the 6th - just for the sake of appearances. Because suppose they called the game when it was 2-1 Phils and
and all the Philly fans are saying, "Okay, for 100 years this means we just won the World Series. WTF, why are we still going to play some more?")
Good point, nosnibo.
<----Mudcat
