Baseball 180!

By Sean Connolly

15 years ago. That’s when the idea of instant replay was introduced to the fools running major league baseball. When it was introduced teams voted 27-1 against the idea of instant replay. It continued to be shut down by teams like that until 1998 when the Diamondbacks and Rays were brought to the league in which the vote went from 27 to 29-1.Now, half way through the 2008 season, MLB has decided to implement instant replay despite not having it completely figured out. Seems to me that if we’ve waited all this time, we can wait another half season until everything is sorted out.

The talk of bringing instant replay began this season in May when, in a two week span, several home run calls were missed by umpires. Unfortunately for these umpires and the MLB, a few of these games were nationally televised bringing more light to the situation. Not only that but one of the more controversial non-homeruns was hit by a man who may someday break Barry Bonds’ record of all-time homeruns, Alex Rodriguez. All of these missed calls were seen nation wide on ESPN’s instant replay showing the umpire’s blunders. Fans, writers, and anyone in the sports community were at Bud Selig’s door with pitchforks and torches asking for instant replay. Like the coward he is, Selig gave in.

Granted instant replay is the correct choice, believe me I’ve wanted it for years now, but in the middle of the season? C’mon. The best part about it is that everyone is so divided on the whole thing in baseball. The umpires don’t want it, all of a sudden half the MLB teams want it, half don’t (a vote recently said it was 15 in favor, 15 against), and players are begging for it. So, what does Selig do. Without mulling it over with the umpires, players, and owners after the season had completed, he decided that instant replay would be a part of Major League Baseball today. Out of nowhere!!

How can half the season be played under different rules? That’s so insane to me. A hit that was a homerun in May wasn’t, but a hit that’s a homerun in say September or October all of a sudden is. That’s not how professional sports work. When the NFL realized that they needed instant replay, they didn’t implement it in the middle of the season. They tested it out in Europe, discussed their plans thouroughly making sure refs, players, and owners agreed on what was happening and then brought forth the plan at the start of the season.

I want instant replay so badly it’s not even funny. But I refuse to give up my sport ethics for a rule that doesn’t even seem like it’s been figured out. The MLB is saying that instant replay will only be used for homerun calls. There is going to be so much confusion as to whether or not they can use instant replay or not on several types of calls, such as a trapped ball scenario. This will only open up a door of problems for the umpires that they didn’t have to deal with earlier in this season.

The solution is simple people. Use instant replay on a majority of calls, but next year. Train the umpires properly and make sure that all rules are sorted out, and that both managers and umpires know what can or cannot be challenged by instant replay. We’ve waited 15 years for this, don’t you want that wait to be worth something?

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By Sean Connolly

I swear, if I go to a Yankee game in its final season at Yankee Stadium, the cathedral for baseball, and I see Barry Bonds in a Yankee uniform…I don’t know what I might do. I think that’s when I fully comprehend why people run out onto the field. Whether this is a possibility or not is a little unknown, but just knowing that there is talk in the baseball community that the Yankees and other teams may need Bonds’ bat, is getting me a little upset.

BARRY BONDS ON HIS WAY TO BECOMING A YANKEE?

When I think about it, forget the Yankees. I don’t want to see this guy on any team. Be it the Rays, or Diamondbacks or whatever, I never want to see this juiced-up, egotistical, disrespectful disgrace touch a baseball field again. I love that he has wanted to come back this entire year but no one is giving him the offer. This is the best way to get back at him for single handedly ruining the integrity of baseball. But, with the trade deadline looming and with plenty of teams in the playoff race, teams may consider ruining what could be the greatest burn of all time.

If I’ve got baggage, he’s got a whole set of Louis Vuitton.

Milton Bradley on teams not taking Barry Bonds

This whole situation shows just how much no one believes Barry Bonds. O.K., let’s try as hard as we can to forget the whole steroid and perjury issue. I know it’s hard but try. Ok? Ready. Who wouldn’t want a player who recently broke the game’s most respected, sought after record? Who wouldn’t want a player whose on base percentage is so magnificent that that stat alone can make a team a contender? Who wouldn’t want an extra bat who can knock one out of the park at any time? Now, let’s return to reality. No one wants all those eye-popping attributes because they don’t want a loser, that simple.

STAY OUT OF NEW YORK, BARRY.

Barry Bonds should have been the most attractive free agent over the off-season and up until now, but teams are actually doing the right thing and using a thing called morality. Bonds’ agent, Jeff Borris, now is telling teams that Bonds will play for the league minimum salary, which would be a measly $150,000 for Bonds (I think he spends more on HGH in a year). That’s hilarious, because teams still aren’t biting, and I really hope the Yankees or any other team don’t. It makes perfect sense for the Yankees to go after Bonds. It looks like Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada may be out for the rest of the season and a power hitting, high on-base percentage, high slugging percentage outfielder who can DH would fit magnificently. All the Yankees have to do is find a power hitting, high on-base percentage, high slugging percentage outfielder who can DH whose last name isn’t Bonds.

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By Sean Connolly

I’ve never heard Chien-Ming Wang’s voice. After reading that you’re probably saying the same thing. Wang is the winningest pitcher in the major leagues in the past two years yet he is still a mystery. People have as much trouble figuring out the Taiwanese pitcher’s personality as they do hitting his sinker. His injury against the Astros on Sunday was critical for so many reasons. The Yankees lost their ace, and Taiwan lost their hero for a few months.

The enigma that is Chien-Ming Wang is the best pitcher on the New York Yankees, he throws the meanest sinker in the game, and he also drives an entire country. His every start has an affect on both the economy of Taiwan and the demeanor of his people. Being so soft-spoken it seems so unfeasible that silent Wang can have such an affect on Taiwan. There is a direct correlation though between Chien-Ming Wang’s starts and the Taiwanese economy. When Wang performs well and gets a win, the following day’s economy rises considerably. It also goes down considerably when he loses. Money Weekly reported that the fluctuations in the Taiwan Stock Exchange have something to do with Wang’s starts. They reported a 25% index rise when Wang pitched well in June and July.

Psychologically, Wang has a huge effect on the Taiwanese people. If he does well, people are in a good mood, and they go out and spend money. If he doesn’t, you walk around and you can see people depressed. It’s a very personal matter to the Taiwanese people.

Ben Shao Press Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office

From Sports Illustrated(April 21st 08, “Chien-Ming Wang Has A Secret”)

With all the star athletes we have in America, it’s hard to comprehend how one baseball player can have such an effect. Wang is an absolute hero in Taiwan, yet here he can walk the streets of New York City without being noticed. I’ve tried to compare his popularity in Taiwan to an athlete in recent history in American sports. The closest I could come is Michael Jordan, and even that isn’t fair to the mass attention Wang receives. Jordan never hurt the economy when he performed poorly and people weren’t running around buying stuff when he won(maybe in Chicago, but as for the rest of America, no).

The only thing I can chalk this up to is the vast difference between the U.S. and Taiwan. There isn’t one sports hero in America anymore that the entire nation admires and roots for. More and more America shies away from putting all their trust in one athlete because of the fear of being let down. Recent accusations involving Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and even Michael Vick prove that to be true. Wang portrays the Taiwanese people in a positive light and that’s why his people love him. He is well behaved, performs well, and is an excellent role model. He came from no where and became the best pitcher in Taiwan, then went to America and became the best pitcher in the Major Leagues on the greatest franchise in baseball history. Quite frankly he should be America’s hero as well.

The injury of his foot leaves the Yankees without their ace until at least September. They will struggle to find someone who can fill his spot in the rotation and after a bad start to the season, the Yankees may find themselves out of the playoffs. What I’m afraid of is the toll this will take on Taiwan’s mood and economy. But don’t worry your hero will be back soon enough, don’t jump just yet.

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