Major League Baseball is moving both the All Star Game and the draft out of Atlanta.
The Braves are disappointed about it. Gavin Newsom decided to be opportunistic in view of the developments.
Meanwhile, Jeff Duncan, a South Carolina Representative, wants to retaliate with legislation. While we are on the topic of Georgia, the state has dropped felony marijuana charges against Luis Campusano for lack of probable cause.
Angels Related Links
Ty Buttrey is out of baseball, at least for the time being. He later made it official. He retired because he’s just plain tired of pretending.
The oddsmakers have Mike Trout as a leading contender for the American League home run title. He likes us! Hey Mikey! He picked up his eighth Silver Slugger award. It’s a good thing he can afford a big house.
I guess Josέ Iglesias is kind of good at baseball.
Lots of Angels made it onto this American League West super team.
As of Sunday Morning, Shohei Ohtani is getting anti-love as baseball’s most overhyped player. He pitched and hit in Sunday’s game. Not many can do that and fewer still can do it well. Ohtani did OK.
Links From Around Baseball
Speaking of hype, eight at bats is kind of a small sample size.
The Nationals’ outbreak of COVID-19 is bad enough that the entire opening series against the Mets was canceled. The Nationals signed a minor league deal with Jonathan Lucroy, possibly as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak as Alex Avila is among the players affected. So much for social distancing.
The Reds and Cardinals had a donnybrook. Luckily the umpires don’t also wear red. You just wouldn’t know who to shove at that point.
Here is the video of Luis Robert doing his best Josέ Canseco impression. I love the assist from the pitcher’s mound.
Sleaze Bag of the Day
He is innocent until proven guilty, but we may have found Monday’s Sleaze Bag of the Day.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
this popped up today, in wherever I was on the internet. Mark Twain
“The nation is divided, half patriots and half traitors, and no man can tell which from which.”
“I think our system is set up where our politicians, whether they’re Republicans or Democrats, are designed to make us not like each other so they can keep their grasp of money and power.”
The Round Mound of Rebound
And this is why I don’t belong to either party. Neither can count on my vote for their hand picked candidate or proposition issue.
This is a thread I’d like to see get more comments
Popping in to say I love Jose Iglesias. The style, the skill, the personality, the way he gives props to the boys and hypes the team. He’s the first guy out of the dugout every time Shohei hits a HR. He ran over to help the commincation between Raisel and Stassi. Dude’s quickly become one of my favourite players.
Most definitely.
I say we just cut the bullshit and hire Charles Barkley as the next MLB commissioner.
Mercedes is likely this year’s Tuffy Rhodes who, as some of you might remember, hit 3 HRs on Opening Day in 1994 and finished the year with a total of 8 (95 games played)
So you’re saying he ain’t tuff enuf?
Don’t tell the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
Complaining about politics when it comes to sports is a slippery slope. If we truly want to keep politics out of sports, a good place to start would be with the owners. For example, Arte Moreno was a very vocal supporter of Trump, donating money to him and speaking at political events. I would prefer that the owners of teams I root for do not engage in this activity.
Most military, police and firefighters are forbidden (through general orders, which if broken can get you terminated… so a little different than standard operating procedures) to endorse or support any politician or voting measure while on duty. If arte were doing that during the game, over the PA, I wouldn’t agree. What he does in his own time is entirely up to him. Whether that supports what I like or not. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I like my athletes to do the same (endorse what you want on your time, but when you’re getting a check for performing a specific job classification, do that job).
Yeah. I’m all for them saying what ever they want on their own time. Until the latest hysterical need to posture came around I liked how politically active NFL players handled themselves. Guys like Nnamdi Asomugha and Malcolm Jenkins and the like spoke out on their own all the time, took a lot of action in their spare time, etc. But the MLBPA interfering in a state’s legislative process like a pile of half cocked millionaire SJWJCs is lame whether I agree or strongly disagree with the legislation in question. I don’t like the precedent it sets and I’d rather Georgians deal with Georgia and vote out legislators they disagree with.
Well said friend. There are many intertwining variables and it must be a difficult position to be in (individual or corporation) to act or not on anything. It’s difficult enough to get actual information that’s not filtered one way or the other.
Well we have our 1st BSW ( blown save, win) thanks to Rasiel. All I want to see from this point out is saves and wins, not BSW’s
I’ll take the BSW anyday. It’s the BSL that will bug the Shit out of me!
I know! We traded away Noe Ramirez for this guy! He better not suck or….. oh, wait….
Just wondering if MLB put their anti-trust exemption and future public funding of stadiums in play by making a political move like this. They may have shot themselves in the foot. Right or wrong they have no business in politics if they are not willing to pay a price occasionally.
Mixed feelings about this. From where I stand politically, I appreciate the move, but on the other hand I feel like one of the best things about our national pastime is that it allows us to set aside our differences and come together around something we love. But on the other hand again, I think that sometimes necessary changes don’t happen until corporate entities start inflicting pain, because, after all, the business of America is business. Regardless, I agree that MLB needs to accept potential blowback if they wade into these waters, to mix some metaphors. Not saying I will agree with the blowback. But it’s the cost of doing business.
Pretty much right with you.
Didn’t one of the Carolinas have an issue with bathrooms and a league recently? Separation of church and states, however well or not well that is being played out should exist with sports. I personally like my sports with the extra dramas
The NBA moved their all star game over a bathroom law in Carolina.
Funny, haven’t heard about bathrooms recently. Just another hot ticket item for a min that kinda goes away? Also funny I typo’d with and not without in how I like my sports. Obviously takes a different meaning. That’s also a different topic that could be discussed… humor, intent, fat fingers (typos) and how that can/can’t be interpreted in person vs email/texts vs forums.
I’ve come to really love pooping safely and securely in the bathroom that was once only for humyns assigned a female gender at birth. I’m sure all the other humyns are enjoying me doing it too. It’s the smell of progress and freedom yo!
Too funny!!! I’ve just been lucky the handicap stall has been empty most trips to the bathroom and they have a koala care (or whatever the name is) changing table in the men’s room. I’m intrigued now by the other side 😉
Regardless of the political stance taken, moving it from Atlanta protects MLB against the inevitable wave of players sitting out the ASG on their own accord come June or July…very well could’ve been dozens of players bowing out to make their own statement — relocating was the most risk-averse path here
Our national pastime did not put aside our differences for like 50 years….that’s a great propaganda spin.
As for recent times, I’ll believe sports are not political when they stop doing military fly overs and sing God Bless America during the 7th inning post Sept 11.
I know a lot of Democrats who served in the military and go to church on Sundays. I’d lump those in with pandering to the audience but they are hardly a political statement.
Well said Jeff. Start another thread if you want to bring up a different subject.
Anyway on the same subject, I like what the TX governor did and said no thanks to MLB. I really hope we as tax payers stop contributing to stadium builds for billionaires. As time as shown, fans will show up anywhere for their sport/team.
Military isn’t really political, it’s a necessity for either party. You want to stop all acknowledgments for military members coming home, being recognized by their local team too? Why can’t we have a conversation about one topic (GA removing ASG) without bringing up another (military involvement or singing a song at a park)?? Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, this is CA. Heaven forbid someone have a differing opinion let alone try to discuss a topic lol
If the military was solely about defending freedoms maybe, but quick remind me if the last US war that was not about intervention, colonization or infiltration? Hmmm. And it’s funny to assume that I have no military family members. My dads a Vietnam era vet
, it doesn’t mean I have to cheer a billion dollar bomber fly over a stadium for intimidation.
Besides the question people said was if MLB should be political as if it already isnt for decades. Being “political” is only called as such if it deviates from what some people consider safe mainstream opinion. By the way who’s conversation am I canceling?
And I’ve been on HH for like 12 years, I’ve always appreciated the conversations here
The flyovers are for recruitment, not intimidation. And I think we could have a great chat about the use of our military and its insane (IMO) budget. Somewhere else, of course.
Your opening sentence of the second paragraph nails it. Honoring the military is something generally perceived as being universal, or at least it was.
I guess in my mind I don’t see it as political in nature due to the generally universal respect Americans of all stripes tend to give those serving in uniform. Most others don’t see it as political either.
Moving the ASG is definitely on a different level as far as a statement, though. It is a purposeful statement guaranteed to alienate some and gain he adoration of others.
I suppose that I see voting just as “non political” as you see the military. If the military is there defend democracy than we should be equally vigilant to defend voting at home. Unfortunately access to voting is seen as political and dropping bombs is not . But I shall leave it alone on that. Lol
DMAG ok I finally get that your joking and made me laugh. Thanks
You won’t see me complain about defending voting. I vote absentee and think I’d have a hard time getting my vote cast under the new GA law. I’m not a fan of it.
I’m for a valid form of ID in person or a PIN on absentee ballots, but I see voting as important enough to make sure actual voters are the ones doing the voting.
I have voted in every election since “78”, including all the ones in my punk rock days, always had to show ID up until recently, and was only able to vote on the one day the polls were open. I just stood in line like everyone else and did not do absentee. Hell, one time I had to ride a skateboard to the polls as my car had broken down.
That’s rad steel! Finally figuring out this thumbs up thing so have one of those (:
I think the issue is the framing of the Georgia law and the reaction to it.
34 states have no-excuse absentee voting, which includes Georgia, and 16 do not. Signature verification was changed to an ID-based verification because of the fiasco during the previous election. The new law expanded the required early voting times and allowed for counties/precincts to open early voting for longer, and the result is more early voting opportunites than many other states. Drop boxes were not allowed under the previous law, but required under the new law. Online voter registration is now required. The new structure of the legislature’s oversight over election boards sounds questionable. The electioneering regulations — what people are allowed to do near polling places and with people in line — aren’t that far off from the regulations in other states.
It seems to me like mostly a bill to make voting easier, though it’s a mixed bag. But even then, somehow Georgia is the state singled out by MLB and other corporations even though there are other states with similar or stricter regulations?
The comparison to Jim Crow is hyperbolic as well.
Exactly. nothing egregious, just political “Chicken Littles” drumming up hysteria to solicit money and support / power base.
From what I’ve read, last election there were 38 absentee ballot drop box locations in Fulton County, all open 24/7. Now there will be 8, only open while the office is open. There were 2 mobile voting centers, now there will be zero.
I like the early voting and honestly vote absentee because of convenience and being self employed. If I’m closing an escrow on that Tuesday, I simply might not be able to vote. In GA I’d probably just get in line on a Saturday now.
I’m just thinking GA could have accomplished all the things you mentioned without reducing the number of vote collection locations.
I don’t live in Georgia, but as far as I know, drop boxes didn’t exist before last election, but were only there because of the special pandemic circumstances. The new legislation actually mandates them for normal circumstances, but nowhere near as many as last election for urban counties. I think mail-in and drop-off at polling places can still be done. (By the way, I live in LA, and we have drop boxes, but I’ve only done mail-in or drop-off at polling places myself.)
In any case, maybe a mixed bag depending on your perspective, but the reaction seems hyperbolic and hard to justify.
That makes sense and I think you’re right. Being reduced from the all time high created from a special demand is not really the same as simply being reduced.
I’d still love some 24 hour drop off spots, though. Fill out the ballot at work, drop it off by the grocery store. Call me a happy voter.
All I know is that if I squint hard enough at all these comments you are all racist.
Oh shit. Now I’m racist.
Your comedy is a gift to the site, thanks gritch
The military is just a necessity, despite whatever political group is in power and what they do with that power.
I didn’t make an assumptions about you or your family. Cool about their service. I don’t feel it does anything to tell you about my family because they have nothing to do with this haha. What you view flyovers as is your business. But you’re obviously sensitive on that matter.
I also didn’t say you were cancelling anything. Maybe you have something going on in your life that makes any sentence into an in incendiary one. I hope that gets better for you.
it shouldn’t be political, but when you have multiple military twitter feeds discussing the politics of private citizens, it says otherwise.
I don’t have any social media so I have no clue what you’re referencing
google is a hell of a thing
It’s is but you have to type in something. If I typed in “military Twitter feeds discussing the politics of private citizens” would I get the result(s) you’re referring to? Links also work on here, I’ve done them.
I prefer that my political party talk a lot about hating the military then demand that that same military keep them safe from the scary Americans.
This is exactly where I stand. For basically my entire existence on this planet, every single game even if it’s a random Tuesday night in the middle of summer you have to get up and sing the national anthem. I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty political to me. Once they stop doing that, then we could say the MLB is out of politics.
What really sucks is for the Braves and their fans who went into the year and bought season tickets just hoping to get access to the ASG.
I like songs, flyovers, fireworks, peanuts and Cracker Jacks and am teaching my kids to do the same. If you don’t like a song, flyover, 7th inning stretch song (I, for one, am glad buttercup isn’t played anymore) that’s cool. Maybe you’re allergic to peanuts, maybe you don’t like something more ‘political/controversial’ for whatever reason. It’s all good. Go Angels!
I guess cancel culture didn’t get the memo that a little golf tournament called the Masters is teeing it up this week in Augusta Georgia.
But I guess they’ve never had any problems with social issues in their past.
They know they will get no reaction from The Masters as they will televise it without commercials and the club will pay if need be.
This just proves once again that Manfred is an idiot. He totally screwed the pooch and The Braves on this. He is just getting swept up in the woke/ virtue signalling culture instead of concentrating on baseball.
i don’t think it’s fair to accuse MLB of wokeness/being liberal/virtue signaling when they’ve spent decades demonstrating exactly the opposite values lmao
100% agree, he’s a disaster. He’s ruining the game for the players, owners and fans all at the same time.
While I generally despise Manfred, he wasn’t the one who put MLB in the middle of this. He was called out by our POTUS and the woke crowd. At that point he had to choose who to piss off, the people who prefer apolitical sports or the vast majority of the media and younger audience he craves to court.
There was no win for him here. It sucks but that’s the era in which we live nowadays.
Jeff, I’ve enjoyed all your articles and contributions to this site but I must say your ability to articulate complex thoughts/passionate subject matter is admirable and thought provoking. All while not trying to sell or convert anyone. Very refreshing.
Thanks. I just try to see multiple points of view and keep things civil.
You do it well. I enjoy others perspectives, especially when they differ from mine, as it makes me really look at why I think/believe something.
I think a middle ground would have been a smarter approach. E.g., release a statement condemning the new voting law but indicating that upon the request and recommendation of the Atlanta Braves, the MLB has decided to leave the All-Star in Atlanta so as not to punish Atlanta companies and fans based on a single political act.
Love this idea.
Could’ve pointed out that Atlanta is one of the most diverse MLB markets and that moving the game will disproportionately hurt the very group they are hoping to support, maybe gotten an endorsement from a Chamber of Commerce or somebody welcoming the dollars and spotlight.
Well said.
Is there just one way to improve voting and access to people? I remember this simple conversation in college awhile back. Why is it held on Tuesdays and not another day where more people have it off? Even with the hour you can off from work law to go vote, I don’t know anyone who has ever done it. Should felons vote? I’m ok with it but understand there’s a process to get that to happen and will vote accordingly to how I think when/if I get the chance. Taking your ball and going home (what MLB did to GA) isn’t the best way (IMO) to go about change.
Voting is an important right that must be protected. However, one thing that people frequently fail to consider is that voting is also an important responsibility that should be exercised with careful consideration.
Making people put effort into voting by going to the polls on a specific day increases the chances they will think carefully about their choices.
Frankly, I think “Get Out the Vote” drives are a travesty. The drive should instead be “Become an Informed Voter.”
If a politician gets me drunk, tells me I’m a victim and he will give me stuff (which he then doesn’t give me) and keeps those damn Canadians from letting the British try to take back their colonies I am voting for the guy. Three times.
Making is harder for people to register and vote wounds our Democracy. Allowing Georgia legislators to overturn an election because they don’t like the outcome ends it.
Allowing?
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/politics/georgia-voting-law-annotated.html
Here you go.
Thanks for that link. Interesting. I’d like to read more before offering any sort of unsolicited opinion. The only ones I’ve had so far is I think MLB is lame for moving the ASG and I like some of baseballs traditions.
Where does the new law make it harder to register to vote? it doesn’t, and can be argued that it makes it easier.
But according to “The Gray Lady” it does. Or maybe it’s “The Gray Non-Binary” now? I don’t know . I can’t keep up
It did seem like the Angels caught a number of breaks last night. Would be frustrating if it were the other way, so I’m trying to sympathize with White Sox fans atm.
https://twitter.com/UmpScorecards/status/1379085608404938756
You’re a good man. They would not do the same for you.
2 run swing, with a 3 run win, so let’s chalk that down as the Angels win anyway.
Yeah, but also, Hendriks is much better than Matt Foster
Except last Friday night:
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/white-sox-vs-angels/2021/04/02/634631#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=634631
Quadruple header on ESPN today for those working from home or with a TV at work. We can start watching baseball at 10 am and continue for about 12 hours.
I’m interested to see where the ASG moves. Willing to bet it won’t be CA. Thinking Milwaukee so they can honor Aaron.
Good guess on the ASG. Rob will have political issues with Texas and Florida.
Central time zone makes for shorter flights for participating players. It also makes for a better local start time. Fans will definitely be in the stands in some capacity, the move can be marketed as honoring Aaron.
CA is a bureaucratic nightmare and subject to another complete lockdown at Newsom’s whimsy. Plus LA is already hosting the game next year.
Texas isn’t a bad option. New ballpark, things open for fans to enjoy, central time zone. But they just said they don’t want it.
They should just do it at PNC in Pitt so Pirates fans have something other than a dar cloud of depression to look forward to one season out of the next 5.
This made me laugh!
But what about Seattle?
I expected at best a split series with the White Sox, and was ready to face a 1-3 start. Gotta admit, the team (with some exceptions), looked exciting.
Still waiting for the eventual buttercup, though.
Well, PTSD. But, who knows? They caught a bunch of breaks and won a game in grand style (twice!) they tried their damndest to give away. Maybe there’s a buttercup vax we don’t know about. I don’t think this team is a world beater but this series did allow me to be, what’s the cliché, cautiously optimistic.
Let’s just start with the fact that this appears to be a fun team with some grit and heart. Makes them way more fun to watch than previous seasons. Even their loss on Friday was a way more enjoyable and watchable ballgame than many of the wins in the last few seasons. I am not going to make more of it than that. Enjoy the ride.
Hope someone yelled at Stassi for that lazy throw that exploded the 5th inning. A literal textbook example you could show young catchers on why you plant your feet and make a strong throw.
I take the blame for that. I was discussing with Mia how we all laughed when the Stassi trade went down, and then how he didn’t seem that bad.
My fault.
I saw that! And it occurred within minutes of your comment. For shame! 😃
if he catches the freakin ball he doesn’t have to worry about a throw
And Matty V wouldn’t have to say Walsh miss handled Stassi’s throw and Fletch wouldn’t have air mailed it to the plate and Ohatani doesn’t have to jump
Eh. Those splitters can be as bad as knuckle balls to catch. They are an out pitch that comes with inherent risk of a PB pretty much all the time if you ask for it low. That time, the worst happened.