Batters Box Seats

the difference is, is that those things you mentioned applied to everyone in the league. All hitters didn't face black pitchers. On the other hand, not all hitters used steroids in the steroid era. That then skews the perception of how good a hitter really was. Players that didn't cheat now don't look as impressive because the league numbers are skewed by those that did cheat. I don't really care about roids, especially since individual cheating has always happened. But there's a big difference between cheating (which only improves the person who is cheating) and league-wide mandates that effect the entire league. I see what you're saying. I think the point I was trying to make was that it's difficult to compare the stats from generation to generation because of the differences in the the players....transportation..........lights........and of course the Roids. 35 HR's today is sure more impressive then it was in 01 when Barry was lighting them up. That would make this yet another generation. One last thought. Even medicine has changed the game. How would a guy like Mantle who blew out his knee @ 21 have done with the techniques used today? Maybe he would have hit another 100 HR's. This is a guy who hit most of his 536 playing on one knee....just another thought and piece of the puzzle.

Baseball should move past the steroid crap. Yeah, they cheated...so what? Everyone was doing it. Look back at the sport and each generation has it's "stuff" How would The Babe, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx and the rest have done against amazing black pitchers like Gibson, Newcombe, Paige etc. Opposite side of the coin would be how would Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Joe Bush, and the other great pitchers of that generation do against Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Dick Allen, Willie Stargell, and Willie McCovey? My point is that the racisim of Baseballs early days skewed the numbers of batters and pitchers alike. In addition, until 1958 players didn't have to travel thru 3 time zones. IN ADDITION, Baseball didn't play night games in the Old Days, making it easier for the batter to see the ball. No day games after non existant night games either. My point is that each generation could have an * after it, and it would be a valid *....or, there should be no * needed. Illustration: Famous First Night Games In Chronological Order Game LocationLeagueDate / BoxMatch UpCincinnati Reds NL05-24-1935Cincinnati 2 vs. Philadelphia1 Brooklyn Dodgers NL06-15-1938Brooklyn 0 vs. Cincinnati 6 Philadelphia Athletics AL05-16-1939Philadelphia 3 vs. Cleveland 8 Philadelphia Phillies NL06-01-1939Philadelphia 2 vs. Pittsburgh 5 Cleveland Indians AL06-27-1939Cleveland 5 vs. Detroit 0 Chicago White Sox AL08-14-1939Chicago 5 vs. St. Louis 2 New York Giants NL05-24-1940New York 8 vs. Boston 1 St. Louis Browns AL05-24-1940St. Louis 2 vs. Cleveland 3 Pittsburgh Pirates NL06-04-1940Pittsburgh 14 vs. Boston 2 St. Louis Cardinals NL06-04-1940St. Louis 1 vs. Brooklyn 10 Washington Senators (Twins) AL05-28-1941Washington 5 vs. New York 6 Boston Braves NL05-11-1946Boston 1 vs. New York 5 New York Yankees AL05-28-1946New York 1 vs. Washington 2 Boston Red Sox AL06-13-1947Boston 5 vs. Chicago 3 Detroit Tigers AL06-15-1948Detroit 4 vs. Philadelphia 1 Milwaukee Braves NL05-08-1953Milwaukee 2 vs. Chicago 0

Billy Wagner officially joins the Braves bullpen, Billy has 385 career saves and counting, link coming soon, any thoughts? Mlb.COM _____________________________________________________________ Article ATLANTA -- The Braves have reached a preliminary agreement that positions Billy Wagner to serve as their new closer. Multiple Major League sources have confirmed that Wagner has agreed to a one-year contract that includes a vesting option for the 2011 season. Pending the results of a physical, the Braves could announce the free-agent signing during a Wednesday afternoon press conference at Turner Field. The team has not confirmed nor denied an agreement with the veteran left-hander. According to FoxSports.com, Wagner would make $7 million in 2010, and if he finishes 50 games, a $6.5 million option would vest for the 2011 season. With Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano expected to exit via free agency this offseason, the Braves made Wagner their primary target to fill the closer's role that the aforementioned relievers shared this past season. Wagner comes to Atlanta with the intent to enhance his already impressive credentials. The 38-year-old reliever's 385 career saves rank sixth on Major League Baseball's all-time list. He stands 39 saves shy of matching the record that John Franco set for left-handed closers. Interest in Wagner grew when he made a successful return from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery during the final two months of last season. In 17 combined appearances with the Mets and Red Sox, he posted a 1.72 ERA, limited opponents to a 1.72 ERA and recorded 26 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings. One American League scout who watched Wagner pitch during the regular season's final weekend said he was convinced the veteran hurler was ready to once again be the top-flight closer that he had previously proven to be with the Astros, Phillies and Mets. During a 12-season span beginning in 1997 -- the year he began serving as the Astros' full-time closer -- Wagner posted a 2.40 ERA and converted 376 of his 434 save opportunities. Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman were the only Major Leaguers to record more saves during this span. Wagner established himself as one of the game's top closers in 1999, when he posted a career-best 1.57 ERA and converted 39 of 42 save opportunities for Houston. After blowing nine of his 15 save opportunities one year later, he proceeded to post a 2.22 ERA and convert 251 of the 277 opportunities he was presented with over the course of the next seven seasons. Because Wagner is a Type A free agent who was offered arbitration, the Red Sox will gain the first-round selection that the Braves had been slotted to make in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. But with Gonzalez and Soriano also standing as Type A free agents, the Braves are in position to gain the first-round picks currently slotted to the clubs that could end up signing these relievers, who were both offered arbitration on Tuesday. Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Wagner's a coin toss. good or bad??? Who knows? Saito's 38 coming off a season with a whip of 1.35. Neither guy is a lock to perform.

Hey man welcome!!! The bottom line when it comes to the series being moved is the $$$$$$$$$$$. I'm sure MLB is willing to generously compensate the Marlins for moving games to Puerto Rico. Im sure they have added a couple zeros to the check since we shot the idea down a year or so ago. My question is "But Why?" MLB already has a huge Latin American fan base in as evidenced by the WBC last year. I was there for all the games and as an American I was definately in the minority. It was GREAT!!! So many diverse cultures! I don't know the percentage but I'm sure that 30-40% of the players in the Major Leagues are Latin American, or of Latin American descent. IMHO going to PR is unnecessary and a slap in the face to everyone who wants to attend those 3 games.

Hello All, I finally pulled thr trigger and joined today after a year+ of lurking and reading the posts of others. I enjoy reading this board. My motivation for finally joining is to be able to comment on the Met series coming up in June, and the stupidity of the organization in considering it's move to PR. I understand that the feelings of the members of this board have already been well documented in another thread and that the Mods will probably merge the two, it's just that I thought a plain hello would sound dumb without a cogent post. As a season ticket holder in the BB, Sect 46, one box over from the Marlins Dugout I'm appalled that the team would take an important series against a division rival and move it into hostal territory. Aside from turning these 3 games into a Met home stand I'm dissapointed that I lose three really fun games on the schedule. Unfortunately there are too few games at Dolphin Stadium where there's some real electricity in the stands. The Met series are fun. I really enjoy the buzz. Yeah, I know they're Mon, Tues, and Wed. games, but there still will be a substantial crowd at all of them. Who cares about the Marlins fan base in PR. Ownership needs to care about the fan base here in S. Fl. I've had these seats for 6 yrs. I go to 70+ games each yr, and the fish hope I re up for seats in the new stadium for at least 1/3 more then I'm paying now. I think season ticket holders need to be kissed a bit more by club management. Nice yo finally "Be Here"