Will lockout be over in time for the Reds to play?

[Kate Branson]

I kind of hope it is. I like to keep up with baseball. Even though I have shit wrong with me and don't like to go to games anymore or watch whole games, I still keep up with the landscape just with recaps, stat and standings watching.

Sometimes a Reds game is nice on a summer day when you want to sit alone and look out at the Ohio River.

If I was still alive this summer and they had games, I'd think about going. May go to Braxton County instead, but I'd think about a day at the Reds.

Oh well, if they don't want to play there's nothing I can do about it.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Baseball used to be my favorite sport to follow. I even kept a notebook of all the stats. Used to listen to the Big Red Machine on the transistor radio back in the late 60s and 70s. Just lay there in bed hoping to hear Marty Brennaman tell me this one belongs to the reds. It's all ruined now though. New team pretty much every year paraded out on the field. Then there's the fancy stadiums with the swimming pools and merry-go-rounds. $5.00 water and $12.00 cheap beer. That doesn't even include having to fear for your life on the way from the parking lot to the stadium and back. I just watch an inning or two on the big TV, and sometimes listen to the radio out on the porch.

Trying to remember what station I used to listen to on the transistor radio back in the 70s. Had to be a national a.m. station, but I know I often had to tilt the radio one way or the other just to keep the game going, in order to avoid the static.

 

[Kate Branson]

Had to be WLW.

I'm kind of obsessed with these talk radio stations now, and they're all free on the internet. It really could be a decent time to be a dorky American.

I've done so much on the computer. Seen America on youtube dash cam trips. You can read every national newspaper. I found out the New York Post has the best sports writing.

Now, you can get radio talk stations from Montana, California, wherever.

But I find myself toggling each evening now between WVHU (Huntington), WLW (Cincinnati), WSB (Atlanta), WPHT (Philly), KBUL (Billings, MT), KDKA (Pittsburgh) and some liberal station listed out of Chicago, but with people in Wisconsin on it rooting against Senator Johnson and fearing the comeback of Donald Trump.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Baseball used to be my favorite sport to follow. I even kept a notebook of all the stats. Used to listen to the Big Red Machine on the transistor radio back in the late 60s and 70s. Just lay there in bed hoping to hear Marty Brennaman tell me this one belongs to the reds. It's all ruined now though. New team pretty much every year paraded out on the field. Then there's the fancy stadiums with the swimming pools and merry-go-rounds. $5.00 water and $12.00 cheap beer. That doesn't even include having to fear for your life on the way from the parking lot to the stadium and back. I just watch an inning or two on the big TV, and sometimes listen to the radio out on the porch.

Trying to remember what station I used to listen to on the transistor radio back in the 70s. Had to be a national a.m. station, but I know I often had to tilt the radio one way or the other just to keep the game going, in order to avoid the static.

Minor league ball is the way to go. Cheaper beer and food, and you still get to sit out in the hot muggy air and enjoy a ballgame.

 

[Jartard]

I’ve never been into baseball, it’s like watching paint dry. Hell, I’d take soccer over baseball and can’t stand soccer, but at least they move and have a little action.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

But I find myself toggling each evening now between WVHU (Huntington), WLW (Cincinnati), WSB (Atlanta), WPHT (Philly), KBUL (Billings, MT), KDKA (Pittsburgh) and some liberal station listed out of Chicago, but with people in Wisconsin on it rooting against Senator Johnson and fearing the comeback of Donald Trump.

When I lived on the mountaintop I had a really good radio and would see what I could tune in on a clear night. I used to listen to Yankees games on WCBS just because I thought it was cool I could pick it up.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Minor league ball is the way to go. Cheaper beer and food, and you still get to sit out in the hot muggy air and enjoy a ballgame.

Correct, and that's what I do a once or twice a year. Head over to Kalamazoo to watch the Growlers or to Battle Creek to watch the Battle Jacks. Both have Bell's on tap, so it's basically just to get out and drink some beers. Those teams aren't even Single A ball, but the league has teams from all over the midwest. Almost went to an Indy game last year. They have a nice park right by the J.W. Marriott in downtown where everything is happening. Plus, they're affiliated with the Indians, or whatever the hell they're called now.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Correct, and that's what I do a once or twice a year. Head over to Kalamazoo to watch the Growlers or to Battle Creek to watch the Battle Jacks. Both have Bell's on tap, so it's basically just to get out and drink some beers. Those teams aren't even Single A ball, but the league has teams from all over the midwest. Almost went to an Indy game last year. They have a nice park right by the J.W. Marriott in downtown where everything is happening. Plus, they're affiliated with the Indians, or whatever the hell they're called now.

Next time you are in Louisville in the summer go to a Bats game. High AAA ball, and there's a brewery on site. Of course you can even buy whiskey by the drink there, get all kinds of tore up in the hot sun.

 

[HerdandHokies]

Minor league ball is the way to go. Cheaper beer and food, and you still get to sit out in the hot muggy air and enjoy a ballgame.

Would you believe I live in a county with 850,000 people, surrounded on all sides by other counties with 1M+ (Or ++) people, and the closest minor league baseball to me is on the other side of LA, 2-4 hours away depending on traffic? You’d think Santa Barbara would have a team but nope.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Next time you are in Louisville in the summer go to a Bats game. High AAA ball, and there's a brewery on site. Of course you can even buy whiskey by the drink there, get all kinds of tore up in the hot sun.

Last time I drank a bunch of whiskey in the hot sun was back in '79, at Summersville Lake. Passed out on sand bar about 2 in the afternoon, and ended up with a really bad sunburn on my backside. Won't be drinking no G.D. in the hot sun anymore.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

California doesn't care about sports.

Rob Manfred hates baseball.

 

[HerdandHokies]

California doesn't care about sports.

Rob Manfred hates baseball.

Truer words never spoken.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Last time I drank a bunch of whiskey in the hot sun was back in '79, at Summersville Lake. Passed out on sand bar about 2 in the afternoon, and ended up with a really bad sunburn on my backside. Won't be drinking no G.D. in the hot sun anymore.

I went with my wife to the Hometown Rising pop country festival, we weren't there more than an hour and I was seeing girls in miniskirts and boots passed out in the sun. Young and dumb, like you in '79.

 

[Kate Branson]

Would you believe I live in a county with 850,000 people, surrounded on all sides by other counties with 1M+ (Or ++) people, and the closest minor league baseball to me is on the other side of LA, 2-4 hours away depending on traffic? You’d think Santa Barbara would have a team but nope.

The Dodgers though, has to be all about the Dodgers. And hell, if you want minor league ball there's the Angels.

Just no room for anything else.

I couldn't get into minor league ball ever because it didn't count. I only ever went to Huntington Cubs and Dayton Dragons though. No good, either one of them. Piss ant stuff, piss ant ballparks, no good.

The Reds are terrible, but they're MLB and it counts. So it's the Reds or nothing.

 

[MichiganHerd]

They probably want you to wear a mask over at the Kalamazoo Growlers ball park, so I won't go if that's the case.

I'm pretty much locked up at the house over these mask rules. Went to the Turkish restaurant on Saturday, and they wanted me to put on a mask, as I walked 15 steps to the table. I didn't have a mask, so they said they could go get me one. I said okay, but while they went to find me a mask, I left. Not sure how you say prick in Turkish speak, but I'm guessing that's what the woman was calling me as I pulled out. Probably a good thing, since I had to run my 4 miles later that day. Imagine I would have stunk up the whole house with all those spices protruding from my armpits and nut sack.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Dayton Dragons though. No good, either one of them. Piss ant stuff, piss ant ballparks, no good.

The Reds are terrible, but they're MLB and it counts. So it's the Reds or nothing.

Dayton's ballpark looks alright. Looks like good food offerings. Probably cheaper than the big leagues for sure. Class A is way lower on the talent, but baseball is more than the talent, it's an event to drink beer and eat and be outside. Baseball in an indoor stadium is just fvcking stupid.

Huntington Cubs was piss ant, for sure.

 

[Kate Branson]

Baseball really is mostly the talent though.

Even from way up in the moon where I sit, I have seen the top level of baseball at Great American Ball Park. What comes to mind right now is watching Jonathan India last year in the field. The way he took care of everything hit his way, flipped a double play and all. When you see that in person you know you're watching the best there is to offer.

And you get to see other teams bring their big dollar players in. Just a huge difference in the talent you see in Cincinnati compared to these rinky dink Dragons crap.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Baseball really is mostly the talent though.

Even from way up in the moon where I sit, I have seen the top level of baseball at Great American Ball Park. What comes to mind right now is watching Jonathan India last year in the field. The way he took care of everything hit his way, flipped a double play and all. When you see that in person you know you're watching the best there is to offer.

And you get to see other teams bring their big dollar players in. Just a huge difference in the talent you see in Cincinnati compared to these rinky dink Dragons crap.

But you can watch talent on TV. That's the difference, you go to the ballpark to experience other things. Nothing like a cold beer and a hot dog at the ballpark.

Maybe I am spoiled being able to go to a lot of high AAA games. There's not a big drop off, you see guys right before getting called up or sent down to rehab an injury. I've seen dozens of major leaguers at the Bats games. Watching Aroldis Chapman at Louisville was probably better that in the bigs, sitting real close to home plate in what would be crazy expensive seats in the big league, hearing that ball hit the mitt that close, man it gave me goosebumps. Last year seeing Hunter Greene throwing flames...and getting thrown out going 102 behind the batter's back lol. Good stuff down here.

 

[Kate Branson]

I still can't believe they're striking. With the popularity waning, you would think they would take whatever they can get and be glad they're not out of business yet.

I just hope they get it fixed though mainly so I can watch the recaps on the computer and have some standings and stats to keep up with this year. Reds have no chance anyway with letting Castellanos go. They ran out of money. Window closed for them.

 

[HerdandHokies]

I still can't believe they're striking. With the popularity waning, you would think they would take whatever they can get and be glad they're not out of business yet.

I just hope they get it fixed though mainly so I can watch the recaps on the computer and have some standings and stats to keep up with this year. Reds have no chance anyway with letting Castellanos go. They ran out of money. Window closed for them.

Important distinction, they aren’t striking, they’re being locked out.

 

[MichiganHerd]

The Charleston Charlies were probably the best minor league ball I've gotten to see. They had a bunch of future major league players pass through there, and some damn good ones. I was too young to sit in the stands and drink then, but I remember my dad and Uncle drinking like hell. Richie Zisk, Stennett, Parker, damn. Just a bunch of good players. Watt Powell Park. That was the dream to play there back in high school in the late 70s, but Sherman High always ruined that with the all-time greatest player to come out of Boone County. The Daniels guy.

 

[Kate Branson]

Important distinction, they aren’t striking, they’re being locked out.

Not important to me. They're either going to play or they won't.

Once was the time I'd really be tore up about it if they didn't. I can't believe how the fake bird flu knocked me out of caring about any of it anymore really.

It was all stopped over something so piddly. Makes me embarrassed at how I wasted my life on something that wasn't even important enough to continue while someone sneezed.

 

[Archetype XLIV]

UPDATE:

MLB Cancels Spring Training Games Through March 4 Due To Lockout

Major League Baseball canceled the first week of spring training games through March 4 in the first public acknowledgement of the disruption caused by the lockout.

pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

 

[Kate Branson]

It would suck without it though, having to think of something else to watch for a little while.

Just for a few minutes per evening and then recaps the next morning to keep up with it. I'd have to just come up with something else or forget it, I guess.

I just keep up with the overall landscape of stuff instead of zeroing in on 3 hours of boredom with it. I just want to see a little bit of it, know the gist of it and move on to a lot of quiet time or being in the dark and listening to these dead hicks again.

So glad I'm back into the dead hick music. Lauren Spencer-Smith was the nail in my pop music coffin.