Bryce Harper's prolonged slump

[Taylor]

On 6/17/2016 at 10:55 AM, Taylor said:

I take it you're a Trump supporter.

 

On 6/17/2016 at 5:47 PM, ukyah said:

thi is pretty stupid.

Perhaps, but I've heard more than a few people say something like, "I don't really agree with everything Trump says, but he's strong and he gets things done." To me, that's kind of the equivalent of, "Sure, Harper is kind of a douche, but I like the fire he brings."

[Taylor]

On 6/17/2016 at 4:54 PM, Kevinb said:

To each his own. Everyone has different tastes. A ton of people were screaming on here telling Hunter to shut up when he made his racial comments as well. So everyone has different tastes. It's all good. 

Fair enough. I honestly don't have strong feelings about this one way or the other.

Also, even if baseball is "in trouble," I really haven't heard any talk about Harper being the kind of guy who can bring in big ratings from casual fans.

[Blarg]

On 6/19/2016 at 2:30 AM, tdawg87 said:

It spent the night at the Notti household so, no.

I can confirm that,  the dog  was skunked last night and Tdawg was in the neighborhood. 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

8 hours ago, Kevinb said:

Local ratings are good I wonder what the WS and the playoffs will bring in again this year. Cause last year they lost out to college and the NFLs regular season games. I didn't say baseball needs Harper to save baseball. I said they need personalities to save baseball. People on a national level need players they can either root for or root against. I mean if u asked non baseball fans or even just casual baseball fans I don't think they could name 10 players on a team that doesn't play for their team. 

Baseball has record attendance, record TV deals from content providers, so I doubt baseball is at risk of dying.

[Ohtaniland]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

I can confirm that,  the dig was skunked last night and Tdawg was in the neighborhood. 

So the shelter in your area was closed?

[kevinb]

3 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Out of curiosity, how do you get hbo and netflix for 14? Pay for hbo independant of a cable provider and stream it to a gaming device or apple tv kind of deal? 

Askingbecause my cable bill is insane and im looking for options to get rid of it, but am addicted to the movie channels

I believe Netflix is 14 or so bucks but a buddy let's me borrow his account and HBO now is 14 bucks on Apple/android so u don't have to buy HBO thru cable provider. I really only watch a couple shows and the only one that's really important to me is GoT haha so ya:)

[kevinb]

3 hours ago, Taylor said:

Fair enough. I honestly don't have strong feelings about this one way or the other.

Also, even if baseball is "in trouble," I really haven't heard any talk about Harper being the kind of guy who can bring in big ratings from casual fans.

I kind of allude it to the LeBron or Harper haters. I mean neither has been convicted of a crime or is supposed to be a bad dude. Just Harper has this fiery personality plus he's young, and usually they learn. But weirdly enough I completely hates Bonds back in the day and now I kind of appreciate him. Guy was a jerk to media fans etc and basically took his body to a level know one in sports will ever know again. But its weird I kind of relate to it, I am not in near the physical shape or athlete he is. Prob not at 1% of that but I thrive with that chip on my shoulder kind of mentality. So I get it. We only get to see an athlete at 1% of his life and we have this 3 hours a day 200 days a year seems weird unless they've broken the law like Vick or Hardy or stuff to hate or have his huge vitriol for that u see a lot of people. Not saying it's a lot of people here just saying from what u hear from media types ya know. Sorry kind of long winded. Just got done watch thrones and kind of pumped up

[kevinb]

2 hours ago, Ace_Shoemaker? said:

Baseball has record attendance, record TV deals from content providers, so I doubt baseball is at risk of dying.

They don't have record attendance it was 7th in th history of the sport so I guess it's still high but not at record attendance. And tv live rights deals are sky rocketing so it's not really something baseball is doing right. It's live rights all live rights are going nuts. Watch the next nhl live rights deals and it'll surpass anything they've done before and they are by far in the 4th spot in professional sports wise and I love hockey

[arch stanton]

I guess it's a generational perspective. I'm not a hater but what you call fiery is what I called childish. If he had any brains under all that hair gel he'd know better than to start a war with the umpires.

[kevinb]

7 hours ago, arch stanton said:

I guess it's a generational perspective. I'm not a hater but what you call fiery is what I called childish. If he had any brains under all that hair gel he'd know better than to start a war with the umpires.

You mean like the Angels have with people like Doug Edding? Umpires are the worst and a lot of them now a days try to be the story rather than just call plays. 

Edit: man I hope that I got that name right. Was it Edding? The guy who botched the call against the white sox right?

[arch stanton]

But the Angels don't run out onto the field and cuss at him after they've been ejected.

[kevinb]

14 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

But the Angels don't run out onto the field and cuss at him after they've been ejected.

I don't know the history or can't recall all 162 games for every year but I am sure their have been kind words spoken to umpires. People get heated in the moment, I have said some shitty condescending things in the heat of the moment playing just recreational games to umpires. I feel awful afterward and then go up to the ref try to ask for a reason why they called a foul, and apologize for me being so heated. Literally just last week, in my ice hockey league the ref made a terrible call and some choice words were used and thats recreational hockey were not being paid and it doesn't really affect our lives at all. I agree he probably shouldn't have went nuts on an umpire but people get fired up I don't blame him for being angry, he got tossed out of a game for saying something in the dugout which the whole team were upset at a missed call in the dugout and saying stuff. He got singled out and I'd have been upset as well. 

[arch stanton]

Getting "upset" and acting like a child are 2 different things. If you want to be part of a team you have to learn how to choose your personal battles.

[m0nkey]

But it's different when he went out of his way, about to celebrate a walk off home run, to point at the ump and say fuck you.  I could see how people wouldn't be big fans of that

[Stradling]

Bullshit, if anyone told the ump to F' off after being kicked out of the game and after a walk off homer that person would be called out for it.  It is an incredibly selfish act.  Your team just won the game in dramatic fashion and you still go back after the ump.  Sorry that is someone that in the moment lost perspective of what is important.  Oh and I agree that he will make mistakes and he has plenty of time to recreate his image, but he has earned that image.  

[Blarg]

Kevin,  admitting your are a hot headed jerk playing recreational sports isn't moving your argument forward. 

[Inside Pitch]

15 hours ago, Kevinb said:

They don't have record attendance it was 7th in th history of the sport so I guess it's still high but not at record attendance. And tv live rights deals are sky rocketing so it's not really something baseball is doing right. It's live rights all live rights are going nuts. Watch the next nhl live rights deals and it'll surpass anything they've done before and they are by far in the 4th spot in professional sports wise and I love hockey

You're trying way too hard to argue an opinion the facts don't support.  You say 7th best isn't a record -- fine..  but 7th all time in a sport that has tracked attendance since 1890 is hardly indicative of a sport that's dying...   Likewise the TV situation speaks volumes ... The fact that baseball is considered the GO TO advertising target for summer TV (according to LRG), pretty much says that baseball is in fact doing it right.  

Advertising money is driven by viewership -- people are watching, even in today's crowded TV market and it's advertising money that fuels those lucrative TV deals.

The heroes and heels argument has it's merits, the talk of baseball dying and  the game needing guys like Harper to stave off it's imminent death just rings hollow.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Inside Pitch

[Taylor]

3 hours ago, hangin n wangin said:

The guy is 23 years old. He's going to make some mistakes.

Trout hasn't made any such "mistakes" so far in his career. To me, it's less of a mistake and more of a reflection of his immaturity.

[Ray McKigney]

Your thoughts on Bryce Harper fans?

 

[kevinb]

7 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

You're trying way too hard to argue an opinion the facts don't support.  You say 7th best isn't a record -- fine..  but 7th all time in a sport that has tracked attendance since 1890 is hardly indicative of a sport that's dying...   Likewise the TV situation speaks volumes ... The fact that baseball is considered the GO TO advertising target for summer TV (according to LRG), pretty much says that baseball is in fact doing it right.  

Advertising money is driven by viewership -- people are watching, even in today's crowded TV market and it's advertising money that fuels those lucrative TV deals.

The heroes and heels argument has it's merits, the talk of baseball dying and  the game needing guys like Harper to stave off it's imminent death just rings hollow.

My argument is that live rights is why baseball is doing well financially and regionally my argument is look at the playoffs ratings they go up against actual sports and get demolished. Look baseball is fine sure its dwindling with audiences, its kind of boring its not going anywhere baseball will not end. People aren't playing it as much and it is what it is. But live rights is whats the key point here and my argument. Baseball in the summer goes up against no one nothing not a damn thing. Television shows aren't even on in the summer people are outside and don't watch series anymore. The most popular tv show Game of Thrones right now ends next week before summer even kicks off. I again never said it needs players like this to save it from dying, at least I'm not going thru 6 pages of threads to look, i said it helps baseball needs players like trout and harper and people with personalities its good for the game. I am sorry but if no one ever talked the game would be fucking boring as hell. Could you imagine not knowing any of the athletes and going to watch a game just for the front of the jersey. People go to watch the games because of the stars and because we know the stars. Just take the NBA for instance, Lebron vs Steph. It murdered the ratings. Casual fans need stars and you don't get stars by people not putting themselves in the limelight. Trout is the best baseball player in the world by probably a huge long shot. Guess what he talks about as much as Tim Duncan does and Tim Duncan is and was amazing but boring as a wet towel. I wonder what Trouts and Harpers advertising contracts are worth. TV is entertainment, sports is entertainment, ball players as much as we hate to admit it are purely there for entertainment. It is a sport let people be who they are. 

[kevinb]

5 hours ago, Taylor said:

Trout hasn't made any such "mistakes" so far in his career. To me, it's less of a mistake and more of a reflection of his immaturity.

23 years old your pretty immature and Trout plays above his age and acts above his age but just because Harper acts immature doesn't make him a bad guy. 

[kevinb]

8 hours ago, Blarg said:

Kevin,  admitting your are a hot headed jerk playing recreational sports isn't moving your argument forward. 

Being emotional isn't a bad thing some people thrive in it some people don't. Did I go and cuss out the ref no, did I go and punch the ref no, I just made a sarcastic and ass hole comment like thanks for that call. After the game came up to him asked him what the call was for explained myself what I did and he saw it differently said sorry for being kind of a dick and everything was good. I don't know Blarg but I like playing sports I also like being emotionally invested in something otherwise don't do it. So I get a little bent out of shape when things don't go my way I play better when I have a chip on my shoulder or I work better when I feel slighted. Just my own little extra motivation that gets me through some days more than others. Everyone has a different personality it would drive me mad to play with no joy no enthusiasm no fight no personality. But everyone has different philosophies. It drove me mad watching Hamilton and watching Pujols when they fuck up or suck for a long time with no care in the world. I would much rather see Pujols after grounding into a double play or striking out break his bat over his head at least it would show he cares rather than the oh well I guess we will get him next time. 

[kevinb]

8 hours ago, Stradling said:

Bullshit, if anyone told the ump to F' off after being kicked out of the game and after a walk off homer that person would be called out for it.  It is an incredibly selfish act.  Your team just won the game in dramatic fashion and you still go back after the ump.  Sorry that is someone that in the moment lost perspective of what is important.  Oh and I agree that he will make mistakes and he has plenty of time to recreate his image, but he has earned that image.  

In all honesty how was that a selfish act saying F you to the ref? It had no bearing what so ever of the outcome of the game. Sure him getting tossed before his would be at bat was super selfish but it looks like the ref/ump had it out for him and when he said something to try to be the big star of the game he tossed him. The weird thing is, I will bet you anything that the refs say shit back to the players as well. And players have said the refs have talked shit to them. It is a game of inches people get heated. I am still surprised umps don't get lit up more than they do, which is rarely. When umpires and managers and players get in each other faces I am surprised no one takes a swing. Thats why I was so excited by that Rangers dude who lit up Bautista it was kind of exciting. 

[kevinb]

I love that this thread has turned into a like dislike Harper thing I don't even know what he is actually hitting haha. But hey its fun for the game of baseball

[ScottT]

9 hours ago, hangin n wangin said:

Players cuss at umpires all of the time. Not saying everyone does it, but A LOT of players do. A lot of players who have good reputations even.

I don't think it's right to single out Harper for doing it.

Not like Harper did.