MLB 2018

[ronmac]

Did Machado really grab his crotch for the crowd after that bunt single?

I guess he did. What a dick. Let your bat do the talking and leave it at that if you have any class.

[Gruno]

I guess he did. What a dick. Let your bat do the talking and leave it at that if you have any class.

He’s such a dork! I can’t stand the guy.

Dodgers in 6. Go Dodgers!!!

[NogbadTheBad]

Go Sox

[Poisoned Youth]

Sox in 3!!!

[NogbadTheBad]

Sox in 3!!!

That would be impressive

[progeezer]

Sox in 3!!!

So then LA wins 4 thru 7, right?

[DocProgger]

Sox in 3!!!

Just picking the Sox to win in Game 3 is not being very bold.

[Scott Bails]

Nailed it:

Jeremy Bearimy
@RealAdultPerson
1 minute ago

It’s convenient that the Red Sox and Dodgers hats spell out BLA because that’s exactly how I feel about this series.

[progeezer]

I do think the Yeast Infections would have sparked much more national interest, being the team with the lowest payroll in MLB making it to the WS and cracking for the first time the "glass ceiling" of elite teams.

I'm sure that I won't watch that much, even though I have BROOKLYN Dodger roots.

[Gruno]

I'm sure that I won't watch that much, even though I have BROOKLYN Dodger roots.

Help me understand why you won't watch that much? In fact, some here said they won't watch the series or will casually check in: why is that? I thought the majority of regulars within this thread were fans of the game.

[Scott Bails]

Help me understand why you won't watch that much? In fact, some here said they won't watch the series or will casually check in: why is that? I thought the majority of regulars within this thread were fans of the game.

For me, I have to have a rooting interest, of some sort. I can't stand either team, and therefore have no stake in the Series. I'll probably check in from time to time, just to stay up on what's going on, but I couldn't care less about the outcome.

It's officially hockey season now.

[progeezer]

Help me understand why you won't watch that much? In fact, some here said they won't watch the series or will casually check in: why is that? I thought the majority of regulars within this thread were fans of the game.

I am a fan of the game, but unless it's my team playing, my level of rabid interest in "the game" no matter who's on the field has exponentially waned dramatically as I've gotten older.

There's way too much other stuff to watch at this point in my life than teams I don't much care about. If the Brewers, Packers or Bucks are on, I'm watching. I find it quite easy to maneuver between rabid and casual interest depending on who's playing.

[DocProgger]

In addition to some of the reasons already stated, for me there are these factors:

1. Fatigue factor re these 2 teams. As a fan of a team that has lost 2 WS to the Red Sox in the last 15 years, I don't need to see them win another one. Combine that with the Pats constantly in the SB, enough already. The Sox and Boston used to have that lovable loser vibe going for them and I used to root for them as the underdog (ie 86 v Mets; vs Evil Pinstripe Empire). That all changed circa 2004.

Re Dodgers, they've been in the hunt a lot in the Kershaw era, and I kind of enjoy seeing them come up short, but having some new blood is refreshing once in awhile.

2. Big $$ Factor. Both franchises have virtually limitless resources and its hard to root for teams at the top of the payroll chain as noted by Geez re small market teams.

3. Jealousy. Yes, I'll admit it. As a Cards fan we got used to being in the playoffs constantly from 2000 to 2015. The Cards now haven't won a postseason series in 4 years, and no postseason at all last 3 years, which is foreign territory for us.

On top of that, I watch the Red Sox and Dodgers doing whatever is necessary to win and go for it all, while my team now seems content to simply "compete and be in the hunt" and not doing whatever is necessary to be the best. Perfect example is the Red Sox signing JD Martinez. They knew they needed more middle of the order HR/RBI power, they went out and got JD, and they improved across the board in offensive categories, virtually all due to that signing. The Cards had the exact same need, but made no effort to get Martinez and did very little to significantly address those needs. So it's irritating watching teams doing whatever is necessary to win while yours is adopting this loser philosophy of "lets just do enough to maybe get by and sneak in".

So yeah, I'll be a casual viewer for this one.

[Facelift]

I'll admit that I almost never watch the LCS series unless the Yankees are in it, but I usually am something in between a "set aside time to watch the games" and "pop in casually" kind of fan for the World Series. I'll have the games on - usually with sound - but sometimes be doing other things.

For me, baseball just becomes harder to watch when your team isn't playing, and I've never had the impulse to root *against* certain teams just because of their uniforms. I will actively root against a particular team if I find that team to be unlikeable, but in general I don't really care about the other teams once mine is out.

[Staun]

I do think the Yeast Infections would have sparked much more national interest, being the team with the lowest payroll in MLB making it to the WS and cracking for the first time the "glass ceiling" of elite teams.

I'm sure that I won't watch that much, even though I have BROOKLYN Dodger roots.

As a huge SF Giants fan, might I offer you some DDT for your roots?

[Gerhard]

I probably won't watch much of the series, but I'll find it easy to root against Manny Macheapshot.

[Gruno]

Interesting comments regarding watching/not watching the World Series.

I honestly thought you were all fans of the game and not just your favorite team. I was wrong. As I mentioned recently, I stayed with this MLB thread throughout the entire season and never watched a regular season game. I did catch 1 Cubs spring training game in person I watch as much of the post season as possible, as I feel MLB is much better when it's win or go home. It also doesn't matter to me if my favorite team is in the playoffs. Oh well. Enjoy your time off until next season!

[NogbadTheBad]

I watch it every year irrespective of who is playing, it's clearly an added bonus to have the Sox playing but I actually enjoy a lot of sports better as a neutral once my team is knocked out. I can only 'enjoy' victories for my teams after the game has finished. I'm actually best watching it on tape delay without knowing the result as I get less wound up knowing the game is actually over and all my swearing at the TV has even less effect than usual.

[proggy_jazzer]

Call me strange, but I find it possible to be a fan of the game and still decide how much time to spend watching based on my level of interest in the teams that are playing. *shrug*

[Poisoned Youth]

For me, baseball just becomes harder to watch when your team isn't playing, and I've never had the impulse to root *against* certain teams just because of their uniforms. I will actively root against a particular team if I find that team to be unlikeable, but in general I don't really care about the other teams once mine is out.

For me I find it easier to watch if I don't have a dog in the fight. While I won't watch intensely, I'll tune in the playoffs frequently when the Sox aren't playing and will also watch whatever game they may have during the regular season on random night on the MLB Network.

I thought the majority of regulars within this thread were fans of the game.

Honestly, that's not the impression I get. Over half typically check in to provide a daily update to their teams and don't really provide much information beyond that. In my case, while I'm a lifelong Red Sox fan, I have been a fantasy baseball player for about 15 years (one of the few here it seems). This really changed my perspective on the game. But I don't talk about it here because it seems to be yawn inducing for the rest. But it's why I can root for and talk about Gleyber Torres, for example. I drafted him in my dynasty league 6 months after he was drafted by the Cubs in the international pool. And when you're keeping your eye on talent from that age, you become more interested in the players than the teams.

Fantasy aside, I'd post here more if the talk was more global/generic in nature.

[Gruno]

Call me strange, but I find it possible to be a fan of the game and still decide how much time to spend watching based on my level of interest in the teams that are playing. *shrug*

I hear what you are saying. It just seems odd to invest so much time into the regular season and then not watch much of the World Series. To me, it's like viewing a movie and not watching the end of the film because your favorite character was killed off.

[DocProgger]

Like I said, I will be a casual viewer this year more than an enthusiastic viewer, because I can't root for either team. Didn't say I wouldn't watch at all--I'm always interested in the tradition and historical aspects of the WS. In fact, I find it it much more odd to not watch any regular season games at all and then only watch the playoffs.

Baseball at its core is a very regional and local sport much more so than the NFL and NBA, especially if you grew up with 1 team and lived close enough to attend multiple games watching that team in person every year; it becomes part of the fabric of your life. To each his own I guess.

[Jerjo]

I'll watch what I can (wife-approval-factor is highly variable) but yeah, it's baseball and it's the World Series. Sick of Boston and can't stand the Dodgers so I have no one to root for. But I will watch what I can.

[ronmac]

For me, I have to have a rooting interest, of some sort. I can't stand either team, and therefore have no stake in the Series. I'll probably check in from time to time, just to stay up on what's going on, but I couldn't care less about the outcome.

Yep, that's where I am, except that I do want the Red Sox to lose. If they could only find a way to do so without the Dodgers winning.

Interesting comments regarding watching/not watching the World Series.

I honestly thought you were all fans of the game and not just your favorite team. I was wrong.

We're fans, not disciples.

[Gruno]

We're fans, not disciples.

I don't think anyone ever stated you were a disciple.