Saturday, July 09, 2011

#211: Two-fer

---SSL Broadcast #48 & #49---


Can the All-Star game really be fixed and not damage TV viewership?

I'm a long-time supporter of having at least one representative from each team, but it seems that, oftentimes, there are players who get voted onto the team without having done anything in the current year (i.e. Chase Utley of the Phillies who has been hurt).

A caller in today's show brings up a good idea - but it would never work - would be to take the ballots out of the fans hands, at least initially. The managers of each All-Star team would choose their position players and pitchers, choosing a representative from each team. Then, let the fans fill the remainder of the roster.

In this fashion, you get the visibility in each TV market, and you get the players who are the most deserving statistically. Then, you get the players voted in, like an Utley, who the fans want to see, voted in as a reserve.

With internet voting, this is a practical solution, but it won't ever happen under a commissioner who continues to allow the All-Star game to have significance beyond the game itself.


I was out of town last week, so I'm posting the July 2 and July 9 shows in the same post (July 9, the most recent, will be first).

July 9 topics:

- Andrew McCutchen is not the huge All-Star snub that the Pittsburgh media are trying to paint it as.

- The Pittsburgh Power, despite a lukewarm record, controls its own destiny on the road to a playoff crown.

- Should the Pirates make any trade moves if this success continues?

- NFL Lockout snippints






July 2 topics:

- Jaromir Jagr eschews 2nd chance with the Penguins and signs with their archrivals, who also sign another skater the Pens were interested in.

- Penguins do make some signings, though, to the benefit of the team.

- Pirates continue to surprise.






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