Porthos

We're getting a Dodgers-Yankees World Series aren't we? ...

Just announced 11,000+ tickets will be on sale for the NLCS and WS games in Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. About 25% capacity or so. 😕

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County has stayed in the "widespread" tier. In fact, near as I can tell, their case per 100,000 went slightly up. I would not expect movie theaters in lala land for a while, folks.

Sacramento County, and most of the surrounding counties, have moved from the "widespread" tier to the "substantial" tier, opening the possibility for movie theaters locally.

Sigh. So it begins.

And, no, the Giants didn't deserve to be in the playoffs. Not with the three losses this weekend where they should have won two of the games (this game the bullpen gagged all over itself). But, sakes alive, was that a terrible strike zone. Floating all over the place with pitches half a foot off the plate/below the strike zone called strikes. The only thing I can possibly say in defense of him is that he did it to both teams. Just such a... 2020 way to end the season:

Rob Drake did not have a good game calling balls and strikes and that is all I have to say about that game. (seriously, Eric Gregg, were he still with us, would have looked at that zone and said "tighten it up a bit, bro") Just flat out disgusting.

I believe so, also. What I'm not sure about is if LA is even eligible to be shifted or not, as I didn't/couldn't easily hunt down weekly data for the past couple of weeks. The mouse over number is right at the substantial/widespread line (another reason why I doubt a designation shift is coming this week), but I couldn't easily tell if those were current numbers as of this past Tuesday, or "as of the 12th" numbers that it said further down the page.

For movie theaters to be open in Cali, a county must be at "substantial" or lower tier for at least three weeks on this chart: https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/ I believe that updates on Tuesdays. I don't know if LA County has been in "substantial" zone for three weeks or not (the chart shows the official designation, not the current level of transmission). According to this article, the situation in LA had been improving, but this past week the R0 crept back over 1. If that's the case, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a delay on the part of officials even if it could technically shift tiers as the last thing Los Angeles County needs is opening too soon once again.

I think I speak for the vast majority of the ordinary punters on this board that your presence on Staff will be missed. Hope to continue to see you around the forums as much as 2020 (and beyond) allows. 👍

Historically, baseball attendance is in pretty good shape. It's been in a slow decline the last couple of years years, but compared to 70s and 80s, it's very very healthy. And even the two year blip could be noise. Year Overall Per Game 2019 68,506,896 28,203 2018 69,671,272 28,659 2017 72,678,797 29,908 2016 73,159,044 30,131 2015 73,719,340 30,349 2014 73,739,622 30,345 2013 74,027,037 30,451 2012 74,859,268 30,806 2011 73,425,667 30,228 2010 73,061,763 30,066 2009 73,430,580 30,218 2008 78,624,315 32,382 2007 79,484,718 32,696 2006 76,043,902 31,306 2005 74,915,268 30,816 2004 73,022,972 30,075 2003 67,630,052 27,831 2002 67,944,389 28,006 2001 72,581,101 29,881 2000 71,358,907 29,377 1999 70,139,380 28,887 1998 70,601,147 29,030 1997 63,168,689 27,876 1996 60,097,381 26,509 Year Attendance Attend/G 1995 50,469,236 25,021 1994 50,010,016 31,256 1993 70,257,938 30,964 1992 55,870,466 26,529 1991 56,813,760 27,002 1990 54,823,768 26,044 1989 55,173,096 26,198 1988 52,998,904 25,237 1987 52,011,506 24,708 1986 47,506,203 22,589 1985 46,824,379 22,265 1984 44,742,863 21,255 1983 45,540,338 21,593 1982 44,587,874 21,161 1981 26,544,376 19,041 1980 43,014,136 20,434 1979 43,550,398 20,748 1978 40,636,886 19,332 1977 38,709,779 18,406 1976 31,318,331 16,151 1975 29,789,913 15,403 1974 30,025,608 15,437 1973 30,108,926 15,496 1972 26,968,268 14,506 1971 29,193,417 15,063 I'm just not seeing much when it comes to attendance. Nothing worth throwing the apple cart over, at least. === When it comes to playoffs? I actually wouldn't mind a small expansion. Turn the Wild Card series into a best of three and give the #1 (and maybe #2) seed a bye. But 16 teams out of 30 is way way waaaaaaaaaaay too many. Even 16 teams out of 32 is too much. 12 teams seems like a good sweet spot to me. I would grudgingly accept 14, but I would only want to see it if two more teams were added to the league. 16 out of 30 though? Flat out ridiculous.

I would hate that. I mean really really really hate that. On a fundamental level, I just can not wrap my head around the idea that folks want less baseball during the regular season. Baseball is good because... baseball is good. I don't need the World Series or playoffs to validate watching a game in the middle of July. I've often heard those as "meaningless games", and I just can't understand it on some level. They only are meaningless if winning the World Series is the only thing that matters. Or winning in the playoffs is the only thing that is strived for. I am one of those suckers that thinks each and every game of baseball has an intrinsic value outside of playoff considerations. Okay, sure. I actually do understand the mindset; I just hugely disagree with it. Because I actually like baseball as a game, even the stinkers and so-called "meaningless games". (and, yes, I certainly wouldn't mind baseball in Thanksgiving; only consideration is weather)