MLB vs Players Association, New CBA, Work Stoppage Thread

After what happened with the 2019 season with COVID, to lose 2021 would be disastrous.  

Could not agree more.  I'm afraid that MLB may lose some formerly die-hard fans - the core audience - fed up with the three true outcomes, four inning starts, jogging to first base, and twenty bucks for a dog and a beer after paying twice that for parking.  

What makes no sense to me is they can play a million double headers when COVID shuts down a game, but for this it's WE WON'T MAKEUP GAMES.

Excellent point, Anthony!     That never occurred to me.  Nonsensical double standards. 

I’m preparing for a summer with either no baseball, or perhaps a 2020ish unsatisfactory sampling… Ah baseball. You’ve been my mistress since the age of five or six when I collected my first baseball card.

You flirtatiously showed me your leg four another four years until we moved and I was suddenly thrust into the outfield with another kid’s glove on my hand at 9.5 years of age. No ability to field or hit a lick. The only thing that went well was when I finally got to throw a ball back in. I could certainly throw with the best of my contemporaries.

I worked so hard at learning your skills over the next few years until I was able to play the game in a way that pleased me quite well. I wasn’t a jock in school, but in baseball and wrestling I always held my own when I was put in a position to oppose one.

I loved you so much that I needed more as an adult, and formed a Strat-O-Matic league. I had to manage my Yankees. I had to see if I could squeeze a few more wins out of those rosters.

Then something happened in 1981. I came home to a mistress who showed what a whore she could be. I was stunned, but forgiving. My love for you was too great. In 1982, I accepted you back with open arms as you promised you would never act that very again.

1994, you cheated on me a second time. I proclaimed that I had given you too much of my time. From now on I would continue to root for my beloved Yankees, but would no longer care about any other team. I hoped the Yankees would get all the best players and win it all every season.

Here we are in 2022. We all know that in baseball it’s three strikes and you’re out. No season? I’ll be fine. You’ve hardened my heart enough that I won’t cry over you. I got your best years, just as you got mine. If you come back to me in 2023 or 2024, we’ll see. We’ll have to talk about it. Right now I don’t want to waste a glimmer of hope on you…

I always wished my school would have had wrestling.  I still dream sometimes that I’m in a wrestling tournament.  Wrestlers and gymnasts were in better shape than any other athletes.  Just shredded.

You should have tried out for the team, which is where you learn those skills.  When I was athletic director, the toughest positions to fill were coaches for water polo and wrestling.  Wrestling is such a specific craft requiring years of experience and technical knowledge to become a true practitioner.  If Sierchio was here, he would appreciate this:  I was Chad Mendes' school site administrator when he was in junior high school.  

Chad Mendes was a top flight college wrestler who eventually joined the UFC and was ranked as high as the number one contender in his weight class (145 pounds).   He was a great kid with a great dad who raised him as a single father.  Chad just made a truck load of money in a bare-knuckled fight, which he won.  He also has several businesses, as a hunting guide and selling his own brand named food for camping/hunting trips.  He was always such a humble kid and was always one of the top two or three wrestlers in his weight class in California.  Joe Rogan has had him on his podcast a couple of times.