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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
No rhyme or reason to playing AL teams
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Seattle Mariners came to town last week for the first time ever, and that goes all the way back to Old Hoss Radbourne and Cap Anson. And they may never be back again. Earlier, the Oakland Athletics had dropped in and stayed three days, out of the blue, which is to say that they plopped down right in the middle of some heavy business. The Braves were all tied up in some pressing business, with the Phillies on one side and the Mets on the other.
Maybe you were among those who went to Turner Field to thrill to the presence of Willie Bloomquist, Ichiro Suzuki, Yuniesky Betancourt and a box score of Mariners names all strangers to you. Swell stuff, though you and the Braves are considerably more concerned with those aliens in the more familiar cloth of your own territorial rivals. Bring them on, Howard and Utley, Wright and Delgado, all those wretches of evil intent in our own division, the day-by-day enemy.
Of course, it’s educational to see these occasional American Leaguers, but mainly, it’s an intrusion. The games count in the regular standings, but they’re nothing more than an injection of a spring exhibition schedule. First thing you’ll say, though, is, “Did you see the size of the attendance that came to see the Mariners play?” Twice over 40,000!
Sure did, and I was more than a little surprised. Our fans must have been hungry to get a glimpse of Ichiro, the Japanese import who sprays base hits around like an Asian version of Johnny Appleseed. He’s a threat to tie a record sacred to the major leagues, all the way back to Wee Willie Keeler, who managed more than 200 hits eight seasons in a row. And they called him a “rookie” when he came into Seattle. He was about as much a rookie as Andruw Jones is a rookie. Ichiro had played nine seasons in the Japan Pacific League, which is as major to that nation as the American and National are to us. It is demeaning to infer otherwise. Nevertheless, we lofty protectors of the faith anointed him “Rookie of the Year” after his first season with the Mariners.
But I drift. I’m about these American League injections into National League schedules. They come with no rhyme nor reason. I have no idea how it’s done. Apparently, somebody draws straws or throws darts, and thus you get your American League schedule fix. It’s not fair, and makes no pretense of being fair. This year, besides the A’s and Mariners at home, the Braves drew the Angels and Rangers on the road. Sometimes I wonder if the teams don’t find it difficult to take these games seriously, but more showcase stuff.
First, you have no idea what the draw may bring you. The Mariners should have been easy pickings. They had just fired their general manager, then their manager, all in the same week, and their record was the worst in the major leagues. Yet, 40,000 fans came out to see that matchup the first two nights. After a two-time dose of a lineup mostly of strangers and seeing Ichiro’s softball batting style, they’d had enough.
That’s about it, folks. As you so often do, some critics will blame this outburst on the age of the purveyor. I’ll have you know, I’m late getting to the fray. Guys the age of my sons have already beaten me to it. Somehow, none of it appears to be getting to Bud Selig, who you might recall is commissioner of this befuddled game.
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