Rainy Day Musings

A fan in Milwaukee was asked to leave the stadium when she appeared wearing a tee shirt that she had changed from "Braun" to "Fraud."  Way to go MLB, put your head in the sand again.  When the druggies were using PEDs to put up great numbers and put more fans in the seats, MLB (the league and the owners) looked the other way.

Interesting that this year is the first year since 1965 (I think) when no living former player is going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  Several with Hall statistics were rejected by baseball writers because of their association with PEDs.  Good for the writers.  Shame on MLB for its inaction for so many years.

Yet, I shook my head at the story's claim that baseball fans are livid over Braun's lying and deception.  Are they really?  I don't know, but I do know very few people were upset over Bill Clinton's lying and deception. Oh, he was impeached, but I think the vast majority of Americans were of the opinion, "He didn't do anything wrong."  Of course, to most Americans, I am convinced, "character" no longer matters.

I see Miggy was just thrown out of the game for, well, it's hard to determine why.  He obviously wasn't too happy with the two strikes called on him.  And, to my view, neither was a strike.  Aren't these umpires supposed to be the best?  How did the guy miss not one, but two pitches?  Miggy didn't show up the umpire.  He wasn't demonstrative.  He just muttered.  And then he was run by the umpire--who, if he hadn't made such rotten calls, would not have created such a situation.  And, Cabrera didn't rant and rave.  In fact, I'll bet 99% or more of the fans didn't even know he said anything.

Now, Matt and Linda went down to the game.  I know if I had gone, I'd not be happy.  I think I'd ask for my money back.  Cabrera hitting is all I'd go to see.  No slam on the others, but I don't go to see them.  I go to see Miggy hit.  I don't know any of the Phillies' players, none of them.  So, because of his own lousy calls, an umpire throws out the player I specifically came to see?  Yeah, I'd want my money back.  It would be one thing if the calls were correct, but they weren't.  It would be one thing if Cabrera ranted and raved, but he didn't.

I've written about this before, but MLB has to do something about stuff like this.  I'm not saying umpires should protect superstars like the NBA protects its superstars--not at all.  I am saying something like what happened today shouldn't happen.  It's too bad there's no ratings/marketing machine on my boob tube.  It would be noted that I have turned off the Tigers' game.

I also see that John Mayberry, Jr. plays for the Phillies.  I don't know about him and didn't even know he was in the Bigs before yesterday.  But the name rang a bell, a clear one, so I did some research.  He's the son of John Mayberry (no kidding Ron?).  I played against John Sr way back when on the Detroit sandlots. Oh, he was a good player, a great player.  Many times we outfielders were chasing down his drives.  He was huge back then, 6'3" or taller and about 220 or more pounds.  I remember he was a giant.  And, one time he pitched against us!  Talk about taking a couple of gulps before getting in the batter's box when seeing him on the hill.  And why I remember this I don't know, but I did get three hits against him one game.  It might be I remembered because John was a lefthander and I batted lefthanded.  Maybe that's why, I don't know.  John later had a nice, long career in the Majors.