2010 Baseball Thread No. 2 (which was my Little League number!)

And this from Mark Zuckerman, whose opinion on the Nats I value more than just about anyone.

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Stephen Strasburg is plenty remarkable (and hardly unexplainable). You already know this by now, but the right-hander tossed six no-hit innings for Class AAA Syracuse against Norfolk (the Orioles' affiliate) last night. His overall numbers are straight out of a video game. In two starts at Syracuse, he's 2-0 with an 0.00 ERA, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out 13. In seven total starts between Syracuse and Harrisburg, he's now 5-1 with a 1.06 ERA. In 34 innings, he's allowed four earned runs and 14 hits, with a 40-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Which begs the question: What on earth is possibly left for him to accomplish in the minor leagues? In a word: Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zippo. (OK, that was four words all with the same meaning.)

In some ways, Mike Rizzo would perhaps be better off just coming out and saying the only reason Strasburg will remain in the minors for another three weeks is because it will save the organization money, probably millions of dollars. Any other justification Rizzo tries to make is pure hogwash at this point. Just come out and say it. There's no embarrassment or PR hit in doing so. Everyone understands this is how the system works. No one faults the Nationals for doing it this way. It's not cheap on their part to do it. It makes perfect business sense.

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Ah, May. The sun is shining, the spring breeze blows. Thunderstorms rumble occasionally across the plains, and KC is the middle of its annual soul-sucking 9-15 game losing streak. Like the Masters, it's a tradition unlike any other.

 

Hey, the Chiefs just started OTAs!

 

True. Matt Cassell is overthrowing open receivers already.

I should also point out that the irony of a team as anemic as the Royals having -- literally -- the biggest scoreboard in baseball (and second-biggest in North America, behind JerryWorld) isn't lost on me.

 

"The video scoreboard alone cost $8.3 million, and the control room that operates it is staffed with 17 people on game days."


But they're a small market team that can't afford to pay their players.

 

Don't know what it's like now with all the outfield seats but when I was a kid I thought Royals Stadium was one of the coolest parks in baseball.

It is the only "cookie cutter" era ballpark that ever had a unique feel to it.

 

The stadium renovations were tax funded. The team is privately owned. You just compared apples to kumquats. Nicely done.

And AQB, the renovations are sweet. It's so nice to be able to see the stadium full circle now. It gives you plenty to do when the home side is squandering another bases-loaded, no-out opportunity.

 

And Alex Rodriguez probably makes more per game than what the team pays all of those scoreboard operators combined for an entire season.

 

Ah, you small market guys are such easy prey. ;D

 

Do I taste like chicken?

 

I'm just shooting, not tasting.

 

Hey, at least the Royals have a bigger scoreboard than the Yankees.
New YS hi-def board is only 101 X 59 feet.