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How about a154 Game Schedule
Published 7:49pm Monday, September 5, 2011I was reading an article the other day and I found myself agreeing with the thing. I would give credit to the guy only I don’t remember, imagine that. A little oldtimers for the Oldtimer.
Baseball has been toying with the idea of adding more playoff games at the end of the season. In fact it may be more than toying with it. The author of the article said that if they do indeed add playoff games this would be a good time to go back to a 154 game schedule from the current 162 games.
I’m not sure when the 154 game schedule started but I know it ended in 1960 and the 162 games took effect in 1961 with the expansion of teams. Obviously the 154 game schedule makes sense if they intend to add more playoff games at the end. The World Series is already being played in November in fact all pro games seasons last too long.
The other reason to go back according to the author, is that it would settle all the records that were done in the so called “Steroid Era”. The most notable record broken in the “Steroid Era” was the single season home run record. He said to go back to the 154 games Babe Ruth would regain the home run title. There may be a few holes in the last statement because I believe the steroid sluggers broke the record within the 154 games.
But it is the home run record that seems to be the most sacred of all baseball records. It’s the one thing the fans love to see and hope to see every time they go to the ball park, watch on TV at home, or listen to the radio. There is just something about a home run that brings on the excitement in everybody. The “Steroid Era” unfortunalty has tainted that for a lot of people and I guess in the author’s mind going back to the old schedule would help.
I am not for expanding the playoffs in baseball but if they did I would like to see it go to a 154 game schedule it just makes too much sense. It makes so much sense baseball will treat it like the government does on things that make sense, they won’t do it. There is money in more games so I don’t see them cutting any of them out any time soon.
-I have blasted the Twins minor league system a lot this year. With Cuddyer and Kubel becoming free agents and maybe leaving, I really hope the young guys prove this old guy wrong. Since I have been so negative, let me be a little positive about some of the guys. Trevor Plouffe struggles defensively at times but I think the kid can hit. He can still learn how to play defense, Corey Koskie wasn’t that good with a glove at first either. It’s harder to teach a guy to hit and I think Plouffe can hit.
I like Ben Revere and I think the media has all of us totally convince that he can’t throw. I think he can develop an average throwing arm. His speed in the outfield is something that makes me overlook his throwing arm as he gets to a lot of balls others can’t and those balls he gets too become outs. His speed on the bases is also a breath of fresh air for a Twins team.
Luke Hughes has started to hit the ball and with some authority as he has gotten the opportunity to play more. I’m not sure I project him as a starter but he would make a good utility guy who can actually hit.
Anthon Swarzak has been a favorite of mine this year. He will never be a Cy Young award winner but the fact he can pitch in relief and be a starter makes him darn valuable especially on a team with a lot of pitching issues.
Tom Kelly has said some nice things about Rene Tosoni and now they have brought up Joe Benson and Chris Parmelee. Benson and Tosoni could fill the Cuddyer/Kubel loss and with Justin Morneau’s career seeming to be in jeopardy, hopefully Parmelee can help.
It is interesting after I had questioned the Twins minor league system the Minneapolis writers jumped on the same thing. You know, why am I wasting away out here in central Minnesota? The minor league system that once produced players who knew how to play has taken a giant step backwards and it will take some time to get it back on track again. Oops there I go being negative again.
Anyway, the Twins have a lot of work to do to get this fixed so fans will have to be ready for a little rebuilding. It’s just a shame it had to happen while the new stadium is still new.
