Baseball Season Is Over

[GregK]

I really wish they would dump interleague. Pointless.

[HolyStitt]

The Twins and the Brewers also have two 3-game series each year. I believe the league came up with this for the rivalry factor. It seems to be popular here.

Personally, I do not like interleague play because it diminishes the importance of the World Series. The only thing that I enjoy about it is the chance to see players in your home ballpark that are primarily from a different league (I.E. Maddux, Glavine etc.). Though I thought Bert Blyleven had a great idea; during Interleague have the home team play by the visiting team's league rules.

My biggest gripe has to do with the All Star game deciding the home field advantage in the World Series. The original point of the All Star game was to be an opportunity to raise money for the players fund and for the players to have a fun time, not to decide something as important as home field advantage. Because Bud Selig was embarrassed by the tie at the All Star game his team hosted, he decides a change is in order. I did not get the feeling things were well thought out before they put it into action.

[jazzypaul]

Great. I screw up the poll because I realize I'd essentially repeated the last option and a couple of nudniks are voting for the blank.

I voted for the blank because you forgot my favorite option for last year:

the end of baseball season is depressing because it means no more White Sox kicking the living shit out of every other team in baseball.

and you also missed the appropriate option for this year:

Thank God it's over, because I couldn't have taken any more of my beloved White Sox getting trounced by every other team in baseball.

We got lucky in '05. If we wish to get lucky again, we need a new owner and a new GM. Many sports towns are jinxed by lack of funds. We here in Chicago are only jinxed by really bad ownership.

But, damn. The Bears are winning! And shockingly, so are the Blackhawks. Who's joining me for Hawks vs. Red Wings in the upper balcony at the United Center?

[jazzypaul]

There are some exceptions however. The Yankees and the Mets play six games each other ever year (every that is since they started interleague play). I think that's 3 too many actually and to me it's just 3 games on the schedule but Yankee and Mets fans get all bent up in a knot about it.

I think the Chicago Cubs and White Sox also play 2 3-game series each year. It seems to be quite the attraction. I guess there's something to be said for this kind of interleague rivalry, but in a lot of cases it doesn't make too much sense.

It may not make sense, but it's a HUGE money maker not only for the Sox and Cubs, but in ways, also for the surrounding communities. Not to mention, it gives a meaningless rivalry some, well, meaning. And while it's not very nice to beat up on those who are smaller, weaker, and not nearly as talented, it's a blast to see the Sox beat the living snot out of the Cubs two weekends a year. A lot better than the "my minor league team is better than your minor league team" charity games that they used to do.