$tandings, $tadiums, & $tatistics

Amazingly, there are still 5 teams in the Majors worse than the Mariners.

You may recognize the names, we played some of them on our “winning” road trip.

In order, they are : Kansas City (28-42), Colorado (28-44), Pittsburgh (27-43), Arizona (27-46), and Montreal (24-47)

So, Here’s a funny stat. With the exception of the perennial Billy Beane-punching bag Royals, 4 of the 6 worst teams in baseball have a “new” stadium. You know, the kind without which a team in a “small” market just can’t win?

And Larry Bug Selig insists that the Expos get a new stadium to play in, as a condition of their “move”

Yeah, right. Like that’s ever going to happen.

Wake up, America. Selig must be stopped.

I applaud and respect the people of Minnesota, who continually vote down funding plans to move the Twins into a newer, baseball-only facility. At least, one built with their money. The Governing Body was all for clearing a zone for the RICHEST MAN IN MINNESOTA to build one of his own, if he so chose.

He chose not to, and then was suprised when the people who actually ATTEND Twins games sued him and basebal to keep their team.

Rock on.

To be fair, until this year, Safeco Field was kind to the Mariners.

So was having a Gold Glove Centerfielder for 20 years. But w don’t have that any more, and we don’t win either.

oh, wait. let’s review.

Milwaukee. ..Nope, new stadium, and they suck. They sucked before, too,but theat didn’t stop ole- Bug.

Pittsburgh… haven’t been really good in many years and they traded the most Dominant player of the game. New Stadium, they still suck. And that player went to San Francisco, eventually moving into the new-style stadium that strips 20 homers a year of his total. (BTW, he still hits them)

Colorado…Nope. Never really any good. One playoff appearance, but their stadium came with the ballclub, so there’s really no baseline for comparison. Same with the Diamondbacks. Shilling and Johnson could have pitched inside a cardboard box and still won the world series.

Baltimore. Continuous and consecutive 3rd place finishes in their division since Camden yards, the first of the new generation, was completed. the Yankees and the Redsox love to play there. T heir owner ranted and raved about building a stadium just like it 100 miles away, butthen he realized that the Yankees and Redsox wouldn’t play there, and the interleague dolars would come to him directly when the Expos move.

Detroit. Set an AL record for losses, and recorded the first 20-loss season by a pitcher in 22 years last year. 20 years ago they won the world series playing in a park named after their team. Now play in a park named after some business no one has ever heard of. They suck.

Cincinnatti. Only can win with a Gold Glove center fielder. Hmm, I sense a trend. Otherwise, their stadium is a whack-job, and costs too much to take a family of 2 to the game.

Philadelphia. Enough said. The Vet was a pit, and needed to go 15 years ago. The new park has walls so close that I could hit a homer. Jim Thome currently leads the majors with 25. The thumb must be bothering him. he should have 40 by now.

I think Turner Field in Atlanta is a new style park. But it’s named after the owner, so that’s an old time stadium in my eyes. The stadium formerly known as the Ballpark in Arlington is also a new style park, but the Rangers have A-rod to thank for their success.

Because they moved in the fences for him, and this year only having to pick up half of his bloated ego(-I mean salary, of course) has enabled them to get some —gasp— pitching

The stadium formerly known as Enron Field (now Minute Maid Ballpark) houses the perennial first round playoff exiting Astros. But it’s the best hitter’s park in the league, especially with that Freaking hill+flagpole nightmare in center field.

The Padres have a new stadium as well, but it opened 3 years later than it was supposed to. During those years, the Pads did okay, but this year , led by the ageless (but not painless) David Wells, they’re doing very well.

14 out of 30 major league ball parks have been built in the last 15 years. I like that. It’s progress.

But I don’t buy for a New Nork minute that a team needs a new ballpark to win. Because time and time again, it is proven out that if you instead spend $350,000,000 to $600,000,000 on players instead of property, you’ll win more baseball games.

Why don’t we have bond levies for that? I know I’d vote for it.

BTW, the Yankees want a new stadium too. God help us.