Baseball in Canada

[theman23]

Why is anyone talking about Vancouver in a thread about baseball again? Also I thought the mercury masturbator said he had quit these forums?

[Gresto]

Originally Posted by Nicko999

Same person who cheered when the Maritimes had their fires this summer.
Guy has a massive inferiority complex and is cheering against anything out East. Ontario and Quebec in particular.

Is it really this Denscity person? Wow, it's one thing to cheer against a sports team, but it's another thing to take joy at the misfortune (job losses, wildfires) of people who don't live in your "orbit". He deserves nothing but contempt.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

So maybe lets all just stop replying to Density, put him on the ignore list and carry on having conversations without feeding the troll...

Good advice

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

I also watched the Fox feed, though was on Citytv, which I believe Rogers owns… I was rooting for the Jays to win, despite my angst for Rogers, and Sportsnet, which I think has horrible production and bad personalities for the most part on a lot of the shows. While I believe Buck Martinez is an absolute gem of a person who I’m sure I’d be able to spend hours just sitting and listening to his stories, I have a hard time listening to his voice through a ball game, his voice is annoying throughout the game.

I also really dislike the white box that identifies the strike zone, it feels so intrusive and allows everyone to absolutely scrutinize the calls on every single pitch. Plus I just hate having a computer generated white box… instead of a white box, the Fox feed had a slighly lighter area that represented the strike zone, that made for a more traditional viewing of the ball game.

The Fox feed was actually way more neutral than I thought it would be. I didn’t get any impression that they were pulling for the Dodgers.

Such a tough loss though. The baseball itself was absolutely epic, off the charts entertaining. I’d imagine Little League registration in Canada is going to skyrocket next year.

The Rogers Sportsnet strike box is very obnoxious and takes away from the viewing experience, and their on screen personalities just cannot compete with what Fox has to offer with the all star pre-game/post-game crew, and much better colour commentary. I didn't notice much anti Canadian favouritism going on at all, but obviously the pro Canadian/Toronto favouritism is always out in full force on Rogers Sportsnet.

TSN and Rogers actually go out of their way to carry Inside the NBA formerly of TNT (now ESPN) because it's the best crew of any sport on TV. Instead of Rogers showing the Jays game on repeat for like 10 hours on whatever after every game, they should have ponied up to carry Fox Sport's 1 all star post game show, along with TBS/TNT's which also has their own all star pre/post game show featuring Pedro Martinez.

It always grinds my gears during March Madness when TSN tries to put on their own studio coverage instead of just shelling out money to Turner to carry their TBS/TNT studio coverage and the Inside March Madness studio show.

I didn't feel like posting the All Star Crew's post game coverage from the other night for obvious reason, but whatever, it stings a lot less now, and that was seriously the best World Series I've ever watched. A-Rod said it was the best World Series he's watched in his lifetime, and I think a lot of people feel that way about it... even Jays fans still recovering.

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I wonder how Fox Sports coverage of the parade would have been in Toronto.


Finally, I hope Rogers eventually does the right thing and renames their ballpark Rogers SkyDome. The Rogers Centre has never been a great name, and it's now 0-1 at the World Series, while SkyDome remains 2-0. Baseball is a sport of history and superstition... they never should have messed with the name of the ballpark that won back to back World Series. Thankfully, there's nothing stopping them from changing it back.

[OldDartmouthMark]

To each his own, but I still prefer Sportsnet for Jays coverage, for many reasons.

What I absolutely hate, is the relentless presentation of stats and data that shows "this or that" happened in the past, so it's what will probably happen now. Then it doesn't, so what a waste of time. Or cherrypicking data to show some trend for some particular situation that doesn't really show the entirety of what is going on. They seemed to have opened the floodgate on this when sports betting over the internet became a thing, and with sports betting companies becoming major sponsors, you can draw your own conclusions on that.

Honestly, I wish they would put away the analytics and just let the guys play ball.

[samne]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

To each his own, but I still prefer Sportsnet for Jays coverage, for many reasons.

What I absolutely hate, is the relentless presentation of stats and data that shows "this or that" happened in the past, so it's what will probably happen now. Then it doesn't, so what a waste of time. Or cherrypicking data to show some trend for some particular situation that doesn't really show the entirety of what is going on. They seemed to have opened the floodgate on this when sports betting over the internet became a thing, and with sports betting companies becoming major sponsors, you can draw your own conclusions on that.

Honestly, I wish they would put away the analytics and just let the guys play ball.

I prefer Sportsnet, because Dan and Buck are actually better commentators. Shulman is probably one of the best all around sports play-by-play. Actually left ESPN for the Jays.

ARod, Ortiz, Jeter are great post game.

Baseball is a game of stats. It’s all about matchups and comparing historical.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by samne

I prefer Sportsnet, because Dan and Buck are actually better commentators. Shulman is probably one of the best all around sports play-by-play. Actually left ESPN for the Jays.

ARod, Ortiz, Jeter are great post game.

Baseball is a game of stats. It’s all about matchups and comparing historical.

Agree on all points.

The stats I’m talking about are the ones that are clearly aimed at promoting sports betting, they are like an advertisement being disguised as “interesting” information, and IMHO use up pre-game coverage time that could be better spent on more player coverage, etc.

Analytics also have a place, but my problem with them is when they are overused, seemingly replacing actual observations and manager/player “feel” for the game (which IMHO is the attraction of sports - humans competing against humans, not stats). Anecdotally 2024 was a mess for the Jays, not only because of injuries, but because of over dependence on analytics (in addition to removing pitchers/players from games when they were on fire due to “matchups” - the 2023 playoffs were a solid example of this).

IMHO, one of the noticeable differences was the offseason replacement of much of the coaching staff with a crew that relied much less on analytics. The players have been pretty much saying this all season, and then - boom, first place division finish and a long playoff run where they actually outplayed all of the other teams, but lost the World Series on basically a flip of a coin.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

To each his own, but I still prefer Sportsnet for Jays coverage, for many reasons.

Same but I do like the pre and post-game show over on Fox. ARod, Ortiz, Jeter were/are very unbiased when it's not the Yankees or Red Sox. They really did a good job educating me on why the Jays were so phenomenal this year.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

Finally, I hope Rogers eventually does the right thing and renames their ballpark Rogers SkyDome.

This is a great idea.

[ericmacm]

Originally Posted by samne

I prefer Sportsnet, because Dan and Buck are actually better commentators. Shulman is probably one of the best all around sports play-by-play. Actually left ESPN for the Jays.

ARod, Ortiz, Jeter are great post game.

Baseball is a game of stats. It’s all about matchups and comparing historical.

Agreed on SN having the better broadcast. I got to see all of the different broadcasts throughout the ALDS/ALCS/WS from hosting/going to neighbourhood watch parties, the SN broadcast is a cut above what both Fox and ESPN offer - Dan and Buck are superior commentators, and the scorebugs, interface and graphic design are crisp and polished.

Back when I lived in the Tigers sphere of influence (Windsor), I got to watch a lot of games on the US broadcasts and they were terrible, the commentators were always so dry in comparison. Canadians have it pretty great with the Jays from a broadcast perspective.

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Agree on all points.

The stats I’m talking about are the ones that are clearly aimed at promoting sports betting, they are like an advertisement being disguised as “interesting” information, and IMHO use up pre-game coverage time that could be better spent on more player coverage, etc.

Analytics also have a place, but my problem with them is when they are overused, seemingly replacing actual observations and manager/player “feel” for the game (which IMHO is the attraction of sports - humans competing against humans, not stats). Anecdotally 2024 was a mess for the Jays, not only because of injuries, but because of over dependence on analytics (in addition to removing pitchers/players from games when they were on fire due to “matchups” - the 2023 playoffs were a solid example of this).

IMHO, one of the noticeable differences was the offseason replacement of much of the coaching staff with a crew that relied much less on analytics. The players have been pretty much saying this all season, and then - boom, first place division finish and a long playoff run where they actually outplayed all of the other teams, but lost the World Series on basically a flip of a coin.

The bolder reminds me of Kike Hernandez explaining his game ending double play in game 6…

With the potential tying run on second base, Hernández said he wasn't playing his normal depth in left field to make sure he had a play at the plate on a hit in front of him.

"I was playing a little more shallow than the card wanted me to," Hernández said. "… If he hits it over my head, kudos to him, but his pop is more to the pull side."

After Gimenez made contact, it wasn't a routine play for Hernández, whose sight of the ball wasn't clear.

"Somehow I was able to hear that the bat broke, even with that crowd," Hernández said. "The crazy thing is I had no idea where the ball was 'cause it was in the lights the whole time."

I absolutely agree with you regarding the stats, they have a place in the sport, but not everything. It’s why I like to hear interviews of manager of why they took so and so out and replaced with the reliever, or why pitchers threw what they did when they did.

I also like be able to read the lips of dodger pitcher Justin Wronleski hitting Gimenez… something along the lines of “Fix Auto you, you motherFix Auoter”

[harls]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

To each his own, but I still prefer Sportsnet for Jays coverage, for many reasons.

What I absolutely hate, is the relentless presentation of stats and data that shows "this or that" happened in the past, so it's what will probably happen now. Then it doesn't, so what a waste of time. Or cherrypicking data to show some trend for some particular situation that doesn't really show the entirety of what is going on. They seemed to have opened the floodgate on this when sports betting over the internet became a thing, and with sports betting companies becoming major sponsors, you can draw your own conclusions on that.

Honestly, I wish they would put away the analytics and just let the guys play ball.

You didn't get tired of Buck Martinez mispronouncing Schneider?

I agree with you about the stats crap. I delved into a live chat on the Score app on my phone and all the comments are 'money line' this and 'over-under' that.

The 50/50 Jays draw where Joe Carter would phone you personally if you won was for 'Ontario and Nova Scotia' only.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

This is a great idea.

If there's any curse at all... I think renaming it Rogers SkyDome would be a good start in terms of getting rid of it. That wedgie in game 6 was brutal.

It's also just ridiculous now that there are like 5 or 6 Rogers venues across Canada with generic ass names.

SkyDome has always been my favourite stadium name, and it's just got such a cool shape. The Rogers Centre name just doesn't do the ballpark justice.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

but obviously the pro Canadian/Toronto favouritism is always out in full force on Rogers Sportsnet.

Keep in mind Fox is a national broadcaster, Sportsnet is a Jays production and Rogers needed permission from MLB to produce their own broadcast, rather than play the Fox International feed. This wasn't a case of the Jays broadcaster and the Dodgers broadcasters doing these games. LA would have had their own radio people but not their own TV, so it would be expected that Fox was a little more neutral than Sportsnet.

I agree that I preferred watching A Rod, Jeter and Ortiz over Hazel, Caleb and whatever the hell that was that Pillar was doing. I did watch the Fox feed a couple of the games and Sportsnet the rest.

As for the stadium name, I've already said my peace on the Toronto board a while back but there no way Rogers would put the SkyDome name back in the mix. Enough people already just call it SkyDome, this would only mean more people who have no connection to the SkyDome name would ignore the Rogers part of it.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by harls

You didn't get tired of Buck Martinez mispronouncing Schneider?

I agree with you about the stats crap. I delved into a live chat on the Score app on my phone and all the comments are 'money line' this and 'over-under' that.

The 50/50 Jays draw where Joe Carter would phone you personally if you won was for 'Ontario and Nova Scotia' only.

Never. Buck has his own pronunciations (my all time favourite was Jaash Dahnahldsun ), but IMHO he is the most knowledgeable baseball guy doing play by play analysis anywhere. I learn something with every game he does, and he has no issues with saying it exactly how he sees it (in his gritty old school baseball way). I bet he would be fascinating to have a beer with and hear his stories without the constraints of national television requirements!

As far as the 50/50 draw only being available in two provinces, I believe that has to do with provincial gaming laws. It used to be only available to Ontarians, until a few years ago when Premier Houston of NS changed things such that NS could be included. It’s nice in that the Jayscare money that was donated goes towards helping kids in your own province, or so I’ve heard.

[MonkeyRonin]

While I have no particular gripes with Sportsnet's coverage, I've got a big gripe with it's pricing and service - monthly subscription prices have nearly doubled in the past couple years and are now $30/month (!). And it's an especially terrible service I primarily just want to watch Raptors games, but due to broadcast regulations they show half of their regular season games (you'll need a separate TSN subscription to watch any of the other half...). Gotta love the Canadian telecom oligopolies.

I had vowed to not renew my subscription this year, but then the Jays made it to the World Series.

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

Finally, I hope Rogers eventually does the right thing and renames their ballpark Rogers SkyDome. The Rogers Centre has never been a great name, and it's now 0-1 at the World Series, while SkyDome remains 2-0. Baseball is a sport of history and superstition... they never should have messed with the name of the ballpark that won back to back World Series. Thankfully, there's nothing stopping them from changing it back.

That would certainly be a popular thing to do and go a long way at building goodwill with the public. So Rogers definitely won't do it.

In the meantime though, there is still a Skydome in Toronto.


https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contribu...341d6e0-7e22-4b3a-9851-f96c60b9e768.html

[ericmacm]

Shane Bieber is taking up his $16M 1-year player option and staying with the Blue Jays in the upcoming season.

Looking forward to seeing what transpires with the other FAs (Bassitt, Bichette, Dominguez, France, Kiner-Falefa, and Scherzer) this offseason.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

While I have no particular gripes with Sportsnet's coverage, I've got a big gripe with it's pricing and service - monthly subscription prices have nearly doubled in the past couple years and are now $30/month (!). And it's an especially terrible service I primarily just want to watch Raptors games, but due to broadcast regulations they show half of their regular season games (you'll need a separate TSN subscription to watch any of the other half...). Gotta love the Canadian telecom oligopolies.

I had vowed to not renew my subscription this year, but then the Jays made it to the World Series.





That would certainly be a popular thing to do and go a long way at building goodwill with the public. So Rogers definitely won't do it.

In the meantime though, there is still a Skydome in Toronto.


https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contribu...341d6e0-7e22-4b3a-9851-f96c60b9e768.html

The TSN Sportsnet split for Raptors (and to a lesser extent, the Leafs) is because of the joint Bell Rogers ownership of MLSE. They split the regional rights between the 2 networks. Then as part of the leadup to Rogers buying Bell out of their MLSE stake last year, they signed extensions for TSN to still get games for the next 20 years. Sportsnet probably wouldn't have the capacity to shut TSN out completely anyway.

[MolsonExport]

How could they drop the "skydome" name after the name was immortalized during that famous opening ceremony, with Alan Thicke?

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Ranks up there with The Star Wars Christmas Special as one of the most cringiest moments in television history.

[GreatTallNorth2]

The Ontario Intercounty Baseball League is rebranding and now calling themselves the Canadian Baseball League, which suggests they are branching out beyond Ontario.

https://www.theibl.ca/news/a-new-era-for-independent-professional-baseball-in