What would Doris Terry, a pitcher from the 1940's All-American Girls Baseball League, havewalked-out to?

Baseball’s regular season starts this week – something that makes me happy to no end. For the next seven months, I know what I’ll be watching everyday of the week.

There’s a special bond between baseball and music. The Baseball Project (with whom I had to pass on interviewing because timing with The Luke’s birth) is a band on their second album of writing nothing but baseball-related music. They aren’t just some unknowns either. They are made up of some of music heavy hitters. On both of their albums they’ve recruited dozens of other major players in music to write and sing songs about baseball.

Mom, apple pie, baseball and music.

In the last 15 years, a trend started that is now common-place at every Major League game: each batter walks to the batter’s box to a song. Some players uses several songs but others have used the same song for years. The Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones has used Black Sabbaths’ “Crazy Train” has his walk-out music for most – if not all – of his 16 year career.

Relief pitchers – beginning with closers – picked-up on this and started having music played when they could come in from the bullpen. Recently retired – and probable Hall of Famer – Trever Hoffman came to the mound to AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” on route to setting the all-time record for most saves.

Usually, the songs hit into five categories: NeuMetal, Hip-Hop, Classic Rock, Country and Latin. I can’t think of anyone who has come out to The Strokes or Arcade Fire … so let’s not even assume that someone using more underground than that. (Although if they have – please let me know. I wonder if there is a Web site that tracks walk-out music? I’m sure there is. I’m not going to look it up though, I’ll let you do that.)

Walk-out music has been a course of discussion with several of my friends over the years. The most humorous answer was from Imperial Trouble‘s (and some-time contributor to DeadJournalist) Sam Mitchell, whose responded – after some thought – with the deadpan answer of, “The Theme to the TV show ‘The Golden Girls’.”

With the 2011 season upon us, the questions is, what would be the music you would walk-out to?

Editor’s Note: The image used is from a great 2007 story on GeekSugar.com about a retirement home, Wii home-run derby.

But the constant was baseball ... and Bobby Cox (photo via by Curtis Compton/AJC)

I spent most of this week – another long and stressful one – waiting to watch the final three regular season games of the Atlanta Braves and the last three regular season games managed by Bobby Cox. If the Braves fail to make the playoffs, it will be the final three games the venerable Cox will ever manage.

It was 6PM today. I made it home in time to grab the wife, head the the grocery store, and rush through getting groceries because, “I gotta be home in time for the game. I can’t miss it.”

And tomorrow, with the big pre-game celebration, I’m thinking, “I’m not missing the ceremony before the game. They are televising it. It’s the most important part of the weekend.”

We make it home with 15 minutes to spare. I ask the wife to turn on the TV while I bring the rest of the items in from the garage. “I’ll be able to catch some pre-game, ” I gleefully think to myself.

I walk in. I see a Dish Network screen. It hits me.

Dish Network and Fox Sports are in a dispute. No games. No pre-game.

I went ballistic. I was cussing. I was using Twitter to voice my venom. My everything was ruined. The horror.

It’s 1.5 hours later, and I’m listening to the game as I type.

(Beachy on 2nd, Braves down to Phillies 2-1. Heyward at bat.)

Lang Whitaker, in a book coming out next March, will detail his life with the Braves and what he learned from Bobby Cox. I’m sure it will be great. He’s a good writer and an impassioned Braves fan.

Like him, almost all of my life has included Bobby Cox.

His retirement will mean that for the first time since 1990 someone else will manage the Braves. Save a few years in Toronto, Cox and the Braves have been a part of my life since 1978 … when I was two.

I don’t remember his first tenure too well. We couldn’t pick-up games on the TV antenna real well, so we only listened on the radio. Then, when he was hired as the GM, the team was suffering through the Jim Acker and Terry Blocker eras.

Murphy was traded. Then 1991 happened.

(Lee drives in Beachy; 2-2.)

I was a teenager when the Braves began their run of dominance. Back then, I was playing ball most of the Spring and Summer. Nights when I wasn’t playing or practicing, my family watched the Braves. My dad would usually fall asleep, snoring, by the fifth inning. So my mom and I would watch the rest of the game. We had our on nicknames for some of the players. For instance, my mom always called Tom Glavine, “John Glavine”, because she said it one time and it stuck.

My dad would yell at Ryan Klesko for trying to kill the ball with his big upper-cut swing. I’d get mad when Mike Stanton, Kent Mercker or Kerry Ligtenberg would cut their hair because they always pitched poorly after they got a fresh cut. Even our neighbor’s dog was named “Blauser” after Jeff Blauser.

In my world, every where, everything was about Braves baseball.

(Nate McClouth just bungled another fly ball, Werth with a double. Still 2-2.)

Throughout it all, there’s been Bobby Cox. For a while, there was rockin’ Leo Mazzone, too. But it was Cox that was a constant. And in two more games, plus the rest of the innings in this one, Cox won’t be there anymore.

While we’ve all known Cox was retiring this season it is finally sinking in – and it’s a helpless feeling. He’s one of the few things left that has been a constant most of my life. And now, he won’t be there either.

(Cox just pulled Beachy after a Conrad error to a nice ovation, still 2-2.)

I want to hold on to this weekend so tightly. I don’t want it to end. It’s my youth. It’s my life. It’s my a link back to my dad.

But I can’t. Monday, it will be over. Or maybe there will be a post-season to extend the Cox’s tenure a little while longer.

Next Spring, Opening Day will come next year and everything will be different. My whole world will be different. See, this is a defining line in more ways than you might know. And Bobby Cox will be that line.

It’s just a shame that I won’t be able to watch it due to the Fox Sports/Dish Network dispute. Fitting, such a historical weekend wasted because of billionaires.

(Moylan walks in a run, 3-2 Phillies.)

(Jimmy Rollins. Grand Slam. 7-2 Phillies.)

Perfect. Just perfect.

Ernie Harwell By Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

Ernie Harwell, the beloved voice of several major league baseball teams, but most notably the Detroit Tigers, passed away today at 92.

I’m writing this remote via my phone so I will keep this brief. Harwell, who was originally from Georgia, was a truly remarkable man who I have written about a number of times. He was a broadcasting icon.

If the reports of a double rainbow appearing over Tiger stadium right after the announcement of his passing is true, it was most fitting.

Maybe you rest in peace Mr. Harwell. Thank you for sharing you life with us.

Baseball hasn’t banned cameras. Yet.

Aaron Gleeman on HardballTalk broke the news that Major League Baseball has banned baseball beat writers from using Twitter for anything but baseball-related topics and “scolded” players for using Twitter all together.

I’m speechless. I’m flabbergasted.

How, in the age of digital marketing, can a brand so in need of positive re-enforcement, take away a clear and effective avenue for fans and strangers to interact with not only those who cover the game but the ones who actually play it?

This isn’t the 1940′s where beat writers road the trains and looked the other way; the time when Average Joe started his morning with the paper, box scores, coffee and cigarette.

This is the 2010′s where connection is as quick as a “follow” or a “like”. The same 2010′s that has paper’s hope of maintaining relevancy on the shoulders of the iPad.

I do understand that MLB, as a company, has a brand to protect. But this is a complete overreaction to the fear that someone associated with the brand might have an interest about something other than baseball or have an opinion that might not be in with the company line.

The long arm of the law has silenced those whose ability to have discourse with their readership is paramount to keep them engaged. When success is based on followers, page views, user retention and search-engine optimization papers, journalists, and yes, even you baseball, needs to keep the public engaged in anyway they can.

Is there any wonder as to why baseball struggles to keep the younger demographic interested in their brand?

There shouldn’t be after a ruling like this. Baseball has proved themselves to be Luddites.

Opening Day

There are moments in life when we’re all the same age. Moments that bind age, creed and color into one unforgettable experience. They don’t happen often, but when they do, they remind you that the mundane isn’t always the everyday.

They remind you that some days are special. That there are some days you’ll never forget.

Much has been written about Jason Heyward, the 20-year-old rookie right-fielder for the Atlanta Braves. How he might be a once-in-a-generation player. How he is more grounded and focused than most 40-year-olds despite the fact that he can’t buy a beer at the stadium which he calls home. How he may be the new face of the franchise.

For one day, he lived up to the hype. But that isn’t all he did.

Today, he made me a kid again.

After overcoming one of the worst traffic experiences in my life, my wife and I got to our seats at Turner Field just minutes before player introductions. Player introductions are a big deal to me. And I didn’t want to miss it – especially being that it was the first of Heyward’s career.

See, there’s something special about #22.

I don’t know what it is about him. He’s just a kid (okay, no 6’5″ 245lbs man is a kid). But there is something about him that make me believe in baseball again. Makes me excited about baseball again.

More than the sport, or the team, I want Jason Heyward to be a star. I want him to be the guy that kids want to be. I want him to be Atlanta’s Joe Mauer.

This is all the more ironic because I hate fans. Being a fan makes people act like idiots. But damn it, I’m a fan.

I was recording Heyward’s first major league at-bat on my iPhone, when, on the third pitch he hit a home run so loud and so far that the entire stadium erupted in a euphoric sports orgasm. I kept screaming, “OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!” over and over as he rounded the bases.

In watching the home run after the game the video is actually wavy from the electricity. It was an unbelievable moment that leaves me almost speechless. (Jump to 1:17 for THE moment.)

Heyward had a great game in his debut. The type debut that makes fairytales seem a little more realistic. He’ll find plenty of 0-fers this season, but today he was the storybook hero.

Today he made me feel like a kid again. (I wish it’d last forever.)

Is baseball alienating young fans?

It seems to be popular these days to figure out how to “fix” baseball. Baseball, the sport unlike any other sport. Baseball, the sport that has a higher fan attendance that the other major leagues.

Baseball, the sport that loves debate almost more than the sport itself.

Prevailing winds say the sport needs to do something to keep fans interested and to keep competitive balance. The easy fixes, many say, include a salary cap, increased revenue sharing, a slotting system for the draft and some are so daring to suggest realignment.

Baseball is a sport that has a lot right … but it also has a lot wrong. The Wild Card is a a huge right. The All-Star game is a huge wrong. Inter-league play has proved to be a right, although it could use a face lift. Competitive balance isn’t as bad as many perceive, but it could be better.

I’m just a fan; not a baseball economist. I realize the complexity of making any one of these things happen – from owners to unions to television contracts. But for a few minutes, let’s forget that there is anything standing in the way of change.

Here’s my Re-Thinking Baseball in Seven Steps:

Step 1 – Adding a League

When Bud Selig added the Wild Card, I was opposed. As a traditionalist, I hated the idea of adding a non-division winner to post-season play. I was wrong.

I’m sure the idea of adding a new League will mortify traditionalists – but just as the Wild Card has been a hit – so too would a new League.

When last MLB expanded I was a teenager. I remember the excitement that new teams offered younger fans. From the location and team names to the logo and merchandise, it was all fascinating.

The reality is there is no great untapped market for baseball. Portland? Charlotte? Las Vegas? Maybe Havana at some point years from now? Maybe, but doubtful.

So let’s forget about expansion, because besides location, economically, there isn’t any room at the table.

What about realignment? Now that’s an interesting thought. When it was done in the mid-1990′s, it resolved a lot of the geographic issues that plagued the sport.

You mean Atlanta isn’t on the West Coast?

But it also create some problems; most notably the fact that the two current Leagues don’t have the same number of teams. Not-to-mention that a lot has changed in the 15 or so years since. Economically, the numbers are staggering. From players salaries to television contracts; do those number even seem real to a regular Joe like you and me? Now we have teams crying fowl because they feel like they can’t complete with the high-end, free-spending teams out there. Fairness they scream. (Player development, I say.)

Initially out of distraction, I sat down and spent several hours trying to find a fix to make each League’s divisions more competitive and/or more geographically appealing.

Finally, the answer came: Baseball needs a new League.

Once I embraced the idea – which wasn’t easy to do – other ideas started flowing. A lot of ideas that I feel would improve the game significantly.

First, let’s start with this new League: Under this plan, MLB would have three Leagues, each with two divisions.

In a nod to tradition, I have attempted to keep original League teams in their traditional League. The new League, dubbed the “United” League is made up of expansion teams who have joined since the 1960′s.

The new, three League, MLB:

National League
Eastern Division
CHC
PHI
PIT
STL
CIN
Western Division
LAD
SF
ARI
SEA
SD

American League
Eastern Division
NYY
BOS
CHW
DET
CLE
Western Division
OAK
LAA
COL
KC
TEX

United League
Northern Division
NYM
TOR
BAL
MIN
MIL
Southern Division
HOU
FLA
ATL
TB
WAS

While minor arguments could be made over team placement, by large, this should maintain a level of competitive balance throughout all Leagues. By default, the American League and National League would still play under current rules.

Imagine the excitement as fans waited to see rules the United League might enact. Would it play with the DH? Would it create another unique rule?

Baseball as a three-League sport also would mean other changes; all adding excitement to a new generation of fans who find video games and fantasy baseball more interesting that the sport itself.

Step 2 – Scheduling

Even with the creation of a new League, maintaining a 162 game scheduling would be fairly simple. This new schedule would be League-heavy with 123 games played within each League.

Inter-league games would still be held, but with a twist taken from the NFL. There would be 36 games played again the matching divisional seeds from the other two Leagues.

Additionally, one three-game series would be held each year with the same rival. Regardless of league or ranking this series would allow each team to host a three-game series that would alternate location each year.

Much like today, this would allow baseball to have a true “Rivalry Weekend” with all teams playing a Friday/Saturday/Sunday series against their designated rival. Sure, there are some teams without a true rival, but the benefits are far to great to ignore.

Schedule
League, Same Division
17 games against each of the four teams: Total of 68 games

League, Other Division
11 games against each of the five teams: Total of 55 games

Inter-League Matching Divisional Seeds
9 games against four teams with matching Inter-League division seeds based on prior years: Total of 36 games

Rival
3 games against one designated “Rival” team regardless of League/Division/Ranking: Total of 3 games

Total game played: 162

Step 3 – Planting the Playoff Seeds

If you are a traditionalist and haven’t already had a heart attack, prepare for one now. Playoffs will now be seeded, based on record, regardless of League. That’s right, a true post-season tournament. Each division winner will make the post-season as will two wild card teams having the best record of non-division winners. These wild card teams can be from any League, thus increasing the likelihood that the best eight teams make the post-season.

Much like the NBA, the team from each League with the best record will be seeded 1 – 3, based on record. The fourth team would seeded based on the remaining team with the best record, which would allow for a Wild Card team to have home field advantage if their record bested those of the remaining division winners.

Seeds 5 – 8 would the remaining division winners and remaining wild card team(s).

Best record gets home field advantage in each round.

Playoffs
First Round – Five Games (or Seven)
Game Scheduling: 2|1|1|1
1 vs. 8
2 vs. 7
3 vs. 6
4 vs. 5

Semi-Finals – Seven Games
Game Scheduling: 2|2|1|1|1
(Ranking based on winners from Rd. 1)
1 vs. 4
2 vs. 3

World Series – Seven Games
Game Scheduling: 2|2|1|1|1
(Ranking based on winners from Rd. 1)
1 vs. 2

The idea of the National League vs. the American League is ripe with tradition, but as ratings have shown, it doesn’t mean people are interested. Let’s make it the best against the best – do something that no other professional US league does – make it a true tournament of champions.

Imagine the storyline if an eight-seed made it to the World Series. Or what about a NYY and BOS match-up?

Step 4 – All-Star Game

If I haven’t lost you yet, you may be thinking, “well, this sounds okay, but how can you have an All-Star Game with three Leagues?”

My answer: By making it matter, by the only way it can: make it about the money. (And by really letting the fans get involved.)

So here’s the idea:

The two managers from each previous World Series team manage the two teams, just as they do today. The winning manager gets “Home” designation.

The top 70 players (40 position players/30 pitchers) from all leagues are chosen. If you want the fans to vote, great, but no longer are they starters, they would be locks to make the team, would be be Fan’s Choice Winners. Remaining players would be chosen by players/coaches/managers/etc.

Here’s where the real fun begins …

Let two fans, who are chosen by contest, pick each team via a draft just like in school-yard/fantasy baseball. Each team ends of being comprised of 20 position players and 15 pitchers.

A coin flip between winners gives the first “draft” pick and the “home” manager. On Monday (before the All-Star Game on Wednesday) at 8PM Eastern, the draft would begin with two minutes between each pick with the fan making each pick, with the manager, a baseball “legend” and fan voting as support for the fan. Much like fantasy baseball, any player can be chosen, but basic roster outlines have to be followed. (The manager would make the starting pitching designation.)

This “draft” format would give baseball a chance to have a made-for-television draft event; something it doesn’t today.

While it is an All-Star draft vs. an amateur draft, it would still provide a similar avenue for analysis, interactivity and debate that other professional sports enjoy. Not to mention sponsorship and television ratings.

But how do you make the game actually matter? MONEY. And this is simple:

Each player, along with the fan, from the winning team each gets $1M. Get a charity of choice involved an give them a $1M as well.

Each player, along with the fan (and charity), from the losing team only gets $100k.

Tell me it wouldn’t matter to players if a difference of almost $1M was on the line.

Step 5 – The Home Run Derby and Skills Competition

It’s a great idea, but it is stale. Let’s make is more simple and worth more.

Take the top six home-run hitters, regardless of league, plus two as chosen by fans. Only allow two replacements if players withdraw. If more than two players withdraw, the field is reduced. Have the Home Run Derby on Tuesday night.

First Rounds: Best of 10 swings
Final Round: Top Two (or if tied, add players); Best of 10 Swings.

Winner gets $1M; runner-up gets $100k. Same fan and charity tie-in as All-Star Game. (I doubt players would withdraw if $1M was on the line.)

Other skills could be showcased: Best 1st to 3rd time; hitter ball placement by trying to hit targets set-up at various spots on the field; best positional range; pitched ball placement by pitch; etc. (These could also be moved to end-of-year during the playoffs.)

Step 6 – Create All-Pro Awards
It has always bothered me that players who have a great second half are ignored by baseball. The sport misses the boat with the current All-Star format because it recognizes the “best” players based on only a half-season of play.

The solution, create All-Pro teams made of the best players at each position in each league. Include a bench or utility player as well as a set-up man.

Announce the All-Pro winners from each league on the field before Game 2 of the World Series. Now these All-Pros can get the same type reception by the fans as All-Stars.

Step 7 – Rosters and Deadlines

A few other things, that I feel would improve the game:

1. Add two roster spots to each team.

A. Roster Spot 26: An emergency catcher as designated prior to the game and only available when all other position players have been used. Additionally, this player would only be available to go in as a catcher (the replaced catcher could go to another position).

B. Roster Spot 27: An unavailable pitcher as designated prior to the game. This pitcher would not be available for game use. This would allow the previous night’s starting pitcher, a slightly injured or over-used pitcher to be inactive on a game-by-game basis.

2. Move the trade deadline to August 15 and make it a hard deadline by eliminating the waiver-wire deadline of August 31.

3. Move the expanded roster date to September 15 and only allow the roster to be expanded to 32 players.

4. Allow for amateur draft picks to be traded and institute a pay-scale for draft choices.

5. Re-Institute League Presidents to run each League allowing for more oversight.

6. Eliminate the DH.

If you’ve made it this far, I’m sure you’ve seen a number of type-o’s and a few things that you wholeheartedly disagree with. That’s okay, I’ve never claimed I didn’t need an editor and I’ve never said my ideas are better than yours.

But I do think that these changes would bring a great deal of excitement and publicity to the sport. The All-Star Game would be a great starting point. It’s outcome shouldn’t affect the World Series and it will only mean something if the sport realizes that, unlike 60 years ago, playing for pride just isn’t enough.

The bottom line is that I love this game; but times change. I guess I’ve changed my way of thinking. Maybe its time for baseball change theirs, too.

Got Milk? Not so much. (image via blog52)

With Mark McGwire’s admission of his use of steroids yesterday there seems to be an overwhelming admonishment of his behavior. I, by no means, am excusing his behavior. However, I believe that he, and the players like him, are all suffering from double-standard by both the media and baseball fans.

The same people who praised these players’ exploits a decade ago are now chastising them for the previously praised behaviors. It isn’t just the media but also the baseball public. Baseball media and its fans hold culpability as do the players. Fan and media didn’t take the performance enhancers – the players did – but we cheered them on as records shattered and players went from superstars to super-inflated stars. Baseball was becoming professional wrestling but we just cheered our little heads off not concerning our selves with the reasons why.

Face it. We were in a bad relationship and were ignoring all the signs that something was terribly wrong. We didn’t want to admit it; we were just enjoying the show. We, the baseball public, had a love affair with the home run and by extension those who hit them. Given the strike and its fall-out; we all looked the other way on the blatantly obvious issues that were – in retrospect – there the whole time.

We needed a rebound and the home run was a hell of one. Exciting, stimulating, frequent – it was perfect for a public with a short attention span and in need of an all-pleasure, no-pain recovery from the decimating strike.

But like any relationship gone bad, we have hindsight to see our (and their) mistakes. They (the steroid-era players) were playing their role and so were we. We loved the long-ball, remember? Chicks dig it. They were or became the giants of the sport: Sosa’s August; McGwire and Sosa’s chase for history, the Blake Street Bomber, Bonds, etc.

Yes, all the trouble began before the strike, so it can’t be localized that one event. But at its peak it was the best marketing plan baseball ever put together. Purposefully or not.

Years later – and the relationship long-ago ended – we have one of the people who broke our heart now asking for our forgiveness. We are still holding a grudge for their mistakes and for ours. We’ll never be able to forget the pain. But can we forgive it?

Maybe. But only if we forgive ourselves as well.