I always considered myself the very antithesis of a Progressive.....in the political sense.
Some years ago, a wise wonk wrote this:
Conservatives believe that custom and tradition result in individuals living in peace. Law is custom and precedent. Liberals are destroyers of custom and convention. To a conservative, change should be gradual, as the new society is often inferior to the old. We build on the ideas and experience of our ancestors. The species is wiser than the individual (Burke).
Now, although a strong believer in tradition, I find myself agreeing with major alterations in my fav sport....
1. Although umpires and their inconsistencies have long been a part of the sport....they get balls and strikes right about 90% of the time...
MLB umpire Jansen Visconti has the record as most accurate with a 94.3% accuracy record.
...I like the new Atlantic League tech calling:
"Every Atlantic League stadium, including the Patriots’ TD Bank Ballpark in Central New Jersey, now features a TrackMan device perched high above the plate. It uses 3-D Doppler radar to register balls and strikes and relays its “decision” through a secure Wi-Fi network to the umpire, equipped with an iPhone in his pocket connected to a wired earbud. That umpire, positioned behind the plate as normal, hears a man’s voice saying “ball” or “strike” and then signals the verdict."
Now Calling Balls and Strikes: Robot Umpires
Umpires are still responsible for other calls, like swings and plays at the bases.
2. The baseball is different.
No other way to account for the burgeoning home run numbers.....
4400 in 2014 and nearly 8,000 expected this year.
Tighter stitches on the balls is the explanations.
And....I like it.
3. Lots of complaints that some teams are eschewing traditional uniforms for more 'softball type uniforms.'
I like the look.
....but Heaven forfend any change of the Yankee pinstripe look......
So...I may be a Progressive in baseball...
...does that make me a bad person??????
Some years ago, a wise wonk wrote this:
Conservatives believe that custom and tradition result in individuals living in peace. Law is custom and precedent. Liberals are destroyers of custom and convention. To a conservative, change should be gradual, as the new society is often inferior to the old. We build on the ideas and experience of our ancestors. The species is wiser than the individual (Burke).
Now, although a strong believer in tradition, I find myself agreeing with major alterations in my fav sport....
1. Although umpires and their inconsistencies have long been a part of the sport....they get balls and strikes right about 90% of the time...
MLB umpire Jansen Visconti has the record as most accurate with a 94.3% accuracy record.
...I like the new Atlantic League tech calling:
"Every Atlantic League stadium, including the Patriots’ TD Bank Ballpark in Central New Jersey, now features a TrackMan device perched high above the plate. It uses 3-D Doppler radar to register balls and strikes and relays its “decision” through a secure Wi-Fi network to the umpire, equipped with an iPhone in his pocket connected to a wired earbud. That umpire, positioned behind the plate as normal, hears a man’s voice saying “ball” or “strike” and then signals the verdict."
Now Calling Balls and Strikes: Robot Umpires
Umpires are still responsible for other calls, like swings and plays at the bases.
2. The baseball is different.
No other way to account for the burgeoning home run numbers.....
4400 in 2014 and nearly 8,000 expected this year.
Tighter stitches on the balls is the explanations.
And....I like it.
3. Lots of complaints that some teams are eschewing traditional uniforms for more 'softball type uniforms.'
I like the look.
....but Heaven forfend any change of the Yankee pinstripe look......
So...I may be a Progressive in baseball...
...does that make me a bad person??????
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