but, I don’t know if it will ever be the same. Baseball was always an escape from the troubles in the world and a break from politics that have become increasingly divisive. When Joe Biden was elected President he promised to bring the country together. Instead, he has driven it further apart, and nowhere is it more apparent that in baseball, when he “parrotted” the false claims of Stacy Abrams, from which Robber Manfred took his “cue” to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta.
Baseball is no longer that escape from politics, It is politics and to ignore that it has been reduced to this is one of the saddest things I have ever seen. After 9-11, America used baseball to come together united as a country. In one stroke of his pen, Rob Manfred, just like Joe Biden has divided America even more with his race-baiting actions. Denver says the All-Star Game will bring them an additional $190 Million. That means that Atlanta probably lost that much.
Atlanta has nearly 30% of their companies which are Black Owned Businesses. Over 45% of the population in Atlanta are Black or Latino. Robber Manfred is honoring Henry Aaron by depriving his adopted home town of $190 Million dollars that they desperately need Post-Covid-19.
Henry Aaron lived in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was one of the city’s most successful entrepreneurs. He owned several car dealerships, as well as 18 Krispy Kreme doughnut franchises. Throughout his business career, Aaron has held to his philosophy to help other African Americans succeed. “No matter how much success that one may achieve, there’s always one of us back there that needs a little help,” he told Smiley of NPR. “When I opened up my BMW dealership, I didn’t have the experience of being a general manager. But there was somebody back there that was black that needed to have a chance to move up, and if I didn’t give him a chance, then nobody else would. And that’s what I did.“
Robber Manfred is not honoring Hammerin’ Hank by robbing the Black Entrepreneurs of Atlanta of almost $200 Million Dollars. No matter what Hanks’ Parrot son says, Hank Aaron is rolling over in his grave right about now because of the race-baiting politics of Abrams, Biden, and Manfred! Even if this voter registration law were racist and is it demonstratable not (even though the left tries to hold on to a few minor points), the game should not have been moved. It is doing much more harm than good.
Former MLB Pitcher David Wells said this: “I don’t watch baseball anymore. I refuse to watch it because of this. I don’t want any part of it, and this was my life … For me not to want to go to a baseball game or even watch, it kills me, because I don’t put up with that kind of crap, and I don’t condone it.”
Now, that I have allowed political debate on this site, I see many respond with stuff like this:
- “that is stupid.”
- “only the dumbest of the dumb would believe that”
- “that makes no sense”
- “anyone can see that’s not true.”
- “that has been debunked by fact-checkers”
- “no logical person believes that”
When I read things like that, I understand that the argument is lost and the loser has to resort to slander. I was trained in debate, evidentiary foundations, and what constitutes evidence. What you think is silly or wrong is just your opinion. Most journalism is opinion. There is very little news that is devoid of opinion. You are all entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. Many here “assume facts, not in evidence” based upon their opinions and political leanings.
As long as you can keep it civil, I will too, but if you want to talk crazy, I can dominate that bout. I go out of my way to bite my tongue and not demean people I disagree with. I hear and get the backhanded slaps and all that tells me is that since you can’t improve your argument, you have to attack the character. I generally consider the source an move on… but there is no guarantee I will not call you out. It is just that I generally have found out that people who have already made up their minds, do not want to be confused by facts.
Some of you don’t like this and have left… some of you are thinking about it. Do what you have to do. I am doing what I have to do. Just about every other Dodger Blog has ignored what Manfred did in moving the All-Star Game in the interest of being “politically correct.” Well, I don’t care! I don’t put up ads all over the blog so that I can make a few hundred dollars a month. I do not monetize this blog. I am here because I once loved baseball and the Dodgers and hope to again. I am here for the community which is being fractured, I know. To ignore it is however, to ignore the elephant in the room and no sane person can do that.
On Trevor Bauer
Some fans think that Trevor Bauer could be suspended for applying a foreign substance to the baseball. How can he be suspended if you can’t prove that he put the substance on the baseball? What is that substance? I see no way someone can be suspended the first time this happens. Of course, I did not think that the Idiot Manfred would Cancel Atlanta. So there is that!
Discussion (103)
Disagree, not disagreeable
On a different note, I thought the ring ceremony was particularly classy, especially the testimonials by former players.
https://youtu.be/twdMoxasWeo
I stand with Mark. Anyone who takes what the MSM says at face value is not very bright. They and the Democrat party are inseparable and are taking us where we don’t want to go. It was one of the saddest days of my life when MLB saw fit to be a useful idiot for the left.
What makes this country Great is our Constitution. It is important that we all read it as it is amazing.
It should be required reading with comprehension in all schools
I doubt many here Eric would want to steal your secrets about how you rate a reliever. See, the problem is that things change year to year. Not long ago, the Dodgers simply could not beat LHP. No matter how hard they tried, their record against lefty’s was abysmal. Well individual players are even harder to predict. Knebel was out close to 2 years. He is not going to be the same pitcher. So using his past stats and basing you evaluation on prior splits just is not going to fly. Just like your stats for Treinen. They will change year to year. In 2018, lefty’s hit .192 against him.
Unfortunately, we haven’t seen the next new closer yet, and like it or not, it will still be Kenley.
Which sounds logical, since we cannot assure anything just for one game, for better (Knebel) or for worse (Kenley) stay tuned, there will still be more news to come.
The ceremony and the story behind the ring
https://youtu.be/2HYLv5m2moY
https://youtu.be/twdMoxasWeo
No politics from me all I Gotta say is What a team, What a team, what a great team, what a mighty great team
My condolences to DBM’s family and friends, I will miss her posts to this site
Oh yeah Kneble was wipe out
Great game in defense for Will Smith
I’m not talking politics all I Gotta say is. What a team , what a team, what a team, what a good team, what a mighty good team
My condolences to DBM’s Family and friends , Her post will be missed
Great win Dodgers!!! Robert’s with a good decision even if we had lost he had to do it. Didn’t know he had it in him. When treinen was in I thought we were in crisis but sadly that is at the border. Keep up the good work Mark!
Hey Eric, want to retract your evaluation of Knebel???? That was impressive stuff. And oh yeah, Treinen got out of the jam…so I guess Roberts knows what the hell he is doing.
That was an impressive save! By our new closer? Great teams can win in all kinds of ways!
Well at least Kenley won’t blow the save today!
It will be Jansen in the 9th!
Can he bounce back and pitch a successful inning?
They have to find out.
Well, lets see who comes out to pitch the 8th. If it is Knebel, then Treinen will most likely get the 9th. Just hope it is not gas KAN KENLEY. 4 hits today….3 by Turner, 1 by the rest of the team. Not good so far. Treinen in the 8th…….so hopefully someone not named Jansen in the 9th. Kersh against Scherzer on Sunday, May’s start pushed back.
Who’s closing?
Buehler has pitched great through 6 innings!
Any recommendations on bullpen choices to hold the lead?
Is it just me or are the umps calling way too many strikes on balls off the outside edge this year?
Luke Raley for Bellinger, why not Matt Davidson? Another lefty
I have made no secret about my distain for Rob Manfred and his minions. He’s dangerous and an idiot. I have bad feelings about the power he uses to rule the game. Maybe this collection of “doctored” baseball is some common exercise my MLB. Or NOT. I don’t trust Manfred as far as I could throw him and it would not surprise me one bit if he pulled a rabbit out of his hat with a fine or suspension – to Bauer.
In November, The Athletic’s Eno Sarris quoted a coach with experience in several major-league organizations as saying, “Almost everyone is using something.” A player-development executive told Sarris the benefits are “better than steroids.”
“Better” How? Better grip on the ball of better strength and endurance? That’s the biggest pile of bullshit ever. Comparing steroids to adding a foreign substance? Rosin, Pine Tar or whatever add grip, spin and control. The last I checked, there was no evidence that pine tar makes your nuts swivel up or gives you a size 81/2 head. That “player development exec was probably one who believed MLB’s claim that player steroid use back at it’s peak was 7%-10%, when in fact it was about 70%.
I would never doubt or be surprised if Manfred used Bauer as a sacrificial lamb. This is right up Rob’s alley.
I personally have had a gut full of all the political posts. But I do believe in personal freedom. The freedom here is I had the voice of not reading the posts. It’s the same with Facebook. I waste no energy trying to convince someone I’ve never met to change their minds.
Can someone, please, tell me what time the game starts today? It is scheduled at 1:10, but at that time is the first pitch? or at that time does the ring-giving ceremony begin? I finish my work day at 2, hopefully I get home early so I can watch the game, or at least most of it. PLEASE!
I truly hate where our country is going but please stop this! PLAY BALL not bull!
No Bellinger no Betts in the lineup today.
Was not aware of this but if it had taken place it would have been another reason to hate Fox ownership
https://news.sportslogos.net/2021/04/08/la-dodgers-almost-dropped-dodger-blue-for-dodger-purple-in-1990s/baseball/
In the NC area and Dodgers game is blacked out b/c we are playing DC.
Any ideas how I can watch this game?? I hate these dated regional blackout rules. If I have to Ill listen to Rick and Charley, but I really want to see these games….what a bummer…
Only thing missing today will be Vinny. I really wish he could be part of these ceremony’s. Prince Phillip passed away at the age of 99. Long life being second fiddle to the Queen. It will be nice seeing fans in the stands today…Will be looking for ya Bobby……..Lets see a Betts bomb in his first game in LA in front of the home crowd. Buehler gets the call.
Well, I haven’t waded into the fray until now. I must say that it is with some trepidation that I do now. First, I have wanted nothing more than just to have this debate go away, so I didn’t want to throw fuel on the fire. Second, I don’t want to be cancelled myself. If I’m going to honestly state my opinions, I don’t want to be attacked or labelled. I haven’t attacked anyone on this blog, and I want be treated in a respectful way, the same way that anyone would want to be treated.
So, first, I disagree with the decision to move the All Star game. I think that it hurts the people of Georgia who haven’t done anything to deserve it. I think that it also inflames the culture wars, which are tearing apart the country. At the same time, I am against voter suppression. I think we should do everything possible to enfranchise voters, not disenfranchise them. And I mean voters of all stripes. It is healthy for democracy for as many people as possible to vote. With regards to the Georgia law, I agree with the idea of having voter IDs. We have them here in Europe and no one complains. The rest of the provisions strike me as nothing more than political hardball. Trying to get an edge in voter turnout. Whether the people who made the law are rascist, I really don’t care. I don’t know the people or what is in their hearts. I do think that the effect will be to disenfranchise voters, which I am against.
Having said that, I have a very important question to ask the readers of this blog. Look into your heart, and ask yourself the following question. Do you care more about MLB’s moving the All Star game or the insurrection at the Capitol? It may seem like a strange question, but here is my reasoning. I have been following this blog daily since just before the pandemic. It has been a lifeline during a difficult time. When rioters stormed the Capitol, there was hardly a word said here. There was hardly any debate or discussion. It was barely mentioned. There were almost no expression of outrage or disgust, even though our democracy was under threat and 5 people died. And yet, when MLB moves the All Stat game, all hell breaks loose here. Why is that? Well, you could answer that it’s because this is a baseball blog, and MLB’s decision made it impossible to ignore this intrusion of politics into the game that we love. Okay, fair point. But I ask you to look into your hearts and ask yourselves honestly, which truly bothered you more?
For me personally, there is no contest here. As much as I love baseball, I love democracy more. I disagree with MLB’s decision, and it bothers me, but I found the insurrection deeply disturbing and troubling. In the final analysis, I could live without baseball, as sad as that would be. But the destruction of American democracy would break my heart.
Now, what are the implications for our blog?
Simply put, baseball is one of those things that brings us together. You can go to any bar (well, when we used to go to bars!) and strike up a conversation about baseball. And you could have a very enjoyable conversation and it wouldn’t matter one iota what the person’s political persuasion was. There are people on this blog whose political views I agree with and people I don’t. However, I don’t reject anyone here based on his or her views. We need to find ways to come together, to stop attacking and disqualifying each other, and start listening to each other. We need to do that for all of our sakes. Politics may be a blood-sport, but it is not a game like baseball. It is not a zero-sum game, where one side walks away the winner and the other the loser. If our democracy fails, we are all losers.
So let’s keep it respectful here and in our society in general. For all of our sakes. And let’s get back to the Dodgers.
There are no dead people voting. There are not even live people pretending to be people who are dead. It is made up. It is Republican propaganda to try to suppress the vote.
I repeat, there was a massive study done in 2016, and they found something like a possible fifty cases of voter fraud out of tens of millions of votes cast. In Texas, they just looked and looked for voter fraud in the recent election, and they have found 17 cases to investigate, out of twelve million votes cast, and those seventeen are not necessarily fraud, but they are investigating them. That is Texas, probably the most socially darwinian state in the union, where they froze hundreds of people because they have monopolistic control of one power grid; and where thousands of people lost many thousands of dollars because the power company drastically raised prices, and these people had automatic pay, so now some of them have been financially ruined by this. . And even Texas can only find seventeen possible cases of voter fraud, at the most, out of 12 million ballots cast.
But still the Right hammers away at voter fraud. Why? 1) Because they cannot accept that Democrats can sometimes wine elections, they believe they must have cheated in some obscure and never actually verified way. 2) This gives them the opportunity to pass state laws which will make it much more difficult for Democrats to vote, particularly minority Democrats in big cities.
Last year, many Black people in Georgia had to wait up to ten hours in line to vote. That is obscene. It is because, like most states in the Deep South, there are not nearly enough voting places in big cities. That is on purpose. But they still lost, so now they have really taken the gloves off, and are throwing up every impediment to voting that they think they can get away with. And in Georgia, they have gone so far as to allow the Republican controlled state legislature to appoint the majority of every election board, with the power to overturn any result that they choose, calling it “underperforming.” That is right, they can simply declare that the Republican won the race, no matter what the vote totals are. That should horrify every American, but it obviously does not, which is a tragedy, because played out, it inevitably would lead to a totalitarian state, the very kind which people always want to say that they deeply hate, but do not seem to understand the nature of when it encroaches here.
So what should people who care about democracy do? Just let it go, I guess, all of it. America the totalitarian, where a state like Georgia will decide who wins elections, based on whom they want to win. Or maybe do something? Boycotts are legitimate forms of protest, Republicans do it all the time. They held ceremonies burning Dixie Chicks records, and told stations not to play them. Some of them who are NFL fans vowed to never watch the games, because they did not like the kneeling at the National Anthem. They cheered when the ratings went down some. They cheered when the Oscar show ratings went down.
But Democrats are supposed to just sit and take it? Manfred is not someone I admire but he is not foolish enough to do this on his own. He said that he consulted with several owners. So I doubt that he would make a unilateral decision. Republicans, always searching for a way to outrage their declining base, now say that this is awful, we will teach those liberals for moving the all-star game. By doing what? Coming out to vote in Georgia? The Georgia law already guaranteed that Republicans will win every election there, they don’t even have to waste their time to vote. People will get used to that, the social psychologists call it learned helplessness. No point tin voting, it has already been determined for you. Go to the movies, put some money in the corporations’ pockets, instead.
When you see laws which you believe are a major threat to democracy, you should try to do something about them, in a non-violent manner. Not in the way that the insurrectionists tried to kill elected officials and police officers at the capitol on January 6, 2021. Boycotts, even moving sporting events, can be debated, but it is legitimate. Polls have shown that most people do not like the voting suppression laws, does that matter at all?
Biden has torn the country apart?? Seriously? Trump was trying to have the vote certification stopped by violent protests for which he made sure the national guard would not be called to stop. The idea was to keep Biden from taking office. If he could get enough violence, he would declare martial law, and remain in office. But Biden is tearing the country apart? His Covid Relief Bill is very popular. His Jobs Act is very popular. His approval rating is much higher than Trump’s was in four years. He is not tearing anyone apart. Republicans got the idea that they were supposed to win all the elections, and are infuriated when they do not. I don’t think that moving the All-Star game was a great idea. But it was not a bad one, either. The awful idea was passing a bill which would curtail voting, and make sure that even if a Democrat won something, the Republican Board could reverse it. That is true evil. The moving of the All-Star game is the distraction and deflection which obscures what led to it.
40 years ago, 9 April 1981 born Fernandomania…..
Badger, America is not and never has been a democracy. We are, as Ben Franklin said, a republic. The Founders were well aware of the flaws of democracies, especially over long periods of time.
As for voter suppression, the Left, as you call it, has mastered the use of repeated big lies to suppress opposition votes for years. The male-female wage gap, the rich don’t pay their fair share, systemic racism, imminent catastrophic global warming, etc. All are easily refutable but Leftists know they control information in American society so they get away with it. Add specific lies about Republicans such as “Romney didn’t pay his taxes,” the Charlottesville lie, the Russian collusion lie, and many others. Again, massive suppression of Republican votes. And how about that suppression of Republican citizen groups by Democrats at the IRS? Well, we did get a nice apology years later, right?
Any profession of concern for legitimate elections by anyone on the Left rings quite hollow to me, my friend, especially when, to top it all off, Leftists regularly dismiss the will of the people’s elected representatives and find a few judges to overturn legislation that they don’t like.
I don’t know that Manfred makes the decisions. Gone are the days of Kennisaw Mountain Landis and Bart Giamatti. The decisive actions they took, though harsh, effectively ended the taint of betting, that would have destroyed the game.
I think the problem of society is a lack of leadership. No one is willing to take a stand.
You have mobs of Woke SJW college students storming administration buildings and publicly intimidating professors, and their official response is to placate with boilerplate platitudes about “doing better” and creating a “safe space.” It is complete capitulation, which only fuels the mob. This dynamic has now spilled out into the real world. Corporations just capitulate to those who will threaten. The power dynamic now lies with the Woke cult and big tech oligarchs. They have power. Corporate boards know now not to get out of line.
What Manfred or his coteries did was not an action. It was a capitulation.
.. there’s a post of mine in moderation
Can someone, please, tell me what time the game starts today? It is scheduled at 1:10, but at that time is the first pitch? or at that time does the ring-giving ceremony begin? I finish my work day at 2, hopefully I get home early so I can watch the game, or at least most of it
I asked yesterday, but has anyone read what process Manfred used before making the decision to move the game? Was it his alone or did he confer with other parties? Whatever the case, he needs to be replaced. His next reasonable or correct decision will be his first as commissioner.
Well, this subject is certainly staying in the news cycle isn’t it? I wonder how much $$ MLB is going to lose by moving the All-Star game. Usually these things are announced far in advance so that the host city can accommodate everything involved with hosting such an event. Let’s see what happens now that MLB has alienated half of its fan by making a political statement supporting one political party over another.
The funny thing about all of this is that Georgia is just the first state to fix and strengthen their voting laws after current laws were thrown out the window to accommodate Covid. If you like the fact that your vote should count you would support the dreaded ID requirement. If you think that ID’s are racist, than you’re probably racist because you don’t believe a person of color is capable of retaining a valid ID. If you are an adult and you don’t have an ID, you’re either purposefully not participating in “The System”, or you’re so stupid that your vote shouldn’t be counted anyway.
Moving on to more important issues, I don’t see any way in hell that the two clowns in charge are going to be able to negotiate the next CBA. Tony Clark and Rob Manfred are responsible for this mess and they’re in charge of the upcoming CBA negotiations. Enjoy this season, we might be seeing the scrubs play next year.
I’m with Koufax32. MLB should absolutely remove and replace Manfred ASAP. Boomer and former Commissioner Fey Vincent have already dunked on Manfred over this debacle. MLB needs new leadership. I’m still mad at them for suspending Urias after the police dropped all charges and the ridiculous suspension of Joe Kelly after he didn’t hit any Astros that weren’t suspended for cheating and being allowed to keep their championship after they cheated. This guy can’t make a good decision to save his life and he seems to be doing all he can to mess with the Dodgers…
Reduced the September rosters because the Dodgers are deeper than all other teams
Implemented the 3 batter rule because the Dodgers made too many pitching changes
Suspended Urias after police investigation ruled no wrong doing
Suspended Kelly for throwing at a batter when he didn’t
Allowed the Astros to keep their title after cheating it from the Dodgers
It is truly amazing that so many people need to be right ! – whether they are correct in their position or not.
Or the last heard, so as to think they won the debate.
Bringing up an event from a year ago (while it may be true) is counterproductive, and not relevant to hopefully continuing forward with LADT.
I have only posted a few times (actually twice) since I found out about LADT x-years back.
Overall Mark and all the other consistent contributors have done a great job keeping to baseball.
When Mark took the site down I thought it was for the wrong reasons and made in a knee-jerk reaction to events outside his controls.
However, after receiving the one letter (if not many more), DBM passing away and her husband’s email to Mark and probably other reasons, Mark re-considered and allowed for this site to continue (THANKFULLY).
There were a lot of interesting posts over the past few weeks and I tried to read them all (although some were very trying).
Going forward we are all well aware that both sides of the political spectrum read and post to this site.
Some times outside events will overtake the site – like DBM passing away and individuals from both sides of the spectrum acknowledged they sorrow and how nice, kind and courteous she was!
Did anyone know her political positions?
So the interesting thing is – this site has role models like DBM that we all can learn from.
Now the question is whether collectively we value what we have here with LADT, or do we have to be right?
Okay, from this morning’s LA Times, MLB always gathers balls from every pitcher every game to be sent to an authenticator, according to MLB officials. Nothing unusual about this, other than Trevor Bauer’s recent criticism of the commissioner’s office. He has accused them of leaking the report.
Again, I’ll ignore the politics and spin job, and stick to our champs.
I will be at the Stadium today, Dodger/Laker combo mask and all. I will represent everyone here at LAPoliticsTalk.com. I’ll text Mark some pics to share.
Just imagine the emotions today, since no fans have been to Dodger Stadium since Howie Kendrick’s grand slam. We have to pay our respects to Lasorda and Sutton. We have to welcome Trevor Bauer for coming home. We have to officially welcome Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen. And we have to really officially welcome Mookie Betts to LA!
And then the rings. And the banner. I can’t even imagine the reaction when Kershaw gets his ring ….
Anyone see the end of the Mets game yesterday? Pitch thrown, Conforto sticks his slow out in the strike zone, umpire about to call a strike, the calls hit by pitch. Conforto goes to first runner comes home and Mets win. Play not reviewable. Umpires huddle and say the call stands.
It’s been bad enough seeing bad ball/strike calls, but this is worse. Even the umpire admits he blew it ( as did the Mets announcers during the game).
Mark, you’re dead on with your comments. Impeach Manfred!!
It is opening day at Dodger Stadium. The pennant will be raised, they will get thier rings and be able to celebrate in front of some of their fans. It is a day to celebrate the end of over 30 years of frustration. I for one am going to enjoy the day and the rest of it can just wait until another time to be addressed.
So when you said I had “a bag of hammers for a brain” last year during early discussions on COVID, what was that?