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Can someone tell me why MLB chooses to start their season this way every year?

I guess I can understand why they're willing to destroy the sanctity of opening day with a "featured" matchup the night before, in this case Yankees-Red Sox. I get that. The NFL does the same thing. But why line up Opening Day with the NCAA Championship game? Are they trying to distract people from the fact baseball has started? ESPN devotes, at most, half their air time, but probably more like a quarter, to opening day on opening day, but really the lionshare of the buzz and discussion is centered on the NCAA finals. Why not start before the Thursday before? Have an entire day of coverage devoted entirely to baseball.

Also what's the point giving most of the teams a day off after opening day? Do they need the rest? Again, they're killing any buzz surrounding opening day immediately. Can't have people too excited. It's also stupid IMO, that fans like Mack have to wait an extra day before their season starts. Why doesn't every team play on opening day? Opening day and the opening week should be a celebration of all things baseball. Instead we're treated to these fits and starts. I'm always so psyched for the start of baseball but the way the MLB chooses to get going always dampers my enthusiasm.

ETA: Clearly I'm not alone judging by how lifeless this thread is.

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ETA: Clearly I'm not alone judging by how lifeless this thread is.

If it makes you feel better, I completely agree with you. And of course, I blame Selig for all of it. And Pod. But mostly Selig.

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Can someone tell me why MLB chooses to start their season this way every year?

I guess I can understand why they're willing to destroy the sanctity of opening day with a "featured" matchup the night before, in this case Yankees-Red Sox. I get that. The NFL does the same thing. But why line up Opening Day with the NCAA Championship game? Are they trying to distract people from the fact baseball has started? ESPN devotes, at most, half their air time, but probably more like a quarter, to opening day on opening day, but really the lionshare of the buzz and discussion is centered on the NCAA finals. Why not start before the Thursday before? Have an entire day of coverage devoted entirely to baseball.

Also what's the point giving most of the teams a day off after opening day? Do they need the rest? Again, they're killing any buzz surrounding opening day immediately. Can't have people too excited. It's also stupid IMO, that fans like Mack have to wait an extra day before their season starts. Why doesn't every team play on opening day? Opening day and the opening week should be a celebration of all things baseball. Instead we're treated to these fits and starts. I'm always so psyched for the start of baseball but the way the MLB chooses to get going always dampers my enthusiasm.

ETA: Clearly I'm not alone judging by how lifeless this thread is.

I didn't want to just post an "I Agree". But, yeah, I agree.

I heard some half baked discussion on the radio about how the day off following the opener "helps preserve the opener crowd...". But, it sounded so inane I didn't have the strength to try to follow it.

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I don't get it either. Though I do get the desire to squeeze one more Sunday night telecast out of the national TV contract. So when I rule the world, the plan will be one game on Sunday night, an off day for everyone Monday to watch the tournament and then start full-bore on Tuesday when all you are competing against is the women's tourney final. And pretty much no off-days in that first week, except for the two teams who played on Sunday, who will get an extra travel day to compensate for their jiggy schedule.

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Glad I'm not alone on this.

I heard some half baked discussion on the radio about how the day off following the opener "helps preserve the opener crowd...". But, it sounded so inane I didn't have the strength to try to follow it.

I mean I guess if they had another day game on day 2 of the baseball season, it might draw some of the potential crowd away, but to me, opening day is opening day. If you're the kind of person who goes to an opening day game, I don't think it matters what options you have day 2, you're going opening day.

I don't get it either. Though I do get the desire to squeeze one more Sunday night telecast out of the national TV contract. So when I rule the world, the plan will be one game on Sunday night, an off day for everyone Monday to watch the tournament and then start full-bore on Tuesday when all you are competing against is the women's tourney final. And pretty much no off-days in that first week, except for the two teams who played on Sunday, who will get an extra travel day to compensate for their jiggy schedule.

I'd be down with this.

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Oddly, I enjoyed it back in the day when Cincy had the opener. It whetted the appetite for the season to start, so to speak. But, back then I don't recall conflicts with other sporting events either.

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I just remembered one of the reasons for the wonky schedule in the first week. We haven't seen much in the way of rain this year, but historically it can be a mess. And they don't want to pack in doubleheaders that early in the season, so it is hard to make up games - especially if that weekend is the only weekend a team will be in that town.

ETA - if Zito is good this year, the Giants are a legitimate title contender. They have decent hitting and awesome starting pitching and a very solid closer. Bochy is a master at putting those elements together. A rotation of Lincecum, Zito, Cain, Sanchez and Bumgarner could be devastating come the end of the season. And they should chew through the detritus of the NL West.

Zito sandwiched between fireballers Cain and Lincecum is brutal. Hard to get in a rhythm over a series.

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Glad I'm not alone on this.

I mean I guess if they had another day game on day 2 of the baseball season, it might draw some of the potential crowd away, but to me, opening day is opening day. If you're the kind of person who goes to an opening day game, I don't think it matters what options you have day 2, you're going opening day.

I'd be down with this.

Its in case of rain outs on opening day, because opening day is a coveted ticket and if you didn't have an off day then a rained out first game ticket holder wouldn't be able to go to opening day again if the game couldn't be made up the very next day. Its something like that anyway.

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I guess I can understand why they're willing to destroy the sanctity of opening day with a "featured" matchup the night before, in this case Yankees-Red Sox. I get that. The NFL does the same thing. But why line up Opening Day with the NCAA Championship game? Are they trying to distract people from the fact baseball has started? ESPN devotes, at most, half their air time, but probably more like a quarter, to opening day on opening day, but really the lionshare of the buzz and discussion is centered on the NCAA finals. Why not start before the Thursday before? Have an entire day of coverage devoted entirely to baseball.

And they also forgot to check with Tiger and how he wanted to handle the Masters and everything else he had going on this year... :P

And ESPN? For MLB? Only if I have to now. I had MLB Network on all day Monday when I wasn't watching the Cubs get their brains bashed in and it was glorious...

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I've met the man. He's a douche. Doesn't mean he can't hit a baseball. But he's still a douche.

From Wiki:

Jones met his first wife, Karin Fulford, while he was playing with the Braves class A affiliate in Macon, Georgia. The couple divorced after it was revealed that Jones had had an 18-month affair with a Hooters waitress which produced a son out of wedlock, Matthew, born in 1997.

Wait...no, that's not right, I mean:

In 2008, Jones released a charity wine called "Chipper Chardonnay", with 100% of the proceeds supporting the Miracle League, an organization serving children with disabilities.

With disabilities.

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