The dopey Hall of Fame game

[OleMissCub]

So what is the lineup going to look like for this pointless exhibition? Who is pitching?

 

apologies if this has been covered already elsewhere

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Dopey??!?! You do know you're going to piss Kristian off.

 

http://www.savethefamegame.com

[OleMissCub]

That site answered my own question:

 

http://www.savethefamegame.com-a.googlepages.com/cubs

 

It has also been reported that the Cubs will bring 15 rookie-league players from Arizona to Cooperstown to play in Monday's game.

[Little Slide Rooter]

SS. Eric Patterson

2B. Mike Fontenot

LF. Reed Johnson

CF. Jim Edmonds

1B. Micah Hoffpauir

C. Henry Blanco

3B. Jason Maquis

RF. Mike Wuertz

P. Jon Lieber

[justin23iu]

This Kristian guy is really starting to annoy me.

[Roast]

I assume the regulars will start and after the first inning it will be all AA/AAA guys. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone like Hart start.

 

one thing is for sure though. Marmol will need to pitch to keep the game close.

[Bruce Miles]

I had a little fun with this guy yesterday on the blog:

 

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/blog/18

 

From what we've been told, the Cubs will use all lower A-ball players after the first inning. They'll bring 16 total minor leaguers. This game has long outlived its usefulness.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I had a little fun with this guy yesterday on the blog:

 

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/blog/18

 

From what we've been told, the Cubs will use all lower A-ball players after the first inning. They'll bring 16 total minor leaguers. This game has long outlived its usefulness.

 

I love the fact that it will have A ballers.

 

Bruce,

 

any chance the major leaguers leave right after the first and go ahead and board the plane to Tampa?

[Jon]

Are the Cubs being forced to play some of their regulars? It may just be an inning, but they still have to go through their entire pregame warmup routine.

 

Playing the bench players would be just fine, though.

[Guest]

I assume the regulars will start and after the first inning it will be all AA/AAA guys. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone like Hart start.

 

one thing is for sure though. Marmol will need to pitch to keep the game close.

 

Hart (and Marshall) pitched yesterday.

 

The Cubs will be using primarily rookie ball guys so they don't cause disruption to the other minor league guys who are in the middle of their season.

[Cubs Fan In New York]

Is there going to be anyone really worth paying attention to and watch the game? I don't know too much about the guys in single-A.

[Guest]

Is there going to be anyone really worth paying attention to and watch the game? I don't know too much about the guys in single-A.

 

We have to wait and see who is coming - if it's solely Mesa guys, there will be some intriguing prospects but no one who would be in the top 10 in the system. There could be some 2008 draftees, though.

[Cubs Fan In New York]

Is there going to be anyone really worth paying attention to and watch the game? I don't know too much about the guys in single-A.

 

We have to wait and see who is coming - if it's solely Mesa guys, there will be some intriguing prospects but no one who would be in the top 10 in the system. There could be some 2008 draftees, though.

 

Ohhh, ok. I thought it was known who was being sent to the game.

[chuckywang]

What does it say about the HOF game if the Cubs are more concerned with not disrupting the schedule of minor league players than the actual game?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

What does it say about the HOF game if the Cubs are more concerned with not disrupting the schedule of minor league players than the actual game?

 

I think that's pretty much why this will be the last year of the game. A middle of the season exhibition game just doesn't work anymore. The season is too long and travel too burdensome. It probably should have been done away with years ago.

 

If the HOF wants a game with real major leaguers, they need to do it in the spring, but that really doesn't work with the weather in Cooperstown. Unfortunately, that field is too small for it to be a regulation game.

[chuckywang]

How about having it during the All Star break?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

How about having it during the All Star break?

 

There's not really a time there where it wouldn't take away from the All-Star festivities. With the Futures Game on Sunday, Workout day on Monday, and ASG on Tuesday...there's only Wednesday that it could happen. Also, I doubt MLB would want to put the energy into it then when they are focused on the ASG.

 

The only option to keep a viable game there is either create an exhibition with minor leaguers or have an old-timers game. Neither is nice as having two major league teams come in and play. But with teams focusing on staying rested and fresh and avoiding injuries in a meaningless game, there's not much else that can be done.

[Brendan]

i love how that guy quoted himself in his own press release.

[NCCubFan]

Until a few ears ago the game was actually played on induction weekend. I think moving the game to a different time may have hastened loss of interest.

[Soul]

That site answered my own question:

 

http://www.savethefamegame.com-a.googlepages.com/cubs

 

It has also been reported that the Cubs will bring 15 rookie-league players from Arizona to Cooperstown to play in Monday's game.

 

"It is disappointing to read the recent comments made by Cubs manager Lou Piniella regarding the upcoming celebration of the national pastime in the sport's celebrated home," said savethefamegame.com creator Kristian Connolly. "The Hall of Fame Game is about something much bigger than the 2008 Chicago Cubs, and I hope that they understand and respect that on Monday.

 

:rotfl: :rotfl:

 

Is this guy for real? Their little exhibition game is more important than the actual games that count for a division-leading ballclub?

 

Hahahahah.

[Soul]

any chance the major leaguers leave right after the first and go ahead and board the plane to Tampa?

 

I would love this.

 

I'm guessing it would be a bit too much of a slap in the face of the HOF folks though.

[biittner77]

Why not just make the game count? If they rotated opponents they'd only be losing a home game every 15 years. They could give the teams the money from admissions.

 

Even better, why not make it a AAA game that counts for their league.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Why not just make the game count? If they rotated opponents they'd only be losing a home game every 15 years. They could give the teams the money from admissions.

 

Even better, why not make it a AAA game that counts for their league.

 

I think one of the reasons they would never make it a regulation game is the dimensions of the field.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think it would be funny if someone used to email lists on the savethefamegame.com to encourage mlb to do continue with the plans to get rid of the game.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The more I read through Kristian's blog about why the game should be saved, the more I laugh.

 

He lists reasons that the game is beneficial to Cooperstown High School and the community of Cooperstown. While I can understand how such an event is a boon to that small community, why does MLB owe them something that hundreds of thousands of communities don't receive?

 

He prints the letter from the person who claims the HOF game has created a way for him to cheaply take his son to a MLB game. He tries to make it sound like removing this game from Cooperstown would remove affordable options for people to take children to a game. Well, if that's the motivation, why not have all MLB teams have to play in substandard parks in small town America so that fans outside of major markets other than upstate New York could have these opportunities? It's sentimentality at its best and isn't a compelling reason.

 

I feel sorry for Kristian. He and his community have obviously enjoyed this game. I'm sure if I lived within driving distance of Cooperstown, I too would hope to see the game saved and hate to see it leave. But, the fact of the matter is the game isn't viable anymore. Probably hasn't been for years, but things like this are hard to do away with.