Robservations: E’s can be cured by more work
(Let’s talk a little baseball, shall we?)
To err is human, but to err six times in one seven-inning game can absolutely kill you.
Warren County found that out first-hand Tuesday night, when Riverdale’s Warriors proved you don’t give a good team any more chances than you can.
While Tuesday’s 12-3 loss was a tough one to deal with, especially due to the fact that five of the Warriors’ runs were unearned, that’s exactly what the Pioneers now have to do.
They have to get over the misplayed grounders and errant throws, and get back to business in a very busy week.
Hopefully, a busy schedule of games will help shore up some of the problems the Pioneers have experienced during the early going, and get the team back on the right track heading back into the rest of their district schedule.
While things may have looked a little shaky lately, it’s by no means time to call of the dogs. There’s a lot of baseball yet to be played, and the Pioneers can use your support as they continue toward the district tourney.
• On to the big leagues…
Among the headlines being generated during the first week of the Major League season was the fact that baseball’s combined salaries have eclipsed the $2 billion mark this year for the first time.
We all know about A-Rod and his pornographically large salary, and Jeter’ multi-million dollar deal. But all those other $1 million and $2 million contracts start to add up to a lofty total when you look at the league as a whole.
Normally I avoid discussions of sports economics. I hate hearing small-market teams whine, and I can’t stand it when the afternoon radio boys go on and on about salary caps, high ticket prices and the like.
The reason for my disdain regarding this topic is simple, in fact it’s just as simple as the reason today’s sports stars bring home such large paychecks — it’s all our fault.
Think about it. We’re the ones who go to the stadiums in droves, pay $6.50 for a soda and five bucks for a pretzel, then spend 25 bones on a T-shirt featuring a likeness of our favorite player.
We’re feeding the owners of these pro teams so much money, and continuing to feed it to them even when the prices rise, their only logical option is to continue to inflate their prices to see just how far we’ll go.
Players are no different. If Kevin Brown can get $15.7 million to work once every five days, why wouldn’t Alex Rodriguez ask for $22 million to not only hit the field in every game, but to hit, as well?
(Although, granted, A-Rod hasn’t exactly “hit” yet this year. I’m sure glad he’s not on my fantasy team.)
What it all boils down to is a simple matter of supply and demand. As long as the supply is there — be it hot dogs, sodas, tickets or players’ salaries — we the fans and they the players will continue to demand it.
• On a lighter note…
Remember Tawny Kitaen, the ultra-hottie who used to be famous for sprawling around the hoods of cars in videos by hair-rock superstars Whitesnake?
Well, Chuck Finley of the Cleveland Indians missed a start Tuesday, because his wife — the aforementioned Kitaen — beat him up on the way home from a Monday night dinner.
Now, I hate to hear about anyone getting assaulted, especially when it keeps them from doing what they do to make a living.
But can you imagine Finley’s call to the clubhouse? “Uh, Skipper? Yeah, I won’t be able to play today. My wife beat me up.”
When reading about this story, I’m reminded of all those macho guys who used to spout off about how “for what those boxers make, I’d take a beating from Mike Tyson.”
Well, I don’t know about Tyson. But have you seen Tawny Kitaen?
Now that’s a whipping I think I could live with.