| PRO ⚾️ MLB Clubhouse Thread...

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Ok, spring practice is about over which means this place is going to be even more dead than usual up until about mid August. I know we have some good baseball fans, so I'm starting this to create some baseball talk for the down time. Feel free to add in whatever, talk about games, players, add highlights, etc. I'll even allow Braves discussion, begrudgingly...

First up... MLB Expansion.

The Oakland A's are finally done with the long drawn out stalemate dance with the Bay Area and will be moving to Las Vegas. Personally, I'm all onboard with this. Now, my hope is that Tampa and the Rays can get things figured out and come to a stadium agreement to keep the team in that general area (sounds like they are very close). Next up, MLB is looking to expand to 2 more cities when the Rays situation is finalized... the most likely cities are Nashville, Montreal, Charlotte, Salt Lake City, and Portland. Of those, which 2 would you like to see get teams? Personally for me, it's easy... Nashville #1 and SLC #2. Runner up would be Charlotte.

Which 2 cities would you like to see get teams?

 

[Rolltide24]

I’m out of the loop on MLB this season. Not uncommon, until the playoffs start… I’m partial to Charlotte and Nashville. I’d love to see a franchise in either. When they built the minor league park in downtown Charlotte 10 years ago, it revived the team. They’d played in Fort Mill at a dump park for years (just down from Jim Bakker land). It’s pretty much in the center of the small downtown now and a big draw. Now, big difference in filling a 10,000 seat stadium and a 45,000 seat place. Both cities support their NFL teams very well, and Nashville supports the Preds religiously. The Hornets/Bobcats not to the same degree in Charlotte, but it’s gotten better. Enough rambling, I’d love to see one in either city. Not sure if they would support it or not, but I’m sure some folks very smart with those calculations are working on it.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

Portland? That Dumpster fire? Nope. Nashville and Charlotte for me also. Although I would like it in Memphis so I could go to more games, but those are my 2. Still a Cards fan though. LOL

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I’m out of the loop on MLB this season. Not uncommon, until the playoffs start… I’m partial to Charlotte and Nashville. I’d love to see a franchise in either. When they built the minor league park in downtown Charlotte 10 years ago, it revived the team. They’d played in Fort Mill at a dump park for years (just down from Jim Bakker land). It’s pretty much in the center of the small downtown now and a big draw. Now, big difference in filling a 10,000 seat stadium and a 45,000 seat place. Both cities support their NFL teams very well, and Nashville supports the Preds religiously. The Hornets/Bobcats not to the same degree in Charlotte, but it’s gotten better. Enough rambling, I’d love to see one in either city. Not sure if they would support it or not, but I’m sure some folks very smart with those calculations are working on it.

I think both would do pretty well... IMO, a big key to long term support is 1. stadium location/condition (although this is subjective and mostly applies to newer franchises) and 2. Owners who are committed to winning (and financially equipped for it) and not satisficed with mediocrity. I don't know much about Charlotte other than I think the fans would show up and the local corporate money would certainly be helpful. As for Nashville, I believe they'd embrace a team quickly and would get a lot of fans during the summer from surrounding areas (similar to the Braves). If I was in charge, I'd do everything I could to get a new stadium right beside the new football stadium on the Cumberland, with the baseball field being closest to the water... the bad thing would be the orientation of the park would likely have it "pointing" away from downtown. But, they could still do some neat stuff with it.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Portland? That Dumpster fire? Nope. Nashville and Charlotte for me also. Although I would like it in Memphis so I could go to more games, but those are my 2. Still a Cards fan though. LOL

Yeah, I've got no use for Portland... I'd be pissed if they went that route. And while I think Montreal would support a team again, screw Canada too. They should move the Blue Jays to Buffalo.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

The Pitching clock is gonna be interesting this year.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

The Pitching clock is gonna be interesting this year.

I completely underestimated how much games would be sped up with the pitch clock and pick off attempt limits. If it helps grow the game, great. I don't care that much for it, especially the pick off limits. I've seen where some teams are extended beer sales now to make up for lost revenue because of the quicker games... I LOL at their unintended consequences.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

I completely underestimated how much games would be sped up with the pitch clock and pick off attempt limits. If it helps grow the game, great. I don't care that much for it, especially the pick off limits. I've seen where some teams are extended beer sales now to make up for lost revenue because of the quicker games... I LOL at their unintended consequences.

Bud Light is already reeling. LMAO

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Bud Light is already reeling. LMAO

That's probably what Portland's stadium would be... Bud Light Field.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

That's probably what Portland's stadium would be... Bud Light Field.

Antifa Stadium at Bud Light field.

 

[Rolltide24]

Portland? That Dumpster fire? Nope. Nashville and Charlotte for me also. Although I would like it in Memphis so I could go to more games, but those are my 2. Still a Cards fan though. LOL

Agree, but I’d replace Cards with Braves. I’d support the new team if it happens, but I’d still be a Braves fan at heart. Hard to leave them after a lifetime of fandom. We’ve been through feast and famine together, good times and bad, sickness and health, for better or worse… all that good stuff. Got the Ron Hubbard autograph to prove it.

 

[Rolltide24]

On a baseball note, I got my friend’s baseball card lot sold over the weekend, finally. I’d mentioned it in a thread on here before. He’d bought many cases of cards from 1985-1989. And so did a lot of other folks… Found a buyer in New Hampshire that gave me $6k more than I was asking. My buddy’s wife is ecstatic. Will be palleting them all up tomorrow for the freight truck.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Agree, but I’d replace Cards with Braves. I’d support the new team if it happens, but I’d still be a Braves fan at heart. Hard to leave them after a lifetime of fandom. We’ve been through feast and famine together, good times and bad, sickness and health, for better or worse… all that good stuff. Got the Ron Hubbard autograph to prove it.

Glenn... Ron couldn't hit the curveball.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

On a baseball note, I got my friend’s baseball card lot sold over the weekend, finally. I’d mentioned it in a thread on here before. He’d bought many cases of cards from 1985-1989. And so did a lot of other folks… Found a buyer in New Hampshire that gave me $6k more than I was asking. My buddy’s wife is ecstatic. Will be palleting them all up tomorrow for the freight truck.

Glad I never got rid of mine... I doubt there's much value in them, but I never was able to part with them. Sadly, they are just sitting in a couple of large storage totes, tucked away...

 

[Rolltide24]

Glad I never got rid of mine... I doubt there's much value in them, but I never was able to part with them. Sadly, they are just sitting in a couple of large storage totes, tucked away...

Same for me, a couple of bankers boxes. The value isn’t what folks thought it would be back in the 80’s. It was fun times collecting and trading them though!

Glenn Hubbard! I don’t know why I confused him with the Scientologist!

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Which 2 cities would you like to see get teams?

Nashville and Montreal. I want the Expos back, but only if they bring back the old uniforms. If not, then Charlotte.

 

[ElephantStomp]

Nashville and SLC. Both cities have rabid fan bases for their current pro teams and both would go nuts for MLB.

I’m a big MLB fan, but my team (BoSox) are absolutely terrible and will more than likely finish at the bottom

 

[UAgrad93]

Nashville, Charlotte, followed by SLC would be my picks.

 

[rick4bama]

What do you guy think about the pitch clock?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

What do you guy think about the pitch clock?

Not a huge fan, but I'll get over it. I don't mind it when there's nobody on base.