Expanded MLB playoffs?

Commissioner Bud Selig wants to modernize the MLB playoffs by adding a best of three series for two wild card teams in both leagues. By doing this he hopes bring more interest into baseball especially when it comes to the playoffs. I can see where he's going with this idea, it allows more teams, six, to compete in the playoffs, bringing in six more fan markets. But I dont really think it would do much to bring more people into the sport or media attention. Baseball is long enough already at 162 games and adding those six more teams with their series just adds on to it longer. Plus the playoff system in baseball has been used for so long I dont see people adjusting to it very well. I mean sure adding more teams could increase attendance at games in those markets, but if fans aren't going to the games throughout the season, three extra games, no matter if they're sold out, won't really have that much of an impact overall. I feel like 162 games is enough to prove who the most deserving post season teams should be. Wild Card teams were already added to the 1994 playoffs in order to help the best teams that did not win their division make it to the playoffs. The way the baseball playoffs are now set up are as fair as they come, teams work 162 games to make it and if they dont then they dont, its been like this since forever and I dont see why a change needs to be made.

America's Favorite Sport Mascots

The Philadelphia Phillies have one more thing to add their list of postitives this season; their mascot in the most popular in sports. The Phillie Phanatic who recently celebrated his 34th birthday on Sunday, was voted the winner in a yearly survey conducted by The Marketing Arm's Daive Brown Index. They measure pro sports mascots on four key areas: awareness, appeal, entertainment value and team identification. Im not being biased or anything here but I really agree and have to say the Phanatic is the best. He rides around the outfeild on an atv, puts a hex on opposing pitchers and dresses up like Lady Gaga, theres nothing he wont do. Hes such a staple of the Philadelphia Phillies organization and has really set the bar for other mascots for other teams and even sports.

The complete list of the top 10 mascots are:

1. Phillies Phanatic

2. San Diego Chicken

3. Milwakee Brewer's Racing Sausages

4. New York Met's Mr. Met

5.Phoenix Suns' Gorilla

6. Washington Nationals' Racing Presidents

7. Chicago Bulls' Benny the Bull

8. Red Sox's Wally the Green Monster

9. Denver Nuggets' Rocky

10. Florida Marlins' Billy the Marlin

I think mascots play a huge entertainment role in games. They probably often drive attendence, merchandise and ticket sales and they make the game a great experience for young kids who may not remember their first baseball game or the score, but they'll probably remember the mascot making him or her a fan for life.

MLB May Expand Instant Replay in 2012 Season

On Thursday,The Associated Press reported that MLB is leaning toward explanding instant replay in 2012 to include trapped balls and fair-or-foul rulings down the line.

I think that its likely and pretty inevitable that baseball at some point expands its instant replay calls beyond just home runs since instant replay plays such a huge role in other sports and fans have become so accoustmed to it. People who oppose instant replay in baseball say that it drags the game on already when its used for home runs and that adding more reviews will make games even longer. I know everyone wants to get the call right, but calls can go both ways for a team. I dont think instant replay should be expanded. For every call that goes against your team, theres always one that acts the other way. I think thats what I like most about baseball; sure it can be frustrating and horrible when youre on the losing side of the call, but when a call is incorrect and your team wins, would you still compain? Overall I really think MLB should let the players decide or take a vote of some kind and see how they feel about adding more instant replay to the game, because really they're the ones who are making these plays.

If Theres No Football in the Fall, What Will You Do?

Sports Illustrated recently took a poll asking fans what they would do if football doesnt return for the 2011 season. The results found that nearly half of NFL fans say they'll be less interested in the sport if games are canceled and over 60 percent say they would still watch games if replacement players are used. If there is no football at all fans said they would spend the time watching other televised sports, non-sports realted TV, and spending more time doing yard/ house work. What the polls really show are that fans understand that there may not be any football this fall and their world isn't going to end. The NFL may think that that isnt the case but these polls show otherwise. I'm really not the best person to be writing about this, since I rarely watch football when its on, but I know how popular the sport is and I was really kind of shocked that that many people would be kind of ok without it. TV networks have also been talking about what they are going to show in place of football on Sundays and I feel like they really over estimate the dependance people have on the sport. People watch football cause its on. If its not on, theyre not going to sit there on the coach and watch other programs for 4 hours straight. People survive the 7ish months that football isnt on. It would definitely be weird to not have it on, but the world isnt going to end.

So what will you do if theres no football in the fall? Would you still watch it if there are replacement players? Would it really effect you that much?

The moment I've been waiting for since the World Series ended

BASEBALL IS BACK and I couldnt be more excited. Every year I wonder how I made it through those 5 months without it. Im a huge Phillies fan and have been excited for this season since December 14 when I continously checked twitter and ESPN at midnight for stories about Cliff Lee returning to Philadelphia. The Phillies dont start their season until tomorrow and its a season that has been hyped throughout the off season. Truth be told I'm kind of nervous. We may have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, but Chase Utley is out for who knows how long, we lost our number 5 hitter Jayson Werth and no one is really consistant at the plate. Every fan is expecting them to make it to the World Series. A lot of websites are saying the Phillies are still the best in the National League, but theyre also saying the Braves may win the Division this year. I usually dont like to think that far in advance and make predictions mostly because I dont want to be more disappointed than expected at the end of the year. It seems like the Phillies always have rough patches during the season, they sent 18 players to the disabled list last year but still finished with the best record in baseball. Basically I always get nervous toward the end of the season, but some how the Phillies pull it off and get into the playoffs. So for now I think Im just going to get excited that the season is here, that we have Cliff Lee back, and I'll worry about the playoffs when its like August.

MLB announces new 7 day disabled list for concussions

As more and more players are sitting out games with concussions each year in baseball, Major League Baseball and the Players Association decided to do something about it. This winter, they set up a committee of experts to come up with a new policy regarding consussions . A set of protocols was announced Tuesday regarding the new policy which will take effect on Thursday, Opening Day. The policy establishes a seven- day disabled list for concussions, as mentioned in a key list of factors created by Major League Baseball. These factors include:

• the player getting mandatory baseline neuropsychological testing for both players and umpires during spring training


• protocols for evaluating players and umpires for a possible concussion after being involved in high rish incidents such as being hit in the head with a ball


• establishment of seven day disabled list which aims to allow concussions to clear, and prevent players from returning prematurely


• protocols for clearing and allowing a concussed player or umpire to return to activity.

I think this new DL is a very good idea. I think its good to see baseball take some action with such an important problem that all sports are dealing with. Concussions are usually more associated with sports like football or hockey, but last season players such as Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins and Jason Bay of the New York Mets had to miss huge chunks of the season due to concussions. Its good to see something being done about it in order to get players checked out more in depthly and getting to be back in action quicker.

Chad Ochocinco trying out for MLS team

With the future of the 2011 NFL season in limbo, it looks like the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver will give another type of football a try. On Wednesday, Ochocinco accepted an invitation from Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes to try out for the team over a four day trial begining next Tuesday. "We know that Chad is an expecptional athlete and that he loves the sport of soccer, and he did play a lot when he was younger. We're excited to see how his skills will translate once he arrives next week and begins training with our team."

Although he has been playing football professionally for 10 years, Ochocinco played soccer competitively from his youth to high school days at Miami Beach High School. He also remains a die-hard soccer fan and has said that he even uses a soccer ball to warm up for NFL practices and games.

Ochocinco is known for pulling publicity grabbing ideas, and in the end I dont really think him trying out for a team is that big a problem. He may not play that often and only get called up to sit on the bench or play the last 10 minutes, for publicitity purposes. So if he can give Kansas City and MLS a profit, I say why not?