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8/29/2020 : Just Sayin

Writer's picture: Steve PotterSteve Potter

The Phillies have played just two extra inning contests with the 2020 rule in place of the “placed runner” at second base to begin the extra innings . Last night was one and the “on the edge” of your seat excitement and anticipation throughout the nearly two extra frames was great ! To watch the strategy of whether to bunt to move the runners with batters who could actually get a bunt down ( not pitchers attempting to do so who fail more often than not ) was intriguing. To see pitchers work to wiggle out of the jams was “must see TV” and then the climax of a struggling Scotty Kingery blasting a walk-off home run after being down 0-2 in the count was the thrill of the evening. I’ve watched quite a few of these games in the minor leagues the past couple seasons ... they have always brought the “sense of urgency” to the game. Watching it at the big league level introduces a much wider skill set that makes it even better. Perhaps baseball purists don’t like it so much but from this fan’s perspective I truly hope the rule stays ... it’s really fun to watch and I’d imagine fun to both play and manage as well ... Just Sayin 🤷‍♂️


Yesterday my wife Barb and I ventured off of our property for the first time in a long time ... we went to visit our daughter and grand dogs in Clearwater. As is probably evident to many I’m on my IPad quite a lot and my old one finally went kaput ... we carried insurance and I now have a spanking brand new IPad Pro 🤓. We went to pick it up at our daughter’s house as she is one of our family technical whizzes that can help set up these new devices ... and show her dad how to use it 👊🏻. Getting out of the house was refreshing ... seeing our daughter and grand dogs 🐶 was uplifting ... it was a re-charge of the spirit ! Given the events and emotions of the past months and especially the last few days it was needed. While we certainly must not let the recognition and importance of the true realization of our issues and the urgency for change that is being continually brought to light ( can’t just let it fester and ignore it like we have done in times past ) we also need to take time to breath and live ... in our small way and with one short excursion yesterday my wife and I did that ... and didn’t even think about it ... sometimes that’s a good thing ... just sayin 😷😍


For the past couple of weeks select season ticket holders in Allentown were permitted to attend the training site scrimmages ... not many ... usually about twenty five or so. They were checked for temperatures and required to wear masks as well as social distance upon entrance. They were seated in the right field area. Yesterday MLB directed that the allowance be discontinued. While I understand that rules are rules and apparently no other “Alternate Site” venue has allowed such fan attendance it was an abrupt move for those who were given the opportunity to suddenly have it dismissed. I’m not a proponent that mass attendance at any event this year is proper as I think public safety has been and is the priority but there are already smaller group exceptions being made in Baseball ( sort of ... a stretch as it’s likely out of MLB’s control ) ... if you watch games played in Atlanta for example there are folks sitting in the restaurants with vantage points in right field, there’s also the small group of fans who regularly attend at CBP and peer in from the center field entry gates. In the scheme of things having a few folks sit in the seats in Allentown to watch practice scrimmages might have been a good first step towards “normalcy” ... to have it shut down abruptly is very 2020 like ... just sayin 🥴


The trade deadline is Monday ... I’ve read a few of the rumor mill stories being floated. The Phillies recent play is certainly encouraging and perhaps they will push for another move. The thing is not many teams are “out of it” ... it would appear that Arizona, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, the LA Angels and Boston would be the willing “sellers” this season. Could Starling Marte and/or Robbie Ray or perhaps Archie Bradley end up here from AZ ?? At what cost ? Is Mike Minor available from Texas despite his struggles ? How about another solid middle to set up reliever like Richard Rodriquez from Pittsburgh or Tony Watson from SF ? Would ya roll the dice on Johny Cueto if the Giants ate a huge chunk of salary ? Who knows ... from my perspective nothing will surprise me including standing pat ... it’s been a year of surprises ... maybe applying a steady hand is the answer ... just sayin 🤪


In my opinion what the NBA, NHL and MLB teams and players did this week was admirable, historic, required, correct and worthy. It was the use of a public forum to shine the light on a long ignored and ongoing issue. The inequalities of treatment that folks of color have had to endure have long been dismissed ... it’s not something that changes overnight and a couple days of cancelled games can’t be the end of the discussion. Those discussions have to happen amongst families, neighbors, communities and leadership. Talk can’t be the only outcome though ... action is required ... we truly need to respect one another, to not discount compassion, to listen and to act with kindness. Jackie Robinson was the Pioneer that brought equal footing to players on the baseball field, he had to endure, deflate and defeat extreme prejudice to do so ... the diversity of Baseball today is directly attributed to 42. But it can’t stop there ... we all need to be pioneers to make things right ... the status quo isn’t good enough ... we are oh so much better than this ... Just sayin 👍


Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️




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