Hall of fame game

[Reade]

This will be the last year they play the Hall Of Fame game. Another smart(yeah right) move by Bud "the snake in the grass" Selig

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....,2312084.story

[robinhoodnik]

Sad.

[metsguy234]

It's not really that sad.

No one even cares anymore. The teams picked send minor leaguers to play (writer Tom Verducci played in it a few years back) and few people even show up.

[RickD]

Sad how tradition continues to get tossed out the window. Selig! Bahh.

[CatKnight]

Meh. It's an exhibition game. Why SHOULD the teams (in this case CHC and SD) care about it and send their 'real' players? They could get hurt and so hurt the team's chances in games that count.

If the Cooperstown game COUNTED, then that might be another story. As the article says, they schedule games in Japan or elsewhere. Since it doesn't count though, I'm rather apathic about its staying or leaving.

[ohms_law]

I'm kind of with cat and meetdamets on this on. It was a neat thing to see going on, but the game itslef... just not that interesting. You know what would be a good deal is to have something like a three inning exhibition "Hall of Fame" game as part of the All-Star game. It could be played either before or after the home run derby.

[RedsoxRockies]

Next he will get rid of opening day, and then games 2 and 6 of the world series, and who knows what else...

[TheNamelessPoet]

It's not really that sad.

No one even cares anymore. The teams picked send minor leaguers to play (writer Tom Verducci played in it a few years back) and few people even show up.

not true.
both teams have to send real representatives (not all of course) and they must be in I believe its 4 or 5 innings.

and people DEFINATLY show up. have you ever seen the line to get tickets. they go on sale in feb, and the line is down the block and around the corner (been there and was supposed to be in the line.)

Im a member and tickets are sold to members 1st and i have NEVER seen it not sold out

[beerchaser]

I don't think it would be fair to count the HOF game as an official game since Doubleday Field is such a small ballpark; the gate receipts from that game would be so much smaller than a regular game. Unless perhaps the Marlins were to be the home team, then Doubleday might actually outdraw what they would get in Miami.

Seems a shame that they can't work something out for an exhibition game though. Cooperstown is a very scenic area; made my first-ever trip up there last summer and I definitely want to go back. If I were in charge of the HOF I'd have the induction ceremony in the morning and play the exhibition game the same afternoon, while people are still in town.

[Reade]

the game is meant to help raise funds for the Hall. This is probably the reason Selig wants to do away with it, plus MLB doesn't make anything from this game.

i have NEVER seen it not sold out

I have also heard its a sell out almost every year

[nuzzy62]

They should make it count in the standings and increase the park size.

[RickD]

They should let it sand as an exhibition fund raiser and the players should quit whining with all the money they rake in anyway off the fans back.

[CatKnight]

Exhibition fund raisers don't interest me. The HoF really SHOULD be under the care of Major League Baseball anyway.

As for the 'whining' players....in principle I don't disagree, but let's again look at the big pic.

What happens if the Cubs lose Fukudome, or the Padres lose Giles (as examples) in this game? Why should both teams have their playoff chances altered by the chance of that injury? For the matter, why should both teams be PUNISHED by less rest time, being forced to play 163 games instead of the others?

This is not fair to either club. I'm sure it's supposed to be an honor, but in point of fact it's a detriment. As far back as '78 (Sparky Lyle mentions it in 'The Bronx Zoo') players thought this was ridiculous. And it is.

If the game doesn't count, then there's no reason anyone should want to play it. Make it count (and increase the stadium capacity accordingly), THEN we have something to talk about.

[metsguy234]

not true.
both teams have to send real representatives (not all of course) and they must be in I believe its 4 or 5 innings.

and people DEFINATLY show up. have you ever seen the line to get tickets. they go on sale in feb, and the line is down the block and around the corner (been there and was supposed to be in the line.)

Im a member and tickets are sold to members 1st and i have NEVER seen it not sold out

Yeah, real "representatives", as in the second-string players on the minor league team closest to Cooperstown for each team...

[metsguy234]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3446812

It got rained out...