Scoreboard Watching

[naivin]

If you're Ned Yost, do you ask that the Cubs score not be posted on the out of town scoreboard (or have the game on in teh Clubhouse) for the next few days, or as long as it matters?

 

It is a small thing and perhaps irrelevant, but personally, I would. No reason the team needs to even know what the Cubs are doing. The Brewers job is simple - win today, and I think they should at all times assume the Cubs are going to win their game - especially since the Cubs games will be completed well before the Brewers will all week.

[Patrick425]

No way. The out of town scoreboard is for the fans, not the players. If the players can't focus on the game on hand because they are watching the out of town scoreboard, then they don't deserve to advance anyways.

 

Anyone remember when Marge Schott wanted to emilnate the out of town scoreboard completely? She couldn't understand why anyone (fans or players) would ever want to know what the score was for another ball game. She was trying to cut costs (not sure how much that would have saved).

[SeriesFinale]

LouisEly and I noticed in San Francisco that Weeks and some of the other players definitely were watching the scoreboard between innings last month

 

Scoreboard on or off, I'm pretty sure the Crew knows they need to go at least 5-1, and most likely 6-0 down the stretch here to have any kind of realistic hope whatsoever and shouldn't be distracted.

[naivin]

Girardi actually talked about this on Saturday in that he thought it was tougher on the Brewers to play with the pressure of knowing the Cubs had already won their game. I just think knowing the outcome with 3 innings or so left to play could affect them.

[Ennder]

Brewers have to win out, if they lose even 1 game the odds of them making the playoffs are slim, 2 games and their odds are extremely small.

[TooLiveBrew]

Every game (especially in 2007's particular situation) should be played with the expectation that your competition has already won. Having the actual score visible really shouldn't have any bearing on players' effort or execution - though I see the counterpoint. I echo the notion that if professional ballplayers can't stay on top of their game with that kind of pressure, then they won't be at the MLB level very long. The only way I could see this affecting players' effort would be to see the score of an out-of-town game that mathematically eliminated the Brewers from postseason action, at which point it really wouldn't matter anyway.

[SeriesFinale]

I think they should play with the expectation that they, the Brewers, need to win, and not consider what else is going on. The Cubs' magic number is only four. The Brew Crew needs help, of course, but even if they get elimnated later this week I'd rather they not be like Alfonso Soriano, who explained away his crummy September in Washington last year by saying he had nothing to play for. That's pretty unprofessional.

[temke]

Hall said in the post game tonight that they are sneaking peeks every so often.

 

You can't take away the reaction at the ballpark tonight when the Cubs game went final.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Thats a great excuse for the team falling apart.

[naivin]

I renew my stance on this. Was discussed by Bill, Davey, and BA after the game last night, with both Davey and Bill saying they thought the team was tight the last couple nights - particularly before the game last night. Wednesday's implosion came directly on the heels of the Cub game going final, and they pretty much never made it out of the clubhouse last night. The previous couple nights when they were able to play with nothing to lose, they pitched great, and were banging the ball all over the park. I agree its great for the fans, but the less this young impressionable group of players knows, the better. Its too late now, but I am convinced the results of at least one of the last two might be different had they not known about the opportunity they had been given, and felt the corresponding pressure.

[Patrick425]

So you're suggesting that they not show the Cubs score?! I don't think any team has ever done this (not show an out of town score because they are worried about the tension it causes in the dugout). I renew my stance as well. If the players are really that uptight becuase they are aware of whether the Cubs have won or loss, then they have no business in the playoffs.

[naivin]

If the players are really that uptight becuase they are aware of whether the Cubs have won or loss, then they have no business in the playoffs.

 

I don't necessarily disagree, but isn't the goal to get there by whatever means necessary? If you can prevent them getting uptight, wouldn't you want to do that? Do I know for sure it would make a difference? Of course not, but this rationaliziation of not caring if they make it because they supposedly don't deserve it, makes no sense to me. If they are one win better than the competition, they deserve to make it, and if you can remove any possible obstacles to getting that one win, you should do it. I do know that last night, the Brewers were clearly tight. The 5 errors speak for themselves. If the stakes aren't as high, does Damian Miller try to let that bunt, that seemingly wasn't going to roll foul, roll foul? I'd doubt it. Without looking, the trio of Hart, Jenkins, and Hall have to be something like 0-24 the last couple nights. Add Damian to that list and it gets worse.

 

I have no doubt that now that they're effectively eliminated, they will come out and play much like they did the first couple games of the Cardinals series, when there was also seemingly nothing to lose. They wilted under the pressure, and if there is a way to potentially limit that pressure, you do it.

 

Blocking relevant scores is done routinely in the NFL. Why should this be any different?

[Patrick425]

Blocking relevant scores is done routinely in the NFL. Why should this be any different?

Really? I'm not doubting you. I guess I just don't follow the NFL close enough to know that. If that's true, I'm very suprised. However, the "race" to the playoffs in the NFL is not really the same as in the MLB. They very rarely talk about magic numbers in the NFL...and, I may be wrong, but I don't think that most NFL stadiums have an out of town scoreboard. They may show other scores periodically, but they don't have a scoreboard dedicated to it.

 

I'm just not for blocking scores regardless of what it does or does not do to the players. I'm a traditionalist. Scoreboard watching is part of the fun, it's part of the pennant race.

[naivin]

Patrick425[/b]]Scoreboard watching is part of the fun, it's part of the pennant race.

 

I agree with that. I just think winning is more fun, and if this can help, I'm all for it. BTW, Schroeder suggested the same thing after last night's game. Don't know if he was speaking figuratively, but for what its worth...

[Patrick425]

Heck if we are going to go that far, they should not have scoreboards at all. Not even the score of the Brewer game. Maybe the players will think it's 0-0 all the time and won't be all "stressed-out". Maybe the fans make them nervous. They shouldn't allow anyone into the game. Or, maybe even being on TV makes them uptight. I say they don't televise games anymore.

 

I really hope there is no serious thought of doing something like this (not showing the Cub score). It would just be another thing (other than Yost's managing) that the rest of the league could get a good chuckle about.

[naivin]

Heck if we are going to go that far, they should not have scoreboards at all. Not even the score of the Brewer game. Maybe the players will think it's 0-0 all the time and won't be all "stressed-out". Maybe the fans make them nervous. They shouldn't allow anyone into the game. Or, maybe even being on TV makes them uptight. I say they don't televise games anymore.

 

I really hope there is no serious thought of doing something like this (not showing the Cub score). It would just be another thing (other than Yost's managing) that the rest of the league could get a good chuckle about.

 

Who cares, the point is to win the games.

 

Judging by your ridiculous comments above, is your position that the players weren't affected by knowing the stakes, last night in particular? If so, I'm assuming you watched a different game than I did. Its too late now anyway, but I will simply ask what would the harm be? What's the difference?...the rest of the league would chuckle (even though they wouldn't)? Who cares? They could chuckle all they when the Brewers take the field on Monday.

[Patrick425]

I understand your point and yes, my comments might have been a little ridiculous. However, I think the notion of blocking the scores to "calm the nerves" of the players is equally rediculous. My point was, how far do you want to take this? I'm sure that Colorodo and Philly have had full access to out of town scoreboards...doesn't seem to be bothering them at all. If the Brewers can not handle the pressure of the pennant race, then no, I would rather see a more deserving team than can handle the pressure go.

[naivin]

If the Brewers can not handle the pressure of the pennant race, then no, I would rather see a more deserving team than can handle the pressure go.

 

So, by that you mean the Cubs? Lord knows they 've been taking care of their business.