The baseball thread

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:55 am

jayakris wrote:
I am not sure if I should be impressed more by somebody from Hyderabad asking a fairly obscure baseball question, or about the Dallas writer's being curious about Hyderabadi food!

Jay

It appears to me that Vamsi M may have lived in Dallas area and is a fan of Texas Rangers before moving to Hyderabad (or may have sent his or her question while visiting Hyderabad). The Dallas Morning News writer picked up this question because it was a good one or because he wanted to show off his liking for Indian food. I lived in Dallas in mid-70's and there used to be just one Indian restaurant and now a new one opens every month or so. I am amazed at the variety of Indian restaurants in Dallas area - something that places like Chicago and Houston have had for many years.

Post by **jayakris** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:13 am

Yeah, but even among Indians who have lived in the US for over a couple of decades, I hardly find anybody who actually follows a US baseball team, much less know a whole lot about baseball's obscure stats and details. Among about 50-75 Indian families that I know around here in LA (basically those whom I meet at least in two get togethers in a year), I find only myself and one other dad (who had no choice because his son plays baseball in highschool) to know anything about baseball - and about 2/3rds of those people went to school in US colleges. So, this Vamsi must have been somewhat of a rare one to have warmed up to baseball while living in the US!

Jay

suresh · Post by **suresh** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:36 am

Jay,
Baseball is my favourite American sport and I follow (not surprisingly) the Phillies.
Suresh

gbelday · Post by **gbelday** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:54 am

Hey me too!! I spent hours in front of that YES network watching my Yankees! I also watch a lot of hockey (Go Rangers!) But cricket is my favorite sport. Talking about stats, did anyone read Moneyball by michael lewis? Really good book!

Kumar · Post by **Kumar** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:15 pm

I am a huge baseball fan... I got hooked into baseball during Sosa-McGwire home run chase and have been following it ever since.

I think these are the reasons that most indians in US follow american sports,

1) he is a sports fan
2) his local sports team is winning regularly (like Gautam with his yankees

). how come yankees always end on good end of the trade?

suresh · Post by **suresh** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:25 pm

The Phillies were dismal during my years in Philadelphia -- the Atlanta Braves were the team to beat. So my preference for baseball has nothing to do with the success of my local team. The Flyers were really good but I prefer baseball to ice-hockey or American football with basketball a close second.

Prashant · Post by **Prashant** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:28 pm

I will speak up for my beloved Red Sox here. I'm also a Patriots & a Celtics fan. Of those 3, the most fan energy has been devoted to the Patriots. I live in Chicago now, but after 11 years in Boston, that is my 'US home town'. And yes, I was just as devout a supporter of those teams in the down years before Boston became the dominant pro sports city in the US.

Post by **jayakris** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:33 pm

Yes, I knew there were quite a few baseball fans here. But we are such an eclectic group here anyway - it is only certain type of people who gravitate towards sports-india, you know. So, I would expect a much higher fraction of baseball fans gere than I would find in the general population of NRIs in the US.

I have been a Texas Rangers fans since 1989 when Franco, Sierra, Palmeiro, and Incaviglia were scoring runs like crazy and the Rangers kept losing like they have always done

... It requires certain masochist tendencies for one to be a Rangers fan ... but I am also an Indian hockey and Indian football fan - so I remain fully explained

Jay

gbelday · Post by **gbelday** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:39 pm

jayakris wrote: It requires certain masochist tendencies for one to be a Rangers fan Jay

President Bush?

Post by **jayakris** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:00 pm

Well, Bush owned the Rangers. Different than being a fan. I don't know if he is as much of a fan as any of us real fans. Once you own the team and have financial stakes in it, you are by definition not a fan - who is somebody who gets nothing tangible from the team whether they win or lose.

I don't know if Bush is masochist, but he certainly showed his poor "cowboy" decision-making tendencies by owning the Rangers and trying to make them better (like trying to help Iraq in the company of people who only had money-making ideas!). That should have been the best indication that he was not fit to be a president!

Jay

Atithee · Post by **Atithee** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:05 pm

Jay, most Indians I associate with (in the similar way you described) follow some American sports. I'd like to say that the order of popularity is NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL among the Indians I know. Perhaps MLB doesn't get as much attention among Indians (of my generation at least) because we are unable to look past cricket into the game (I admit that I can't either). The other thing is that the MLB teams play way too many games in a season. Sometimes I think that the owners just milk the national game and dilute the product. Personally, I get interested in MLB only around the pennant races. To some extent, NBA is doing the same thing (still only about half the MLB games: 82 to 162) but most of us have played or still shoot some balls occasionally with friends/kids. So it remains quite popular among Indians that I know.

For me, NFL is most attractive simply because of fewer teams and less than 20 games a season (each being quite meaningful) of which only about half are at home. For the record, I am a biLLLLs fan. Enough said! My other loyalties are to Pistons and Angels (good job putting the damn Yankees in their place). I don't follow the NHL much unless a local team is in contention.

BTW, after 20+ years of following pro sports, I am more enthusisastic about NCAA now.

Kumar · Post by **Kumar** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:59 pm

Prashant wrote:
I will speak up for my beloved Red Sox here.

your beloved Red sox may have just traded Manny to Dodgers in a three team trade. There is no way Redsox even make the play off from here... And next year, we may be ready to see Many in a yankees uniform, unless Dodgers decide to extend him.

Atithee · Post by **Atithee** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:17 pm

Kumar wrote:
Prashant wrote:
I will speak up for my beloved Red Sox here.
your beloved Red sox may have just traded Manny to Dodgers in a three team trade. There is no way Redsox even make the play off from here... And next year, we may be ready to see Many in a yankees uniform, unless Dodgers decide to extend him.

And then A-Rod in Boston next year?

Prashant · Post by **Prashant** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:56 pm

Kumar wrote:your beloved Red sox may have just traded Manny to Dodgers in a three team trade. There is no way Redsox even make the play off from here...

Don't remind me man, don't remind me. Love Manny, have tickets to four Red Sox-White Sox games in the next week, and now won't get to see him at all. Very sad for me.

The Sox have traded away two other beloved players (Nomar & Pedro) and been absolutely right to do so in hindsight on both. But with Manny, I think it is one or maybe two years too early. BTW, even next year, I only see him playing as a DH, Yankees or elsewhere.

Kumar · Post by **Kumar** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:24 am

Indian prospects pitch for Scouts - MLB.. when we would start seeing some sluggers join the race?

Indian Prospects pitch for scouts

The Sports-India Community

The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread

Re: The baseball thread