Interleague play is fun to watch as a fan but I probably would be as supportive of these games if not for my stake in a major rivalry. Chicago looks forward all winter for the two crosstown games. First Cubs tickets sold out? The three home games against the White Sox. Vice versa. Chipper Jones admits it's fun to play in different cities and in front of new crowds. With interleague play starting back up this weekend, he'd also like you to know it blow when your competition has a weaker schedule.
“Is it fun? Yeah. It’s fun playing in new cities. It’s fun playing in front of new crowds, it’s fun playing new teams,” Jones said. “What’s not fun is when they’re all contenders and your competition doesn’t have to play the same competition you do.”
What Jones most dislikes is the recently added wrinkle that requires teams to play so-called regional rivals in home-and-home series each season, such as Braves-Red Sox, Yankees-Mets and Angels-Dodgers.
“It’s a factor (in the pennant race),” Jones said. “We play Boston six times, and they’ve got the best record in the American League. We play the top three teams in the toughest division in baseball (the AL Central). We, without a doubt, have the toughest schedule in baseball, bar none. You don’t play in our division and play the interleague schedule we play and not say we don’t have the toughest schedule.
The point of contention is in regards to those regional rivalries. Some or real, many are forced. Cubs playing the White Sox every year makes sense. Yanks-Mets, etc. Braves and Red Sox? Not really. Atlanta will have to play arguable the best team in baseball, while other top teams in the NL won't have to face Boston.
If this a legit complaint and issue, or do you think it's a poor excuse?
Source: (Signal to Noise)
more
