More players in the outfield than in the bleachers.
Last night, I watched the White Sox beat the Cubs in an exhibition game, part of the teams’ preparation for a truncated season. That season will be 60 games, if they’re lucky enough to finish; a normal season is 162 games.
There were no drunken brawls between the contentious fan bases in the stands, because there were no fans. Foul balls that reached the seats just bounced around.
The game was played at Wrigley Field, but the announcers we chose to watch sat in a booth at White Sox park and called the game from screens. Crowd noise was piped in through the PA system at Wrigley so the players and the viewers could hear it. Many players sat in stadium seats just behind the dugout to avoid crowding to keep them all spaced at safe distance. The organ played, but I don’t know if it was live or pre-recorded bursts.
On the one hand it was completely, utterly, weird. On the other hand, a great pitch looked like it always has, and so did a home run.
Though I still have mixed feelings about the endeavor—trying this hard for normalcy in abnormal times makes me dizzy—I’ll confess, I found it glorious.
Without most all the trappings associated with a typical MLB game and broadcast, I was delighted that the game remains the game. Jason Benetti and Steve Stone, the White Sox announcers, were so ecstatic about being back in the game that the weirdness took a back seat. (Benetti is practiced in remote baseball broadcasting—he’s been calling Korean games from home in the wee hours of the morning for a couple months now for ESPN.)
I don’t know how long it’ll last. They haven’t played a single real game yet. There has been no travel. The whole thing is fraught. And I hope no one suffers for the effort. I wouldn’t wish covid on my worst enemy (OK, there is one exception).
But for one night, baseball.
Also, did I mention? The White Sox beat the Cubs, 7-3.
Did you have some peanuts and crackerjacks? And a beer? Did you pay yourself $10 for that beer?
I hope the players have fun but I think the piped in fan noise is a bit weird.
Al, this is a great savings plan–give myself $10 for every cheap beer!
Being a total cero when it comes to baseball, absorbing some of your enthusiasm makes me want to learn something about this very important part of American society. Hm, I now have more time.
Well, whenever it may be possible, let’s watch a game together!
I loved it! And Stone and Benetti were great.
I’m with you, Lora! I love those two and they clearly enjoy each other. Cheers!
And we love the fact that, in their booth, prior to Covid, they did not practice social distancing.
Did you notice that all piped in crowd noise is not created equal? Wrigley noise is actually pretty good, as far as it goes. The worst I have heard is from Minute Maid Park (don’t you hate that name) in Houston. Their baseline crowd noise sounds like a very loud air-conditioner in the broadcaster’s booth.
Yes I have! I feel like the first games were all simply the low murmur but broadcast teams (some) have gotten better about varying it by plays. There was even game where it went to a 3-2 count in a big situation and increased crowd noise was very realistic.
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