Jumping Ship?

[Warner2BruceTD]

I wish my team was a big market team that raped and pillaged the small market teams, bought championships, and lived in the playoffs.

To each his own, I suppose.

[killgod]

:joeybats:

[EmpireWF]

As a fan of a team who once spent money like it was going out of style (ironically, for them, IT WAS), but now has cut almost a third of the payroll.....I miss "meaningful games in September" so badly.

No light at the end of the tunnel isn't a good thing. :duda:

[Len B]

That is exactly why I stopped being a Yankees fan back in 2001 (I officially turned against them midway through the World Series against the Diamondbacks). I hated the "buy championships" mentality and the arrogant fans were starting to piss me off. Crazy thing is that I was only 10 years old at the time I came to this conclusion.

Later on I fell in love with the concept of Moneyball and started rooting for the A's for a few years. Then I went to Citizens Bank Park for the first time in 2007 I believe, loved the atmosphere and rooted for the Phillies for a couple seasons. But as I got older I realized I couldn't possibly consider myself a fan of the Phils (or any other team) because I couldn't share the same feelings and emotions of finally winning a championship the way longtime fans could.

Baseball has always been my favorite sport overall and it saddens me that I don't have a team, but that's just how it's gonna have to be. Maybe if theres another expansion team down the road but it still won't feel the same.

If I were you, I wouldn't even bother trying to root for a new team. Just get heavily involved with Fantasy Baseball to keep your interest in the sport/players.

This is what I think will happen, but it really saddens me. Nothing beats seeing "your team" succeed.

[Guest]

I think MvP has the most valid suggestion. Even with the futility I have to endure as a fan of my teams- the Redskins and Orioles, and to a lesser extent the Capitals (can I at least get a conference finals from you guys?) I still couldn't imagine rooting for any other team.

I know I say that a lot about the Orioles, and how I want to root for another team, but chances are I would just forget about the Orioles and focus on fantasy baseball. I actually used to run a dynasty league that is starting its eighth season, so I would probably look to get involved in one of those again.

[MvP]

Another issue with rooting for another team is that you have to be very dedicated to it due to the 162 game season. Since ESPN only talks about and shows highlights of the big-market teams (basically Yanks/Sox), you're gonna have to be on MLB.com checking box scores and highlights almost every day. This may sound easy for the majority of sports fans on this website, but for a non-diehard fan, it's difficult. It takes more dedication to follow an out-of-state team in the MLB than in any other sport.

[Slateman]

I guess I did that with the Orioles.

Part of it was the Nationals coming to DC in 2005. But mainly it was how awful Peter Angelos was during the whole process.

[FirstTimer]

I grew up loving baseball in the 1990's, it was my favorite sport. I remember watching the Red Sox play as many nights as I could for an ADD 8 year old. Growing up on the Rocket, Mo Vaughn, Mike Greenwell, Tim Naehring, John Valentin, Troy O'Leary, etc. was such a fun time.

After the 2004 season, I lost all interest in baseball as a whole, specifically because the Boston Red Sox fan base and their management style. In 2007, I played an exhibition Madden game against my roomate as the Sox beat the Rockies to win the World Series.

I love everything about the game, but I hate everything the Red Sox stand for. Is it wrong of me to abandon the local yahoo's (minus Yawkey, kyhadley, etc.) and to start rooting for a random team that's never really had any success? I need to find a way to get back into it, and what a better way then to follow a team such as the Kansas City Royals or Oakland Athletics, aka all hail the small market team?

Is there anything wrong with this? Anyone ever jumped ship on a team before? It feels weird to me, because New England sports is all I really know, but in order to get back into the game I feel it has to be done.

I jumped ship from the Cardinals to the Cubs years ago on the NL side of things. I grew up a Cardinals(and Red Sox fan) because my dad was. Well I live in an area more saturated with Cubs coverage so over time I started knowing more/following the Cubs more and that grew into fandom.

I still remember waking up and reading Cardinals boxscores though. Loved me some Brian Jordan, Ron Gant, and Ray Lankford. Rick Ankiel is still one of my favorite players etc.

Two reasons...

1) They despised everything the Yankees were about, then just souled their soul (sic) to achieve their success. Buying championships and throwing money at any player that's a free agent isn't my idea of fun. Always been the guy who built up bad teams in video games since I was young.

2) The fucking fans... just awful. I've never seen a worse fan base. New England Patriots fans are much better than Red Sox fans. I could write a 300 page essay on how bad the fans of the Red Sox are.

I'd disagree a bit about "buying ships" Especially in 2004 and 2007. Thos teams were built on some pretty decent trades plus some nice signings and some nice homegrown talent. But I can see your point. The "woe is me shit" gets old from the fanbase but I generally ignore that.

As far as fanbases go, The Red Sox IMO are one of the better ones in baseball and comapred to Chicago fans...well they are brilliant. You live around them more though but I will say this, the ones who talk the most seem to be the dumbest and most meatheaded, but that goes for any fanbase really so i think coupled with you wanting to make a change to start with the fan issue seems worse than it actually is. Just my two cents.

As far as a team to follow....Tough call. I'd say it'd come down to: Cubs. Maybe St Louis. Coming from Boston you'll want a team with some history behind it. The Braves would be a great one as well. Easy to follow. Really good young talent. Good/interesting history. Easy to follow nationally thanks to DirecTV.

I'd lean towards the Braves though.

[Sharkweather]

Easy to follow nationally thanks to TBS.

Wut?

Ted Turner doesn't own the Braves anymore.

[FirstTimer]

Wut?

Ted Turner doesn't own the Braves anymore.

Could have sworn TBS still shows a shit ton of their games. Maybe I'm confusing them with MLB Netowrk of the local Fox Sports statio. DirecTV and the million channels I get fucks with my head. I know I saw A LOT of Braves baseball last year.

Yeah it's the regional SPorts I'm picking up along with the MLB Extra Innings and MLB Network.

My bad. I still say go with the Braves. They seem to always have a solid national broadcast schedule too because of a pretty damn strong national fanbase.

Plus it's an easy transition for you Len, they used to be from Boston.

[Golden Taters]

Become a Mariners fan, we suck and have never made the World Series.

[NAHSTE]

Len, don't you live in New Hampshire? Might I suggest the Blue Jays? You get all of their prospects coming through the AA affiliate, the Fisher Cats. At least then you'll have some sort of personal connection to the team by following the kids through the farm system. Plus they are scrappy underdogs who are still decently fun to follow and watch, and you get to cheer against the evil empires.

Could have sworn TBS still shows a shit ton of their games. Maybe I'm confusing them with MLB Netowrk of the local Fox Sports statio. DirecTV and the million channels I get fucks with my head. I know I saw A LOT of Braves baseball last year.

Yeah it's the regional SPorts I'm picking up along with the MLB Extra Innings and MLB Network.

My bad. I still say go with the Braves. They seem to always have a solid national broadcast schedule too because of a pretty damn strong national fanbase.

Plus it's an easy transition for you Len, they used to be from Boston.

LOL at people who still think TBS shows Braves games exclusively. They show a national broadcast every Sunday, maybe like 3-5 a year include the Braves. TBS stopped airing the Braves in 2007 or '08 so they could get playoff baseball and increase their national presence.

Another issue with rooting for another team is that you have to be very dedicated to it due to the 162 game season. Since ESPN only talks about and shows highlights of the big-market teams (basically Yanks/Sox), you're gonna have to be on MLB.com checking box scores and highlights almost every day. This may sound easy for the majority of sports fans on this website, but for a non-diehard fan, it's difficult. It takes more dedication to follow an out-of-state team in the MLB than in any other sport.

Not with an mlb.tv account!

:sammysosadatass:

[Mogriffjr]

Become a Rays fan...

or Mets, they seem to want to do it the right way with building up a team...besides u can come suffer with me and empire...

[Villain]

If you root for a Chicago team you get to catch some games on WGN. If you root for the Dodgers you get to be a fan during a new era with a new owner. If you root for the A's you get the opportunity to be excited about the development of an awesome young prospect only to see him traded away just at or before his prime.

[Woy]

Root for the Cardinals because I root for them.