How cool would this be?

[Love The Game]

I've had this idea for a while. Obviously I'm a huge baseball fan and intrigued by every aspect. How cool would it be if all the players were equipped with a miniature microphone so you could hear everything they said during the games. Ever wonder what they are saying when you see a batter talking to the catcher as he gets to the plate? Or when a player reaches base and talks to the guy on the other team? Mound conferences? Or the best yet, the heated arguments between players/ coaches and umpires. It would be amazing!! Trash talk and name calling in football and basketball? Oh, man! Obviously this would have to be on a HBO type network due to the profanity and unfortunately, I don't have the loot to embark on this endeavor. Anyone who does, feel free to steal my idea because the privledge of being able to watch sports like this would be payment enough.

[108stitches]

It is a pretty cool concept. However, these games would have to be rated 'R' or some such thing and possibly recorded and played back later in the evening. It would add more realism to the telecast. We would have no need for Joe Morgan. :clapping:silent:

[Dalkowski110]

" How cool would it be if all the players were equipped with a miniature microphone so you could hear everything they said during the games. "

Approximately 80% of the game would be bleeped out.

[Love The Game]

" How cool would it be if all the players were equipped with a miniature microphone so you could hear everything they said during the games. "

Approximately 80% of the game would be bleeped out.

True, thats why it would have to be on a cable network such as HBO or Showtime.

[14Bravesfan14]

I don't really like this idea. It takes away from the fans being able to say "i bet he is saying this" or "i bet they are talking about doing that" i like when they mic up the players before the games and we are able to hear them joke around with their teammates. I don't really like when ESPN and FOX interview the managers during games, it seems to me like they need to be focused and not bothered by people like Joe Morgan

[DownUnderDodger]

In many 20/20 cricket matches some selected players are "miked up" but are only available for contact or listening to when the commentators flick the switch. There are also cameras in the stumps in major cricket matches, more so for action shots than conversation, although they do pick up some chat. Based on what maybe said on any sporting field an open :radio would be recipe for problems, especially with the strict censorship rules in USA. Interesting thought but totally unworkable in my opinion.

[Mattingly]

I've had this idea for a while. Obviously I'm a huge baseball fan and intrigued by every aspect. How cool would it be if all the players were equipped with a miniature microphone so you could hear everything they said during the games. Ever wonder what they are saying when you see a batter talking to the catcher as he gets to the plate? Or when a player reaches base and talks to the guy on the other team? Mound conferences? Or the best yet, the heated arguments between players/ coaches and umpires. It would be amazing!! Trash talk and name calling in football and basketball? Oh, man! Obviously this would have to be on a HBO type network due to the profanity and unfortunately, I don't have the loot to embark on this endeavor. Anyone who does, feel free to steal my idea because the privledge of being able to watch sports like this would be payment enough.
About the only people I've ever considered this for would be the catcher and manager, since they have more potential to control the game more than anyone else on the team.

If, say, a catcher knows that his pitcher doesn't have it, what's his pitch selection? Does he tell the pitcher to keep it just a little wide, keep teasing with the breaking ball? Does he call for the high heat that batters seem to love chasing for strike 3? Or does he call for the strike 3 pitch to be the same as the strike 1 pitch?

I also wouldn't mind knowing what a manager's tendencies were with things like hit-and-runs, bunts, steals, telling their batter that a single is all that's needed to untie the game (stop trying to hit that 5-run HR to the next state!), etc. When his team is fielding, how does he interact with his pitching and bench coaches for where guys should be placed on the field, should pitchouts be thrown, reminding outfielders to cut off the guy from advancing to 2B, keeping the DP alive. Even if it's a simple "This guy needs to throw more curves and a few more changeups, since the 4-seamer's not working" to the pitch coach.

The mound conferences would seem interesting, since you get interaction from the pitch coach, catcher, the 4 other infielders and possibly the manager until the ump breaks it up a minute later. How do they strategize to get that guy out? What patterns have they seen in his swing, what he chases and is vulnerable to, that they can exploit, and if he's a fastball hitter, will they avoid throwing that down the middle? Inquiring baseball minds (or perhaps just mine) would like to know. :D

I don't think much about what guys say to one another when they reach the plate. Does "Hey, Bob, how's the wife and kids?" interest you? Or would "So Juan, is that restaurant you opened getting many catering orders?" seem better? Nahhhh. I could get that by going to the park and seeing some people I know. That's like me asking Warren Buffett about his breakfast, instead of solid investment advice. What's the purpose in the end?

I don't think that the MLBPA would allow this, since players would have to worried about being sued for every word that they say. If a player, especially one who's married, has a few significant others in various cities, do they really want this info made public, ruining their squeaky clean image? If they think that their manager or an opposing player is a complete idiot or a jerk, would they appreciate this being aired?

What if they said that the umps routinely squeezes their pitchers with a tiny strike zone, and they never get the call for borderline pitches or bang-bang plays? Would any player really want to risk a fine over this? To my knowledge, an ump can be called out for some things, so long as not arguing balls and strikes. However, if a player says "No way that was a strike", he may let that pass, given that the player's body language hasn't strongly demonstrated his pleasure with the call. Adding a mic only proves what was said and I could imagine umps being much more sensitive to even mild disagreements that are whispered under the player's breath, knowing that this would make the TV sports story and the papers the next morning.

Overall, very risky if a premium cable channel did a weekly special on this, and even worse, I believe if Fox mic'd everyone. We'd never hear the end of what was said, since the players and/or coaches couldn't live down what was said. Presuming people want games played live, rather than tape delay, I don't see this being viable if implemented.

[nyyfan]

I also thought about this. I think it would be really cool also. I did think that the players do deserve some privacy and I thought that some players could volunteer to have a mic.

[ipitch]

For now, you'll just have to live with these...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-mqXodn5mQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-4FSRYagc

[Love The Game]

For now, you'll just have to live with these...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-mqXodn5mQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-4FSRYagc

That's what I'm talking about--great stuff. Although, I do agree that it would be impossible for this to happen due to many of the reasons people have mentioned in this post and a myriad of others. Nice to dream.

[Allie Fox]

HOW COOL WOULD IT BE if Manny Ramirez played for Billy Martin?!?

[gman5431]

Let's not turn sports into sitcoms. There is a reason i love one and dislike the other.

G Man

[dgarza]

Let's not turn sports into sitcoms. Bad News Bears? Coach?

[dgarza]

To get a real feel, it would be interesting to have all the voices playing simulatiously.
To add even more realism to the concpect, voices would be layered depending on where "you" where listening in on the field. From the batter's perspective, the catcher would be loudest, SS softer, and RF very distant.
As a pitcher, you could hear most of the IF equally.

[Love The Game]

Let's not turn sports into sitcoms. There is a reason i love one and dislike the other.

G Man

It would be more like true reality TV than a sitcom. Don't be suprised if something along these lines happens one day. There would be a ton of money in it, if it could ever get done.

[gman5431]

It would be more like true reality TV than a sitcom. Don't be suprised if something along these lines happens one day. There would be a ton of money in it, if it could ever get done.

True - and reality TV sucks too. I agree, it probably will happen one day, for all the wrong reasons, the money - just like many other moves throughout the history of baseball.

G Man

[Captain Cold Nose]

True - and reality TV sucks too. I agree, it probably will happen one day, for all the wrong reasons, the money - just like many other moves throughout the history of baseball.

G Man

Unless the players will get a big share of that, I don't see the Union allowing for that much of a violation of the players' privacy.

[gman5431]

Unless the players will get a big share of that, I don't see the Union allowing for that much of a violation of the players' privacy.

A deal could be reached where everyone gets rich. I agree it would be quite a discussion starter and people would turn in to see/hear it.

G Man

[Captain Cold Nose]

A deal could be reached where everyone gets rich. I agree it would be quite a discussion starter and people would turn in to see/hear it.

G Man

They're already rich. There already is a multi-billion dollar broadcasting contract in place. How much more could this little bit make them?

I have to side with my co-mod here. Since there is far more limited interaction in baseball than in other team sports, the opportunities for actual interesting chatter are limited in contrast to what would amount to a lot of dead air.

[Love The Game]

They're already rich. There already is a multi-billion dollar broadcasting contract in place. How much more could this little bit make them?

I have to side with my co-mod here. Since there is far more limited interaction in baseball than in other team sports, the opportunities for actual interesting chatter are limited in contrast to what would amount to a lot of dead air.

I would have to disagree. While the other major sports have more dialogue, we're talking about baseball here. In the dugout, on the field, on the mound, with the umpires, in the bullpen, between players and coaches, celebrations after big offensive and defensive plays, etc, etc. There are hundreds of conversations/interactions/reactions that take place during he course of a ball game that would be extremely intersting to hardcore baseball fans.

[spark240]

If I was on the field, I wouldn't think it was cool at all.

[Captain Cold Nose]

I would have to disagree. While the other major sports have more dialogue, we're talking about baseball here. In the dugout, on the field, on the mound, with the umpires, in the bullpen, between players and coaches, celebrations after big offensive and defensive plays, etc, etc. There are hundreds of conversations/interactions/reactions that take place during he course of a ball game that would be extremely intersting to hardcore baseball fans.

Perhaps. But if the dugouts and mounds were miked so those baseball-related conversations involving strategy could be heard by anyone, that would mean the opposing team would be just as privvy as the people at home. Again, something teams may not be so willing to do, let the enemy hear what's going on.

[gman5431]

They're already rich? When has that ever been an explaination for not getting bigger and bigger. Why didnt A-Rod sign with Pittsburgh last season, he could have up-ed for 2 mill a year, he was already rich. They are always looking to maximize revenues and get richer and richer.

Let me make this clear, i hate the idea. But i could definately see the morons who run baseball stupid enough to try it sometime down the way.

G Man

[Captain Cold Nose]

They're already rich? When has that ever been an explaination for not getting bigger and bigger. Why didnt A-Rod sign with Pittsburgh last season, he could have up-ed for 2 mill a year, he was already rich. They are always looking to maximize revenues and get richer and richer.

Let me make this clear, i hate the idea. But i could definately see the morons who run baseball stupid enough to try it sometime down the way.

G Man

I think you're really overstating the money-making opportunities miking the players will involve. How is this "bigger and bigger"? This isn't some boon idea. They've been miking coaches and even players in football for quite some time. Yet the NFL's profits don't grow because of some gimmick. And the morons who run baseball, as you call them, didn't get to where they are through gimmicks like this one, which is all this is. No one's going to throw millions and millions out there just to enhance a broadcast. This isn't new, this isn't change, this isn't progress. This won't be that big if it's even allowed.

[ipitch]

I don't think it would work for a live game, but they could put the best clips together and make it into a TV show or maybe put them on a DVD. NFL Films has miked a lot of football coaches over the years, and the clips are fantastic.

Hank Stram: "Keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys!"
"You can't do that in OUR league!".

Marv Levy: "Over-officious jerks!''

[Captain Cold Nose]

I don't think it would work for a live game, but they could put the best clips together and make it into a TV show or maybe put them on a DVD. NFL Films has miked a lot of football coaches over the years, and the clips are fantastic.

Hank Stram: "Keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys!"
"You can't do that in OUR league!".

Marv Levy: "Over-officious jerks!''

The ones they've done on players, like Steve Atwater and Ray Lewis, have also been fantastic. I am not against having it on occasion on one or two particualr players or coaches. But too much is way too much for this. Big Brother helps no one.

[westsidegrounds]

It is a pretty cool concept. However, these games would have to be rated 'R' or some such thing and possibly recorded and played back later in the evening. It would add more realism to the telecast. We have no need for Joe Morgan. :clapping:silent:

I fixed the typo in your post. No charge!

[Rockhound]

I don't really like this idea. It takes away from the fans being able to say "i bet he is saying this" or "i bet they are talking about doing that" i like when they mic up the players before the games and we are able to hear them joke around with their teammates. I don't really like when ESPN and FOX interview the managers during games, it seems to me like they need to be focused and not bothered by people like Joe Morgan

I couldn't agree more. I don't want to know what every player, manager, or umpire says because it takes away from the game and the enjoyment. There needs to be a certain amount of "unknown" in the game of baseball because that what draws me to the games. Just give me a scorecard, a pencil, and a hotdog w/ mustard and I'm ready to go.:nod:

[RationalNYYfan]

I don't like this idea, because there are a lot of a baseball players who would have their prestine image tarnished by simple swear words. Derek Jeter, in all his wonderfulness, probably swears all the time. It would make the players way too self-conscious.

It might be cool to listen to what the players are saying during brawls, but that's about it.

[14Bravesfan14]

I couldn't agree more. I don't want to know what every player, manager, or umpire says because it takes away from the game and the enjoyment. There needs to be a certain amount of "unknown" in the game of baseball because that what draws me to the games. Just give me a scorecard, a pencil, and a hotdog w/ mustard and I'm ready to go.:nod:

With all the technology and everything out there today I bet less than half of baseball fans even know how to keep a scorecard. I love to keep score and could really care less what the players are saying ,I watch the game to see them pitch, hit, throw ,run and field not talk.

[Rockhound]

With all the technology and everything out there today I bet less than half of baseball fans even know how to keep a scorecard. I love to keep score and could really care less what the players are saying ,I watch the game to see them pitch, hit, throw ,run and field not talk.

Amen brother! I think fewer than half know how to keep score, and even a fewer percentage could care less about keeping score. Besides, why keep score when there's a giant hi-def scoreboard. Well, I don't trust scoreboards. How cool is it to be able to document an entire game of baseball the way Henry Chadwick did back in the days with just pencil and paper.:nod: