The Baltimore Sun’s Peter Schmuck compares the O’s Godzillatron dispute to his own recent experiences shopping for a new TV set.
I settled on a state-of-the-art Mitsubishi 1080p, but I talked to a guy who told me that if I just wait a few more years, I can get a holographic projector that will allow me to actually replace Steve McNair in the huddle and call plays for the Ravens.
That’s pretty appealing, but my old TV was as dead as the Adam LaRoche deal and I really wanted to see Grey’s Anatomy in Hi-Def. I figured that there will always be something new and better on the horizon, but at some point you just have to take the plunge. It’s sort of like marriage, except when you choose the wrong TV, it doesn’t end up with half of everything you own.
This is where the Orioles and I part company. They initially endorsed the plan to replace the failing Sony JumboTron that towers over center field, but withheld final approval based on the expectation that a more advanced video board would be available in the not-too-distant future.
The team got a temporary restraining order Friday to keep the Maryland Stadium Authority from going ahead with the new Mitsubishi DiamondVision. The Orioles want a bigger, better sound and video system (at state expense, of course) and – as much as Peter Angelos (above) hates to sue people – the club went to the mat to make sure that New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox fans get the best possible scoreboard experience when they show up at Oriole Park next season.
I’m sure Angelos feels he should be applauded for trying to squeeze the maximum upgrade out of the stadium authority, but this really looks more like an argument over who gets to hold the giant remote control.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jeff Gordon writes that the mooted shift of Braden Looper into the Cards’ starting rotation “would redefine desperation,” which is perhaps why I am so eager to see it happen.
While the Rangers have replaced Gary Matthews Jr. with the youthful, sprightly Kenny Lofton, there’s great news for Omar Vizquiel out of Motown this morning : Jose Mesa will not pitch in the National League next season.