Internet at the ballpark

I’m back on the weird schedule and only catching the last couple minutes of games on television. Generally, I find other things about the schedule redeeming and can get over it, (don’t have to wake up at any particular time… well, that’s really the main one) but last night I particularly wished that I’d been able to see more of the game.

Not merely because a resounding offensive performance, and a well pitched game would have been balm for the weary soul of a blogger disheartened by the recent tribulations in the Bronx, but also because the Shea faithful apparently launched a full-on “vote Lo Duca” campaign to get the fiery, blue-color catcher voted onto the All-Star ballot, where he was trailing by a significant margin.

The campaign was apparently somewhat successful. Although the catcher himself, according to his post-game comments, did not take to the polls, some of his teammates did. Carlos Delgado, who also had a break out night hitting 2 of 4, with a homer, claimed that he voted on-line five times in the fifth inning.

Wait a minute, how?…I guess it is pretty naïve of me, in this information day and age, but clubhouses are wired for internet? Really? Is it wireless? Do players bring laptops with them to the game? Or is there just a public terminal and they all take turns checking their e-mail between innings? Or did Delgado use a blackberry? Or is web access a privilege reserved for senior players (perhaps they are allowed to go into the manager’s office, which logically would have a web connection), and Carlos Gomez has to go home to write himself in for the all-star ballot?

I’m really curious. I guess, I’d also like to take a good look at some complicated statistics about batting averages, ERAs, on-base percentages, and all that before and after the installation of the internet. Or are their still parks that don’t have web access in them, and what do statistics look like in those parks as compared to the ones that do?

I guess I’m going to start posting more during games, so that the Metropolitans will be able to take my insight and wisdom onto the field with them, in real time.