Quit messin’ wit’ my box scores

BoxScore7

With the advent of the digital era, we as baseball fans now have a bevy of sports information at our fingertips.  We have baseball data galore, streaming video, analysis all of it coming to our screen even to our mobile devices. 

That was pretty apparent when I was standing next to three Cub fans at the Illinois game last Saturday.  Between pitches, they would refresh their smart phones so they could check on the progress of the Cubs-Cardinals game. 

Unfortunately, with progress in one area, we step back in one or two others.  Do a search on “Where are the box scores?” in your favorite search engine and you’ll find more than a smattering of articles or even letters to the editors complaining about newspapers no longer printing box scores in their sports section. 

An argument can be made which I will not refute that print newspapers have seen better days and are on their decline.  Whether their demise is here and now, is quite debatable.  And not doubt it’s true, a lot of newspapers in smaller markets have legitimate financial reasons to cut back on sports coverage.

Also interesting are those newspaper outlets who still print or post boxscores on their web site and use it as a marketing tool.  Like Freep.com.  No, they’re not like those other papers.  

Even among web-delivered stats and box scores there has been a trade-off.  For years, I’ve enjoyed the USA Today’s section for one simple reason… in years past, they’ve displayed their box scores in a one-page format.  A year or two ago, they “enhanced” it slightly but it only required one click to expand all box scores. 

But the full box scores page on UST is no longer.  They’ve taken the “Box Scores” link down.  Unless, I’m missing something, they no longer do that forcing us web browsers to click back and forth for each game. 

The reason is simple from USA Today’s (and ESPN’s and MLB.com’s etc) perspective.  It means more click-throughs and more ad views and therefore more ad revenue.  

Maybe I’m being picky.  But my time is valuable and I’d just as soon scroll down a page.  I will give USA Today credit for keeping their Stats by Team in a one-page format for each league.  That is still pretty handy. 

Quit messin’ wit’ the box scores.  Analysis is great but it’s only opinion.  Box scores are the reality of baseball.

8 thoughts on “Quit messin’ wit’ my box scores”

  1. I have been searching and searching for box scores on a single page. Looks like the USA Today single page format is back!

    http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/baseball/mlb/game/combined/2011/03/15

    Of course, it auto refreshes every 2 minutes, which is annoying. Fortunately, if you’re browsing with Firefox, you can turn off the auto refresh in order to enjoy your box scores in relative peace and quiet. Turn off auto refresh with Tools >> Options >> Advanced >> General >> Accessibility -> Warn me when web sites try to redirect or reload the page

  2. Either I, or the guys posting the hyperlinks missed the point of the Zealots lament. Gonne, or at the very least, unfound by me, is a one page set up, that shows not the score, but each hitter and pitchers line for each game.

    Your managing a fantasy team and your team is playing the team ahead of you and your pitching Sabathia, who happens to have started today. How did he do? Or you have a home run derby team and you want to see how your sluggers did today. (thank you ESPN, they have a “who homered today” page).

    But the 1 page, all teams box scores appears to have gone the way of the dodo. And the zealot is dead on, as to why. Advertising money is determined by traffic. So you can have 1 “visit,” or possibly 15.

    Thanks for the good work Z, if you find a 1 page source, please pass it on.

    Doc

  3. Guys, nice to know I’m not the only one. Pls, if anyone finds it let me know.

    Ive been doing my own team by team hitters and pitchers excel spreadsheet every week using the USAT page they kept open.It takes a couple hrs but worth it. Print or view on smartphoneit helps.

    Cheers

  4. It boggles the mind that no single web page of all day’s boxscores exists — given all the websites in the world, all the fantasy managers and MLB bettors and casual fans and web hobbyists and so on. Millions and millions of people pay attention to baseball — and yet not one website carries on the tradition of the print newspaper, offering all box scores on a single page?

    Just incredible — but it seems to be true! I’ve been hunting for hours with no luck. Used to use USA Today, but naturally they changed their format. Surely, someone or some site will fill this void… right? LOL

  5. Oh wait… that’s basically the same link that Justin posted two years ago! LOL I haven’t had enough coffee yet this morning.

    I didn’t even try Justin’s link after reading subsequent comments that others were still looking for it, and having hunted around the USA Today site and having my previous USA Today box scores bookmark redirecting to the main sports page.

    Sorry for being such a dummy! LOL enjoy.

  6. Looks like the links provided above don’t work. Can anyone post a link where I can view ALL the previous days boxscores on one page???

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