Last Ditch MLB Thread

[Jockey]

Does Larry Walker make it in his final year on the ballot? With the weak list on the ballot - only Jeter is a sure bet, it looks like this could be Walker's year.


One other thing!!!! I beg, absolutely beg, that NOBODY engage with one particular poster who has managed to shut down the baseball thread twice. We have had many discussions / arguments that have stayed respectful and interesting. One guy changes the entire dynamic.

IGNORE HIM!!!!!!!

[lawdog77]

POLITICS...JUST KIDDING

On a serious question. I was a Huge baseball fan as a kid...back in the late 70's early 80's. Played it every day I could. Watched the game of the week, and WGN. Knew all of the stats, historical ones as well. Now I can't watch half of an inning. How do I convince my kid to give it a chance? Or is baseball dead?

[Cheeks]

Larry Walker does not make it

[wadesworld]

The Brewers new logos and uniforms are incredible.

[The Sultan]

Very cool.  Nice modern look with the cool logo.

[CreightonWarrior]

I'm really digging them

[tower912]

Wife's extended family and their dairy farm seen a few times in the video showing the logo and history of the franchise and logo.

[🏀]

Yeah, the Brewers hit a home run with the rebrand. It's like the past tipped them into a good decision going full time retro.

[dgies9156]

On a serious question. I was a Huge baseball fan as a kid...back in the late 70's early 80's. Played it every day I could. Watched the game of the week, and WGN. Knew all of the stats, historical ones as well. Now I can't watch half of an inning. How do I convince my kid to give it a chance? Or is baseball dead?

It's not dead, but it manages to shoot itself in the foot very nicely every few years. Like you, I grew up to love baseball. Many on the board know I am a very loyal St. Louis Cardinal fan. I can go to a game in person and enjoy myself, but the reality is watching it on TV is about as hard as watching TV golf.

One of the big problems baseball has is that it has no local loyalty anymore. Yeah, players always have been traded and, occasionally, big names moved. But since free agency, baseball has been about money -- to the detriment of everything else. I remember as a kid in Nashville waiting in line to shake hands with Mickey Mantle. Or meeting Eddie Matthews and Phil Niekro at a Braves caravan. Today, their descendants would charge out the nose for the same minute or so I had with each of those superstars.

Likewise, certain superstars were identified with a city. Mantle with the Yankees. Banks with the Cubs. Schmidt with the Phillies. Kaline, Freehan, Lolich et al with those godawful Detroit Tigers. Killebrew with the Twins etc. Musial, Brock, Gibson, Ozzie with the Cardinals.

The breaking point for me was Albert Pujols. Yeah, I know, he was a Cardinal. It was probably better for the team that he left and the money spent elsewhere. But the circumstances surrounding his departure from St. Louis were sad. The Cardinals offered Mr. Pujols $300 million and the chance to be revered the way Musial had been in St. Louis -- as in forever. For $48 million more of Artie Moreno's money, he went to California, where he has not been seen nor heard from since. Plus his obnoxious wife said he was dishonored because the Cardinals wouldn't match the Angels' offer.

If we were arguing about $2.0 million versus $4.0 million or $5.0 million, OK I get it. We're arguing about the difference between a good life and a very comfortable one. But $300 million versus $348 million -- uhh, most of us little people have no clue what those numbers mean. And I question whether there was anything more than greed and probably vanity involved.

Pujols is the poster child for, "Are you kidding me?" He's made a boatload of money but too many like him are slowly destroying the game that pays them.

[Jockey]

POLITICS...JUST KIDDING

On a serious question. I was a Huge baseball fan as a kid...back in the late 70's early 80's. Played it every day I could. Watched the game of the week, and WGN. Knew all of the stats, historical ones as well. Now I can't watch half of an inning. How do I convince my kid to give it a chance? Or is baseball dead?

Dgies made some excellent points.

To your point, I too grew up on WGN. Also, played ball every day in the summer. Now, I never see kids playin'.

Too much sooner, skateboarding, and video games. To people (kids) who don't play, it seems like a slow moving, boring game. As you know, you were never bored playing it as a kid.

I wish I could give s solution.

[Lennys Tap]

It's not dead, but it manages to shoot itself in the foot very nicely every few years. Like you, I grew up to love baseball. Many on the board know I am a very loyal St. Louis Cardinal fan. I can go to a game in person and enjoy myself, but the reality is watching it on TV is about as hard as watching TV golf.

One of the big problems baseball has is that it has no local loyalty anymore. Yeah, players always have been traded and, occasionally, big names moved. But since free agency, baseball has been about money -- to the detriment of everything else. I remember as a kid in Nashville waiting in line to shake hands with Mickey Mantle. Or meeting Eddie Matthews and Phil Niekro at a Braves caravan. Today, their descendants would charge out the nose for the same minute or so I had with each of those superstars.

Likewise, certain superstars were identified with a city. Mantle with the Yankees. Banks with the Cubs. Schmidt with the Phillies. Kaline, Freehan, Lolich et al with those godawful Detroit Tigers. Killebrew with the Twins etc. Musial, Brock, Gibson, Ozzie with the Cardinals.

The breaking point for me was Albert Pujols. Yeah, I know, he was a Cardinal. It was probably better for the team that he left and the money spent elsewhere. But the circumstances surrounding his departure from St. Louis were sad. The Cardinals offered Mr. Pujols $300 million and the chance to be revered the way Musial had been in St. Louis -- as in forever. For $48 million more of Artie Moreno's money, he went to California, where he has not been seen nor heard from since. Plus his obnoxious wife said he was dishonored because the Cardinals wouldn't match the Angels' offer.

If we were arguing about $2.0 million versus $4.0 million or $5.0 million, OK I get it. We're arguing about the difference between a good life and a very comfortable one. But $300 million versus $348 million -- uhh, most of us little people have no clue what those numbers mean. And I question whether there was anything more than greed and probably vanity involved.

Pujols is the poster child for, "Are you kidding me?" He's made a boatload of money but too many like him are slowly destroying the game that pays them.

Don't know about Pujols, but some of the players feel like taking a huge (sorry, but 48 million is huge) haircut has a negative effect on others in salary negotiation, arbitration or free agency. Maybe he was just being a good "union guy".

[JWags85]

Too much sooner, skateboarding, and video games. To people (kids) who don't play, it seems like a slow moving, boring game. As you know, you were never bored playing it as a kid.

I wish I could give s solution.

In a world of highlights, shareable moments, and viral video, MLB continues to be a stubborn dinosaur. Something amazing happens in the NBA/NFL, I can see it in my Twitter feed in moments with a few different opinions and comments. MLB? Gotta wait for official accounts to post, and they don't always do it. MLB is so aggressive and punitive in enforcing that, it's absurd.

It's still very regional, I don't think MLB markets themselves or their stars as well as they could. Couple that with a long game and an even longer season, it's hard to create buzz.  Baseball is much more enjoyable live. Opening day is fun, but then you have 2-2.5 months in the Midwest where I have no interest in sitting in crap weather for 3+ hours. Makes it hard there too.

I like baseball, I grew up playing it TONS all through HS, and I still am a passionate Cubs fan, but I've found it falling behind basketball, football, and soccer in terms of joy of consumption. 

[Cheeks]

It's not dead, but it manages to shoot itself in the foot very nicely every few years. Like you, I grew up to love baseball. Many on the board know I am a very loyal St. Louis Cardinal fan. I can go to a game in person and enjoy myself, but the reality is watching it on TV is about as hard as watching TV golf.

One of the big problems baseball has is that it has no local loyalty anymore. Yeah, players always have been traded and, occasionally, big names moved. But since free agency, baseball has been about money -- to the detriment of everything else. I remember as a kid in Nashville waiting in line to shake hands with Mickey Mantle. Or meeting Eddie Matthews and Phil Niekro at a Braves caravan. Today, their descendants would charge out the nose for the same minute or so I had with each of those superstars.

Likewise, certain superstars were identified with a city. Mantle with the Yankees. Banks with the Cubs. Schmidt with the Phillies. Kaline, Freehan, Lolich et al with those godawful Detroit Tigers. Killebrew with the Twins etc. Musial, Brock, Gibson, Ozzie with the Cardinals.

The breaking point for me was Albert Pujols. Yeah, I know, he was a Cardinal. It was probably better for the team that he left and the money spent elsewhere. But the circumstances surrounding his departure from St. Louis were sad. The Cardinals offered Mr. Pujols $300 million and the chance to be revered the way Musial had been in St. Louis -- as in forever. For $48 million more of Artie Moreno's money, he went to California, where he has not been seen nor heard from since. Plus his obnoxious wife said he was dishonored because the Cardinals wouldn't match the Angels' offer.

If we were arguing about $2.0 million versus $4.0 million or $5.0 million, OK I get it. We're arguing about the difference between a good life and a very comfortable one. But $300 million versus $348 million -- uhh, most of us little people have no clue what those numbers mean. And I question whether there was anything more than greed and probably vanity involved.

Pujols is the poster child for, "Are you kidding me?" He's made a boatload of money but too many like him are slowly destroying the game that pays them.

Pujols is seen by 3 million home fans a year.  I get where you are coming from, but he wanted 10 years and a service contract after baseball.  One team gave it to him.  That's where he went.  The Angels knew it was a bad deal on the back end, they rolled the dice up front.  Finished with the best record in baseball his third year here, but the amazing Royals swept through their first three playoff opponents until finally losing in 7 in the World Series.  They gambled on a window and lost.

[The Sultan]

POLITICS...JUST KIDDING

On a serious question. I was a Huge baseball fan as a kid...back in the late 70's early 80's. Played it every day I could. Watched the game of the week, and WGN. Knew all of the stats, historical ones as well. Now I can't watch half of an inning. How do I convince my kid to give it a chance? Or is baseball dead?

Let him come to it naturally.

[#UnleashSean]

Honestly mods just ban Cheeks and 82 from the MLB threads. Who the hell can get not 1 but 2 threads locked...

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Honestly mods just ban Cheeks and 82 and sultan and tsmith and jockitch and mutafrom the MLB threads. Who the hell can get not 1 but 2 threads locked...

FIFY

[tower912]

Baseball isn't dead.    As the father of a 12 year old immersed in the travel baseball culture, I can assure you that it isn't dead.    And the 12 year olds I interact with are as aware of their heroes as we were at that age.    And the percentage of them that will not participate or will not be allowed to participate in football is quite high.    Now, I fully and freely acknowledge any and all mistakes and challenges at the MLB level.     But baseball isn't dead. 

[CTWarrior]

In a world of highlights, shareable moments, and viral video, MLB continues to be a stubborn dinosaur. Something amazing happens in the NBA/NFL, I can see it in my Twitter feed in moments with a few different opinions and comments. MLB? Gotta wait for official accounts to post, and they don't always do it. MLB is so aggressive and punitive in enforcing that, it's absurd.

It's still very regional, I don't think MLB markets themselves or their stars as well as they could. Couple that with a long game and an even longer season, it's hard to create buzz.  Baseball is much more enjoyable live. Opening day is fun, but then you have 2-2.5 months in the Midwest where I have no interest in sitting in crap weather for 3+ hours. Makes it hard there too.

I like baseball, I grew up playing it TONS all through HS, and I still am a passionate Cubs fan, but I've found it falling behind basketball, football, and soccer in terms of joy of consumption.

All of this may be true, but the biggest issue I think with baseball is all the dead time and the slow but steady decrease of action.  Three true outcomes baseball (walk, strikeout, home run) may be the best way to win, but it is not the most entertaining type of baseball to watch.  I like the ball in play with fielders and base runners in motion.  Hit and run, stealing bases (but still not the bunt), stuff like that.  The best highlights in baseball and the most amazing things you see are the great defensive plays that are made, and there is less and less chance of those things happening as less and less balls are put in play.  I think the most exciting thing in baseball is not the home run, but the ball deep in the gap with the centerfielder trying to chase it down, and the runner running hard (which doesn't happen now until the ball hits the ground) thinking triple.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

FIFY

Smooches, honey

[WI inferiority Complexes]

My 7 year-old son is a huge, huge MLB fan.  Together, we watch a almost exclusively MLB Network.  He taught me how to get the YouTube on our TV, and set up an account where we subscribe to the Major League Baseball channel.  He's in second grade and can probably list the Top 10 free agents this winter.

My enjoyment certainly helped, but also video games are a big factor in him falling in love with the sport.  He plays MLB The Show on Playstation (which is extremely realistic with updated stats, characters you can create using real players' batting stances, etc) all the time. 

He's getting the complete set of 2019 Topps baseball cards for Christmas.  His favorite players are Yasiel Puig, Jose Altuve, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge (who was his Halloween costume... straight down to the same eye-black and one sleeve Judge wears).  As far as I know, my son has never seen a minute of a televised football game.

[Cheeks]

Honestly mods just ban Cheeks and 82 from the MLB threads. Who the hell can get not 1 but 2 threads locked...

Unleash, what Mu82 said was unconscionable.  Simple as that.  He was called out by pretty much everyone that saw it.

[Cheeks]

Baseball isn't dead, but I don't think in today's society it will be growing.  Even "speeding" up the game I don't think changes a damn thing. It is the structure of the game itself that many people just do not like, and there is no way they are changing how many balls and strikes, outs, innings, etc.

[Jockey]

Baseball isn't dead.    As the father of a 12 year old immersed in the travel baseball culture, I can assure you that it isn't dead.    And the 12 year olds I interact with are as aware of their heroes as we were at that age.    And the percentage of them that will not participate or will not be allowed to participate in football is quite high.    Now, I fully and freely acknowledge any and all mistakes and challenges at the MLB level.     But baseball isn't dead.

You advance the point I made earlier. Baseball is anything but a slow, dull game to kids playing it.

But the perception from outside is that it is too slow and dull. It is way harder than it used to be to get kids interested.

But the same is true with adults too. There are less than a quarter as many city league teams here than when I was in my twenties.

I played 12" slow pitch, 12" fastpitch, 14", 16", and tournaments on weekends. Hard to even find leagues to play in now.

[tower912]

It is difficult to get the baseball loving 12 years olds to sit in front of a TV and watch an entire game.   Even playoffs and WS games. 

[GB Warrior]

It is difficult to get the baseball loving 12 years olds to sit in front of a TV and watch an entire game.   Even playoffs and WS games.

It is difficult for baseball loving twenty somethings with toddlers to sit in front of a TV and watch an entire game without falling asleep. Especially WS games.