Originally posted by milz50:
Hi Tom,
I am a huge baseball fan (I enjoy baseball very much; I'm not a large man)
I will be disappointed if there is a strike because I won't be able to enjoy the last two months of the season. I will not, however, be pissed at the players or the owners. Although I am a baseball fan, I am a bigger fan of capitalism (so yes I like Adam Smith better than Lonnie Smith - didn't know if you were closer to KC or STL). I don't mind letting the two parties work out their issues.
Anyway, to answer your questions...
1) Does the game need fixing?
Sure, as with any industry/business, there are things that could be improved. Many fans and owners like to focus on the revenue disparities between teams as the major roadblock to competitive baseball. I think that incompetent management causes more of a disparity in the league than revenue. There are many teams with incompetent front offices (KC is a fantastic example). These teams are not prudent with the dollars available and blame their performance on their lack of resources.
Bud Selig is a horrendous public figure for the game of baseball. He needs to market the game, rather than destroy it. During last year's series he began discussing contraction with the media. What does this accomplish other than infuriating fans? Couldn't this wait until after the entire country is watching a few ball games?
2) Do you think that smaller markets are at a disadvantage and BB needs to be fixed?
Sure, smaller markets are at a disadvantage. Team success is definitely correlated to their payroll, but it isn't perfectly correlated. Frequently teams with a small payroll will do well (Minnesota-this year) and teams with large payrolls will fall on their face (Mets-this year). This can be due to good/bad luck, management, and player performance. Occasionally a team will demonstrate that they can overachieve (A's) or underachieve (Orioles) for great periods of time. This is mostly due to a fantastic/horrendous front office. Teams with lower revenues seem to have smaller windows of success and longer rebuilding phases. They, frankly, can't afford to make as many mistakes in the front office as large revenue teams. I would definitely bet on a small revenue team with a great GM over a large revenue team with an incompetent GM.
3) Players just don't live in the real world and have no reason to complain.
Would doctors react similarly if the US socialized medicine and capped doctors' incomes? Do doctors make a lot of money? At what income level should one stop 'complaining' about their future income?
Just some of my thoughts,
Matt
BTW, great topic
Hey Matt. Well written and well thought out. The rational side of my brain agrees with almost everything.
Unfortunately, as a fellow baseball fan, I've also got a very irrational, passionate, and emotional take on this as well.
I'm only 30 years old but I was born and raised watching and loving Angels baseball. I've been there through the dark days, the good days, and all the roller coasters. I go to pre-season games and I go to a lot of reagular season games. In the last few years, I've even been going to spring training in AZ. In other words, I'm pretty die hard.
That being said, my BS tolerance has nearly been exceeded. I am not sure that I will go back to major league baseball if they strike. It's not so much that I'm ticked at the players or the owners as I am ticked at both of them because neither seems to genuinely give a rip about their fans. There's a lot of lip service, but when it comes down to it, very few of these guys realize that they have jobs because schlepps like me are willing to buy the jerseys, buy the hats, take our wifes to the game and drop damn near a hundred buck to watch a ball game (parking, tickets, a few dogs, and a few beers is rapidly approaching $100 here in S. CA).
I listen to Nomar babble on and on and I want to just scream. I used to respect him alot (and still respect his playing ability) but listening to his mindless drivel only reinforces my hatred for unions.
My beloved halos (who don't exactly have the biggest payroll in the world) are actually playing quite well. In fact, if you were to remove the absolutely disasterous first 20 something games from the mix, you'd have a fantastic record. Maybe the best in baseball right now.
I've got tickets to the game on Thursday night. It might be the last game of the season. I'll tell you what it also might be. The last major league game I attend. I can stick to minor league and spring training games.
BTW if any of you baseball fans haven't had the pleasure of attending minor league and/or spring training games, I highly recommned it. As I've said, I've been going the last couple of years and have really enjoyed the experience. True, some of the play isn't as good as true MLB but you know what, the young guys really hustle. It's their chance to shine, they know it, and that more than makes up for a few flubbed plays in my mind. Plus tickets are cheap as are the hot dogs and brews. Finally, every year I've gone to AZ, I've ran into some really cool people. Fans and celebrities alike. In fact, last year at a Mariners spring training game, I sat down two rows back from home plate right next to Howard Johnson. Ho Jo is scouting now and he was super cool. Signed two baseballs for me (my wife is from NYC and a life long Mets fan (don't even get me started on this season for the Metskies)) and chatted with me in between innings. Great experience for a baseball fan and you know what, the ticket cost me like $5. Beat that!
