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No Longer America’s Pastime
Growing up in the 80s, I was a huge fan of major league baseball. Every year was competitive. Small market teams like the Orioles, Twins, Royals, and my home-state Brewers stood toe-to-toe with the big boys. Free agency existed, but rosters largely stayed intact, with most teams having identifiable stars–Molitor & Yount with the Brewers, Rice & Evans with the Red Sox, Ripken & Murray with the Orioles, and so on. Some of my best childhood memories were watching the Brewers at County Stadium with my dad.
Then, in the 1990s, free agency began to explode, starting with the greed-filled strike that culminated in the 1994 postseason being cancelled. After that, baseball became much of a joke. I stopped even following it since, no surprise, the megarich Yankees purchased four World Series titles, plus nearly two more soon after. Year after year, most World Series titles were then decided by who wanted to buy the best players, with small market teams forced to survive on inexperienced young guys and rejects from the rich teams. Sure, nearly every year there seems to be that underdog team that defies the small market odds, such as Billy Beane’s Oakland Athletics in the early 2000s, made famous in Moneyball, but for the most part October has been dominated by teams in the top 10 in payroll.
After years of being fed up with baseball, I’ve gotten drawn back into it due to fantasy baseball and rooting for probably the best run organization in the league– the Milwaukee Brewers, who’ve somehow managed to remain competitive recently. This year was especially great since almost their entire roster is made up with rookies, 2nd year players, fallen prospects, and castoffs from other rosters. They’ve been every bit the Island of Misfit Toys like those in Moneyball. After zero championships in their 55 year history, there was really hope that this could FINALLY be the year to end the heartbreak. However, they’ve looked like little leaguers against the $350 million Dodgers behemoth, and I’ve been reminded again why I grew to despise this game.
The Dodgers top 3 pitchers alone are signed to contracts totalling $1.21 billion — yes, billion with a B, including Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal. To put that in perspective, the entire Brewers postseason roster is being paid $87 million. So, is it really a surprise they look overmatched now? I can’t picture what a Dodgers fan feels. “Yay, we purchased all the best players in the world…and won…WOOHOO!” So inspirational! *Goosebumps*…just so exciting!! 👏👏👏 Imagine it was football…you buy Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley, Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, the Eagles O-line, Myles Garrett, Chris Jones, TJ Watt, etc…..and then celebrate because you somehow won the Superbowl! 😱
I don’t have a problem with teams and players making a lot of money, but this is supposed to be a game — America’s pastime. The majority of teams are scrambling to build new stadiums or move to different cities in an effort to scrape together a fraction of the money needed to compete with the big-market MLB teams. Millions of fans have been driven away. Cities such as Oakland and Pittsburgh were once packed with avid fans, but they’ve been driven away by the ridiculous disparities that seem to grow every year. Remember, with sports contracts, every new big one resets the market. Superstars hitting free agency in coming years will use Juan Soto ($765 million) and Shohei Ohtani ($700 million) as starting points in negotiations. Translation: the problem is only going to get worse. Just stick with football.
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Talking as a person from Cleveland and a lifelong Browns fan I can’t wait for the Browns to move to Brook Park. First of all it’s a hop skip and a jump away from downtown and maybe just maybe “The Curse” will be over. The only people who don’t want them to move are the politicians and I’m sure we all know why that is. I say good riddance to the lakefront I’m ready for the change. Go Browns!
I feel so bad for the Browns…such passionate fans, yet have suffered more than probably any other NFL franchise.
I’m from Cleveland (lifetime) and the fact that the Haslam make such terrific QB decisions and then he wants to squander our tax dollars for a new stadium – I’m looking for a new team. He thinks he is as smart as Jimmy Jones – and sadly he is. Lol.
And regarding baseball – the Tribe (yes Tribe) do their best, but years ago, when we lost back to back Cy Young winners in CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, I was done. The situation is only worse now. I’ll watch towards the end of the year, but no interest in sending my dollars earlier. Good owners, but a crazy small market arrangement.
I kinda wonder…and your words really shine a light on this…how long until the “game” eats itself? Gotta say, I just can’t find much excitement in Pro sports anymore- but the “virtue-signalers” who belittle everyone for watching while they said “eff-u” to it make me sick. Virtue signaling- that’s all it is. Infantile. But I digress…I do still enjoy college sports, but it’s being dragged down a similar path of implosion. I now subscribe to a streaming service to watch HS football…and I suspect there are shady things beginning in that realm too, with out of district boundary players being recruited, etc. Everything has become a grift- we no longer value…well, values. Moral integrity. Wholesomeness, beauty, etc. Godless and whitewashed voids we are becoming… Oh well, not like it hasn’t been decades in the making or anything. /rant off?
Funny, I do not watch sports and your opinion is similar to mine. Why would I cheer for a team from a certain city or state? Their players aren’t even from there? Even if I ignored that, their players aren’t even their players. They are constantly traded between other teams. The only thing I can see cheering for and following is individual players. The whole thing is like that stupid left audience versus right audience. There is no connection. Just a descriptor, left/right Orioles/ Yankees.
I quit watching pro baseball in the 70s when they went on strike. I quit with pro football in the 80s because greed had ruined the game. Like Mr. Liberty said, the players army even from the area and have no allegiance or loyalty. This was well before leagues and teams swerved left and players openly disrespected the county.
No idea about the virue signaling comment that was utter nonsense in the post above.
Apptreciate you, Joe
Hey Joe,
Your rant is spot on. As a kid of the 50’s I remember attending Brewers games at the old Borchert Field. When the Braves came to town, I could name every player and perhaps 3-4 starting pitchers. I was crushed when the carpet bagger owner moved them to Atlanta. Although I’m a Homer and love it when the local teams win, I don’t have any idea who these guys are. Back in the day, players played a career with a team, these days it’s one year here, one year there. I support the local teams but won’t spend my money to see a game.