I’m not particularly a Ron White fan, but over the last few days, I have found myself thinking of his “You Can’t fix Stupid” comedy routine. Not sure why, but it always seemed to come to mind when thinking about the current negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA. They just can’t seem to help themselves
Since the beginning of March our world has turned on its axis in ways that most all of us could not imagine. Many individuals have lost their jobs, they have lost their businesses, their life savings have been exhausted as they desperately try to stay afloat. Unemployment rates are at 20%. Approximately 35 million people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Schools were closed, and mothers and fathers have been learning how to deal with having their children home 24/7, not only home schooling them, but being unable to take them anywhere recreational because all parks, beaches, libraries, and museums have been shuttered. Society has been put in the position of having to learn how to live in social isolation, being unable to visit with family, friends, attend weddings, attend funerals, graduations or sit by the side of loved ones in the hospital.
We could not go to a restaurant or a bar for indoor food or drinks. You had to wait in line (6 feet a part of course) at the grocery store because only a limited number of patrons were allowed. Then when you were able to enter, the product you wanted to buy, was not available. The major topic of discussion is whether or not you should wear a mask in public. Those discussions quite often were not very friendly. The concept of civil liberties was, for the most part, lost by the population at large.
If that wasn’t enough, civil unrest became the order of the day in the aftermath of George Floyd. Many cities were on fire, some businesses that had been able to stay open during the shut-down orders were now being looted, set on fire, or otherwise destroyed. Curfews were imposed and the prospect of martial law seemed very real. But, in the midst of these events the muted humming of “Joe DiMaggio, our nation turned its lonely eyes on you,” could be heard and felt, as there was some hope that baseball might soon be played.
In the overall scheme of our current situation, baseball seems absolutely minor. Then again, it is baseball, America’s pastime. If only they started playing some games, then we would have some respite from the day to day distress around us. The “Field of Dreams” would become a reality again in the hearts and minds of fans. You see, I, perhaps like many others, assumed that owners, players, the commissioner’s office and the union reps, felt just the way that we did. I saw their Facebook posts, tweets on Twitter, Instagram pictures, television advertisements reminding me that “we are all in this together.” Granted their homes were much larger than mine, but surely they meant it. But alas, it did not take long for MLB and the MLBPA to dash my hopes, and as I sit here a’ wondering about the situation, I’m having these recurring thoughts that “you can’t fix stupid.” So, I provide you with my random “you can’t fix stupid.” thoughts:
● Is it me, or do the owners and the players union seem terribly shortsighted? Jayson Stark wrote a wonderful article for the Athletic, “Memo to Baseball – Don’t Drive off This Cliff!” wherein he pondered: “They can’t be about to drive off this cliff, can they? They can’t be about to call off this baseball season over money, can they?” You can read the article here:
I’m beginning to believe that they can in fact drive off the cliff again.
● While the MLB and MLBPA negotiate over the number of games to be played, MLB created the beautiful optic of releasing approximately 1000 minor league players. In the midst of this economic crisis, apparently paying the $400.00 per week stipend to the woefully underpaid minor league players was a bit too much for the cash strapped owners. Makes you wonder, why would anyone want to make the sacrifices necessary to play minor league baseball?
● The Oakland A’s told their minor league players they would no longer receive the stipend starting in June, drawing significant criticism. At least 16 teams have said they will pay minor league players beyond the policy’s May 31 expiration date, with the Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners pledging to pay players through the end of August, around the time the minor league season normally ends.
● I have yet to read, how many and which minor leaguers have been released by the Dodgers, but it is my understanding that they will continue to pay the $400.00 weekly stipend to its 220 minor leaguers through the end of June.
● In addition to the wholesale release of minor league players, MLB, in its infinite wisdom, decided to reduce the draft to 5 rounds (less than any other professional sport). While they could have drummed up some excitement for baseball through the draft, instead they determined that wouldn’t be a very good idea. Too much of a chance that owners would forget themselves, and spend too much money on deserving prospects.
● David Price has reportedly pledged to pay all of the minor league players not currently on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, $1,000 in the month of June. That is a grand gesture, and I say welcome to the team David!!
● Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of the Athletic speculated that June 1 would be a deadline for the parties to reach an agreement, in order for games to begin by July 4th. That deadline has come and gone, and like the lifting of lockdown orders, it appears that an agreement does not seem possible anytime in the near future.
● The initial proposal by MLB called for 82 games with an expanded playoff format. Apparently, however, this proposal called for drastic pay cuts for players over and above the pro-rated salaries that both sides agreed to on March 26, in some sort of tiered formula, which was doomed for failure from the outset. The MLBPA was less than thrilled with this proposal.
● On Sunday, the MLBPA delivered a proposal to MLB. According to sources, this proposal called for a 114-game season that would end October 31. It also contained a provision that gave the right to opt-out of the season for all players, and included potential deferral of salaries if the 2020 postseason were canceled. For the players opting out: those who are considered “high-risk” would receive salary, whereas others would receive service time only. MLB was so excited about this proposal that it stated to the press that it would not make a counter-proposal. It just seems like two friends having a beer together in the backyard hammering things out, right?
● It is my opinion that all current negotiations have one eye firmly focused on the forthcoming negotiations for the new Collective bargaining Agreement. Hence, no one wants to give up too much today.
● It’s also my opinion that it is high time to revisit MLB’s anti-trust exemption. What may have been a good idea in 1922, might not be such a good idea today. The premise of the Supreme Court ruling was that baseball was a sport, not a business. Let that thought sink in, the next time you drop $150-300.00 to take your family to a game or consider the Dodgers 8 Billion Dollar TV deal.
● According to Rob Manfred approximately 40% of MLB revenue is tied to the gate, and thus owners will lose money this summer if fans cannot attend 2020 games. Would you like to see that number proven? You cannot. Neither can the players. Because MLB is unwilling to open its books.
● As Mark Kreidler has pointed out:
“Because baseball franchises are almost exclusively privately held, they can cook the books to exclude “non-baseball” revenue (i.e., skyrocketing land, stadium & franchise value, surrounding business/housing owned by the investment group, BAMTech sale, etc.) This is Hollywood accounting, certainly nothing new. It’s how a movie that grosses $258M internationally can be shown not to have turned a profit. Players do not share in revenue that does not “count.”
● There are approximately 880 players on major league rosters at any given time. There are roughly 3,800 brain surgeons in the USA. Given their limited number, I have no argument with how much baseball players make. Movie Stars and music artists can also make exorbitant yearly income. They are the best at what they do, and if they get paid accordingly, so be it. On the other hand, I don’t feel the least bit sorry for those players that sign multiyear mega contracts, and then don’t play because of injuries. They still get paid, whether they play or not. I’m looking at you, Jason Schmidt!!
● I may be in the minority here, but I like Trevor Bauer. I’m aware that he hasn’t gotten much “good” press for some of his past comments, and I certainly don’t agree with some of his comments. However, you cannot accuse him of being afraid to tell it like he sees it. On May 27th, after an unnamed agent let his feelings be known about proposal, Bauer posted this on Twitter:
“Hearing a LOT of rumors about a certain player agent meddling in MLBPA affairs. If true — and at this point, these are only rumors — I have one thing to say… Scott Boras, rep your clients however you want to, but keep your damn personal agenda out of union business.”
A few days later, he shared with some fans that he wouldn’t mind playing for the Dodgers someday.
● In my opinion, with society reeling and rocking, it would be a great opportunity for MLB and the MLBPA to recapture the hearts of their fans, set aside the majority of their disagreements, work towards a compromise and bring back baseball, be it only for a short period of time. Circumstances are different, I know, but it was nationally healing when baseball was played after September 11, 2001. It can be again now. Let’s hope that MLB and the MLBPA prove me wrong and that you can in fact “fix stupid!” I would love to be proven wrong.
You make some very good points here 2d2.
As a matter of fact I made a similar point on another site today, that point being neither side wants to give up anything today because they feel it will weaken their position when they negotiate the new CBA after next year.
Baseball considers itself America’s pastime but stalemates such as the current one leave the sport in a very tenuous position. As the expression goes “Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break”. Baseball is on the verge of breaking.
On another front, the world is changing very rapidly. Roger Goodell came out with a statement this afternoon stating that the NFL had not paid enough attention to race prejudice and black inequality and would henceforth encourage peaceful protest. I think we will be seeing a lot of players (including some white players) taking a knee before games this year.
I saw an interesting article on how/why Kaepernick first decided to kneel. He had, for three or four games, just remained seated on the bench during the anthem and an ex-Green Beret, Nate Boyer, who played for the Seahawks for a short while took offense to that and suggested they meet, which they did. They had a very good discussion and Boyer decided to suggest he kneel instead. As he puts it, you kneel when you propose marriage, you kneel out of respect at a fallen comrade’s grave, you kneel when you are knighted and lastly and most importantly, you kneel when you pray. Kaepernick accepted Boyer’s suggestion and that’s how the story unfolded. In the meanwhile Mr. Trump has already tweeted “No Kneeling”. I’m sure that some of you here agree with Trump. I happen to agree with Boyer that kneeling is not a sign of disrespect.
I don’t mean to start a big argument here. I just hope we can all come together sooner than later and enjoy some good baseball and each other.
Nate Boye is also white.
Important point . Thanks for pointing that out Bobby.
Well said STB.
And interesting topic 2d2. Thank you. I’m not a Ron White fan either but he does have his moments.
I’ve had the “Hollywood accounting” debate with a certain blog writer in the past. Of course books are cooked. It’s just accepted practice. As I’ve said here before, I don’t know the business of baseball, but have no doubt team owners are loaded and as a collective could afford to care for everyone in their organization if the chose to. But why would they choose to? Because it’s the right thing to do? Yeah, right. Like business thinks that way. Somehow, these moves make sense to them.
I see the words being written that MLB May be driving their own bus over a cliff. I thought that a few years ago when players went on strike. Millionaires on strike? Fans won’t put up with that. They did and they will continue to. Baseball revenues just keep going up. Attendance goes down?… doesn’t matter as revenues go up. Owners and their teams of high paid accountants know what they are doing.
I think baseball will survive because it always has. It may not be back this year, but it will be back. I’m more concerned about the country. It feels more like a kleptocracy with each passing month. I’m sure I’ll take heat from a few posters on that, but I don’t care. I know many out there agree with me on that. I don’t believe the jobs report, Hollywood accounting there as well. We need more policy intervention (aid for people in distress) and the people currently in charge hate that. It’s also my opinion we are opening too soon. I see a second wave arriving soon. Hope I’m wrong about that.
Honestly I hope I’m wrong about a lot this. But I don’t think I am. I’ve been around a long time. I know b.s. when I see it. So do the millions protesting.
I’m with you. I’m not confident that we see baseball in 2020. Of course I hope I”m wrong; I have season tickets (not that it may matter in 2020) and wanted to be there for a clincher, but we have a GREAT shot at winning it all. We need this year.
If something is on the verge of breaking, this is always a sign that it will be repaired. The problem with repairs is the quality of them. Bandaids and the rich getting richer are not really solutions. But, I have no doubt that Baseball will survive. There is too much money in it!!
Great take Singing The Blue. I fully agree.
Just started watching the NFL this past season and now they are going to take a knee again?
Guess I’ll be part of the 20 – 30% that quits watching the NFL.
Eventually it will catch up with all of them financially.
I still haven’t forgotten the ‘pig’ socks. Such a class act.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion Chili, but you may find you have very few sports to watch from now on. Taking a knee will probably happen not only in the NFL, but the NBA, and quite possibly MLB (if they ever play again) and minor league and college sports. Once it becomes acceptable in the NFL it goes everywhere.
Personally, I’m looking forward to the day when no athlete any longer finds the need to take a knee.
By the way, how do you feel about Boyer’s views on kneeling (proposals, gravesites, prayer, etc.) as mentioned in my comment above? I’d really like to know, not just trying to start on argument here.
Boyer is 1 ex-military personnel. He is in the ‘very small’ minority of all ex military personnel on this subject of protesting the American flag during the National Anthem.
I can find as many (and probably more) African-American’s that disagree with Kapernick and definitely with what is happening with the violent ‘protesters’. Hanging your hat on 1 white ex-military person suggestions and acting like ‘many’ feel the same way is very misleading.
STB, Do you normally refer to cops as pigs? Is that normal talk in your household?
Did you not have any issues with Kapernick wearing those socks in practice, you know where he knew they would be seen and photograph?
How about the 2nd time he wore them ‘pig’ socks?
And by the time he wore those same ‘pig’ socks a 3rd time it was probably laughable, right?
A class act by a classy guy. Yeah Right!
No, we don’t refer to policemen as pigs in my household. I remember when the word “cop” was considered an insult to a guy on the force.
I believe there are good cops and bad cops, good African Americans and bad African Americans, good Caucasians and bad Caucasians, etc. I always try to judge a person individually, not by the group he belongs to, especially if he/she was born into that group as opposed to voluntarily joining it.
I also allow for people to feel differently on issues than I do. I hope you do too.
I firmly believe that if each of us could try to put ourselves in the other guy’s shoes we might be able to get along a lot better. I can’t begin to understand what it’s like to be an African American so maybe I’ve set my boundaries a bit wider than you have. That is your choice and I would not presume to make it for you.
Thanks for clarifying your opinion.
From Drew Brees;
Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been,” Brees wrote on Instagram. “We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.
“We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week,” he continued. “We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform. We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when?
“We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us.”
If the two sides don’t come together, the game will be changed … forever!
If it already hasn’t been changed… and it won’t be for the better.
This could be the death of baseball… as we know it!
I hope you mean the death of Major League Baseball. The idea that young people across the world will stop playing baseball can’t possibly happen, right?
Now for some baseball news:
Chris Archer out with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery. What makes that a significant issue is that the Pirates have an $11MM option on him for 2021 or a $250K buyout . The Pirates will not pay Chris Archer $11MM. Bums can begin to push for AF to sign him in 3-2-1…
John Fisher (A’s owner) has reconsidered and has agreed to continue to pay his MiLB players. I am sure that none of the negative press had anything to do with his change of heart.
Phillies reliever Seranthony Dominguez will be undergoing TJ surgery,
Is Matt Harvey headed to Korea?
MLB/MLBPA news: – In rejecting the MLBPA 114 game proposal, Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem sent a letter to MLBPA from, In the letter, Halem wrote: “You confirmed for us on Sunday that players are unified in their view that they will not accept less than 100 percent of their prorated salaries, and we have no choice but to accept that representation,” Halem’s letter ends. “Based on that position, the positions espoused in your counter proposal, the significant health risk of extending the regular season past September, and the fact that we have missed our June 1 deadline for resuming Spring Training by June 10, we do not have any reason to believe that a negotiated solution for an 82-game season is possible.”
“Nonetheless, the Commissioner is committed to playing baseball in 2020. He has started discussions with ownership about staging a shorter season without fans. Assuming that those discussions go well, we will notify you at the appropriate time of our intentions. In the meantime, we stand ready to discuss any ideas you may have that might lead to an agreement on resuming play without regular fan access in our stadiums.”
There were six points of contention relayed by the Commissioners office: The calendar, number of regular-season games, end of the regular season, deferral of player salaries, postseason risk, and player opt-outs. In other words, everything.
Next stop…50 game schedule unilaterally created by the Commissioner for MLBPA to accept or reject (strike?).
Thanks for at least talking about baseball. Please try to monitor all the political and racial issues that the group above are getting carried away with. I have so many disagreements with most of it but this is a blog for baseball, there are so many other channels to scream about all our problems. Thanks for keeping us on track.
KP, maybe the NFL, after the Anthem is played, will allow players from both teams to join on the field prior to kickoff and kneel together. That way they can stand for the Anthem while being allowed to remind us that we still need to continue to move forward.
Something like that might work. On the surface I like the idea.
You have quite the memory Jeff and yes, I still like Chris Archer. He has a great personality if not the same fastball he once had. Maybe the Dodgers will have a need for someone like Archer next year.
It looks like the MLB owners are willing to a cost structure that would pay players their full salary per game played for a 42 game season. The players want full pay per game played for an 82 game season.
There are other per game costs besides player’s’ salaries but if that were the only cost, it would seem the owners are proposing to pay players half of their salaries per game over an 82 game season.
Will the compromise be 75% salary per game played without fans in seats and a 82 game season?
If the police departments in many (or all) big cities are not funded and therefore disbanded then yes, you would be correct. It would be the death of MLB as we know it today.
Not sure how I feel about a 50ish game schedule as baseball has always been a marathon.
50 games would be a sprint and every inning would be intense. A starting pitcher struggles with the 1st few batters in the 1st inning and a manager will need to be contemplating relacing him. Every game will be big. Not sure the best teams on paper will make the playoffs.
……’so maybe I’ve set my boundaries a bit wider than you have.’
Thats really special of you. Just in case no one has told you today how special you are, well allow me to do so.
I have witness a young black man in cuffs standing in court. Next to him was his counsel representing the young man. His attorney was a black male, immaculately dressed in a 3 piece suit. Very professional. Behind and near the 2 of them was a police officer in uniform protecting everyone in the court room. The officer was also a black male. Very stoic and confident in himself and his responsibilities.
As I took that visual in I asked myself what separated the 3 of them?
In America the color of your skin does not define your future. Your decisions do.
Not sure anyone disagrees that there are both good and bad police officers but in the current environment every police officer is viewed as bad. Damn the many big city police departments where the highest ranking captain is an African American. Don’t matter with this bunch.
The 77 y/o retired black police sargent that was shot by the violent ‘protesters’ trying to protect his friends business. Guess his black life did not matter.
Over Memorial Day weekend in St.Louis there were 19 shootings and 4 deaths. In Chicago there were 49 shootings with 10 fatalities. Most all were black on black crime. Thats just 2 of our cities.
And Kapernick wears ‘pig’ socks then takes knee during anthem against police officers. Thats a great role model. Talking about encouraging violence. Hell, no wonder they riot, loot, destroy property and kill.
“All blacks are not criminals
All whites are not racists
All cops are not bad!” – Jason Whitlock
I might add that the percentages of each might be the same. Just writing this frequently gets one branded as a racist or bigot.
In case, you don’t know, Jason Whitlock is black and what he wrote 6 years ago is as true now as it was then.
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/11984741/whitlock-why-black-folks-breathe
Absotutely Mark.
I also agree, the MLB and really all professional sports could be very very altered or even not allowed to be in existence. We shall wait and see how that is received throughout the country by people of all skin colors. Unintended consequences are surely going to come home to roost in the near future.
Stan Koernke must be literally sweating bullets as he watches his dream stadium sit idly with no prospect of it being filled with fans, shops, events and the money that will not be coming in to pay the $5B price tag. How quickly things can change, very sad to see mayors and politians allow the citizens be burned out of their businesses, livelihoods, homes, etc etc.
I do agree with most, there are good and bad people in every walk of life, hell there are even (brace yourselves) good and bad people involved in the protests. There are good and bad journalists (hard to really call most of what we are seeing journalism any more) covering the marches, looting and assaulting of people in the streets. YOu can’t have a one size fits all approach, you don’t throw out the good along with the bad, you root out the bad and cherish and rely on the good for going forward.
Things are really screwed up, anarchy is a real thing and a real deadly thing. It is going to take “good” people to rise up and root out the “bad”.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, what you get rarely comes in the form of what you were expecting.
You seem anxious to pick a fight with me Chili when all I was looking for was a discussion. And KP is right, this isn’t the place for a political discussion. I apologize for that.
STB,
Wasn’t picking a fight with anyone.
We were fine until the ‘back handed slap’ comment. I responded with facts. End of story.
Hey Chili, sorry I didn’t choose my words better. I was actually trying to go out of my way not to offend you. Looks like I failed at that.
Happy to see you feel positively about Bumsrap’s suggestion above. I do too.
See, we’ve reached common ground. Now all we need to do is get the rest of the country there.
Absolutely great article by Kenny Rosenthal in The Athletic today.
He says that a July 4th start is almost impossible at this point, that players and owners aren’t only negotiating for this season but are also staking out positions for the new CBA.
Rosenthal is normally very mild mannered and even he seem furious at this point. This is just one small snippet from a very long article:
“The bickering is unpopular enough in ordinary circumstances. Under the current circumstances – more than 100,000 dead from the coronavirus, more than 42 million filing for unemployment in the past three months……………………………………………………………………..– it is nothing short of appalling. And yet, neither MLB nor the Players Association seems to care that both parties resemble children sitting in separate corners with their toys, refusing to play with others.”
I just read that. Outstanding journalism, don’t you think?
This is such an odd time in our nation’s history. A country divided, tearing itself apart, playing right into the hands of our adversaries, a global pandemic, that we should be leading the battle against, and most certainly are not, and we are talking about millionaire sport figures bickering over money. At this point I’m ready to say ef ‘em. Ef ‘em all.
I’m with Bear on this one – all of them can climb in and drive their own bus over the cliff, I don’t care. We the people have far more important things to focus on.
Won’t happen Badger. The two sides would never be able to agree on who would drive the bus. 🙂
Ask Bora$$. I’m sure he knows a guy.
We agree on a few things, I see.
I just looked up the Median Household Income in the United States and the numbers ranged from $35,000 to $65,000. What is the MLB minimum salary? Even if the players got 50% of the minimum salary it is way more than most families make. The cost of taking a family to a game makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for many families to ever attend. Owners want to make all they can as do the players. The fans foot the bill!
In my opinion right now they can both go jump in a lake. Not getting into the kneeling thing. My opinion on that is well known. When the stoppage was due to the pandemic, I was understanding. All of that is gone now because it is about money. Most of the players are making more than I have ever seen in my life, owners are a lot richer than that. Why should I be held hostage and not get to see the game I love because of a pissing contest by the two entities that are in charge of that game>? I will never again look at the game the same. And as for the owners and players, they are all nothing more than greedy people. I am done with all of them. I have the baseball I saw in the past to remember. Players like Mays, Mantle, Clemente, Aaron, guys who did it right, and made a hell of a lot less than these guys do. Jackie Robinson went through personal hell for less than 40,000 a year. Soldiers make less than 30,000, and their job is a hell of a lot more dangerous.
Baseball Question…….when did the spokesperson (sorry can not remember the name) for MLBPA get elected, I assume by the players, and how long is his term? Seems to me they might need a new representative for the players?
President of the MLBPA is Tony Clark, a former player. I think they are elected by the players.
Title of this post could almost be the title for a song….Just sittin here a wonderin…..
Bear – I’m waiting for you to put pen to paper. 🙂 Maybe a play off of “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”, or perhaps, a Gordon Lightfoot or Mary Chapin Carpenter type tune
Love Lightfoot. One of the best concerts I ever went to. He could make that 12 string Guild sing. Don Quixote is probably my favorite tune of his, and of course, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Sundown crossed over and was a hit on the country charts.
For so long, maybe from the outset of the game, baseball has always had this uncomfortable tension between “love of the game,” “America’s pastime,” and cold moneymaking concerns, even greed. It is true of the other sports, too, but baseball has the lore, the connection with 140 years of America, that the other sports do not.
The mostly incredibly wealthy people who own teams are in it for a combination of love of baseball, ego, and greed, in various order, depending on the owner. The players also have their various motivations. We like to idealize it as everyone really wanting to win for their team, their fans and their city, but sometimes try to ignore the more meretricious aspects. Right now, we are indeed at a very tense and tenuous place in American history, and it would be nice if the player millionaires and the owner billionaires could work out something to provide a baseball season. If they don’t, whose fault would it be? Maybe mostly the owners, but we’ve seen this before in other past strikes and lockouts, and it always gets complex and very aggravating to go through the financial issues.
As we all know, without the fans, there is no MLB. They can rent a field and hit the ball around, and no one would pay to see it, not without the teams, the history, the legend of baseball. They’ve gotten away with this before, but it has taken a few years to recover. There are more problems now. The middle class is shrinking; there are tens of millions unemployed, and less disposable income. Other sports have risen in popularity. I personally do not like NBA basketball at all, but i concede that the sport has become more popular, and they ordinarily run the season for about nine months, as compared to baseball’s seven. This year, it looks as if they are going to run from late July to next June. The NFL will probably play, I don’t think college football will, but we will see. Baseball does run a risk of losing its base, which is longtime fans who have followed for thirty years or more, if they get fed up with all of it.
I can understand not playing this season for health reasons. I cannot accept canceling the season because both sides are trying to get economic advantage. But neither of them would see it that way, they would see it as protecting their livelihood and investment. Baseball is already losing a lot of young athletes to other sports. There will always be players, but how many, and what will be their talent level? i would like to see baseball; the Dodgers were poised to have a very good year, maybe finally winning the title. If there is no season, I would be less inclined to be excited about the next one. But the billionaire owners will be just fine, most of them have other large enterprises, or they can just take their money and go home, they’ll be fine. All those decades of public relations, marketing baseball as a highly significant part of American culture, might look hypocritical now, but that’s business for you.
2D2, I appreciated your well written essay. We might disagree on our definition of civil liberties, though perhaps not. Mine would include the fact that everyone should have the right to be protected as much as possible from contagion or noxious substances. So I agree with banning cigarette smoking in public places, requiring that establishments comply with the health code,, and mandating that everyone in a public place wear a mask during a pandemic of a virus.
Well, there is always hockey. Oh right, that season got cancelled also. Some good points William. I do not want to accept a non-baseball season this year, so will be hopeful it will not happen.