Why MLB is dying- -

[bill718]

1. Though I prefer to write about inspirational topics, I feel after nearly a half century of watching one MLB team wallow in mediocrity, it’s time to speak up. MLB is slowly slipping into irreverence, due to many factors, the example below is the biggest one, and this applies to the majority of MLB teams:
   
   
   I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest my whole life, and love sports. I have learned however there is one constant in MLB that never changes, and it is this: The Seattle Mariners will purchase just enough talent to call themselves a major league team, knowing legions of devoted fans will unfailingly file into the ball park, sit on their large rumps, with their baseball caps on, talking about ERA’s and batting averages, only to watch the home team finish out of the playoff hunt year after year.
   
   
   Once a season is over Mariner ownership can be counted on to issue the same tired old talking points i.e. “they have some great young talent coming up” With the exception of a few teams in the 90’s that’s been the story of the 45+ year old Mariner franchise. Mention this fact to any baseball fan, and you’ll be saturated with one statistic after another on everything from slugging percentage to RBI's, this is because baseball fans can’t see past their stats, and realize corporate ownership of baseball teams is not about winning - it’s about money. Behind all those baseball stats. lurks an ugly truth: Mariner ownership (like most teams) doesn’t care if they win. For decades, Mariner ownership has kept their eye only on the bottom line of their financial spreadsheets. Like many, I stopped following MLB a few years ago, and have not missed it at all.
   
   
   This just in: Mariner owners are soon expected to issue a statement that “they have some great young talent coming up”….
   

 

[22lcidw]

1. Though I prefer to write about inspirational topics, I feel after nearly a half century of watching one MLB team wallow in mediocrity, it’s time to speak up. MLB is slowly slipping into irreverence, due to many factors, the example below is the biggest one, and this applies to the majority of MLB teams:
   
   
   I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest my whole life, and love sports. I have learned however there is one constant in MLB that never changes, and it is this: The Seattle Mariners will purchase just enough talent to call themselves a major league team, knowing legions of devoted fans will unfailingly file into the ball park, sit on their large rumps, with their baseball caps on, talking about ERA’s and batting averages, only to watch the home team finish out of the playoff hunt year after year.
   
   
   Once a season is over Mariner ownership can be counted on to issue the same tired old talking points i.e. “they have some great young talent coming up” With the exception of a few teams in the 90’s that’s been the story of the 45+ year old Mariner franchise. Mention this fact to any baseball fan, and you’ll be saturated with one statistic after another on everything from slugging percentage to RBI's, this is because baseball fans can’t see past their stats, and realize corporate ownership of baseball teams is not about winning - it’s about money. Behind all those baseball stats. lurks an ugly truth: Mariner ownership (like most teams) doesn’t care if they win. For decades, Mariner ownership has kept their eye only on the bottom line of their financial spreadsheets. Like many, I stopped following MLB a few years ago, and have not missed it at all.
   
   
   This just in: Mariner owners are soon expected to issue a statement that “they have some great young talent coming up”….

The one year I believe they had over 110 wins, I believed that was going to be their championship season. There are a lot of suffering clubs. Sports needs to be blue collar again. And that means a major shakeup on how we all view it.

 

[Votto]

Watch the movie "Moneyball".

It will splain everything. Essentially have rich and poor teams now.

 

[pknopp]

When I was a kid you could get into a baseball game for $2.00. (bleacher seats). Certain Tuesdays were family night. Kids get in free with a paying parent. We could go to real Sunday double headers.

Kids could follow their favorite player for years.........now they leave for $200 million dollar contracts and the kids who live in the neighborhood can't afford to get into the game.

I still very much enjoy going to minor league games.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Greed is why all sports will die…

 

[Votto]

Greed is why all sports will die…

The last union strike negotiations created rich teams and poor teams.

Essentially, the players run the roost and can make as much as they want where they want. So now if you are good enough, you can be a Yankee who pays more for their bull pen than what the Devil Rays pay for their entire team.

This way everyone is happy. Players make as much as they are able and the media is happy because the only teams making it to the World Series are big media teams in large cities with unlimited amounts of money that give them good ratings.

The only ones left out in the cold are fans of small market teams. But who cares about them?

 

[Mac-7]

I sympathize with the Mariners fan

other teams in the league are just a pathetic and dedicated only to making money for the ownership

the Rangers, Marlins, Rockies and Diamondbacks to name a few

but its like the Cowboys in football

as long as the fanbase keeps making a profit for the owners nothing will change

 

[Biff_Poindexter]

Late stage capitalism....

 

[Devils_Advocate]

The last union strike negotiations created rich teams and poor teams.

Essentially, the players run the roost and can make as much as they want where they want. So now if you are good enough, you can be a Yankee who pays more for their bull pen than what the Devil Rays pay for their entire team.

This way everyone is happy. Players make as much as they are able and the media is happy because the only teams making it to the World Series are big media teams in large cities with unlimited amounts of money that give them good ratings.

The only ones left out in the cold are fans of small market teams. But who cares about them?

I don’t know but Tampa has fielded a good team for many years with very little money, so I guess I am missing something because the Cubs truly suck this year and players refused to re-up with them.

Hell the Southside Bums aka the White Sucks aka The Soxs make less money and are poised to make the playoffs and could get into the World Series.

So I have to disagree with you somewhat and have to say Baseball is just dying because of greed all around from players to owners and fans don’t want to pay a week salary to see a game.

 

[candycorn]

When I was a kid you could get into a baseball game for $2.00. (bleacher seats). Certain Tuesdays were family night. Kids get in free with a paying parent. We could go to real Sunday double headers.

Kids could follow their favorite player for years.........now they leave for $200 million dollar contracts and the kids who live in the neighborhood can't afford to get into the game.

I still very much enjoy going to minor league games.

I remember my first real job. On Saturdays, I'd walk home at lunch (I lived about 2 blocks away), make a sandwich and watch a couple of innings with Vin and Joe. I'd be back with time to spare.

 

[candycorn]

I don’t know but Tampa has fielded a good team for many years with very little money, so I guess I am missing something because the Cubs truly suck this year and players refused to re-up with them.

Hell the Southside Bums aka the White Sucks aka The Soxs make less money and are poised to make the playoffs and could get into the World Series.

So I have to disagree with you somewhat and have to say Baseball is just dying because of greed all around from players to owners and fans don’t want to pay a week salary to see a game.

Not 100% sure. But the Astros and Rays had a common thread executive named Gerry Hunsicker. I don't think it is a coincidence that the Astros and Rays had a good run. His philosophy was that he would draft pitchers and shortstops. Once the organization got them; they would convert the players to different positions and decide if the pitchers are starters or relievers or would be converted to a position player.

He left the rays in 2012 but I would bet that you could trace some of their players back to his drafting them.

 

[Votto]

I don’t know but Tampa has fielded a good team for many years with very little money, so I guess I am missing something because the Cubs truly suck this year and players refused to re-up with them.

Hell the Southside Bums aka the White Sucks aka The Soxs make less money and are poised to make the playoffs and could get into the World Series.

So I have to disagree with you somewhat and have to say Baseball is just dying because of greed all around from players to owners and fans don’t want to pay a week salary to see a game.

I've done my own study and you can as well

Number each team by salary from highest spending to lowest spending. Then divide them in two

The top half will all have winning records EXCEPT for a hand full of teams, around 5 or 6.

Then do it for the bottom half. All of them will have a losing record except a hand full of around 5 or 6. Of those teams that have winning records and make it to the playoffs, they are generally outgunned to really advance into the playoffs with any hope.

Naturally, there are miracle stories, but that is how baseball is structured.

 

[22lcidw]

Not 100% sure. But the Astros and Rays had a common thread executive named Gerry Hunsicker. I don't think it is a coincidence that the Astros and Rays had a good run. His philosophy was that he would draft pitchers and shortstops. Once the organization got them; they would convert the players to different positions and decide if the pitchers are starters or relievers or would be converted to a position player.

He left the rays in 2012 but I would bet that you could trace some of their players back to his drafting them.

The Rays are incredible with their scouting and minor league set up. The stadium they play in is not that great at least to MLB Standards and they do not draw well. Frankly, the fans do not deserve them. Baseball fanatics living close to their ballpark most likely can find good deals and get away cheaper to enjoy a game.

 

[Unkotare]

I've done my own study and you can as well

Number each team by salary from highest spending to lowest spending. Then divide them in two

The top half will all have winning records EXCEPT for a hand full of teams, around 5 or 6.

Then do it for the bottom half. All of them will have a losing record except a hand full of around 5 or 6. Of those teams that have winning records and make it to the playoffs, they are generally outgunned to really advance into the playoffs with any hope.

Naturally, there are miracle stories, but that is how baseball is structured.

You mean teams that have more money to spend tend to get better players and therefore do better? What the?!

 

[Unkotare]

The Rays are incredible with their scouting and minor league set up. The stadium they play in is not that great ....

"Not that great"? It is an M.C. Escher nightmare stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[pknopp]

You mean teams that have more money to spend tend to get better players and therefore do better? What the?!

For the league to thrive all teams have to do well. If half of them fail because of their markets and not being able to compete the product becomes diluted.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

MLB's problem? It's boring! It's three minutes of action crammed into 3 hours!

 

[Likkmee]

1. Though I prefer to write about inspirational topics, I feel after nearly a half century of watching one MLB team wallow in mediocrity, it’s time to speak up. MLB is slowly slipping into irreverence, due to many factors, the example below is the biggest one, and this applies to the majority of MLB teams:
   
   
   I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest my whole life, and love sports. I have learned however there is one constant in MLB that never changes, and it is this: The Seattle Mariners will purchase just enough talent to call themselves a major league team, knowing legions of devoted fans will unfailingly file into the ball park, sit on their large rumps, with their baseball caps on, talking about ERA’s and batting averages, only to watch the home team finish out of the playoff hunt year after year.
   
   
   Once a season is over Mariner ownership can be counted on to issue the same tired old talking points i.e. “they have some great young talent coming up” With the exception of a few teams in the 90’s that’s been the story of the 45+ year old Mariner franchise. Mention this fact to any baseball fan, and you’ll be saturated with one statistic after another on everything from slugging percentage to RBI's, this is because baseball fans can’t see past their stats, and realize corporate ownership of baseball teams is not about winning - it’s about money. Behind all those baseball stats. lurks an ugly truth: Mariner ownership (like most teams) doesn’t care if they win. For decades, Mariner ownership has kept their eye only on the bottom line of their financial spreadsheets. Like many, I stopped following MLB a few years ago, and have not missed it at all.
   
   
   This just in: Mariner owners are soon expected to issue a statement that “they have some great young talent coming up”….

 

[Unkotare]

MLB's problem? It's boring! It's three minutes of action crammed into 3 hours!

Read the OP

 

[22lcidw]

"Not that great"? It is an M.C. Escher nightmare stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

I know people look at sports in different ways. I would go to the Vet to watch the Phils even if others did not at a time when parking was reasonable and the general admission tickets were realistic. You could even get a discount on some hot dog package for certain games. The stadium was huge though and even sitting in the upper deck behind the home plate was high up. The only other issues were the amount of food items and the argument of quality. You could bring anything into the stadium Except liquor. But you could hide that. I complained that it could be better. And now that I see what happened I would take that back in a second. It costs more to park then to enjoy a night at a game for two without including the beers.