The past few weeks has been a little dry on the baseball end. I haven't updated this blog in over a month and haven't gone to any games since coming back from Arizona. I guess I have been so busy with work and City Council stuff that my hobby of baseball has taken a back seat. That doesn't mean I haven't been acutely aware of what's been going on and, with the addition of cable tv to my house, I've been able to follow MLB action a little closer than most years when my attention has been solely directed towards Minor League Baseball and the Portland Beavers. As a result, I have noticed a few things in the baseball world that make me ponder and eager to write about on this blog. While the main purpose of this blog is intended to be a chronicle of my travels, I like to add a few tidbits of philosophy and commentary.
2010 was generally considered to be the "Year of the Pitcher." I've can't remember how many no-hitters and perfect games were thrown last year, but the number was hugely out of proportion with historical records. And now it seems like the pitchers are picking up right where they left off with two no-hitters in less than a week early in the 2011 season. The rapid rise of pitching, I think, signals a shift in the game and is the beginning of a new wave of baseball strategy and mentality. Gone is the era of towering home runs and hitters built like tanks. This new era will be more old-fashioned with heavy emphasis on pitching and offense that is opportunistic.
This all reminds me of the Ken Burns' documentary Baseball that explains how the game was played in the era of Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson. An era where home runs were a rare occurrence and solid defense and pitching, timely hitting and strategy won the most games. For purists, the change is an exciting event as we live in a world where technological advances are changing the way we live almost everyday. This return to old-fashioned baseball is a welcome respite.
However, a lot of people do not agree with me. As I watch the tv, I see rows and rows of empty seats at ballparks. The Indians, who have been the most surprising team of this young season, rank last in attendance. They are drawing less than 15,000 a game at Progressive Field, which seats over 45,000. The attempts to disguise the empty seats are becoming futile as many in the media are now chiming in on this issue. Why is this happening? I think it is because of what I like. The average baseball fan wants 10-15 runs a game and balls flying out of ballparks. Say what you want, the Steroids Era was a boon for attendance. I bet the rough weather across the country has played a part, but people just aren't thrilled of seeing a 1-0 or 2-1 game that features solid pitching and defense. Baseball is a money sport, and if nobody comes to game, baseball doesn't make money. How baseball adapts to this will be interesting.
A few suggestions that have come across this blog through my writings are to lower prices for everything including tickets and concessions. Secondly, somehow getting rid of the drunkenness and disorder that comes along with going to a Major League game. It is a pretty far fetch to say that, nowadays, going to an MLB game is a family event. Now it seems like it is a place to get drunk, throw out profanity and get into fist fights. The near brutal killing of a Giants fan at Dodger Stadium is a perfect example of what is wrong with Major League Baseball.
The segue to the Dodgers is very interesting. In a little more than a month, I will be attending my first ever game at Dodger Stadium. But the Dodgers have been in the news lately for some less than reputable subjects. First, the beating of the Giants fan in the parking lot. And second is the ownership debacle. MLB has taken over day-to-day operations of the Dodgers after the owners of the franchise, the McCourts, let the team slide into financial disarray as a result of a nasty divorce. It begs the question, then, should MLB have taken over the team or let the Dodgers fail to nothingness? There are valid arguments on both sides of the issue, but the bottom line is that the Dodgers future is very shaky and I'm glad to be going to a game before the inevitable has to transpire.
Only a few more days until the next road trip to Seattle. For the first in a really long time, I will actually be going with a lot of people to a baseball game. This really makes me excited!
Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)
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