The State of Baseball: It Needs Some Help

The baseball writers at ESPN are out with a compendium of views on what ails baseball, what is actually right about baseball, and how to fix it all. It’s a really good read.

I don’t necessarily agree with each and every aspect, but they isolate the numerous competitive, contractual, promotional, and cultural issues facing Major League Baseball at the moment with clarity. There’s a lot to chew on. I’ve called for some of these changes previously, so it’s good to see I’m not alone in my thinking.

I don’t for one moment think that Rob Manfred will do anything that the folks who actually think about baseball day and night recommend. He just won’t. Manfred thinks he knows what is best for ALL of baseball, so he will convene meetings, set up committees, and pontificate with vapid and vacuous euphemisms declaring his best intent. He and the owners want to squeeze every dollar out of fans and corporate partners, consequences be damned. I just hope they don’t end up killing the sport they claim to love in their pursuit of more and more cash.