Enough is Enough is Enough

We want this, but we can't have it.

I have a lot of respect for Buster Olney. I read his post every morning. I read any article he writes. He's not all-knowing, but he's one of the smartest baseball people on ESPN. He says things like Sabathia wants to stay in California and will turn down $2 billion to do so, but for the most part, he's a sane baseball analyst who has his head on straight. I really do like him, which makes seeing his post this morning so disappointing. Olney has jumped on the neutral-site bandwagon. Jason at IIATMS already wrote about Whitey Herzog calling for a neutral site, and I agree with Jason that it's a dumb idea.

But Olney makes some fair points. You can make it easier for season-ticket holders to buy tickets to the game at the neutral site. However, that takes away from the atmosphere of the game. There would be no more cowbells or Rally Monkeys. Granted, those things can get irritating, but they show spirit and the crowd getting really into the game. That won't happen at a neutral site. You can't have Rays fans drowning out the players' own thoughts. They won't be as loud because there won't be as many of them. It'll be half one team's fans and half the other. It's just not as fun.

You could turn the World Series into an event. I kind of like the idea of having all the GM's around, the awards announced, and Hall of Fame events, but why can't we do that now? GM's would have to travel, but it's not like that would be a big deal. The awards can still be announced during that time. Events can still be held. Turn the World Series into an event if you want, but you don't need a neutral site to do so.

Phoenix does have better weather than Philadelphia, but I hope it rains the first time the Series is moved. Weather happens. If you want these games to be played in "baseball weather", then you play in whatever mother nature throws your way. We have snow in April and rain the rest of the year. Teams just deal with it. I'm sorry things get thrown off schedule, but the best-laid plans ... This is just another reason for TV to not have so much control over the Series and when it's played.

The next problem is who gets the Series. Do we move it every year? Do we play it in a baseball city? If it stays in one place, is a new stadium going to be built? Who pays for it? Is anything else allowed to be held there? How do we determine who gets it (it's about the money, stupid)? In other words, there's no reason to change it when it works perfectly fine right now.

As for the World Series losing its luster, you're looking at the wrong question. The question isn't why is no one watching. It's why is no one watching baseball. Baseball just isn't as popular anymore, and a week of "special events" isn't going to change that. When it comes down to it, people will turn on the TV and ask themselves, "Do I want to watch the game or House/Monday Night Football/Heroes/Grey's Anatomy?" and they'll choose the latter.

As for moving the time up to play it in the afternoon, the ratings won't go up. Baseball used to be America's Pastime. People loved baseball. They were obsessed with it. They couldn't stop talking about it. The day stopped when the World Series came around. It used to be what the Super Bowl is now. Playing it at 4 o'clock in the afternoon won't bring that back. It'll make the situation worse. Adults won't be able to make it home to watch. Heck, kids won't be able to watch. They'll be trying to get home from school, basketball practice, or football practice. No business is going to let their employees go home to watch the World Series. They will for the Super Bowl, but not for the World Series. They used to, but things have changed.

What has happened is a common historical problem. We look into the past and become nostalgic. We see what we want to see and want to bring it into the present because we assume it will work out now. Sorry, things change. Baseball isn't the most popular sport anymore. I love it. I know lots of people love it. There's just fewer of us now. Making the World Series into a festival won't change that. Sorry.

I like baseball in the afternoon. Sun shining, the smell of freshly-cut grass, and mitts popping. The thing is that we don't live in a world where that's possible for the World Series. It used to. But now, we focus on ratings, prime-time television, and playing under artificial lights.