MLB Fall Classic: Average event in a Golden package - Part one

MLB Fall Classic: Average event in a Golden package - Part one
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (10-21-13)



TODD:
Game One of the 2013 MLB World Series is Wednesday night. The Boston Red Sox will be facing the St. Louis Cardinals. Woo? Not quite a surprise match-up this season; no one really came out of nowhere. Even both LCS match-ups were between powerful franchises. Unless you count the Red Sox going from worst to first as surprising, this year's playoffs was pretty bland. And even Boston's uprising was semi-faulty. They shouldn't have been that bad last year. They had the same roster but with some of the Dodgers' players. And look how far LA got with Adrian Gonzalez being arguably their best hitter all year.

We all know MLB struggles for TV ratings. Is it better that they've gotten a World Series between two country-wide teams? Everyone says they love the underdog stories of the Rays and Athletics and Pirates but then the public doesn't show up to watch these teams when it counts. Baseball has, even without a salary cap, one of the most parity-filled sports in this country. The Red Sox going from worst to first in the regular season isn't even a story because it has happened multiple times before. Parity is not an issue here as far as fair and balanced play. But is parity an issue for league popularity?

The NBA gets ratings when the Lakers, Celtics, Heat, etc. are playing for a title. Luckily for them, this happens nearly every season. You know when the last time neither the Lakers, Celtics or LeBron were in the NBA Finals? It hasn't happened since 2006. And if you throw the Spurs in this group, 2006 doubles as the only NBA Finals since Jordan's Bulls that didn't have one of those teams.

Where are these teams for MLB? Instead of "boring" match-ups between the same teams every year, baseball gets new blood in the World Series nearly every season. And yet this ends up badly for their viewership.

What can be done to save the Fall Classic?


DAN:
I'm not quite sure how it happened, but baseball became a sport where it is harder and harder to watch any old team compete for a championship. The NFL has parity, loves parity, and as a fan I'll watch most of the playoff games and certainly the Super Bowl, no matter who is playing. The NBA needs its powerhouses, has them, and I'll watch the finals when the powerhouses are in it. They usually are. MLB is different. It has parity, a lot of it, but I do NOT enjoy watching random teams play for a title. It was not fun for anyone outside of San Francisco to see the Giants win it all last season. MLB also has powerhouses, teams that are good year after year. But I did NOT enjoy watching them compete in the League Championship Series' this season. Its hard to watch and enjoy the Red Sox, as a Yankee fan, but the NLCS between the Dodgers and Cardinals should have been awesome. On paper it reads like two great franchises battling for a shot at the World Series, but you're spot on with your MLB analysis. The Fall Classic is broken and the Red Sox vs. Cardinals is lacking cache that would surely be there in both the NFL and NBA.

I actually think parity has hurt the popularity of MLB. I love watching my Yankees and will watch them in every playoff game if possible. But outside of my home team, I don't need to watch the games. Checking the scores is just as much fun. The games are long, so why not tune in for an hour? Well there's no guarantee anything at all will happen during those three innings. Watch one quarter of an NFL game or an NBA game and you're practically guaranteed scoring. Baseball doesn't work that way, so its needs matchups to make it exciting. A great hitter vs. a great pitcher. But outside of the Dodgers lineup, there's only a few hitters that make me take notice. The Red Sox have one in David Ortiz. The Tigers have one in Miguel Cabrera, but they're now out. The Cardinals don't have anyone who quite reaches this level. Where does this leave us? With a Fall Classic that's sorely lacking.

I like the NBA Finals because one of the teams you mentioned, or more importantly one of the Super Stars of the league, has been playing for the title nearly every season in the last decade. I love the Super Bowl because its always exciting and football never lacks for story lines. But I'm at a loss for the World Series. They usually get fresh blood in the Fall Classic, which is ultimately great for regular season baseball but kills October excitement once your team is out of the running. This year is different, or at least it should be with two classic franchises holding strong in October.

The Red Sox move from worst to first should be a huge story. I actually think its pretty amazing. They stunk last season, basically ran out the same roster with a new manager this year and are now the best of the American League. Sure, sure, they weren't bad in 2011. But they STUNK last year in 2012. I actually picked them to follow things up with a bleak 2013, barely squeaking into the playoffs. So I don't get why this isn't a bigger story. Probably because its the Red Sox, they've been great for a decade more or less and ho hum.

Ultimately it comes down to Star Power. Baseball doesn't have enough. Its lacking, missing, non existent for me outside of David Ortiz who doesn't even play in the field. Teams need stars to draw fans outside their home market. MLB has a marketing problem. We need more KIA car commercials with baseball players. Come on!

[Part two - Damn those Old folks & Ad men]

MLB All-Stars: Yes, please stuff my Ballot Box - Part one

MLB All-Stars: Yes, please stuff my Ballot Box - Part one
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (7-1-13)



TODD:
MLB All-Star ballots are out. Voting is in its final days and we will know the starters on Saturday.

Never mind that having fans vote for these things is bound to generate problems. We'll find out those horrible, horrible mistakes in a few days. But this year's ballot has some real, head-scratchingly tough decisions. There are some easy ones too, like AL first base, AL third base or NL catcher. But then we get into positions like NL shortstop where three guys have legit claims to the starting spot; and AL shortstop where probably no one deserves to even make the All-Star team, let alone start.

Which begs the question, is getting the starting nod really the fair way to reward the best season a player is having? Not only is playing the ninth inning more important to the game itself than playing the first inning. But should we just elect the nine best players from each league, regardless of position, and have the managers fill out the rest of the lineup in reverse?

Maybe it's just me but I get a little queasy electing someone to an all-star game who doesn't deserve it. Let the managers do that dirty work later on. Let me pick the guys who are having the very best seasons, regardless of team, regardless of position, regardless of past success: just based on the numbers. That's the way it should be.

The fans are probably going to do something stupid anyways, like vote Derek Jeter as AL starting shortstop. So allow me the satisfaction of putting both Everth Cabrera AND Jean Segura on the NL squad, when neither one is probably going to win out over Troy Tulowitzki when the votes are counted.

By the way, as someone with a heart and loyalties and such, do you vote Yankees ahead of more deserving players on your ballot? Brett Gardner comes to mind here. He's had a pretty solid first half. He probably doesn't deserve to make the starting outfield, but it wouldn't be egregious. Are you one to just blindly vote him in because he wears the pinstripes?

In the same vein, will you put someone slightly less deserving in as starting AL DH just so you don't have to vote for David Ortiz?


DAN:
The MLB All Star balloting is a never ending conversation, riddled with controversy. I love it! For the players, getting the starting nod has to mean a lot for the ego. Not only are you having a great season, but its so great that fans nationally recognize your success. Either that, or you've been so great in the past that you're still recognized as one of the best. Win, win for the players, especially the ones with substantial careers. But since the All Star game is for the fans and takes place mid season, its not exactly rewarding anyone. The best half seasons will get acknowledged, if not by the fans, then by the managers, but beyond that its more of a party. The players in the game don't care which inning they participate in. The game barely matters in the first place. Yes, yes, home field advantage for the World Series. Like that means a lick to the players in July. They are only beginning to think playoffs, with the World Series still a struggling goal.

Being an undeserved All Star is like a badge of honor. You must have done something right at some point in time. And I LOVE that someone from each team has to make it. Its an event for the fans and having every club represented ensures this. Each team certainly has its own All Star, even if they are not one of the top nine in the league. Its great fun to vote for your team's guys and I have little issue with the current system. Again, this is an exhibition game basically.

I can smell the meat of your distress, you want the best of the best in the game. A true showcase of strength. How's that working out for the NFL? They chorale the best together with a full season's worth of stats and no gives a crap. The NBA and NHL go mid season with little drama. But the MLB All Star game gets the spotlight, the mid summer classic. Like all things baseball, its glorified to no end. I won't vote Derek Jeter into the game this year, but his place on last year's squad was totally warranted by the end of the season. He had a great year and as a future hall of famer, I had no issue with him making the team.

I love your final question and for me its a grey area. All things being equal, I pick the Yankee every time. Being slightly less deserving is a close call and I'd probably lean pro Yankee in that case as well. I don't got anti Red Sox. Hating the Yankees is Boston's thing and it doesn't go in reverse for me. But I'd definitely start a Yankee if its even a close comparison. Otherwise no, get the All Star in the game. I don't like stuffing the ballot box.

Prediction time! What three things will you hate about the final All Star lineups?


TODD:
Predicting the stupidity of others is a tall task. Also, it is hard to know which fan bases will come out in droves to irrationally support one of their players who is either (a) having a breakout season but still isn't on that all-star level or (b) is the best player for a team making surprising waves but, again, isn't worthy of an all-star appearance. That being said, I do have some guesses as to where America will infuriate me most.

It won't be AL First Base. Chris Davis is a lock there. He is dominating the position and plays for a popular team. Done and done.

It won't be AL Second Base since no one has broken away as the most deserving candidate. I could see Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia or Ian Kinsler winning. Jason Kipnis may be having the best year, but his deliriously atrocious beginning to the season may have put him out of the minds of anyone who doesn't live in Cleveland. Jose Altuve might also make it, if nothing else then as the resident Astro.

AL Shortstop is a similar situation in that no one deserves it. JJ Hardy has been okay. A certain result may surprise me, but if it's someone other than Hardy I wouldn't be upset by any means.

Third Base for the American League will have the same result as first base. Miguel Cabrera will win it in a landslide. Situation (a) described above would have been possible for Orioles fans and Manny Machado, but not with the season Miggy Cabrera is having. He's too good.

For Catcher, I think Joe Mauer deserves the start. He may get overlooked though because of consistency. The Astros' Jason Castro has been solid, as have a few other guys. Nothing would upset me here, even if Mauer gets slighted.

Now AL Outfield is where controversy has room to develop and it most certainly will. There are two locks for the three spots: guys who play in big cities and are having deserving years. Those two are Mike Trout from the Angels and Adam Jones of the O's. The last spot should go to Alex Rios but I'm afraid it won't. The potential spot stealers all play in the AL East and can wrack up huge vote numbers. Jacoby Ellsbury, Nate McLouth, Brett Gardner, Nick Markakis and Jose Bautista are all having years that put them on the precipice of making the All-Star game, but none deserve it. The worry here is that they all could easily tally more votes than Rios, who is having the best overall season. Even as a Yankees fan, I wouldn't be the least upset if Ellsbury stole Rios' spot. Either of those Orioles players starting in the All-Star game would be infuriating.

That wraps up the American League because DH is a non-issue. David Ortiz deserves to get the start and he will. As for the NL... [read Part two].

[Part two - Predictions sure to hate]