Baseball will repair those losses and be a blessing to us

Newsday‘s John Jeansonne, via quotes from some other contributors, observes that, for all of the sturm und drang, nothing that has happened this week is going to turn people off of baseball:

I have no doubt that if Alex has a good year, he will not be jogging around the bases, celebrating a game-winning home run, in a silent Yankee Stadium . . .

. . . The idea that baseball loyalists are appalled to see the record book profaned by steroid-powered statistics, even as attendance records continue to fall, is counterintuitive. “A mystery to me,” [Tom] Callahan said. “I really don’t understand it. They always say this kind of thing will alienate the public but it doesn’t. It’s a great lie.

“I can’t believe anybody’s heart was touched, listening to Peter Gammons and A-Rod during that TV interview [in which Rodriguez admitted his steroid use]. But, having seen Rodriguez play … he’s a hell of a player.”

The game itself is the most powerful antidote to all of this business. We can work to outdo each other with our outrage all winter, but I defy anyone who truly enjoys baseball to not forget all of this off-the-field business and enjoy themselves when the actual games begin.


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Max
15 years ago

I don’t care about steroids. I hate football.  I’m obsessed with baseball and I spend most of my expendable income on it.

There’s a good chance I’m a replicant designed by Bud Selig.

GBS
15 years ago

I think it’s entirely possible MLB’s attendance will take a noticeable hit this season, almost exclusively due to the economy.  However, I wonder how much of the decline will be spun so that’s it’s blamed on A-Rod.

APBA Guy
15 years ago

There will be attendance declines due to the economy, and especially with teams that don’t win. But, there will be positive stories as well.

I was thrilled with Josh Hamilton at the all-star game last year. Then the Rays run the the WS. There will be something equally or more compelling this year, and that’s what I’ll focus on.

I’ll notice the other stuff, but the joy of the game will certainly overshadow the negatives.

Pete Toms
15 years ago

this time I did RTA and I’m pretty much on side.  I do think the Phelps/A Rod comparison is kinda lame.  I think he overstates how severely Phelps has been “punished”.  (his 3 month ban is meaningless and Kelloggs wasn’t going to renew his deal at the end of February anyway).

I do agree with his fundamental argument that we won’t watch less baseball because of this, I certainly won’t, I would miss it. 

I think the whole cheating in sports subject tells us something about how our attitudes have changed…the zeitgeist if you want….the Black Sox was a big deal but basketball fans shrugged off Donaghy….baseball fans shrugged off Balco and the MR….everybody (except the IOC evidently) knows Olympic athletes cheat….we all know the NFL has been dirty for decades….the only sport that appears to have suffered is the Tour de France (I don’t follow it, perhaps it hasn’t?).

Anyway, we’ve long since lost our innocence concerning sports….it’s crooked? there’s cheating?…well, why wouldn’t there be?..why would it be different than everything else?

Tony Antonielli
15 years ago

Craig, you ask if any of us can forget the hoopla and just enjoy baseball once the season gets under way.  I’m SURE I could, if I would just be allowed to, but we all know that isn’t going to happen…