Playoffs

[notin]

You see the list he's putting out, while we currently have in-prime Mookie Betts (ouch), Bryce Harper, the marvel that is Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player, and guys like Ronald Acuña Jr and Juan Soto literally rewriting the record books. On the pitching side, generational talents like Scherzer, Verlander and Kershaw are wining down, and pitchers will never be as durable as they once were, but the sport is not lacking for stars, the sport is lacking for a competent Commish.

 

Go get a microphone so you can drop it…

[mvp 78]

The stars of today don’t come close to the stars of yesterday when it comes to household names. When I started out as a fan the SP had as big a name as the sluggers. Koufax, Gibson, Mays, Mantle, Aaron, and Clemente just aren’t around anymore. The names you mentioned just doesn’t register against with the greats of the past.

 

Why not? Some of the guys today would put those guys on the f***ing bench.

[mvp 78]

As long as people are betting like lunatics on the games, it's all good!

 

It makes my heart worse more so than whatever the ratings are.

[mvp 78]

You see the list he's putting out, while we currently have in-prime Mookie Betts (ouch), Bryce Harper, the marvel that is Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player, and guys like Ronald Acuña Jr and Juan Soto literally rewriting the record books. On the pitching side, generational talents like Scherzer, Verlander and Kershaw are wining down, and pitchers will never be as durable as they once were, but the sport is not lacking for stars, the sport is lacking for a competent Commish.

 

But we don't collect those baseball cards anymore so they must not be good players!

[notin]

You have to keep in mind we're a lot older now so that changes the perspective hugely.

 

Corey Seager is an awesome player and should be recognized as such.

 

And 20 years from now, someone will be saying (on whatever the medium is) that the players of the 2040s just don’t stack up the Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander…

[mvp 78]

I understand we’re older, and things have changed, but that doesn’t change that names recognition is still nowhere near the same. All of the players of today are on TV all the time where stars of yesteryear were only on the game of the week, or mostly weekends like the Red Sox were yet Maury Wills was a lot more well known then than Cory Seager is now.

 

Because the MLB does a s*** job of marketing its stars. I already said this.

 

MLB spends too much time marketing "the game" as a "past time" or whatever. It's dumb. To bring in fans they need the superstars of today and tomorrow. There are HOFers playing right now that people are taking for granted.

[Old Red]

Because the MLB does a s*** job of marketing its stars. I already said this.

 

MLB spends too much time marketing "the game" as a "past time" or whatever. It's dumb. To bring in fans they need the superstars of today and tomorrow. There are HOFers playing right now that people are taking for granted.

 

It’s just not as simple as marketing. To me the interest just isn’t the same as it used to be. Yes there are future HOF playing right now, but even if Mookie put up the same career numbers as Mays he would still not be held in the same esteem as Mays, and no marketing is going to change that. The game is held in a whole different light today, and even the stats are looked at in a whole differently light today, and the analytics of today aren’t held in as high esteem as the old BA, HR, and RBI did back in the day, and once again no marketing is going to change that. It is what it is. No one is being taken for granted it’s just not viewed the same, and as important.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

And Maury Wills was on TV shows that were only on one of three channels -- that everybody watched every night... back when people of all ages watched TV shows.

[Old Red]

But we don't collect those baseball cards anymore so they must not be good players!

 

That’s another good example of how things have changed. Baseball cards used to be a real big thing, and now they’re not. I’d probably be rich right now if I would have kept all the ones that I had instead of putting them in some bike spokes.

[Old Red]

And Maury Wills was on TV shows that were only on one of three channels -- that everybody watched every night... back when people of all ages watched TV shows.

Getting in the WS helped back then too, because everyone watched a lot more than they do today.

[Dipre]

It’s just not as simple as marketing. To me the interest just isn’t the same as it used to be. Yes there are future HOF playing right now, but even if Mookie put up the same career numbers as Mays he would still not be held in the same esteem as Mays, and no marketing is going to change that. The game is held in a whole different light today, and even the stats are looked at in a whole differently light today, and the analytics of today aren’t held in as high esteem as the old BA, HR, and RBI did back in the day, and once again no marketing is going to change that. It is what it is. No one is being taken for granted it’s just not viewed the same, and as important.

 

In summary: "I'm dead wrong so it's time to move the goalposts."

[Old Red]

Why not? Some of the guys today would put those guys on the f***ing bench.

 

WOW! F’n bench!🙈😂🤭🤮

[mvp 78]

That’s another good example of how things have changed. Baseball cards used to be a real big thing, and now they’re not. I’d probably be rich right now if I would have kept all the ones that I had instead of putting them in some bike spokes.

 

You're wrong. Topps posted record sales in 2020 and 2021. Ebay sold $2B in cards in 2020.

[Old Red]

You're wrong. Topps posted record sales in 2020 and 2021. Ebay sold $2B in cards in 2020.

 

I wasn’t talking about sales, but if you think the cards are as big a deal today, as back in the 60’s, or so that’s fine.

[mvp 78]

Actually, the best players of all time were from my childhood and when I collected cards 1983 - 1992. Players before or after that weren't s***. That's when players were the most popular and were kids really liked baseball!

[mvp 78]

I wasn’t talking about sales, but if you think the cards are as big a deal today, as back in the 60’s, or so that’s fine.

 

In terms of popularity: Baseball card boom of the wax pack era (late 80's - early 90's) > now > 60's

 

It's just the truth. Just cause you're not into it, doesn't mean others aren't.

[Old Red]

In terms of popularity: Baseball card boom of the wax pack era (late 80's - early 90's) > now > 60's

 

It's just the truth. Just cause you're not into it, doesn't mean others aren't.

 

I’ll agree with that. I just don’t hear much, or anything about them anymore.

[Old Red]

Actually, the best players of all time were from my childhood and when I collected cards 1983 - 1992. Players before or after that weren't s***. That's when players were the most popular and were kids really liked baseball!

 

That’s your view from your era, and that’s fine, but different eras may have differing views, and that’s fine too. I guess the older you are the more you have seen, and have more you have to pick from, which might give you a different perspective.

[notin]

Getting in the WS helped back then too, because everyone watched a lot more than they do today.

 

But how much of that odd because the other options were “Mr. Ed” or “The Andy Griffith Show”?

[notin]

I wasn’t talking about sales, but if you think the cards are as big a deal today, as back in the 60’s, or so that’s fine.

 

So your point is baseball cards were more popular back when people spent less money on them?

[mvp 78]

That’s your view from your era, and that’s fine, but different eras may have differing views, and that’s fine too. I guess the older you are the more you have seen, and have more you have to pick from, which might give you a different perspective.

 

That post was an obvious joke post buddy. It was all in italics.

[mvp 78]

But how much of that odd because the other options were “Mr. Ed” or “The Andy Griffith Show”?

 

Mr Ed is one of the most popular shows of all time! More influential and important than Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones or whatever. Aside from the finale of MASH, it's Mr Ed.

[notin]

Mr Ed is one of the most popular shows of all time! More influential and important than Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones or whatever. Aside from the finale of MASH, it's Mr Ed.

 

Something that only further emphasizes my point about the quality of the other televised options…

[Bellhorn04]

Mr Ed is one of the most popular shows of all time! More influential and important than Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones or whatever. Aside from the finale of MASH, it's Mr Ed.

 

It's always animals with you.

[sk7326]

Given it was Rangers-Diamondbacks, even not knowing anything else we knew it would be low rated.

 

That said, I hate the idea of people making any huge talking points out of television ratings. If fans say they are tired of the Yankees and Dodgers, then act like it.

 

There are lots of reasons for baseball's slippage in the public imagination - part of it is less people watch any individual anything now (besides football games). And I do think the rules changes probably helped some of the reasons. But the big issue is that the sport doesn't market its players. I mean, you look up and down major league baseball's OWN media arm and with some notable exceptions (Sarah Langs, Pedro), it is chock full of commentators who rip the current product. Indeed, one of the guiltiest parties is working the World Series!

[moonslav59]

This might be the coldest take I've ever read regarding baseball ever.

 

..and nobody can sing like Frank Sinatra.

 

 

 

(We've become are parents.)

[mvp 78]

It's always animals with you.

 

I know what I know.

 

Gus

Mr Ed

Ed (the chimpanzee that plays baseball with Joey Tribbiani)

Sir Buddy "Air Bud" Fram

MVP (Most Valuable/Vertical Primate)

MXP (Most Xtreme Primate)

[moonslav59]

I know what I know.

 

Gus

Mr Ed

Ed (the chimpanzee that plays baseball with Joey Tribbiani)

Sir Buddy "Air Bud" Fram

MVP (Most Valuable/Vertical Primate)

MXP (Most Xtreme Primate)

 

No Flipper?

[mvp 78]

No Flipper?

 

Flipper is in a tier with Lassie and other non-sports related animals.

[moonslav59]

Flipper is in a tier with Lassie and other non-sports related animals.

 

Flipper was 10 times the athlete the lazy mr. Ed was.