Debunking myth of baseball's demise

[celoknob]

Because of the recent investigations, there needs to be more assurance that revenue sharing money goes into at least trying to produce good teams.
With that said and the examples that some small market teams have had some success--the Twins for instance--there are still problems.

The Twins were somehow able to sign Joe Mauer longterm, maybe because they knew attendance would be high with the new stadium. However, most small market teams cannot keep their superstars. I am a Reds fan. I know that as soon as Votto is a free agent he will likely go to one of the handful of teams that can afford him. That really takes away from enjoying the game and the loyalty that goes with it.

I fully understand that small market teams will always have a disadvantage but it stinks when these teams cannot at least hold on to their superstars that developed through their own systems. These are the players that kids associate with their teams. Yes, there is always new talent coming up but I don't like all the established stars gravitating to 5 or 6 teams.

[JasonL]

it could use more fights.
the sissy fights that break out are an embarassment. If there was a return to the hard-nosed tough-guy stuff circa the deadball era ballgames, we might have more interest in it. The friendly pushing that goes on is draining the competitive fire from the game, and is a direct result of the money and free agency dissolving any real hardcore rivalries.

I guarantee that if we saw a few fights each year like the hurt that Eddie Mathews put on Frank Robinson in 1959(I think ?) after a slide into third base, this sport would get a bump...

I don't condone violence, per se, but I'm just saying the "edginess" is missing/gone.

[Tabe]

I think the length of the games, combined with their frequency, is what hurts baseball on TV. Yes, NFL games routinely run 3:15 or 3:30 in length - but they are once a week. Baseball games also routinely run 3:00+ - and they're on every single night. There are so many things that slow down the game that it makes them painful to watch at times. If MLB took serious steps to speed up their games, and shorten the broadcasts, I think you'd find ratings would increase.

Tabe

[erstevens]

Why would MLB change the luxury tax and salary structure? All the owners like it. The small market guys make money off the big boys; the big boys make money by racking up wins and titles. The luxury tax is basically hush money to make the small market teams accept losing. Everybody comes out in the black. Even better, they don't have to open their books to anyone, so they can act like they're losing money or just getting by.