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The Big Kahuna's Essay Column  

May 2, 2020

          Free Baseball! (Or, Just Cut The Crap): In 1985, punk rock icons, or, at least, what remained of them, The Clash, released their sixth and final album. They called it "Cut The Crap" and, while the contents of that record proved beyond any doubt that they failed miserably at taking the album title's sound advice, it remains excellent advice, nonetheless. It is advice that Major League Baseball would do well to heed.
          While the opening of the baseball season is experiencing a significant delay due to a worldwide health crisis, the pause in the on field activity presents a unique opportunity for the National Pastime to indulge in some much needed self reflection.
          It has long been the policy, and, at times, the sole purpose of this column to rail against modern baseball's superfluous excesses and wildly wrongheaded solutions to problems that, sometimes, do not even exist. It is high time that baseball, for its own sake if for no other other reason, resolve to change its ways and reverse its present course towards irrelevance.
          By continually choosing to play second fiddle to the NFL (and, at times, the NBA), baseball has lost popularity, but more importantly, it has lost prestige. 
          Now, perhaps more than ever, baseball needs a commissioner that not only understands baseball's importance and its place in the American experience. What it does not need is another, in a continuing series, commissioner that has baseball kneel before the NFL. 
          The very first step in elevating baseball back to its rightful place as America's Game would be to stop being deferential to the NFL in terms of scheduling the World Series. I have long advocated for the World Series to return to being played during the day, particularly on weekends. It is only logical. As the season, and as a result, the World Series, has moved later into the fall, the World Series, baseball's premier event, has been played in colder (sometimes ridiculously colder) weather. MLB has been resistant to the idea for two reasons, and neither of them make any sense. 
          It has been the belief of baseball executives, and the TV networks, since the dark days of the Peter Ueberroth administration, that all World Series games need to be played in prime time. While, for the sake of maximizing profits, this may have once been the case, it is no longer true.
          In the age of smart phones and devices, much of the population can watch television programs, particularly significant events like the World Series, wherever they might be. Prime time, in reality, no longer is a thing.  
          I would be willing to wager that if World Series games were to start at 1:00 p.m., Eastern, 10:00 a.m., Pacific, rating would be, essentially the same. If this is the case, why wouldn't baseball executives (and players and fans) want their most important games to be played in the best conditions possible?
          Rob Manfred's assault on baseball continues as the commissioner has turned his attention to fundamentally changing the game by proposing (and instituting in the minor leagues) a "solution" for extra inning games.
          If you have not already heard, Manfred would like to see a time in the not too distant future where the notion of extra innings to resolve tie game would be corrupted by a format with its roots in recreational softball. Manfred's idea would have each team start extra innings with a runner (or, even, multiple runners) on base.
          Never mind the havoc that this would create for the sanctity of baseball's statistics, it would forever eradicate the idea of extra innings representing "free baseball" to the fans, because, it wouldn't really be baseball at that point.
          Oh, sure, it would look like baseball, but, something other than real baseball it would be. 
          The idea of putting runners on base by rule, as opposed to a base runner earning his place, or arriving there via the strategy of the defense, should be anathema to any real baseball player, manager, executive, or fan.  One of baseball's most special aspects is the continuity of its records. Virtually every pitch of Major League Baseball, dating back to 1876, has been recorded and those records preserved. Even the institution of the much maligned, and still controversial, designated hitter rule in 1973 did not tarnish the delicate balance that exists in the statistical record of baseball.
          Apparently, Mr. Manfred is unconcerned with preserving sanctity of baseball's historical record, and it follows an all to predictable pattern for the current commissioner, as it did for his predecessor.  
          Baseball stands apart from, and above, all other sports because of its enduring respect for, and embrace of, its own history. While other sports pay occasional lip service to honoring their past, baseball has embedded itself in the American psyche not by what happened just yesterday or the day before, but what happened a decade, a generation, and a century ago. All relished and valued equally.
          Recently, Los Angeles Dodger third baseman Justin Turner floated the idea of the possibility of extra inning games be settled by having some sort of home run derby to break the tie and determine a winner. Some fans have expressed approval for the concept. It's almost as if they are opposed to the idea of seeing more baseball than less.
          There have been articles written by respected baseball writers that discuss the need to limit extra innings with home run derbies or softball rules or some other gimmickry, or just have games end in a tie, to reduce the risk of injury. It's probably unintended, but they are, in essence, advocating for protecting baseball players from playing baseball.
          What all of this boils down to is this: baseball needs less gimmickry. Not more. 
          If, for instance, the need for instant replay in baseball is predicated on the idea of getting every call correct, than why is there a challenge system and not, simply, a fifth (video) umpire at each game that reviews all calls in real time and has the ability to signal a reversal to the crew chief, if necessary? The unfortunate answer seems to be that Major League Baseball is more concerned with emulating the NFL than it is interested in actually making sure that all calls are correct. 
          Instant replay is, as it exists, not a means to improve the game, but, rather a failed attempt to seem relevant, modern, and exciting. The current system is, in fact, none of those things. 
          Interleague play, which, thanks to each league having an odd number of teams, is now a scheduling necessity, but, it remains, as it is being treated, as just another gimmick. If, the need to get every call correct is paramount, then the concept of fairness should be a consistent virtue. But, if you consider how Major League Baseball treats its schedule, fairness is a secondary, at best, consideration.
          Teams do not play balanced schedules, although it would not be difficult to do so. Teams, that are in direct competition with one another for playoff berths, do not play similar schedules. Not at all. Interleague play, and the injection of rivalry games into the equation, plays a large part of that. However, a schedule that treats each team fairly is well within reach.  
          Here is how it could work. 
          Each team would play every other team within its own division 18 times, nine at home and nine away. Given that there are four opponents in each teams' own division, this would total 72 games.
          Each team would then play every other team within its own league six games, three home and three away. This would total 60 games.  
          Each team would them play two games, one home and one away, against each of the 15 teams in the other league for a total of 30 interleague games.
          The 2020 season, for obvious reasons, is a lost cause for most of these proposals. Hopefully, the 2020 season will not be a lost cause altogether.
          This would be a total of 162 games per team and would be fair to every team in Major League Baseball, regardless of what type of convoluted playoff format that is favored.  
          Baseball stands apart from, and above, all other sports because of its enduring respect for, and embrace of, its own history, its continuity, and, ultimately, its fairness. While other sports pay occasional lip service to honoring their past, baseball has embedded itself in the American psyche not by what happened just yesterday or the day before, but what happened a decade, a generation, and a century ago. All relished and valued equally.
          When the world emerges from this latest crisis, sometime in the future, it would be comforting to imagine that Major League Baseball is able to resolve its own crisis. Its crisis of identity.
          Commissioner Manfred: let baseball be baseball. And Cut the Crap.


          

Relevant Question Of The Month: Should MLB play a full season, even if it takes until Christmas to continue, or should, upon its return, the Major Leagues play a reduced schedule that concludes with a World Series played in late October?-C. K. New York, NY
          While the idea of Major League Baseball thumbing its nose at the entire institution of football by extending its own season throughout the fall and into winter is an appealing one for a variety of reason, there are a few practical obstacles.
          First, and perhaps most importantly, if the season extends into November or December, the off season will be curtailed heading into 2021. This is important to the players for numerous reason, chief among them is an alteration in their schedules with regard to getting prepared for a new season, as well as, the impact of a compressed period for players to negotiate contracts for 2021.
          While I don't believe that the alteration of the baseball calendar would create any real, unsolvable, issues, it would, potentially, create a basis for grievances for players that under perform, or have trouble reaching their salary demands.
          A potential backlash as a result of those grievances, real or imagined, could further decay the, already putrid, balance between player and management.
          A secondary consideration would be how the teams would deal with the possibility of having to schedule games around national or religious holidays that have never had seen Major League Baseball before. Would teams play on Thanksgiving? On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, if necessary? 
          Ultimately, though, I don't believe that the owners and players would ever agree to playing beyond mid-November and that a shortened season is better than no season.

 

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