The State of the Game

I read an interesting quote in the paper yesterday from a writer, Gay Tallese, who was in town promoting his non-baseball book. But when asked about San Francisco, somehow he drifted onto the subject of Bonds. He said something to the effect of; "Bonds is being paraded around the nation like a sacrificial lamb, being pilloried in each and every city he visits like a martyr before execution." This from a guy who didn't describe himself as a baseball fan and it matched exactly what I had been thinking about this situation - that it had gone far beyond simple contempt for someone that had allegedly broken the law and moved into outright theatrics. Of course, I don't blame Bonds so much as the game of Baseball itself which has been allowed to come to this situation.

There is no commissioner. Oh sure, Selig holds the title. But let's be realistic. Had there been a commissioner in baseball five years ago, none of this would have ever happened. Its not that it hasn't happened before, but before it was quietly taken care of behind the scenes. Baseball policed itself and never allowed the public in behind the scenes to make decisions in the court of public opinion. Baseball learned its lessons after the Black Sox Scandal and was forced to basically dismantle an entire World Series team in order to appease the public. I'm wondering if Bonds isn't the scapegoat for an entire generation of bad steroid policy.

So much of the reason this is being bandied about in the press is the fact that Baseball has become such a business. For a few glorious seasons after PacBell park opened in San Francisco, I thought how wonderful it was to have a new ball park and a great team. But when I went to the ball park this year, I was shocked to see that a 20 oz coca cola that I could buy for a buck at inflated 7-11 Convenience Store prices, cost a minimum of $4.50. Depending on the sale, you could almost buy a 12 Pack of Coke for that same price. Has anybody learned anything from the movie theaters and their declining sales? There are other options out there. People will move on to other things - cheaper things. Baseball, I fear, will soon become the last bastion of people who have been outpriced by the high cost of NBA hoops.

I am worried about this next collective bargaining agreement that is going through. The last strike nearly ended baseball for good. I'm not sure the sport could survive another strike. Everyone needs to get over the idea that $10 mil a season just isn't enough and start paying attention to the masses they allegedly play for.

All that being said, baseball is eternal. Every spring it is renewed. Every summer it becomes a part of long hot days and early evenings spent listening to the radio while we work in our yards, or just relax with a beer. Every fall, it becomes a classic again. I have always been a baseball fan, and as pessimistic as I seem to be getting lately, I think there is nothing that can destroy the love of the game for me. I'm even almost willing to allow the Dodgers to win occassionally, so long as baseball goes on (Just so long as you guys fire Jeff Kent, all will be right with the world again!).

Now, Play Ball!

Go Giants!

Will