Chicago Cubs "Split" Doubleheader: 10 Ways MLB Has Changed Over the Years
I promise you that this article isn't going to be one of those that simply reminisces about glory days and laments the passing of the 'good old days' when a postage stamp was 10 cents and outfielders shared baseball mitts.
Look, a lot of positive changes have occurred that have helped to improve the enjoyment of the game of baseball. But I must admit that some of the changes do have me occasionally longing for things I miss about the game.
The Cubs getting rained out on Tuesday, and playing a split doubleheader on Wednesday (weather permitting), got me thinking about this. You'll see why in a minute.
Meanwhile, let's go through this list and I will be interested to see your reaction. Do you agree that some of the changes are for the better? Likewise, do you wish that some changes had never been made?
Whether you're just starting to watch baseball or you are a grizzled veteran like me, I hope you enjoy the ride. Even if the ride isn't a '63 Corvette.
1. Show Me the Money!
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One obvious way in which the game has changed is the financial landscape. Players are making ridiculous amounts of money, and agents like Scott Boras seem to run the game even more than the commissioner.
But it may surprise you to know that I'm not one of those who begrudge player salaries, especially the stars. For two reasons:
- If the owners didn't have it, they couldn't afford to pay it
- Players are like entertainers and stars should be paid accordingly
What, you say, the average fan can't afford to take his family to a game? With three kids of my own, believe me, I can relate to that.
But if player salaries were lower, many owners would simply pocket the profits.
Look, I know that fans cannot relate to players making huge sums of money to play a game. The point is, yes, the average player salary is $3,305,393. 20 years ago, it was $891,188.
But no one is holding a gun to the owner's heads.
Plus, while the average salary was growing at just under 54 percent in 1991, it grew only 0.2 percent last year.
The highest paid player in MLB last season, Alex Rodriguez, made $32 million.
As a point of reference, one of the entertainment industries' most famous actors, Tom Cruise, makes around $60 million per film.
It's obscene, but it is what it is.
photo: www.flickr.com
2. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics
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Despite the slide title, I love stats. In fact, baseball has always been a game where numbers were very important.
It's just that with the introduction of sabermetrics, the numbers have changed. For the better.
No, baseball decisions cannot be made based purely on metrics. Things that cannot easily be measured, such as work ethic and heart, should still matter.
But thanks to the advanced statistics, we now know how to better evaluate players, which is fun for me.
For example, we know that context-dependent stats like pitcher wins and losses, and the RBI, are not a good way to measure individual players.
That's because there are variables beyond the player's control that affect those stats.
RBI depends on where you hit in the lineup, how many are on base when you hit, how fast are the runners, the ballpark you play in, and all sorts of other variables.
Likewise, a pitcher cannot win a game without run support. Fielding matters, as does, again, the ballpark you're pitching in.
Felix Hernandez winning the Cy Young last year may be a positive sign that people are starting to "get it."
3. Let's Play Two!
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As Ernie Banks used to say, "Let's play two!"
Whatever happened to the scheduled doubleheader? For the young readers out there, there actually was a time when you could attend two ballgames and pay for only one.
But the strength of the MLBPA stopped scheduled doubleheaders.
And, even when one happens, such as the Cubs-Padres on Wednesday, they are "split"—meaning that you need separate admissions to attend both games.
With scheduled doubleheaders, not only would fans get more bang for their buck, but it could shorten the season.
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4. The Wild Card
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Now, this change I really like.
The wild card was introduced to MLB in 1995. It gives more fans hope that their teams can make the playoffs, which makes September more interesting for many fans.
Before this was implemented, a dominant team in a division had basically already made the season meaningless for second place teams.
For those who believe it waters down the playoffs, know that the World Series champions in 1997, 2002, 2003 and 2004 were wild card teams.
This was certainly a change for the better and one of the few good decisions that Bud Selig has made in his tenure as commissioner.
photo: www.indyposted.com
5. Interleague Play
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Now this is a change that I don't particularly like.
Introduced in 1997, proponents of interleague play enjoy the fact that they get to see teams come to their home park that they otherwise would never get to see.
But for every Cubs-White Sox or Mets-Yankees game, there are the matchups that just bore the heck out of me, like Cubs-Orioles, for instance.
Plus, I feel it waters down the World Series a bit. Prior to interleague play, the first time an AL team played an NL team, other than spring training or exhibitions, was if you were fortunate and good enough to play in the World Series.
6. The All-Star Game Counts
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Here is a very stupid rule in my opinion. Bud Selig took an exhibition game and gave the winning league home field advantage for the World Series.
Look, it's simple: teams play a grueling 162-game schedule and the team that ends with the best record should have the home field advantage.
I know that the idea was to make the game meaningful, but we all know that fans don't always pick the best players for the All-Star game.
It is more of a popularity contest, so to have that be the arbiter of which team gets four potential games on its home field during the World Series is asinine, in my opinion.
7. The Complexion of the Game Has Changed
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April 15 was Jackie Robinson Day in MLB, but the day only served to highlight that while the game's complexion has changed, the number of African-Americans in baseball has continued to decrease.
According to Stephen Smith of www.cbsnews.com, "African-American players represented 9.1 percent of total players on Opening Day rosters for the 2010 season, the most recent year statistics were available. In 1995, roughly one in five major leaguers were African-American."
Meanwhile, according to the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports, the "dramatically increasing Latino population" earns MLB high marks for diversity.
The report also states that "Arturo Moreno, who owns the Los Angeles Angels, remains the only person of color to own a Major League Baseball team."
In that regard, things haven't changed a whole lot.
8. 'Roid Rage
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Just a few years ago, 'roids were all the rage throughout baseball. While that problem has seemingly been diminished through testing, it left an indelible mark of the game of baseball forever.
In one respect, that isn't anything new, for cheating has always been prevalent in the game. Heck, a known cheater is in the Hall of Fame. Gaylord Perry admitted that he doctored the baseball.
But performance enhancing drugs took cheating to a whole new level.
Now, writers are faced with the decision to allow suspected and/or accused steroid users like Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, among others, into the Hall or not.
While some have laughingly suggested a "steroid wing" at Cooperstown, this is really no joking matter. For we all recognize that this approach to subjectively deciding who goes and who does not will result in some inequities.
Some PED users will likely enter the hallowed Hall; in fact, some probably already have. Still others will not get in due to being associated with an era that saw a dramatic increase in home runs and velocity.
9. The Model of Franchise Ownership Has Changed
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There was an interesting piece in www.bizofbaseball.com last year which referenced a piece by Richard Walden, explaining that the reason why the value of sports franchises are increasing is different from what it used to be.
The study concluded that attendance is no longer the overriding factor in assessing the value of a franchise. For example, despite declining attendance and "flatlined" national TV ratings, the Cubs demanded a record setting price in the open market.
According to the website, Walden notes that in recent sales, “non-franchise assets”, such as investments in regional sports networks (RSNs), real estate and future development rights, have been key to the escalating values.
Control of media content is another driver of future value for MLB teams these days. And the Ricketts family have been looking into real estate to surround Wrigley Field and an RSN (Regional Sports Network), so it is apparent they understand this.
What does this mean for fans? In the past, winning used to matter because it put "butts in the seats." Now, the real estate surrounding the team and the media value is what owners are more concerned with.
10. Instant Replay
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In 2008, MLB adopted the limited use of instant replay. Currently, its use is limited what is referred to as "boundary" calls, meaning calls that involve balls leaving the boundary of the field of play such as home runs, fair or foul balls, and fan interference.
Prior to this season, instant replay has been used 123 times, with 48 of those instances resulting in overturned calls (source: MLB.com).
MLB is looking to expand the use of instant replay for 2012 "to include trapped balls and fair-or-foul rulings down the lines, a person familiar with the talks tells the Associated Press (source: www.huffingtonpost.com).
It's about time we use the technology. However, out or safe calls on the bases, such as the call that took away what should have been a perfect game for Armando Galarraga last year, would not be subject to review.
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