Thoughts on production, alienation, and ideology
The drama over the 2020 baseball season hit the denouement last month. How did it shake out? Oh, players and owned ‘agreed’ on a season. It starts today. So, play ball!
As for the story? The short version: A bunch of children run MLB. We call them ‘team owners.’
The Major League Baseball season was supposed to start early this year: March 26. Obviously COVID-19 stopped that from happening. MLB made the best of it, promoting a big TV marathon for each team it called Opening Day at Home. But we all want a 2020 baseball season. Will there be a 2020 baseball season? Is it safe to have one? If so, what will a 2020 baseball season look like?
Iowa winters are longer and colder than the ones I remember growing up in southern Indiana. Finishing up February, we need something to look forward to. For baseball fans, that’s easy. The latter half of February reliably brings us the first spring training games.
Anyone on a trip to Florida or Arizona with 5 bucks in their pocket can see major league baseball players preparing for the upcoming season. The players are shaking off the rust, working on a new swing, or rehabbing a surgically-repaired arm. Even those of us still in Iowa can read about it and dream about what’s on the horizon – baseball and warmer days.
Spring training is a consolation in a cold, dark season. And, of course, it marks the beginning of a new one.
I started the 2019 baseball season warning against overreactions and other folderol. And then I managed to get caught up in it a bit myself: too many home runs, MLB juiced the ball to speed up the game, etc.
At the end of October, as it turns out, we’re concluding a very traditional baseball postseason. The teams with the two best starting rotations made the 2019 World Series. They’re trading wins on the road, as both teams struggle with relief pitching. And to top it off, they’re using some of starting pitchers in relief.
Go figure. As usual, baseball throws something unexpected at us. Well…I’m here for it. I’m hoping all this at least slows the growth of relief pitching for 2020. Not optimistic, but hoping. Maybe some teams start seeing the value of having a third or fourth starter who works deep into games.
Anything else stand out to you?
In theory, no one can beat the Astros this season. Way back at the beginning of the season, the pundits said the Astros would steamroll the AL West and then the entire American League. Don’t believe the pundits? Prefer numbers and metrics? Well, they said the same thing. Note that to get the preseason predictions from 538, you have to scroll down to the bottom and select it. Experts said basically the same thing at the end of the season.
OK, the Astros already steamrolled the AL West, and now they’re working on the entire AL. Plus, they don’t have to worry about the Dodgers in the World Series, making them perhaps strong favorites. Sure, the Yankees beat the Twins again. But these aren’t my cousin‘s Astros, either. With an excellent rotation, lineup, and defense, the Astros are the most talented team in the postseason.
Let’s think a bit more now about whether the Yankees can do this.
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