Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
March 04, 2004
Baseball Popularity

A couple of interesting items in this article. The second is on the popularity of baseball:


Here's one example of what bad trouble baseball is really in: Fox will kick off its coverage April 16 with a broadcast of the Yankees-Red Sox game at 7:05 p.m. It will be the first national prime-time broadcast of a regular-season game since Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' home-run record in 1998. Here's another: ESPN says ad sales for its regular-season games are up 15 percent over last year.

Baseball was front page news a lot this winter. Between the trades, aborted trade, high profile free agent signings and steroids, baseball had a ton of publicity. And there's no such thing as bad publicity. Add to that the great playoffs, and interest in the game appears to be growing.

The first part of the article talks about how the BALCO case has turned into a witch hunt. This paragraph made me think:


The second is that for all of Selig's public protestations to the contrary, I am betting that immediate public testing is the last thing he wants. Suppose Bonds, Sheffield, Giambi and the rest are found to be using steroids. What does baseball do then? Fine them? Suspend them for a certain period? Kick them out of the game? And would these public revelations quiet the current blood lust or exacerbate it?

If Selig had the chance to punish the Yankees by suspending Sheffield and Giambi, would he do it? Other teams seem to be upset that the Yankees are so far over the luxury tax limit. Getting rid of Jason and Gary would take the Yankees down a notch. I don't think the player's union would allow it, but if Selig tried such a move, I would not be surprised at all.


Posted by David Pinto at 10:35 PM | Broadcasts • | Cheating | TrackBack (0)
Comments

I doubt that there will be any suspensions. That would just add flames to the fire. I can hear the anchors and see the front-page headlines now (this would become an even more significant national news story):

"Bonds suspended"

"Yankee sluggers suspended"

Followed by the editorials and pundits:

"Is a suspension enough?"

"Slap on the wrist?"

Posted by: Blog Reader at March 5, 2004 03:14 AM

I think that the issue of whether or not to suspend Bonds et al (if they are guilty of the alleged steroids taking) will rely heavily on what that means for other players caught with steroids. If you suspend Bonds you've got to suspend future violators proportionately. THis is also why you would be taking a huge risk not to suspend them (how can you justify suspending some utility infielder 6 months from now if you don't suspend Bonds et al if guilt is proven).

So I think a suspension is necessary. The "Slap on the wrist" articles will happen whether you suspend them or not. Failing to do something (fine, suspension, etc..) if they are guilty will hurt baseball more than the suspension itself.

Posted by: seamus at March 5, 2004 09:52 AM