Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
May 18, 2005
Standing O

The Standing Ovation is a new blog that has fans acting as correspondents for their teams. It's a great idea; with luck, someday these blog journalists will be credentialed and be able to do their reporting from the press box.

I would like to take issue with A's Fan charge of eastern media bias. He uses as an example of this Miguel Tejada. He neglects to mention that plenty of attention was paid to Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez, who plied their early years in even more obsure Seattle. The reason Miguel didn't get the press is that he wasn't as good as the other three shortstops; he didn't have a good OBA until 2002. I know Oakland fans loved him, and he's certainly an excellent player, but until 2002 he was the 4th best shortstop in the AL offensively.

The media has to have an eastern bias where baseball is concerned because 22 of the teams play in the eastern and central time zones! If you turn on Baseball Tonight at 7 PM Pacific Time, you're going to see Eastern Games because that's what's been played.


Posted by David Pinto at 11:40 AM | Blogs | TrackBack (1)
Comments

Biases. Maybe not an Eastern bias, but as I've been realizing: an American League bias.

I know that doesn't explain the Tejada stuff, but I've been noticing more and more that America loves the American League more than the National. Look at the most publicized rivalries, the most famous players, the most talked-about teams. Some of this buzz can be attributed solely to the Yankees--for many people they ARE baseball. But I think the DH and the AL's traditional emphasis on power is more appealing to casual fans.

If the Expos switched leagues when they moved out of Montreal I think the hubbub would've been hubbubbier.

Posted by: Jon at May 18, 2005 01:05 PM

Being from New York, but having lived in San Francisco and Berkeley for the past 10 years, I am so sick of hearing folks out here bitch and moan about the alleged East Coast media bias. It's a big time myth. I have to hear every year that the poor unfortunate player from the West Coast will be overlooked when it comes time to hand out MVP awards because nobody watches their games. This is total garbage. Just look at who has won the MVPs the last five years: Jeff Kent (SF), Barry Bonds (SF), Jason Giambi (yes with Oakland in 2000 not NY in 2002), Ichiro (SEA), Miguel Tejada (yes, with Oakland in 2002 not Baltimore in 2004), A-Rod (Tex), and Vlad (Anaheim). Real East Coast bias there. How many Yankees have won the MVP during their 10 year playoff run with 4 world series wins? Big fat zero. Not even Jeter in '99 when many knowledgable sabermetricians believed he was deserving. Last MVP by a Yankee was Mattingly in '85 and Munson in '76. Last NY Met MVP? None! You don't hear me or other fans of East Coast teams crying about it though.

Posted by: mm at May 18, 2005 03:42 PM
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