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In this bi-weekly feature of EDSBaseball.com, Jim, a die-hard Red Sox fan and one of our bloggers from Voice From The Nation, and Sandy,
a die-hard Yankees fan and one of our bloggers from Yankees 365, will provide their opinion on a hot-topic issue in Major League Baseball.
Although they are passionate fans of their team, the topic won't always be an issue that is team- or rivalry-specific. On the other hand, their
allegiance to their team may affect their frame of reference on these heavily-debated issues.
Our format is a "Three Strikes and You're Out" structure. In other words, each topic will have 3 specific questions that they will answer.
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Current topic: "Internationalization" of Baseball
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The Red Sox and A's just kicked off the 2008 MLB season with a 2-game series in Japan. Is this an unfair disadvantage to the teams that
had to make this trek?
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History has shown that a trip to Japan early in the season has been
a disadvantage to the teams that have made the trip. A large
number of players and people involved in past trips have shared
what a drain it was on them and most believed it generally took
them the whole month of April to recover. The Red Sox organization
has stated that they have taken every effort to limit this from
happening, but time will tell. I also think it is important for the team
to go into it with the right attitude. When the Yankees made the trip
it was heavily documented that Kevin Brown and Mike Mussina
complained the whole time and created a lot of dissention on the
team. I'm sure this doesn't help. Being a Red Sox fan, it was
interesting to see them travel to Japan but I am more concerned
with baseball and could do without anything that may have a
negative affect on their success. Factor in that they play a very
difficult schedule to start the season, it will be a challenge for them
to get off to a good start in '08.
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Sure it's a long tough trip, and well Sean Casey did suffer from "stiff
neck" and JD a sore back, but consider it part of the job. Other
teams have made the trek and yes you can say they started off
pretty slow, but it's an airplane ride, granted it's a long airplane ride
but nonetheless the body can bounce back. Look at how many
people travel for work and need to function when they come home. I
know others may not have such a physical job, but considering the
amounts of money these guys make they can find a way to help
make the recovery easier by getting extra sleep and eating well
when they get back.
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The MLB has faced some criticism about the development of "baseball academies" in foreign places such as Latin America while neglecting
the inner-city U.S. Although MLB has started to do more to promote baseball in the inner cities, will baseball ever be as popular in the
inner-city US as it is in Latin America?
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It's a shame that baseball isn't more popular in the inner cities, but
you can't force it to happen. Basketball and football are the sports of
choice in the inner cities and I'm not sure how much of an impact
promotion will have on that. Baseball just naturally became hugely
popular in specific foreign places like the Latin America, the
Dominican Republic and Japan probably without a large amount of
initial effort to promote the sport. The baseball academies are being
created because the interest is already there. I think it is important
for MLB to promote the game to the inner cities, but you can't force
feed the sport when the interest is not there.
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I think our kids just don't have as much interest. It's much easier
for kids in the inner city to grab a basketball and play one-on-one.
With baseball you need to assemble two groups of people, and
much more equipment, which is expensive. Many baseball greats
have come from Latin America that it's become more of a lifestyle.
Even if we put more $ toward helping inner-city kids have a chance
to play, I don't think we will ever reach the level of popularity that
Latin America experiences.
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What are your thoughts about the potential for MLB to expand with a franchise outside of the US (and Toronto)? Do you believe MLB should
expand internationally?
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It would be interesting, but it would have to be done with great care.
If a plan were put in place that made sense, it would be a good
evolution for MLB, but you have to consider factors like travel, the
spreading of the talent pool, fair divisions and players willing to live
in foreign countries to name a few.
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I would immediately answer this with a no only because the playoff
process already is lengthy and I can't imagine adding many more
teams to the mix.
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E-mail Jim
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E-mail Sandy
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Read more from Jim at Voice From The Nation
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Read more from Sandy at Yankees 365
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