MLB...Peter Gammons

Usually when I post a blog it is on a topic I have researched or been contemplating for a week or two.  As I sit right now, it is the bottom of the 9th and A Rod has just hit a two run bomb to tie the Twins.  I can't help but wonder what exactly is the future of the MLB.  So far the first round of playoffs have been nothing short of incredible.  The Cards, many people's favorite to win the NL pennant, have had their two cy young pitchers beat to go down 0-2.  The Rockies and the Phillies are tied, the Twins playoff game was one of the best games I have ever watched and now this drama in the Bronx (We're going to extras).  The Twins were +230 to win this game and if you're not addicted to gambling like me, that basically means they have no business winning this game.  

I have always been a huge baseball fan and before this great postseason I couldn't help but wonder if anyone else really cared about the MLB.  All the races were basically over (I know about the AL Central, you don't have to remind ME) and college football and the NFL were just starting.  Football ratings on Television have been increasing immensely each year, ask Colin Cowherd.  Your average male aged ~ 30 knows so much more about the NFL than the MLB.  If the man closest to you is under 37 ask him about the NFL.  I'm sure he can tell you a lot because he has probably been playing fantasy for a couple of years.  I could probably name about 20 tight ends throughout the league and I bet when I was 10 I couldn't name the Browns' (my favorite teams') tight end.  The NFL is doing everything right and has been extremely successful.  It is perfect for today's world where everyone is working harder and want results quicker.  There is contact on every play.  In baseball, we wait for nearly a minute between every pitch.  I can't blame people for not caring about baseball, we like what we like, there's nothing wrong with it.  

For a while I was beginning to wonder if only Peter Gammons and I even cared about MLB but this postseason has given me hope.  Hell, The Phillies set an attendance record in game one, which was a day game, during a poor economy.  Attendance in the MLB regular season this year was only down 5% from last year in this week economy.  The reduced size of the two New York Ball Parks could have made up for this decrease.  

The thing that was so alarming to me was home attendance.  Watching various games throughout the season I would notice that seemingly no baseball games were packed houses, unlike the NFL.  I guess the main thing to remember is that baseball teams have 81 home games to make their money compared to the 8 the NFL has.  

I guess as long as the MLB continues to have an exciting postseason and a competitive Yankees team, there really isn't anything for me to worry about because I have watched about every playoff game so far and they have all been packed houses.  

There is no need for me or Peter Gammons to worry.  He will be able to keep his job... and I will continue to look for one but if I can't find a job at least I'll always be able to watch MLB on TV... until I can't afford to pay my cable bill.

I didn't know much about some of these playoff teams so I couldn't analyze this round.  Check back before the divisional series' and I'll let ya know who'll win.

Stay hot.