On Baseball and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

To be truthful, I have become disillusioned with baseball as a whole. Here's why:

1. The Yankees: Always representing all that is wrong with baseball, this powerhouse committed close to half a billion dollars to 4 players in a matter of two weeks over the off season. In addition, with the opening or their new stadium, they ushered in the highest ticket prices of a single seat ever to be sold. The first few rows on the ground level go for 2,500 dollars. That's not a scalped price for a playoff game, that is their regular price. The second highest regular ticket price went to the Mets, (who also have a new stadium called Citi Field or some such nonsense). The White Sox and Cubs also cracked the top ten, probably because they are in big markets which means there's more people to rip off. Which brings me to my next point...

2. I dislike getting ripped the heck off: I went to one White Sox game in the last two years. I paid 24 dollars to park, 21 dollars for a ticket (a bad ticket) and 5 dollars for a hot dog. That puts you out 50 dollars before you even see a pitch or fill your belly with some quality ball park food. You can't even buy the horrible beer because it will run you something like 37 dollars an ounce. Or you can trade them one pinkie for half of an Old Style.

3. Its not a game for common folks or common players: If you have a family and you want to take them to see a game, you're either going to the little league game happening down by the tracks or to the minor league game where they're having "fried twinky Tuesday" or "random fan gets to pitch this game Saturday." This brings us to the players. Back in the early 20th century, baseball players were common folks that made pretty basic salaries. Their salaries were comparable to yours or mine ... well maybe yours. They came out of the backwoods to play, and after they were done they returned to the backwoods. But today, baseball players are glorified, over paid, giant babies, just as whinny and just as needy. They are disloyal and the most popular ones are drastically dishonest. Which brings me to number 4.

4. Alex Rodriguez: This is the poster boy of modern baseball, whether you like it or not. He is the highest paid baseball player, wrecks every team he is on, and is a cheater. For many seasons, he used a type of banned substance, winning an MVP in one of the tainted seasons. His cheating is not an exception, unfortunately. Players like Raphael Palmero, and Miguel Tejada are also proven cheaters. Tejada even lied to Congress about it. But then, why should anyone take our modern congress seriously, especially someone who isn't a U.S. citizen. Thankfully we live in a culture with no memory so many of the cheaters can go along, making millions of dollars while cheating and continuing to taint the game further, if that is possible.

5. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays fans and their noise makers: I don't care if they did make it to the world series last year, every time I watch the White Sox play Tampa Bay, I have to mute it because the Devil Ray fans use those blasted noise makers. It sounds more like a soccer game in Columbia than a baseball game. The fans even sing songs and chants too. I guess it stands to reason that baseball teams just don't make sense in Florida.

6. Astro Turf: All sports should be played on grass. Grass looks better, it smells better, and is more classic. I'm surprised the hippies haven't been on this one.

I love traditions and Spring. I love opening the windows for the first time of the year on a Saturday afternoon and watching the game. I love mowing the grass, finishing, and watching the game with a beer. But, so much of the romantic notion of baseball is simply a dream or a memory. The reality of the game as it is today is much different than the romance of its past.



Cheers.


On a side note, I was watching the blue collar comedy tour today and in the crowd I noticed a man dipping snuff and spitting into a water bottle. And for some odd reason it makes me feel good. Shoot dang!