Chip Shots By Chip Chirimbes MLB Owners, Players and Fans Split As of right now after months of bullshit the owners lead by commissioner Rob Manfred and the MLBPA have agreed to 'play ball!' Before I address the three huge changes in MLB this season I am forced to comment on the pandemic and the owners/players difficulty in getting back on the field. First let me comment on the current pandemic crisis. I'm a purest at heart and feel the biggest bummer of them all is not being able to hear the sounds and smells of the ball park and game, people calling out to players and the odor of hot dogs and beer passing down your isle don't exist any longer. Growing up in Connecticut (30 miles from Yankee Stadium 31 miles to Polo Grounds) the spring scents as the weather broke and baseball were an exciting time of life as the storyline of teams and what was to be was a joy to talk about after five dreary months of New England winter. Daily gossip flowed freely as there were Yankee fans, Giants fans and Dodgers fans (holding over from 1957) who all were part of daily gossip. There was also a strong sentiment for the Red Sox as you traveled 95 north away from the NYC but it was all about New York baseball with a least one New York team (two clubs three times) appearing in the World Series every year but one over the course of 13 seasons. Baseball was 'life' in New York in the 1950's and everybody had an opinion and now baseball is in trouble. MLB fan is 56 years old and white. This compared with the NBA which fan base is 25 years old and of diverse back grounds doesn't bode well and football will be king for a long time. The excitement of entering the 'Cathedral' (Yankees Stadium) sent chills through my body although my first game ever was at the Polo Grounds with Willie Mays pitted against Stan Musial. Mays hit one over the roof in left field in his first at bat of a double header while 'The Man' hit three homers on the day as the Cardinals swept the sixth place Giants one of 8 teams in the NL. I know the players will miss the cheers of their fans but they won't miss the fans as much as the owners. In baseball much of the players salaries are guided by attendance and TV revenue. A club like Minnesota struggles to broadcast half their games while the Yankees with be playing before a full house with five different networks broadcasting their games within one week. MLB unlike the NFL does not have to share attendance money. NFL TV revenue is shared equally among all teams regardless of ratings or standings while baseball is a more every man for himself. MLB shares attendance money with visitors their money stays home and the NFL need not do that as the TV money takes care of most ills. So, without the fans paying for tickets, parking and game expenses which supplements most of the MLB's salaries. Without fans in attendance the Twins or whoever plays get hurt when playing in New York or bigger markets and will get crushed without that money. I feel the the MLB Union could have given ground under the circumstances. We are all hurting the they were holding 'us' the fans ransom and will receive full pro-rated salaries. This 'I'm afraid of life' virus has a quarantine that started back on March 14th as the NBA closed down in mid sentence after the NCAA said 'oh, my I've got a cold...' Here I was on my hottest winning streak of the season in NCAA and NBA action both running together and they all close down when the Big Games and Big Money were money the line. The NHL was gone as well but it took three weeks before anyone even realized it. MLB hadn't even started as spring training was in its third week. Growing up with the New York Bronx state line was just six miles away by the time July 4th came we were betting on who will make a second half serge. Well, the 2nd half is long gone we have settled on 60 game season with full playoffs. Okay, no matter which side you agreed with at least we still get some baseball...really? What game am I getting? A bastardized version where runners are just placed on second and a pitcher no matter how bad he is 'must pitch to three batters' and final one I hope is just an anomaly because of the shorten season and heavy percentage of intra-league play is the Designated Hitter which will be used by all clubs the entire season and removes almost all strategy. I don't like any of it! These rule changes totally suck!
 

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