Play Ball! (or not...)

"I have already prepared myself for a summer without baseball. Heck, we lost just about every other summer pleasure." 

We finally get into summer, and just about everything is cancelled or toned down. No state fair, no county fairs, no beaches, limited park fun, and so forth. But at least we have baseball. Baseball? Where is it? We are rapidly approaching the 4th of July, and not one pitch has been thrown as yet! And about a week ago, the commish promised us that have a season was "about 100% certain". I guess his 100% figuring and the rest of our 100% figuring, are not the same.

This morning on one of the news shows, a baseball writer was interviewed. When asked if there would be a season this year, his answer was a simple "no". Any why in the world not? Don't the fans deserve some sense of normalcy? Yes, we do. But it is that decades old argument between the player's union and the owners. You know the one - millionaires fighting billionaires. Over money. Meanwhile, most of the fans who are neither millionaires or billionaires, might end up with zilch.

What is the issue? That is the issue. Way too many unresolved issues. I guess playing in front of empty stadiums with the players making their current salaries is a money trap for the owners. Some want a shortened season, others want a normal season stretching out into November. My take is this - the current recipe for baseball that we have used for many decades, is the one we need. Fans in the stands, normal spring training, season starting in April, and concluding with the World Series. Can't do it this year. Start preparing to make it happen for next year.

Okay - what about the NFL? Any issues as yet? Probably some, but bets are there will be some kind of a football season. Maybe hockey and basketball also. Will there be fans in the stands? Maybe. Depends on how big of risk takers people are. According to Dr. Osterhome of the University of Minnesota, COVID - 19 is far from over with us. If there is no viable vaccine, this fall could be brutal. Or not.

Back to the baseball writer. His big concern about baseball, is the fan base is aging and waning. Of all the professional sports, baseball is the one which is the least interesting to the new generation. No hate mail please - just repeating what the sports writer said. Losing this season may not kill baseball, but certainly might injure it.

I have already prepared myself for a summer without baseball. Heck, we lost just about every other summer pleasure. Truthfully - I am more of a Viking fan than a Twins fan. In fact, I am somewhat of a fair weather Twins fan. Like, I really loved them in 1965, 1987, and 1991. When they play mediocre, so is my enthusiasm. The Vikings however, are a different story. Even though I have "gone down with the ship" many seasons with the Vikings, I am ready to do it again. You can color me foolish, just so long as you also color me purple.