In the first three weeks of the season, Major League Baseball has had some nice stories. But not a major story, yet. For the sport’s sake, something bigger than daily highlights will have to emerge.
Yes, it has been fun that some of its more recognisable stars, including Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, are off to strong starts.
Trout, demonstrating his trademark power-and-speed skills that help make him the best player in MLB, was the first hitter with nine extra-base hits and three steals.
Harper, who had a quiet year (for him) in 2016, was again loud and showy. He led MLB with 18 runs batted in, which included a walk-off, a three-run home run and a grand slam this past week.
Baseball needs more. It needs a compelling story that fans who don’t naturally follow a team or a favourite player can get into.
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Last year, that story was the Chicago Cubs. Clearly the best “on paper” team, the Cubs lived up to expectations, maintaining their standing throughout the season, letting their tale build to its crescendo at the end.
By October, legions of people who do not normally pay attention were attuned, waiting to see if Chicago would nail down their first World Series championship since 1908.
It was not just baseball anymore, it was history.
Certainly the sport is not lucky enough to attract outsider interest every season.
Like Cal Ripken Jr chasing down Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record in 1995. Or the now-tainted home run battle between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in 1998. Or controversial Barry Bonds chasing the single season home run record in 2001, then overtaking Henry Aaron for most all-time in 2007.
Has it really been 10 years since MLB had one of their players commanding so much daily attention?
Part of the problem is Bonds, and his fellow suspected or admitted steroid users, Sosa and McGwire. Single-season and career home run feats became so laughably high that it would take a super-human effort for a player today to mount a serious challenge.
If someone even began to threaten Roger Maris’ old, non-scandalised record of 61, would it really draw extra cameras? Probably not.
Los Angeles Angels veteran Albert Pujols currently with 593 homers, is bearing down on 600, once a more newsworthy milestone.
When he gets there, he will be the ninth player to do so. Terrific, but not something North America will stop to watch.
There may be cool things happening in baseball every day. In this era of the ever-increasing strikeout rate, Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox went 129 plate appearances, dating back to last season, without fanning until this past week.
It was the longest such streak in 13 years, and about 80 at bats longer than anyone else at the moment. But it was not something that captured the heart of casual fans.
It will take something truly special. A 40-game hitting streak, perhaps, making Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game effort look reachable. Maybe a pitcher can put together a scoreless-innings run that brings to mind Orel Hershiser’s record 59 shutout innings.
More importantly, the sport could use a personality who brings some noise. In a recent survey of 6,000 American sports fans commissioned by ESPN, not one active baseball player showed up among the nation’s top 50 favourite athletes.
Is there a new personality out there ready to create some LeBron James, or Tom Brady, or Lionel Messi type enthusiasm?
If not, baseball will continue in its steady, but less glamorous role on the sports scene, buoyed mainly by its comforting, daily hum. From April until October, at least there is always a game.
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