Changing Baseball on the Field

Being a Nationals fan is all about dealing with the stiff headwind of reality.  Bud Selig’s new commission to address changes in the game on the field faces such a headwind–one of cynicism and distrust by the average fan.  We in Washington have as balm an eloquent columnist like Tom Boswell to explain things  and coax us along.  

Boswell’s column opines that the scope of Selig’s blue-ribbon commission will seriously address issues like speed of the game, post-season play that extends into November, World Series games that last until midnight and the use of replay.  Speeding up the game is an important issue and having the four best managers in the game to address it will provide credibility.

LaRussa, Torre, Sciosia, Jim Leyland, and former manager Frank Robinson, have as deep a knowledge of the game on the field as anyone.  Boswell’s supposition that they will entertain ideas as broad as requiring relievers to face two batters or deleting time for the singing of “God Bless America,” means that every thing is on the table. 

That said, however, there is an egregious oversight in the structure of the fourteen person group.  Some have pointed out that it is thirteen old white guys and one old black guy–Frank Robinson.  Racial exclusivity is hardly the only problem.

There needs to be a method for fan interface with the committee.  Presenting fans with a set of ideas to be implemented like Moses coming down from the mountain with stone tablets may appeal to Selig.  But the worst facet of Selig’s tenure as Commissioner has been advancing the game through corporate sponsorship at the cost of everyday fan support. 

Providing fans with a chance to comment on or participate in the process could provide credibility and buy-in if it is handled in a way that is real and not the usual showbiz bull.  One way would be to hold de-centralized meetings where Selig’s commission allows input by members of the media and fans.  Getting those meetings out of New York, Los Angeles and the other cities where corporate baseball is played would help as well.

Calling them town-hall meetings suggests the kind of staged political fashion show that we see for the quadrennial election cycle.  They should be more genuine than that.  One can easily see MLB, Inc. having on-line voting for the recommendations just to drive up the hits on the MLB web site.  But giving fans a chance up front to weigh in and prioritize areas for consideration would be a nice change-up from baseball’s old country club boys. 

It would be fascinating to see which of the recommendations fans rank highest.  Do fans care more about the slowness of the game or the inability of their kids to stay up for World Series games that end after midnight.  I can only speculate like Boswell, but finding a real mechanism for polling fans for ideas and finding out what is really important to them is worth the effort it would take Selig and his cohorts.

Maybe they cannot change the over-arching corporate flavor the sport has taken on.  But limiting fan participation to the ever-patrician George Will is hardly the answer. $1,200 “Legend’s” ticket prices have undermined the ability of everyday people to enjoy baseball.  Addressing that should also be on Boswell’s list.  Getting the commission to seek opinion from fans who spend more time watching the Beloit Snappers than the Yankees would help.

Making decisions “for” fans about what they want has gone on too long.  Changing the game on the field should start by providing better access not just for Frank Robinson, but for every day fans spanning the palette of colors and hues.