Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

The World Baseball Classic is a terrific idea, a competitive tournament, and a fine showcase of baseball’s global reach. Sadly, there are three key factors holding it back which Jesse Goldberg-Strassler explains. Does the good outweigh the bad on the international level? The answer might surprise you.

We’ve seen a wave of reality programs take over television sets around the world, yet only a few that have touched on America’s game. Jesse Goldberg-Strassler contemplates all of the possibilities that stem from MLB-inspired television, pitching a handful of shows that just might have what it takes to become the next summer sensation.

Quick, name the player: He’s won two Gold Gloves, three Most Valuable Player Awards, 10 Silver Sluggers and has been named to 14 All-Star Games. He led the league in batting average, runs scored, and total bases when he was just 21 years old, and has topped the circuit in home runs five times since then. He scored at least 100 runs in 13 straight seasons and collected at least 100 RBIs in a span of 14 out of 15 seasons. Are we taking media punching bag Alex Rodriguez for granted?

The mantra pops up on Twitter, retweeted with exuberance; it surfaces in a Facebook post drawing dozens of likes; it dominates the thoughts of diehard fans akin to children counting down the days toward Christmas. Suddenly, well, this cold, harsh winter isn’t so bad after all. Ladies and gentlemen, “Pitchers and catchers are reporting”. Soon.

For the eighth time in history, the Baseball Hall of Fame will not welcome any new members. As we begin the precarious time where those suspected of cheating during MLB’s “Steroid Era” are becoming eligible for induction, the Baseball Writers of America have spoken and decided that nobody is worthy this year. And there’s nothing you can do about it.