Even before the 2011 Gold Cup, I've recently found myself watching soccer and tuning out baseball. It's two 45-minute uninterrupted halves. The players are fit, athletic and skilled. And teams play about twice a week so the value of the victory is not watered down.
Baseball has none of those aspects. The pitchers and batters spit and grab their crotches for ten seconds between each pitch. Commercial eye sores are on the outfield walls and thhe players are fat. And if you're team loses, well there's 161 more games to go (not including the postseason).
So why then is a sport that is desperate for an young talented athlete like Bryce Harper systematically locking him out of the major leagues?
We know the stale arguments. If you bring him up to fast...
Tell that to Ken Griffey Jr. The Mariners brought him straight to the majors and he dominated right away. For a time, he was even on pace to break Hank Aaron's homerun record. One could reasonably expect the same type of career from Bryce Harper.
But because of baseball's pathetic collective bargaining, the Nationals are systematically locking Harper out of the league so that he can develop. Of course it is no secret that a team like the Nationals would have to pay Harper more money in long run if they brought him up this year. Consequently, the Nats general manager, Mike Rizzo, has already boldly stated that Harper will not play this year.
Major League Baseball expects billions of dollars each year from their fans and this is how they repay them? By locking away their brightest star down on the farm?
Nonetheless, if MLB wants to systematically lock out a player that is more than capable consistently knocking towering homeruns, then fans have other entertainment options. And while teams like the Nationals attempt to save millions, MLB is collectively losing millions by putting an inferior product on the field.
Picture: Bryce Harper
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