For years now, many articles have been published about the decline of baseball. Participation in youth baseball has declined, popularity of the sport is declining, and many fail to give America’s pastime a shot due to the lengthy games that average around three hours.
In 2015, Major League Baseball announced new rules aimed to improve the pace of play, and many are still looking at ways to shorten the game. Whether this is to attract more fans and “keep the sport alive,” or not, it’s an issue that has stirred a lot of controversy in the sport.
Despite the problems the MLB has faced, there is no better time to watch baseball than right now. Baseball is truly experiencing something special.
The Chicago Cubs did the impossible and broke the longest championship drought in history, 108 seasons, with their 2016 World Series win over the Cleveland Indians. The Houston Astros, who currently hold the MLB’s best record at 37-16, were the worst team in baseball for three years straight back in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
You never know what to expect each year in baseball. The length of seasons allows for injuries and trades to completely change a season in the blink of an eye, including my personal favorite: major league call-ups.
Young superstars are the same age as your college classmates, but are completely dominating the sport. Players such as Carlos Correa, 22, Bryce Harper, 24, Kris Bryant, 24, Andrew Benintendi, 22, Dansby Swanson, 23, and Mike Trout, 25.
The “future” of this sport are some of the best players in the league right now.
As if this wasn’t enough of a reason to follow the sport, ballparks across the league also offer unique food, whether you prefer toasted grasshoppers at a Seattle Mariners game or fries with fresh lobster meat at a Boston Red Sox game. If food isn’t your thing, there are promotional giveaways just for attending a game. Jerseys, bobbleheads and other commemorative items make the ballpark experience one of a kind.
From playing the game with hopes of one day being on the big screen to covering it as a media member, baseball will always hold a special place in my heart.
For those who have never dipped their feet into the sport, now is your best chance to do so. There is a summer ahead of us with very little going on in the sports world, but so much going on in the show.