BY ANDREW KRUSZKA, STAFF WRITER
Hello! ESPN! Wake up! You’re missing out on a very good opportunity right now! We understand as viewers it’s March, and we all know what that means in the sports world. March Madness! If you’re looking for an article on that, though, you’re probably not in the right spot. I do have one thing to say about that, though; Go Bonnies!
Anyways, there might not be a 2022 Major League Baseball, MLB, season. Why, might you ask? Well, in December, the collective bargaining agreement between the league and players expired, and instead of renewing it, they decided that they should enter talks first. Those talks have transpired in attaining what is as good as a bucket of spit! I’m not talking about sunflower seeds since I know some of my loyal readers thought that.
What does this mean? Commissioner Rob Manfred, who by all means is not a ball of sunshine himself, announced that since there hasn’t been an agreement yet, “the first week or so of the season is canceled.”
As a sports fan, and specifically a baseball fan, I’m extremely upset by this. The fact that everything in this world, including entertainment, has to come down to every penny that people earn, and they just can’t get out there on the field and play. It makes me so upset!
While being upset, I sometimes think of what could be pretty good ideas. In this week’s version of “pretty good ideas,” I propose this: since ESPN will not be playing MLB games, why don’t they substitute them with college sports, specifically, baseball and softball.
Via athleticdirectoru.com, some college baseball and softball games can get up to 2 million viewers! I already know the response that’s going to come back from this article. “Hey Andrew, with ESPN, whatever that you pay for every month, you can watch games.” If I already pay for cable or some streaming service, why would I want to pay for ESPN to show games when they can show them on cable or streaming service because the MLB is too worried about American currency?
Some people enjoy watching college sports more simply because they’re not getting paid in hard money (meaning they might be on scholarship), and that most likely constitutes that they will play harder and with a more determined attitude. Whether this is the case or not, I’ll say put these college games on the television!
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind them putting on more softball than baseball. The only time you get to watch college softball really ever is if you either pay to watch your favorite school play or at the College World Series. So once a year, I may be able to watch my team play if they make the eight-team tournament? Please, if you haven’t sensed my frustration, keep scrolling.
Let’s showcase these athletes because obviously the ones that are getting paid, don’t want to be seen. In all honesty, I’m just as frustrated as the next guy that Mike Trout’s career (Centerfielder for the Los Angeles Angels) is being wasted. Via baseball-reference.com, the three-time MVP only had 117 at-bats in 2021 because of a calf injury, and in 2020, was only allowed to play in 53 games out of the 60 game Covid-19 season. Now, he faces not playing in 2022, because grown men want to act like babies over green pieces of paper.
If I worked for ESPN, I’d make a clear suggestion; showcase the talent of our nation’s best college athletes. I’m sure there’s more that would be happier than you think.
