Kevin Draper in the New York Times notes the lack of a megastar player in Major League Baseball. He gives a number of reasons why, but I believe the main one is buried deep in the article:
There is also the limited effect a baseball star can have on his team’s success. Position players can bat only a few times a game, and dominant starting pitchers take the mound only every five days. But a quarterback has the ball in his hands every offensive play, and an N.B.A. player can stay on the court for an entire game.
I find this a feature, not a bug. In football and basketball, the best players on the teams always get the chance to win the game. In baseball, the 25th man on the bench could be the hero that wins a major game. The 12th man on an NBA team is never going to take the last shot. No one is going to bring in the third string quarterback in a close situation because the opposing defense doesn’t play well against lefties.
That said, we need to see more national ad campaigns with Mookie Betts. He’s just too much fun to watch play.
from baseballmusings.com https://ift.tt/2Rd3HSa
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