I Liked It Better

I liked it better back when there was no such entity as Major League Baseball.  Back when there was the National League with it’s own president and umpires and rules, and the American League with it’s own president, umpires, and rules.

I liked it better before free agency, when baseball was still inexpensive enough that a working stiff could afford to take his family to a game.  Give me the reserve clause any day.  It’s upside-down world when some of the players (for all I know, most of them) make more than the manager of the club and the president of the United States combined.

Not that I’ll quit rooting for my Giants any time soon, but before free agency, you could depend on a stable roster, and a fan could count on most the same team showing up for Spring Training as the team who ended the previous season.

I liked it better before the designated hitter rule.  What idiocy.

I liked it better before the wild card.  Divisional baseball was bad enough, but then the wild card.  A team should have to actually win something before they can play in the post-season.  Otherwise, it turns into basketball—well, maybe not quite that bad, but at least as bad as hockey.  If I ever see a team with a losing record in the baseball post-season, it’ll hurt my feelings.

I liked it better when there was no inter-league games other than the All Star game and the World Series.

I liked it better before Bud Selig became the commissioner.

But I still live for baseball season.  After all, I’m an American.

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