Major League Baseball can now be officially referred to as America's favorite pastime. There is an incredible number of stories arising this season involving the boys of summer. The only problem is the important ones are not being talked about.
While the baseball media have continued to follow fascinating players such as Daisuke Matsuzaka, Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and most recently Roger Clemens, more intriguing plot lines have developed and MLB has struck out looking with its lack of coverage.
Look no further than the National League Central's Milwaukee Brewers.
Two of the league's most dynamic young stars have jump-started a team that finished fourth in the division last season with a record below the .500 mark. Prince Fielder, son of former MLB great and Detroit Tiger Cecil Fielder, and shortstop J.J. Hardy have combined to hit 42 home runs for the Brewers so far this season.
The two young superstars currently stand as baseball's top home run duo, yet coverage of the Brewers, who currently stand atop the NL Central, has been far from even a whisper so far this year.
Speaking of records, there are several individuals around the league who are bound to make history later this season whose stories have gone somewhat unnoticed.
Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio is nearing the 3,000 hit plateau. He will become one of only 27 players in MLB history to reach that mark while donning the same jersey that brought him into the league - a rarity in modern baseball.
New York Mets pitcher Tom Glavine needs five wins to reach the 300 wins department, becoming one of only 23 pitchers in baseball history to reach that coveted milestone. San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman recently surpassed 500 saves for his career and continues to build on the all-time record he already owns at the ripe age of 39.
Various players across the leagues including Ken Griffey, Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome, and Manny Ramirez are all approaching milestones in the career home run department with Griffey swinging for No. 600 and the remainder of the group approaching 500.
Records such as these are becoming more of a rarity in the game and might not be matched by many, if any, players within the foreseeable future, most notably those which are sought by Biggio, Glavine and Hoffman.
It would seem as though players of this sort are the last of a dying breed and the opportunity to relish records such as these is fading.
The MLB, as well as other sports media, has ignored these stories and continues to follow other paths such as the ongoing steroid investigations with Bonds and Giambi, and the recent arrival of a once-retired Roger Clemens.
The media have failed to acknowledge the young players attempting to save the game with their unmatched energy such as Grady Sizemore, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Matt Holliday. There is something to be said for guys who shut their mouth and play ball the way it is supposed to be played with maximum effort day in and day out.
In a recent effort to gain more interest from sports enthusiasts, the MLB decided its draft would make its television debut on ESPN2. Despite this being a last-ditch effort to promote the sport, MLB officials and marketing agents failed to realize the bigger picture.
Not only does the casual baseball fan not recognize 99 percent of these high school and college players, they possess no knowledge about many of the young stars that have already made it to the big leagues. Most of the players in the Major League draft fail to make a single appearance for their respective major league team, and the ones that eventually do will not do so for at least a couple more years.
To fail to broadcast games that feature the true star players of today while instead broadcasting a draft filled with unfamiliar names on a premier sports network makes no sense whatsoever.
What MLB seems to be ignoring is the best players are already here. Time is passing MLB by for the opportunity to market these players and salvage any interest in the sport that they can.
Keith Britton is a senior in public affairs journalism. He can be reached at britton.71@osu.edu.
Be the first to comment on this article!