Let’s close the book on The Steroids Age (1995-2019) and welcome baseball’s Age of Death (2020-2045)

 

This is a baseball.

I’ve written about this in the past – the history of baseball seems to fit really nicely into 25 year(ish) eras, and it is time to close the books on the most recent one.

The Prehistoric Era – Cavemen until 1920.

Big Ed Walsh can win 40 games and you can be the home run champion with 12 HRs.

The Golden Age – 1920-1946.  

 I am using golden just because that’s how comic books do it. Gold then silver then Bronze.

Regardless, let’s start this in 1920 when Babe Ruth takes the home run record from 29 to 54.  You could make a case for doing this is 1919 when Ruth his 29, but when I see 1919 I think Black Sox, so let’s leave that in the muddy period of 9 Game World Series contests and other oddities.

In the Golden Age we have two 8 team leagues and segregation.

The Silver Age – 1947-1968.   

We begin with Jackie Robinson and see an age of pitching.  Expansion.  Teams moving around.  The West Coast becomes a thing.  Integration.

The Bronze Age – 1969-1994.

This is the baseball most of us grew up on.  4 Divisions. Pitching and stolen bases.  You can win the MVP with 30 HRs.  We knew the record book.   Then something broke.

The Steroids Age 1995-2019.

Baseball recovers from the missed World Series.  Cal Ripken hides some damage with his Gehrig chase.  McGwire and Sosa inject the sport with some enthusiasm and who knows what else.  Baseball gets a Subway Series and a Red Sox championship to continue to hide the cancer inside.

Bonds makes a run at the records and for the most part nobody cares.

By the end of the steroids age, the record book has been broken (in many ways) and it becomes increasingly noticeable that baseball has lost its way.

The Age of Death 2020-2045.

And now we are in the age of death.   Expanded playoffs.  The 5 seed plays the 6 seed in the MLB Finals which are little watched.  We pretend that anyone cares about Aaron Judge setting the “AL Record” for home runs.  A super balanced schedule.  The DH in the NL.   It all adds up to Who Cares.

Along with this, the bill has come due on the last 30 years.  Fox and MLB played the biggest games’ biggest moments after midnight on the east coast, and two generations grew up not watching baseball.  The boomers died off and Gen X became old men.

And baseball became horse racing, or boxing.  A grand sport of the 20th century that lost its way and became an also ran.

Welcome to The Age of Death commissioner Manfred.  Like the climate emergency, the signs were there and people were screaming about it for decades, but you just cashed those checks.  It’s not going to be your problem, it will be the problem of the next commissioner.

Don’t get me wrong.  The sport will continue.   Hockey sails along.  So does NASCAR.  MLS makes a living.  Baseball can live at this tier for another century no problem.   Now, it’s a second tier sport where nobody watches the big games.  Welcome to the minor leagues!

 

 

The Mets are really trying to make the Stonecutters gag true – they hired the Police Commissioner!

Rich guy, check. Police commissioner, check. Clowns…for sure, check.   All Steve needs now is an alien.

As George Carlin said, “It’s A BIG Club & You Ain’t In It!”

Anyway, I guess a Police Commissioner knows about safety…but “guest experiences” – yeah?

I do know some NYPD who thought she was very good.

Congratulations Rich Elite New Yorkers making big salaries!

 

KEECHANT SEWELL JOINS METS AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,

SECURITY AND GUEST EXPERIENCE

 

Former New York City Police Commissioner appointed to newly created role with the Mets

FLUSHING, N.Y., November 2, 2023 – The New York Mets today announced that Keechant Sewell will be joining the organization on November 27 in a newly created position as Senior Vice President, Security and Guest Experience.

As the 45th New York City Police Commissioner, Sewell led the nation’s largest municipal police force, as well as the nation’s largest public transportation system. During her time as commissioner, Sewell executed multiple strategies, resulting in the reduction of crime in most major crime categories. She also collaborated with federal agencies to enhance counterterrorism workstreams and implemented the use of technology to assist investigations and ensure public safety.

In this position with the Mets, under the leadership of Katie Haas, Executive Vice President of Ballpark Operations and Experience, Sewell will oversee the safety and guest experience for the organization.

“Keechant’s expertise in public service, law and safety, as well as collaboration with the public, will allow us to take our Security and Guest Experience to the next level,” said Katie Haas, Executive Vice President of Ballpark Operations and Experience. “Keechant will help us to modernize our approach to safety and the guest experience at Citi Field, while also strengthening our relationships with the community and all agencies of law enforcement and emergency services.”

“I am excited to join the Mets for my first private sector role,” Sewell said. “The opportunity to bring my passions of community building and public safety to the Mets is truly a dream job. As someone who grew up in Queens, this legendary organization is vital to local communities and so many across the world. I can’t wait to help be a part of building this world-class fan experience.”

Prior to her time as commissioner, Sewell spent over two decades on the Nassau County police force. In her most recent position with Nassau County, Sewell was the department’s Chief of Detectives, leading the department’s twenty investigative commands along with federal and local task forces. She also served as a department liaison for community engagement to increase department transparency and accountability for police reform.