A Yawn and a Whisper

Alex Rodriguez, star slugger of the New York Yankees, hit the 600th home run of his career yesterday making him the youngest player to reach this milestone.

And it was hardly cheered or even noticed or cared about.

The reasons are myriad for this the malaise for what Sports Illustrated called a "hollow number". The steroid scandal being biggest and the declining view of baseball being the other polar bear sitting in the room. However, a little bit has to do with the magic aura of the moment.

Before 2000, three men in the history of organized baseball hit that lofty number. It's been four in the past decade and three of the players had the severe taint of steroids on them. The fourth, Ken Griffey, was so injured and banged up when he reached the number that he was no longer a star. The fans, what's left of them, can only shrug. Baseball has long billed itself as the sport where a person can show up and see something they've never seen before. The fans have seen 600.

What baseball needs is a serious public relations makeover. Get radical. Make the games for the average fan, not the rich fan. Starts the World Series in the afternoon so kids can watch. Put in a salary cap so fans in smaller markets can hope for wins. Let pitchers pitch. Change the rules. Do something big.

Or otherwise, baseball will be nothing more than a yawn and a whisper.

Brett Banter