by Patrick Gunn
So, MLB is not budging in terms of its lockout. Commissioner Rob Manfred and the owners did release a proposal, that did little to improve the situation and even makes a season delay more plausible. But at least they are playing Spring Training games in Los Vegas (if the season starts on time)?
Yah, Major League Baseball is in a rut, but there are some ways to stay connected to sports and the fun chaos that comes with baseball. That may not make a perfect offer come out of thin air, but this will at least help pass the time. So, here’s a brief list of a few ways to pass the time before baseball comes back:
WATCH WINTER LEAGUE BASEBALL:
Phenomenal baseball is happening in the Domincan Republic. No, there aren’t many games left, but you can still check out some of the final games and watch great players take the field.
Also, the Mexican Pacific League has some games, too.
WNBA FREE AGENCY:
I know, different sport, but if you want to get into a wacky free agency period, now’s the perfect time to get into the WNBA. Super stars like Jewel Lloyd, Kahleah Copper, Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird (it what may be her last season), Liz Cambage, Courtney Vandersloot, and Tina Charles are all free agents. The next few weeks should be wild, so strap in.
BASEBALL CINEMA:
There’s an endless library of films to watch about baseball. You can check out a Yankees classic like The Pride of the Yankees with Gary Cooper immortalizing Lou Gehrig’s story. Or check out a film from the last 20 years like Moneyball (hard to believe this is more than a decade old already) and 42. You can check out the smaller but interesting Sugar about a pitcher from the Domincan Republic coming over to the states to pitch. Or go back and watch James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams, or The Sandlot, or The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (he did more baseball films than you remember).
READ A BOOK OR SOMETHING:
Nothing like curling up with a good book while you wait for MLB to come back. Check out Jim Bouton’s classic Ball Four if you want to see how the league’s labor issues effected players long before this lockout or the 1994 strike. If you liked the film, read Michael Lewis’ Moneyball and see where the statistics trends formed.
Miss the Brooklyn Dodgers? Roger Kahn’s Boys of Summer and Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Wait Till Next Year give classic portraits of that era. Bryan Hoch has written multiple books about the recent New York Yankees. Not to mention you can check out hundreds of biographies of your heroes, from Howard Bryant’s interviews with Henry Aaron to Yogi Berra’s book of Yogiisms and stories.
YANKEES CLASSICS:
Nothing like watching games where the Yankees never lose. Leave the memories of the inconsistent 2021 team behind by watching decades of great Bombers victories.
GET TO KNOW YOUR PROSPECTS:
MLB is allowed to do some activities. The International signing period has started, and the Yankees brough in Roderick Arias, the top international prospect. Otherwise, FanGraphs just released their list of top Bombers prospects, so you can re-familiarize yourself with the next wave of New York talent.
These are just a few ways to pass the time for the rest of this month (or the coming months).
