Several hours before the Pittsburgh Pirates resumed their dream season in Houston Friday night, I asked their manager, Clint Hurdle, if he could explain the team’s winning first half in the wake of a major league record 18 successive losing seasons. Specifically, I asked him to explain this “radical development.”
“Radical development,” he repeated. “I’m a big fan of radical development. I’ve heard our first half described in a lot of ways, but that’s the best.’’
Bud Selig and his FOXie friends might have the answer to their prayers, and they might not even realize it.
The commissioner and baseball’s television benefactors have tried for years to find a way to enhance the television ratings for the All-Star game. They have turned somersaults, done cartwheels and back flips and have concocted gimmicks to lure viewers.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and these are evidently desperate times. At least Major League Baseball officials have been acting like desperate men.
They have scrambled in their desperation to create gimmicks they hope will raise the television ratings of the All-Star game.
Linking the All-Star game to the World Series hasn’t worked so this year Major League Baseball concocted a new scheme. It devised a contest to determine fans’ favorite moment from All-Star history.
