Some Thoughts on the Off-Season

All aspects of life converge on baseball. Triumph, defeat, heroicism receive their greatest play on the baseball diamond.

But does baseball mirror society or does society mirror baseball?

At one time, the answer would have been simple: baseball mirrors society. But the events during the off-season have confused the baseball fan.

In the past, it was easy to magnify the great moments of baseball and simply ignore or cover up the lost idealism. Today, however, we can't.

The players, the media and, in a much larger sense, society won't let us.

Vanities

Forget Tom Wolfe. Wade Boggs is providing the real social commentary.

Boggs' life became entangled in a saga of sex and jealousy, and to find a perspective, he tuned into Geraldo Rivera. In a 60-minute Rivera show about sex addiction, Boggs realized his problem--he was a sex addict--and that he's not alone.

Once again, all was right with the world, and Boggs could return to the batter's box, where the only reality is a 4-for-4 day.

We can thank Boggs for bringing trashy television into baseball. Soon, he and Rivera will get along better than Tommy Lasorda and pasta.

Maybe we are truly amusing ourselves to death. We expect to find all our answers on television, and some of us do.

Next, Darryl Strawberry will reveal that he learned to fight watching The Morton Downey, Jr. Show.

Phil Donahue will reform Houston pitcher Bob Knepper, making him more sympathetic to women.

Roger Clemens will take personality lessons from Oprah Winfrey.

And George Steinbrenner and Dave Winfield will settle their legal disputes on People's Court.

But don't misjudge baseball players. They aren't a narrow-minded group; they can also find inspiration in movies.

The Big G

Doing flawless interpretations of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, players are giving new meaning to the term "Greed is good." They now charge money to sign autographs.

It is a scene that is worse than a game being played under the lights in Wrigley Field--kids go up to their favorite players with ball, pen and $10 in hand.

Services rendered. Money exchanged.

Increased ticket prices, games on pay-TV and now autographs for sale.

No spontaneity. No genuine appreciation of the fans. Only bigger bank accounts to match the egos.

This was, perhaps, the most disturbing development of the offseason. It not only reflects one player and magnifies his problems, but it underscores the attempt by the baseball hierarchy and players to alienate the fans.

Trash the team. Trash the city. Trash the fans. This is now a requisite for all superstars.

Baseball players aren't perfect. They weren't in Babe Ruth's time, and they're certainly not perfect in our time.

More Money

But signatures for sale prove that not even million-dollar contracts, bonuses, incentives and advertisements satisfy some of today's baseball players.

Baseball players serve as role models, and I guess they need their heroes, too.

But right now, it is hard to determine who has worse judgment--some ballplayers or their fans.