It’s no secret that there are many problems plaguing MLB in 2019. From the ridiculous number of home runs being hit to the number of relief pitchers it takes to finish a game and the expanding use of infield shifts, baseball isn’t what it used to be.
No one knows that more than ex-Yankees reliever Goose Gossage. Now, Gossage has never been afraid to speak his mind. From ripping closers Mariano Rivera and Aroldis Chapman as one-inning wonders to targeting general manager Brian Cashman as a baseball “nerd," Gossage longs for the good old days of baseball. That’s point he reiterated to USA Today.
"I can’t watch these games anymore,’’ Gossage said. “It’s not baseball. It’s unwatchable. A lot of the strategy of the game, the beauty of the game, it’s all gone. It’s like a video game now. It’s home run derby with their (expletive) launch angle every night.’’
Gossage isn’t alone. Former Yankees outfielder and manager Lou Piniella isn’t a fan of today’s baseball. Per USA Today:
“All anybody wants to do is launch the ball,’’ Piniella said. “They’re making the ballparks smaller, the balls tighter, and all we’re seeing is home runs. There are no hit-and-runs. No stolen bases. Nothing. I managed 3,400 games in the big leagues, and never once did I put on a full shift on anybody. Not once. And I think I won a few games without having to shift.’’
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Piniella and Gossage aren’t the only people who have a problem with baseball. According to USA Today, “league-wide attendance is down about 800,000 compared with the same point last year.”
Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.