Birds are chirping, days are longer, snow is melting-sure signs that spring is just around the corner.
There is however one key staple of spring missing-at least in the eyes of baseball fans. Instead of watching the boys of summer fine tune their swings from the summer climes of Florida and Arizona, fans of Major League Baseball have been left in the cold due to an ongoing labour dispute. The hallowed tradition of Opening Day has been shuttered for now, delayed at least two weeks with more games potentially on the chopping block.
In the grand scheme of world events right now, billionaire team owners squabbling with millionaire athletes ranks low in terms of importance. Extremely low. But that doesn’t mean news of cancelled games isn’t disappointing to diehards who count down the months, days and hours until that first pitch is thrown. MLB games won’t solve any of the major tragedies going on around the world right now, but they do provide an escape for fans who want to forget about their problems for a few hours each night and cheer for the players wearing their favourite team’s jersey to outperform the players wearing different coloured jerseys. And then there’s the real economic impacts-no not star athlete’s missed pay cheques, we’re talking about the stadium concession stand workers or the downtown restaurant that relies on game day traffic. The little guys. The average person probably has little sympathy for professional athletes, especially when reports indicate Washington Nationals star Juan Soto recently rejected a contract that would have paid him $350 million over the next 13 years. Here’s the really crazy part-barring a catastrophic injury, he has every reason to believe he’ll be offered much more in three years.
Truth be told most fans don’t really care much about Competitive Balance Tax, service time manipulation or any of the other major issues that are currently keeping players off the field. Most of us just want to hear an ump call ‘Play Ball!’
Toronto Blue Jay fans have more reason than perhaps any other fan base to be frustrated. After missing the playoffs by a single game last October, the 2022 team figures to be even better. Adding to the misery is the fact the Jays have spent the vast majority of the last two seasons playing home games away from home, just across the U.S. border in Buffalo, NY. Though they did return home to the Rogers Centre (we still call it SkyDome) for the final two months of the season last year. All things being equal, the Jays were lined up to play 81 home games in Toronto from April to September-and ideally into October-at full capacity. That’s something that’s been sorely missed by not just hardcore baseball fans, but Canadians in general who enjoyed sitting in the sun gazing up to the CN Tower and casually enjoying a ball game.
Instead baseball fans are left to wait and wonder if and when the season will get underway. Meanwhile the league operates under the assumption fans will be waiting with bated breath, eager to rush back to the ballpark once they finally settle their differences. If the reaction on social media is any indication, there may be more blue seats than fans to greet teams when they do finally take the field.
-Adam Prudhomme