Zack
05-29-2007, 12:54 PM
Big Teams, Big Stars, Atlanta Braves...little stars?
By: Zack (http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/member.php?u=231) | Braves-Nation.com
The idea of teams such as the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees being obligated to win the World Series just because of who they are, and the stars they have on their team has become quite an annoyance in the baseball world.
Take a look at the Red Sox roster: Lugo, Crisp, Manny, Ortiz, JD Drew, Lowell, Varitek, Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka, the list could go on. On a regular trip through the Red Sox lineup, you could ask any fan, not necessarily just of the Boston Red Sox, but any true fan of Major League Baseball, and they would at least be familiar with these guys. It works the same way with the New York Yankees: A-rod, Jeter, Giambi, Abreu, Damon, Matsui, Mussina, Pettite, and now the recent addition of Clemens. Again, most any baseball fan would be familiar with these names.
Take a look at recent World Series winners like the 2006 Cardinals, the 2005 White Sox, and the 2004 Red Sox, all of whom baseball fans could enjoy seeing stars play the series, even if their favorite team wasn't playing.
Now take a look at the Braves, sure every team has their stars, and so do the Braves: Chipper, Andruw, McCann, Francoeur, Renteria, Smoltz, Hudson; but does this team measure up to the overrated, star caliber of other teams? What kind of ratings and fan involvement would the World Series get when the Braves have Chris Woodward? Martin Prado? Matt Diaz? Scott Thorman? stepping up to the plate. The fans would say, "who?" Is there any one player in the Braves lineup that the opposing fans cringe when he walks to the plate? I'm here to say it, no. There is no David Ortiz, there is no Manny Ramirez, there is no A-rod, there is no Pujols. The Braves have streaky Andruw and Francoeur, injury pleagued Chipper, and maybe a consistent but a non-power threat in Renteria and McCann. When any fan's team plays the Yankees or Red Sox, they cringe, start biting their nails, tapping their feat, or begin any other nervous habit when they see their pitcher opposing A-rod, or Big Papi, or Manny. The Braves simply do not have that kind of stardom.
Though the media, such as ESPN, and "bandwagon baseball fans" seem to overrate the importance of having these kinds of stars in an everyday lineup is necessary to win, recent history has shown us this is not the case. The New York Yankees are 13.5 games back, and have the same record as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, yes, the DEVIL RAYS! The Boston Red Sox, however, are the best team, and most feared team in baseball, and rightfully so. However, with the extreme differences in these two teams performances on the field, yet the similarities in the star-caliber players, these two teams receive the same amount of media coverage.
If the Braves and Yankees were in the same division, the Yankees would be about 7.5 games behind the Braves, yet, the Braves do not get the same kind of press coverage. The Braves do not get the same publicity. The Braves don't get the long stories on ESPN. To be honest, who cares? This leads to show that the baseball media world has turned in to not how well you play, but who you are, and who you have. Now, does the lack of all of these things manipulate the team's ability to win the World Series? Absolutely not. But don't be surprised if and when the Braves make it to the big show and get to the 6th spot in the lineup and on, fans are saying, "who?"
By: Zack (http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/member.php?u=231) | Braves-Nation.com
The idea of teams such as the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees being obligated to win the World Series just because of who they are, and the stars they have on their team has become quite an annoyance in the baseball world.
Take a look at the Red Sox roster: Lugo, Crisp, Manny, Ortiz, JD Drew, Lowell, Varitek, Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka, the list could go on. On a regular trip through the Red Sox lineup, you could ask any fan, not necessarily just of the Boston Red Sox, but any true fan of Major League Baseball, and they would at least be familiar with these guys. It works the same way with the New York Yankees: A-rod, Jeter, Giambi, Abreu, Damon, Matsui, Mussina, Pettite, and now the recent addition of Clemens. Again, most any baseball fan would be familiar with these names.
Take a look at recent World Series winners like the 2006 Cardinals, the 2005 White Sox, and the 2004 Red Sox, all of whom baseball fans could enjoy seeing stars play the series, even if their favorite team wasn't playing.
Now take a look at the Braves, sure every team has their stars, and so do the Braves: Chipper, Andruw, McCann, Francoeur, Renteria, Smoltz, Hudson; but does this team measure up to the overrated, star caliber of other teams? What kind of ratings and fan involvement would the World Series get when the Braves have Chris Woodward? Martin Prado? Matt Diaz? Scott Thorman? stepping up to the plate. The fans would say, "who?" Is there any one player in the Braves lineup that the opposing fans cringe when he walks to the plate? I'm here to say it, no. There is no David Ortiz, there is no Manny Ramirez, there is no A-rod, there is no Pujols. The Braves have streaky Andruw and Francoeur, injury pleagued Chipper, and maybe a consistent but a non-power threat in Renteria and McCann. When any fan's team plays the Yankees or Red Sox, they cringe, start biting their nails, tapping their feat, or begin any other nervous habit when they see their pitcher opposing A-rod, or Big Papi, or Manny. The Braves simply do not have that kind of stardom.
Though the media, such as ESPN, and "bandwagon baseball fans" seem to overrate the importance of having these kinds of stars in an everyday lineup is necessary to win, recent history has shown us this is not the case. The New York Yankees are 13.5 games back, and have the same record as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, yes, the DEVIL RAYS! The Boston Red Sox, however, are the best team, and most feared team in baseball, and rightfully so. However, with the extreme differences in these two teams performances on the field, yet the similarities in the star-caliber players, these two teams receive the same amount of media coverage.
If the Braves and Yankees were in the same division, the Yankees would be about 7.5 games behind the Braves, yet, the Braves do not get the same kind of press coverage. The Braves do not get the same publicity. The Braves don't get the long stories on ESPN. To be honest, who cares? This leads to show that the baseball media world has turned in to not how well you play, but who you are, and who you have. Now, does the lack of all of these things manipulate the team's ability to win the World Series? Absolutely not. But don't be surprised if and when the Braves make it to the big show and get to the 6th spot in the lineup and on, fans are saying, "who?"