Every-Thing Sports

MLB has middle child syndrome

MLB has middle child syndrome
MLB Official Twitter Account

Super Bowl LIV was still being celebrated on the field by the Kansas City Chiefs when MLB sent out the pic you see up above. Andy Reid was probably on the stage expounding his great love for the celebratory cheeseburger when they felt compelled to let everyone know that it's "Our turn." Really guys? This has been happening for the last few years. Similar tweets, similar timing, all the same message: it's time to pay attention to us now sports world. It's time someone sat MLB down and told them of their place in the pecking order.

Look at me guys!

The need to draw attention to one's self screams middle child syndrome. It's when the second of three kids feels left out with no defined role in the family because it's no longer the baby and not the first born. Why else would they feel the need to let the world know their season is about to start? People don't care enough about baseball and MLB is the reason why. They have a lot of work to do in order to bring organic attention to themselves. Tweets like this make them look thirsty.

Barely second

MLB, for now, is the second most popular sport in the country. If they're not careful, they'll fall to third behind basketball. There are a myriad of things they need to improve upon in order to stand firm in the two hole and fend off basketball, but that's another article for another day. Basketball, by some metrics, will appear to be third. But when you look at how modern the NBA is and how wildly popular the NCAA Tournament is, I don't see how baseball can rival that. Men literally plan vasectomies around the NCAA Tournament. When was the last time anyone planned anything around something baseball-related? Soccer is coming on strong with the youth movement and guys like Christian Pulisic are going to push it forward and could even surpass baseball if it isn't more careful.

It used to be the most popular

You ever sat around and talked about the good old days? If you're as old, or older, than I am, it's something you do quite often. Things that remind you of your youth when you're an old will give you some life, especially when the memories are good ones. MLB does this way too much. Its over-reliance on antiquated traditions are also what tends to hold the sport back. I love history so don't take this as a knock. But MLB needs to find a balance between honoring its traditions and coming into the 21st century. Don't be Al Bundy MLB.

If they aren't careful, MLB will wake up one day further towards the back of the line instead of the front. They're being pushed and challenged, but aren't fighting back much. This is like watching an MMA fight, but one fighter has on boxing gloves. The fans who once had baseball and MLB as the undisputed number one are literally dying off. The way we consume sports is changing. MLB has to continue to evolve or it will become a victim of it's middle child syndrome.

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The Astros beat the Guardians, 4-2. Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images.

Jeremy Peña had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, Colton Gordon got his first major league win and the Houston Astros defeated the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 on Friday night.

Christian Walker drove in a pair of runs in the fifth inning and Brendan Rodgers added a solo shot in the sixth as the Astros improved to 3-1 on their six-game road trip.

Gordon (1-1), who was making his fifth start, allowed one run on seven hits and struck out five. The left-hander was an eighth-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft.

Josh Hader recorded his 17th save, tied for second in the American League.

David Fry homered for the Guardians, who have dropped three of four. Carlos Santana had his 14-game hitting streak snapped.

It is the second hitting streak this season of at least 10 games for Peña. The shortstop is batting .449 (22 of 49) with three home runs and six RBIs during his current run.

Houston took the lead with three runs in the fifth off Cleveland starter Logan Allen (3-4). Peña scored from second on a deep infield single by Jose Altuve and Walker drove in a pair with a base hit to right.

Key moment

Cleveland had a chance to do some damage in the first inning, but Angel Martínez and José Ramírez were thrown out at second by Houston left fielder Mauricio Dubón when they tried to extend base hits into doubles.

Dubón joined Toronto's Addison Barger as outfielders with a pair of assists in one inning this season.

Key stat

Houston's struggles with the bases loaded continues. The Astros were 0 for 2 Friday night and are last in the majors with a .146 batting average.

Up next

Houston RHP Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.83 ERA) is tied for the AL lead in wins. Cleveland will go with RHP Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.79 ERA).

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