Does Major League Baseball have a "superstar problem"?

[True Dough]

As in, there are none, at least not among the most popular athletes in the world. It's the subject of a fascinating article by ESPN based on polling of 6,000 fans, asking them who are their favorite athletes. Out of the top 50, only three were MLB players and all three are retired (or dead): Derek Jeter, Babe Ruth and Pete Rose!

Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs' first baseman, was the top player on the list among active MLB players, reaching 51st spot.

The NFL, by comparison, had 15 active players in the top 50.

The article indicates that similar polling in done earlier in 2016 showed similar results, with only one active MLB player cracking the top 50 (David Ortiz).

Now, there are some true statistical stars playing the game today who could be categorized as "superstars" on their way to potential first ballot Hall of Fame careers (Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Nolan Arenado, Jose Altuve, Bryce Harper, etc.).

There's also the key attendance numbers to look at, and the turnout at stadiums across the country generally doesn't indicate any sort of crisis due to a lack of "superstars." MLB overall attendance was down 1.1 per cent last year compared to 2015, but it still ranked as the 11th highest season on record for putting butts in seats. That said, attendance was at a record high in 2007, before the recession.

But it does beg the question of whether MLB has a marketing failure on its hands for not having higher-profile "superstars" like a Lebron James. What do y'all think?

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19074938/where-all-mlb-superstars-gone

[ghostsinthemachine]

1. Interesting because baseball

Has no lack of incredible players right now. The talent is amazing. Trout, Harper, Posey, Kershaw, Bryant, Pedroia.. The list is endless.

[GWC58]

2. Manny Machado

That young man can play some 3rd base!

[True Dough]

5. That throw from his knees to get the out at first on Devon Travis of the Jays

was amazing.

[GWC58]

7. Yes, and the play

at 1st was equally impressive by Chris Davis!

[True Dough]

3. This is true

So I wonder what the explanation is for the lack of presence in the polling? Is it because MLB isn't doing enough marketing to get those names and faces out there on TV and the Internet?

[bluedigger]

4. They completely neglected the 'roids factor.

Mark Mcguire, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds... The list goes on and on in baseball of superstars who fans feel betrayed their trust. There's no safety in rooting for a player in baseball for the fan, only the team. Go Sox!

[True Dough]

6. Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez, Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez, Dee Gordon

Yeah, it's a long list.

Good point. That's surely a factor for some fans.

[GWC58]

8. Brian Roberts

was another one that "roided" up. Another one, i believe, was Brady Anderson. Hit 50 home runs in 96. Never came anywhere near that again.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Don't Think I Buy That

Baseball has always been rooted in its own past. That is why when i was growing up, every kid i knew had Cobb's hits, Ruth's homers, Gehrig's consecutive games, Koufax's SO record, etc. memorized.

Baseball lends itself to looking back on it's great players. Geez, Ted Williams won the triple crown and didn't win the MVP, but now their is reasonable consensus he's the best hitter of all time.

And i don't think you can compare to football and basketball. As far as butts in the seats, 75% of people in a b-ball arena can see the faces of the players from where they sit, and in football, the game changed so much that newer fans don't know who Mean Joe Greene was.

I just think the laconic nature of baseball makes it more about the game itself and not the players. I'd bet you that the majority of sports fans think Wayne Gretzky when they hear hockey, even though he hasn't played a game in years.

[True Dough]

10. Some interesting thoughts, Professor

And you're bringing a longer-term perspective to the issue.

It would be helpful if we had equivalent polling dating back to the '50s through the '90s. I wonder if players like, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Reggie Jackson, Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken and Ken Griffey Jr. would have cracked the top 50 in their day?

[Yavin4]

11. We live in a short attention span culture.

People have a hard time focusing on anything for more than a few minutes. This is why super hero action movies out perform all other movies. The action set pieces are fast and intense and there's little down time between them.

Same is true for sports. Those sports where the action comes fast and furious with the game's stars at the center of it all will do better than baseball which has long down times between the action and the stars are not always at the center of the action. For example, Trout and Harper come to bat only 4 times a game. Think about that. The biggest stars in the game only get four plate appearances (on average) per game. That's akin to LeBron James taking only 4 shots or Tom Brady throwing only 4 passes.

I think that we just have to adjust to a world where baseball is the 4th or 5th top sport in the nation.

[True Dough]

12. Yavin, would you be willing

to shorten that up a bit? I'm sure it's a great post but maybe summarize it in a single sentence?

Thanks!

[Yavin4]

13. I'll translate it into emojis. n/t

[True Dough]

14. Perfect!!