10 Things I Dislike About Baseball In 2012

- Broadcasters who scream and use cute catch-phrases to attract attention and appear on Sportscenter. The ESPN-ization of sports media.

- The infield shift, employed by more and more teams. I understand it, but it just doesn’t ring true to me.

- Sideline reporters who deliver canned material and graphics. We don’t need you for that. We can get it from the others in the booth. Please give us some material that is going to add to our viewing experience.

- Inter-League Play. We’ve had Inter-League play most years since 1903. It’s called the World Series.

- The claw and antlers. The Rangers wanted team unity, but I think they just look ridiculous. Pump your fist. Clap your hands. Seems like something out of a bad video game.

- Highlight shows that focus first and foremost on home runs. Read Keith Hernanzez's book Pure Baseball  to see how nuanced each game really is.



- Instant replay. I’ve always felt the human element is part of the game’s magic. Even in no-hitters such as Johan Santana’s and near-no-hitters, such as R.A. Dickey’s.

- Broadcasters who refer to the team as “We”. You are there to describe. You don’t change the outcome of even one pitch.

- Umpires who act like they are bigger than the game. Like broadcasters, the only person who watches the game because of an umpire is his mother. (Thanks Marty Glickman for using that line to refer to broadcasters)

- The end of the season. Even with these nitpicks, it is still the greatest game ever invented.