Rumors of Baseball’s Demise: How the Balance of Competition Swung and the Critics Missed

Is it bedtime for America’s pastime? In recent years, action on and off the diamond has left some fans predicting baseball’s imminent death--or claiming to have already attended the funeral. This book refutes those claims with an in-depth look at baseball then and now.

Comparing the baseball of the 1950s to the game of today, this author examines the widespread dissatisfaction with major league baseball, considers how modern teams differ from those of the past, and reflects on whether professional baseball remains a truly competitive sport. Excessive salaries, player movement and the evolution of the draft are all up for discussion, as is the Wild Card playoff format and how it has affected the overall competition. Tables show statistics on salaries, league attendance and the correlation between winning percentages and payroll. Appendices offer details on market size and attendance regressions. The facts and figures add up to a win for the long-lasting appeal of baseball.

Robert Cull, a senior economist in the Development Research Group of the World Bank, has been published in numerous journals. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.