By Andrew Holman | The Duquesne Duke
Over the past few decades baseball has had a stigma attached to it of being “boring” or an “old man’s sport,” but the young generation of players who have rushed onto the baseball scene have made baseball captivating once again.
Many people are probably already discounting the rest of this article, thinking how in the world can someone call baseball captivating? Before putting this story down and telling the nearest person about how ridiculous that statement was, just listen.
People who believe baseball is boring probably didn’t watch the seventh inning of Game 5 of the ALDS between the Blue Jays and Rangers, one of the most bizarre innings in baseball history. And since those people didn’t watch it, they didn’t see the emotion, the intensity, or the passion in that ballpark. They also didn’t witness Marcus Stroman.
No, the 24-year old Stroman wasn’t the one who smacked the three-run home run to win the game and excite the Canadian faithful. That guy was Jose Bautista, one of the best in the game. Marcus Stroman’s name was brought up because he is the young spark on the Blue Jays and the reason people should started getting excited about baseball once again.
Marcus Stroman trademarked the phrase “Height Doesn’t Measure Heart,” and that is what makes him so much fun to watch. Whether he is on the mound or in the dugout, he lets his emotions be seen. Stroman fought back from an ACL tear in roughly 5.5 months to be able to come back and pitch at the end of this season. He simply loves the game of baseball.
Additionally, Carlos Correa (21), Kris Bryant (23), Francisco Lindor (21), Kyle Schwarber (22)and Noah Syndergaard (23) show that same emotion when they play the game and it is so much fun to watch. All of these guys listed here weren’t even on major league rosters to start the season. Each one of them got called up at some point during the 2015 season and never looked back.
These young players bring an excitement back to baseball that many people might believe was lacking before. The amount of talented young stars in the game is remarkable, so now is the time to get excited about baseball. It’s the next generation of talent and it’s a rebirth for sports fans to get excited about.
Whether it’s watching Schwarber, Bryce Harper (23) or Giancarlo Stanton (25) launch one out of the ballpark, or it’s sitting back in awe of Jose Fernandez (23), Sonny Gray (25), Gerrit Cole (25) or Yordano Ventura (24) dazzling on the mound, these young players have lit a spark back into the game.
This generation of young players is special and there is nobody more special than 2014 AL MVP Mike Trout (24). Trout is only 24, but has already played four full seasons at the major league level. In his young career, Trout has already accumulated the previously mentioned MVP award, has been named a 4-time all-star, 2-time all-star MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, a 3-time Silver Slugger as well as quite a few additional honors. If there is one player in baseball for fans to watch and get excited about, Mike Trout is that guy.
Just give baseball a chance. Follow these youngs guys as they transform the baseball landscape. Everyone reading this column should go to a game next year down the stretch and experience the atmosphere.
The influx of young talents makes it easy to become invested in a team, and the chance of seeing a clutch walk-off homerun in person is all that’s necessary to be hooked forever. Baseball is boring? No, it’s not, it’s actually unpredictable and captivating as well, and the 2015 postseason is perfect proof. These young baseball players have changed the game, and now it’s time for sports fans to change their opinions on baseball.
