Boras Speak

[weams]

10 minutes ago, atomic said:

Charlotte,  Nashville,  Vegas,  Portland,  New Orleans, Mexico City,  Montreal,  San Antonio,  Oklahoma City

I like some of those choices. 

[Can_of_corn]

20 minutes ago, atomic said:

Charlotte,  Nashville,  Vegas,  Portland,  New Orleans, Mexico City,  Montreal,  San Antonio,  Oklahoma City

I am not at all certain they can break 1.2 Million without all the Yankee and Red Sox fans we have down here.

First couple of years?  Sure, until the bloom comes off the rose.

[atomic]

11 minutes ago, 25 Nuggets said:

There are 210 designated market areas (DMAs) in the US.  How.... business like.  But anyway, Tampa/St Pete is #11 by population.  Doesn't seem to make sense that they can't support a ballclub.  The top ten markets that don't have a major league team are:

1. Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne
2. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto
3. Charlotte
4. Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville)
5. Portland, OR
6. Indianapolis
7. Nashville
8. Hartford & New Haven
9. San Antonio
10. Columbus, OH

Smaller markets than Columbus (#32 overall) include Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati.  And not by much.

Per capita income in Tampa St Pete is less than half of what it is Baltimore DC. 

[UpstateNYfan]

13 hours ago, weams said:

In either case the chances for any one individual to have the freakish tools to become a MLB baseball player even with an extraordinary amount of work and coaching is very. very. very small. 

Much less of a chance than winning the Powerball. Not a career choice. Not a job. A freakish opportunity for only the smallest subset of humans. 

I agree, the probability (and/or) odds of becoming a major league baseball player is very low. It is not a career choice, more of a career that chooses you, based on unique and rare abilities needed to play the game at the highest level. That is one reason I refrain from using the term "stinks" when describing a player. BTW the probability of winning the Powerball is much less than the probability of becoming a MLB, about 1/175,000,000. To put it another way, with that probability, there would be less than two Americans (for every man, woman. child) playing MLB.

[weams]

9 minutes ago, UpstateNYfan said:

I agree, the probability (and/or) odds of becoming a major league baseball player is very low. It is not a career choice, more of a career that chooses you, based on unique and rare abilities needed to play the game at the highest level. That is one reason I refrain from using the term "stinks" when describing a player. BTW the probability of winning the Powerball is much less than the probability of becoming a MLB, about 1/175,000,000. To put it another way, with that probability, there would be less than two Americans (for every man, woman. child) playing MLB.

I was doing the world on the MLB odds bit. I do agree and that is why I always go off on that jag. You can't just train someone to play.

[Frobby]

14 hours ago, atomic said:

I think probably over 98 percent of us can play a baseball game.   Not much skill required.   There are only so few positions be because MLB has a monopoly and purposely limits the teams and number of players to such a tiny amount.   They could double the teams tomorrow if they wanted to and would have no problem filling them with players. 

On the other hand I doubt very many of us could design a rocket capable of escaping earth's orbit. Or design a nuclear bomb.   Baseball is a kids game.   

I’m not sure I understand the point of your post.     Sure, lots of people can play baseball.    But it’s a competitive sport, and the ones who play Major League Baseball are the best in the world at it out of everyone in the world who have played it.     

I have no idea how many people can design a rocket capable of escaping the earth’s orbit.   I’m pretty sure my neighbor across the street can (he’s chief engineer of the Pegasus rocket program).    He’s very talented at what he does.    

I don’t see “playing baseball” and “designing a rocket that can escape the earth’s orbit” as analogous.    Perhaps “being able to hit a 98 mph fastball 400 feet” would be the right analogy to building a rocket that can escape the earth’s orbit.    

[webbrick2010]

11 hours ago, atomic said:

Per capita income in Tampa St Pete is less than half of what it is Baltimore DC. 

Cost of Living / Taxes are probably less than 1/2 of Baltimore/DC also

Really need to compare per capita disposable income, but that's a tricky stat to come by

[osfan83]

3 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

Cost of Living / Taxes are probably less than 1/2 of Baltimore/DC also

Really need to compare per capita disposable income, but that's a tricky stat to come by

I think the poster that cited the number of transplants hit it right on the head. When I retire, If I move to FLA, I won't instantly become a Ray or Fish fan. I'll still be on O's fan, who might occasionally watch the local teams play. 

It will truly take generation before those teams have enough loyal die-hard fans. 

[atomic]

1 hour ago, osfan83 said:

I think the poster that cited the number of transplants hit it right on the head. When I retire, If I move to FLA, I won't instantly become a Ray or Fish fan. I'll still be on O's fan, who might occasionally watch the local teams play. 

I will truly take generation before those teams have enough loyal die-hard fans. 

Plus they play in a dome.  I truly enjoy sitting outside having a beer while watching the game.   Even during the early April night games where it dips down into the low 40's is more pleasurable that watching a game inside.