U mad, bro? Readers fed up with sports and politics, MLB finances, Antonio Brown

It’s a Killer B’s edition of “U mad, bro?” Who is on the dart board for our irate readers this week?

Baseball, Benz, Baltimore and “Big Chest.”

The #SticktoSports crowd is feeling particularly mouthy this week as well.

John from New Cumberland LOVED my column about the second round of President Donald Trump versus NFL players over the topic of kneeling during the national anthem.

“Yet again I go to (the) sports section and get social commentary. I simply don’t care what you, or any other sports writer thinks about social issues or politics. And I sure don’t care about athletes of any color making millions and living in mansions in gated communities think about injustice.”

As I simply don’t care what emailers say about my content.

John, that column was the second most read item of the day on the entire website — not just sports. So I guess you are in the minority.

Be honest with me. If it was social commentary you agreed with, you wouldn’t mind reading about it. Would you?

This email is no different than the ones I get when something political in nature bleeds into the sports world: “KEEP POLITICS OUT OF SPORTS!”

Yeah. If it’s not YOUR kind of politics, that is.

If people agree with the political/social tone of the piece, suddenly mixing politics or social issues into sports ain’t a problem for them.

Strange, huh?

Want me to write more about sports? Tell ya what. How about you stop emailing me and maybe start emailing Rob Manfred, Gary Bettman and Adam Silver to get the pro sports leagues going so I have some games to cover?

Or, maybe you can email the politicians who are keeping coronavirus guidelines in place, making it difficult for that to happen.

How’s that for a more constructive use of your time? Since, you know, I wasted it by giving you a column you read — then emailed me about.

All while saying you don’t care.

Gary is pounding a similar drum.

“Just like ESPN, you lost another reader because you can’t keep your political views out of your sports articles. Stick to sports please.

Are you bored? Is that it?”

I dunno, Gary. Is President Trump bored? He seems to bring up that sports topic a lot more often than I bring up his politics.

Here’s another guy named John. He’s as angry as “New Cumberland John.” But not at me.

That’s a nice change.

No, this reader is upset with Major League Baseball’s slow return to play. And, apparently, it doesn’t matter much to him if the league does end up squeezing in a 60-game season.

“I love the GAME of baseball. (Roberto) Clemente was my hero. I still have his posters hanging in my office. I coached Little League when my son was growing up.

Unfortunately, money has ruined the game, at least at the Major League Level, to the point that I could care less whether MLB plays again or not. I’m more than satisfied watching the game of baseball at the amateur level.

Hope that makes sense.”

It does. To me. Maybe not so much to the players and owners.

And that’s where the problem occurs.

John, you sound a bit older than me. And I’m 45. I feel the same way that you do. I have more fun booting a softball around in pick-up leagues than I do watching nine-inning Major League games.

Yet I still consider myself trying to care about the Pirates and pro baseball, in general. Emphasis on the word “trying.”

So if the game is alienating us, imagine how disenchanted younger folks feel who may not have grown up with the same level of emotional attachment to sport as we did.

That’s baseball’s biggest issue.

Scott offers a solution.

Pfft! Solutions! C’mon, Scott. Don’t you know that’s not how this works? You aren’t supposed to try to solve anything. You are just supposed to angrily scream into the void and vent!

Is this your first time here or something?

Eh, take it away. Let’s see whatcha got.

“Why does no one make an argument for a salary floor in MLB? The small market clubs want a salary cap, the players and the big market teams do not.

But the flip side is a salary floor. If owners were required to spend a minimum amount of money on players’ salaries, then Nutting would have to spend to that limit, and not the 1994 level payroll he is trying to pay now. A salary cap and a salary floor is a win-win for everyone except the exclusive 10% or so of the players are the highest paid in the league.

I dare say that if you could get the “big market” owners on truth serum, you might find out that they would welcome a salary cap. It would be a face-saving move that they can say to their fans, ‘I’d pay more for Peter Power-hitter, but I’m up against the salary cap, so I’m stuck.’”

Great work on your columns during this shutdown. Keep them coming!”

Actually, that makes a lot of sense.

Honestly, Scott, I do think that a lot of people have made a push for both a cap and floor. You can’t have one without the other.

I just wish more fans, media and owners would push harder for them. Instead, there’s a lot of throwing our hands in the air and saying, “Oh, well! There will never be a cap in baseball.”

Oh, and to your point about some owners using a cap as an excuse so they wouldn’t have to spend as much — that’s true. You could argue some front offices already do that with the luxury tax.

“Dr Norstrum” sounded off about former Steelers receiver Antonio Brown perhaps going to the Baltimore Ravens.

Mr. Big Chest is apparently drawing interest from both the Ravens and Seattle Seahawks.

Go get him Ravens! Excellent signing! Locker room unifier! Never acts out! Solid citizen and would bring absolute joy to your team and community! Very unselfish player!

-Steeler fan

— Dr. VanNorstrum (@DrNorstrum) June 23, 2020

I bet that felt good to tweet. And you might be right, Doc.

You know what may not feel so good, though? If A.B. is lined up opposite the Steelers defense Thanksgiving night at Heinz Field.

That’ll be enough to burp up your stuffing.

Now, if the Seahawks sign him? Mock away! The Steelers won’t have to worry about Brown again in that case until 2023. And we all know he’ll flame out in Seattle long before then.

Wait, here’s one more angry political email from Patrick.

“Vote for your Democratic Party and watch your life be controlled by China. It’s coming and you won’t stop it.

I’m sorry for your heirs!”

My “Democratic Party”? Don’t put that hot mess in my lap. I’m not a Democrat. Or a Republican. Frankly, I loathe both parties.

That being said, thank you for your email. I will consider your recommendation. My heirs and I appreciate your feedback.

Or, if you prefer…您的邮件。我会考虑你的建议。我和我的“继承人们”感谢您的反馈。

Have a nice weekend, Patrick.