MLB Drops the Ball

I find it curious that Major League Baseball decided to pull this year's All Star Game out of Atlanta over Georgia's new election law.

While the law can be debated --- and obviously will -- for some time to come, MLB's leaders may have been better served to take a breath before yanking the game as punishment for what they and others who put pressure on them think is voter suppression.

There is a better way to make the point.

First, play the game and make sure everyone knows the game will be played to demonstrate the objection. Play it up big in ads and other promos leading up to the game. After all, ratings could be better. Then, take the following steps:

Name the teams such as the American Democrats and the National Republicans. Give one team a set of rules that makes it easier to produce runs such as providing a batting practice pitcher that lobs balls to home plate from in front of the mound. Maybe give the team getting those lobbed pitches a shorter distance to get to each base.

The other team? Well, they'll have to abide by traditional rules. Maybe throw in a degree of more difficulty like having to face an extra infielder and outfielder or having having only two strikes and you're out.

Now you have something for the broadcast team as well as the fans to talk about over and over again throughout

the game.

"You know, Al, it's so much easier for this team to produce runs and that just doesn't seem fair."

"Oh, you bet, Morty. That's gotta really hurt their opponent. Someone's gonna get mad."

In the end, making a bold move like pulling an all star game out of a city or boycotting it in some other way only produces anger and finger pointing. But showing the perceived inequity -- substituting the concept of suppressing votes for runs -- is far more memorable. And far more likely for showcasing the event's point long after it is over.

Making these rule changes within a largely insignificant contest may not produce quite the backlash. Of course, it will take some brainpower for each person viewing the game to get the point -- and that's where everything is likely go off the base path.