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Inside This Episode ⚾️
1) The Birth of Free Agency
To today's fans, we take the free agency system as a normal part of baseball. Players move from team to team, free to sign with whoever they want, and it has always been this way. However, free agency, as we know it, is a relatively new development in baseball history.
Read more about the MLB's free agency system origins in this excellent article from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Would baseball be better off without a free agency system? Let me know your thoughts below:
Current News to Know This Week 📰
1) MLB Cancels 2022 Korea Series
Major League Baseball is canceling the 2022 Korea Series that had been scheduled for next month. The league cited a contractual issue with a local promoter as the reason for the cancelation.
According to an article from MLB Trade Rumors, MLB and the Players Association announced the creation of the Korea Series in late August. The event would’ve pitted some major league players against players from the Korea Baseball Organization in a four-game exhibition.
The article also stated that "there’s no indication the cancelation of the upcoming event has any bearing on longer-term plans, although it’ll still come as a notable disappointment to many fans inside South Korea."
The event was set to kick off in just over two weeks time, with the first game scheduled for November 11.
2) World Series tickets for Phillies/Astros Series
Tickets for this year's World Series are fetching some of the highest prices in Major League Baseball history.
According to an article from the Delaware News Journal, tickets to Philadelphia Phillies home games have reached an average cost of more than $3,200, the second-highest total in baseball history.
In an interview with Stubhub spokesperson Adam Budelli, he stated, "We've seen tremendous demand from baseball fans during the playoffs – this year's ALCS and NLCS saw 36 percent higher ticket sales per game on StubHub than the 2021 Championship Series. Excitement is already strong for the World Series, especially in Philadelphia, where pent-up demand for the Phillies' first championship appearance since 13 years is reflected in what we are seeing fans are willing to pay compared to the games in Houston."
High ticket prices are no surprise considering the teams playing in this year's Fall Classic. The Astros are looking to defend their title from last season, while the Phillies haven't been to the World Series since 2009.
3) The Future of Umpiring
As baseball evolves, so does the role of the umpire. With an automated strike zone system possibly being implemented as soon as 2024, this could be one of the last World Series with umpires calling balls and strikes.
In an article from the New York Times released an interactive web game with the tagline "Now it’s your turn behind the plate: Are you more accurate than a major league umpire?"
This really neat experience allows you to take on an umpire's perspective and see if you can make the right call in some pressure situations.
What do you think the future of umpiring holds? Will we see more robots behind the plate, or will human umpires still have a place in baseball? Let me know your thoughts!
That's all for this edition of This Week in Baseball History. Be sure to check back next week for more memorable moments, news, and updates from around the league!
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This Week in Baseball History: 10/31/22