Commentary: White Sox Aren’t "Great for Game"

The Chicago White Sox, with a no-name roster and a low payroll, are running away with the American League Central, and we are being told this is great for the game. In fact, it’s terrible for the game, and I’ll tell you why. The White Sox, along with the A’s and Mariners, are being held up as evidence that the little guys can still compete in baseball. And that’s just not true. The Yankees and Red Sox are getting competition from the low budget Blue Jays. But you know what? The Blue Jays are still in third, and they’ll be further behind when the year is over. In the NL, the Cardinals are winning, but their payroll is rather hefty. The Braves and Mets, Rockies and D-Backs rule the rest of the league. Baseball needs major economic change, revenue sharing. But the White Sox are convincing people the little guys can win. Maybe they can, when everything falls right for one season, but keep in mind that Chicago is not exactly a small market. And over the long haul, the good players will go where the money is, and the poor teams will have no chance.