It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when money sucked the joy out of baseball. It wasn’t when the players were granted free agency, at least not right away. Nearly two decades after Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were declared free agents, I wasn’t worried about the Giants giving Will Clark a contract that would prevent them from getting other players; I just wanted Will Clark.



But, at some point, everybody started worrying about the business of baseball, and understandably so. If a team gives Player X $200 million, the owners might not approve a $40 million contract for Player Y in six years. So you start counting beans and marbles. Following a team and mock-managing their resources in your head is almost like a game within a game. It’s like being given 100 rupees and the option to buy a red potion or some extra bombs. I’ll listen to arguments for all sides, depending on the situation.



Except this sort of board game micro-maintenance misses...