Why does the Triple Crown seem underhyped?

[Dick Whitman]

I remember when I was younger, if anyone even flirted with the Triple Crown, it was the biggest thing going for weeks, if not months. Miguel Cabrera's pursuit has been compelling, but I wouldn't exactly say it has captured the imagination of the sporting public. Some thoughts, and I'm curious what others think:

1) Baseball is still going on? (aka NFL! NFL! NFL!)

2) After the sabermetrics revolution, the Triple Crown has lost some of its luster because we don't value batting average and RBIs in the same way that we used to.

3) He plays in Detroit. Not being on a coast - or Chicago - Detroit doesn't count as a real city.

4) The revamped wild card chase in baseball keeps other stories front and center longer, whereas playoff spots used to be wrapped up much earlier.

5) Cabrera made his charge late, after a lot of narratives for this season had been settled on, and regardless of what happens, this will be remembered as the summer of Mike Trout, R.A. Dickey, Steven Strasburg, and the Baltimore Orioles.

6) You're crazy, **** Whitman. This is the biggest sports story in America. Every TV set in America will be tuned in tonight. You're just looking back on the past with rose-colored glasses.

 

[TigerVols]

It's not Jetes.

Not kidding

 

[Dick Whitman]

It's not Jetes.

Not kidding

Yeah, that's right in line with my No. 3.

 

[Azrael]

Wasn't M. Cabrera suspended 50 games for doping?

 

[YGBFKM]

Because hyping stellar achievements is sooooo 20th century. These days, you have to look "beyond the numbers" to get the "real story." It's "Look at how smart I am" sports analysis. Kind of sucks the fun out of the game.

 

[Azrael]

It's also been so long since baseball had a Triple Crown winner that no one in baseball's young(er) demographic can assign much of a value to it.

 

[YGBFKM]

What? Isn't part of being a baseball fan -- moreso than in any of the sports -- being aware of and appreciative of the the game's rich history?

 

[Azrael]

What? Isn't part of being a baseball fan -- moreso than in any of the sports -- being aware of and appreciative of the the game's rich history?

I think the game's rich history in this case may have been overwhelmed by DW's second suggestion above: statistical devaluation.

If there had been a couple close Triple Crown chases in the sabermetric era, people might feel an irrational fondness for it - even if BA and RBI are no longer the game's yardsticks.

As it is, maybe it feels to younger fans like a 'so what?'

 

[LongTimeListener]

Everyone is just afraid Cabrera is going to hurt himself going for the third leg and have to be put down.

 

[casty33]

I agree with **** and think it's a tremendous accomplishment that is bering underplayed. I don't think it has anything to do with Cabrera playing for Detroit, I believe it may have to do with his stats not being in sexy abbreviated things like WHIP, OPS or any other statistic old baseball writers like me don't understand.

 

[dooley_womack1]

It's reflective of people not being able to focus on much of anything for very long. A saberhead who has no appreciation for the Triple Crown is a mere math geek, not a true baseball fan.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Wasn't M. Cabrera suspended 50 games for doping?

No, he's been arrested for DUI, but never been accused of using PEDs to my knowledge.

 

[heyabbott]

What's the 3rd catagory again? WAR, OPS+ & ...?

 

[JC]

I agree with **** and think it's a tremendous accomplishment that is bering underplayed. I don't think it has anything to do with Cabrera playing for Detroit, I believe it may have to do with his stats not being in sexy abbreviated things like WHIP, OPS or any other statistic old baseball writers like me don't understand.

How at this point does anybody that follows the game not understand WHIP and OPS?

I can see not understanding WAR, FIPS, DIPS and a lot ot the other Saber stuff but OPS and WHIP are just common place now. They are displayed as part of most players stat lines.

 

[JC]

It's reflective of people not being able to focus on much of anything for very long. A saberhead who has no appreciation for the Triple Crown is a mere math geek, not a true baseball fan.

but the old school baseball fans and media who wear their ignorance as a badge of honor are really the true baseball fans. What exactly is a true baseball fan?

 

[Zeke12]

Not sure why, but totally agree that it has been wildly underplayed.

 

[dooley_womack1]

It's reflective of people not being able to focus on much of anything for very long. A saberhead who has no appreciation for the Triple Crown is a mere math geek, not a true baseball fan.

but the old school baseball fans and media who wear their ignorance as a badge of honor are really the true baseball fans. What exactly is a true baseball fan?

You're going far beyond anything I asserted.

 

[Azrael]

Wasn't M. Cabrera suspended 50 games for doping?

No, he's been arrested for DUI, but never been accused of using PEDs to my knowledge.

Just pointing out the ease with which the two big league M. Cabrera's might be confused by casual followers of baseball.

 

[cranberry]

Since the last winner, statistics have evolved and batting average has been (correctly) devalued in the process.

What three offensive stats should be included in a new age Triple Crown?

 

[dooley_womack1]

I don't think batting average should be devalued. Runners are often capable of gaining more bases on a batter's hit than a walk. A good batting average without a ton of walks...now that has been devalued. I thought RBI was the main sticking point here.