The decline in star power in the MLB

[Dr Positivity]

I was arguing with someone about whether baseball is OK because its local ratings are still good, and one of the arguments I brought up is how many players who were around when the Red Sox won their first title were more famous than Trout is now.

When you really step back and look at it, there were so many icons in the MLB even at late as the mid 2000s

Derek Jeter - face of the Yankees, one of the most recognized sports athletes in the country
Manny Ramirez - instantly identifiable and wacky character, star hitter on one of the flagship franchises
Pedro Martinez - iconic flamethrower
Mariano Rivera - all time closer
Ken Griffey, Jr. - post prime but still a household name
Sammy Sosa - still iconic from home runs
Ichiro Suzuki - hitting sensation
Alex Rodriguez - higher paid and most polarizing star
Barry Bonds - destroying the record books
Roger Clemens - another older star who's still a huge name

Those are at least 10 guys who are undoubtably more likely to be recognized in a restaurant than Trout or possibly anyone else currently in the game in my opinion. Hell even now, let alone when they were playing. Not even mentioning some other stars who have a case like Randy Johnson and Ortiz. Trout having a boring personality doesn't explain it. There's been boring athletes before but eventually they become famous for being boring like Duncan or Ivan Lendl. I don't think that's what's going on here. The guy is having a Mickey Mantle level career or better, in a different era it wouldn't matter what personality he, eventually people would have gotten to know him.

You can say Trout is not the most famous current stars and point to ones who've been in the playoffs more like Kershaw and Altuve, but I think in a different era pre-scandal Altuve is not just a well known baseball player but a complete icon in a different way than he is now due to being the underdog small guy who hits everything, charisma and hispanic importance. Maybe more like Ichiro. Same goes for someone like Buster Posey winning 3 rings. Two decades earlier I think he may have been more of an American icon after that since people love catchers when they're hitting stars.

Maybe mid 2000s was an especially a boom period for unique and charismatic characters, but to me it is obvious that the sands have shifted. You can't just point at the ratings and say everything is the same as it was.

[bluejerseyjinx]

I don't think there is a decline in star power at all. The product of the game is the problem and despite making some changes to speed the game up, most MLB games today and especially in the playoffs are lasting between 3 and a half hours to 4 hours a game.