Three and two counts. Mighty swings by muscular big guys and thin little infielders alike. Strikeout. Walk. Walk. Strikeout. Strikeout. Walk. Home run. Walk . Strikeout. Home run. Pitching change, hard thrower replaces hard thrower. Walk. Strikeout. Are you still awake? I’m having trouble. Last October 6, yours truly submitted for your consideration a piece entitled Beginning of the End? The subject matter was the decline in attendance at major league baseball games and the speculation was that the preponderance of strikeouts, which has reached the point that the average pitcher now fans batters at a Sandy Koufax pace,combined with the absence of some of the more exciting plays like stolen bases, sacrifices and squeeze plays and in general just putting the ball in play has begun to turn off baseball lovers while lengthening games and reducing the demand for over the counter and other sleeping aids. Whatever the causes, the decline in turnstile clicking has increased so far in 2019.

Another factor is what is politely referred to as economics. No one wants to mention the fact that many people have been priced out of going to a big league game but I strongly suspect that such is the case. Just as loads of folks who are devoted to live theater may not have had the gelt to see Hamilton without getting a second mortgage, many working stiffs may have had to go to their second job rather than blow a couple of hundred to see that Pirates versus Reds game. Are the owners, who are closer to the one per cent than to the rest of us, worried? We are seeing signs that they are indeed. The Dallas Keuchel mystery, for one thing. Really, no one could use this guy? What about the “generous” contract extensions for players who are not yet headed for free agency? That’s a lot more money than you or I make, Jake, but it tells me that both employers and employees see hard times ahead.

We still love the game though, don’t we? We made it past the strike years, the cocaine years, the steroid years where somebody who looked like he couldn’t carry two bags of groceries one year was blasting 50 homers the next, and all that stuff. We’ll make it past this too. Defensive shifts? We can adjust. The games on the field still hold interest. The first quarter has produced some fascinating stories. One has been that the Washington Nationals are struggling so much that manager Dave Martinez may be looking over his shoulder. Kudos to Eric Karros, who stated on Fox Whip Around that their big mistake was in letting go of Dusty Baker. Mike Schizzo should have patience but probably won’t.

And the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds are both better than expected thanks mostly to pitching. Josh Bell of Pittsburgh has been particularly impressive and the Reds lineup is looking pretty solid in the post (There goes another) Homer Bailey days. Jose Iglesias makes the infield respectable and once Joey Votto and Yasiel Puig start raking the Reds will cause trouble.

I’m sure the addition of Adam Jones has helped but the Arizona Diamondbacks are also better than expected. I still believe that the longer the season gets the more they will miss Patrick Corbin, though. Cody Bellinger is the big reason, in my never humble opinion, that the Dodgers are ruling the West again. The Giants could still figure in things if the new boss Farhan Zaidi could stop tinkering with the roster. He really liked Conner Joe, Mike Gerber and a few other guys in the outfield that you never heard of until he didn’t anymore. At the same time, established useful outfielders like Gerardo Parra and Cameron Maybin got brief trials and were sent off rather rudely. The catching position,usually locked up by a wobbly Buster Posey, has been running auditions since February and almost everyone in the catchers’ union has passed through.

Yes, I have been shocked by the strong showing of the Minnesota Twins so far and I hope it continues. Cleveland has problems. The big accomplishment of 2019 so far, though,and it provokes a thirst for a stiff drink to say it, is the amazing development by the New York Yankees and their “B” team. Wow! Well done, Aaron Boone and company. The brightest light in mid May of 2019 is not surprisingly, Houston.