Baseball Players; Heroes or Foes?

        Jenifer Langosch confirms fans biggest concerns; Chris Carpenter is almost guaranteed to be on the disabled list starting out this new season. Kyle Lohse is said to be the new starter for April 4th, followed by Adam Wainwright on the 13th, and Lance Lynn could possibly become his permanent 5th rotation replacement. In her article, "Carpenter shut down; Lohse to start opener," she uses most of the page to discuss Carpenter's bizarre injury. It could be a disk out of place, or it could be nerve damage which he has suffered from in the past. His practices have consisted of weakness and discomfort as his pitching skills are, at the moment, failing to be what they once were.
       One question that arose for me when reading this article, was why is the whole article focused on an injured player who is unable to benefit the team, and not the players who will now be starting, and what the season may look like with a new starting pitcher. Yes, it is devastating that his career could be effected or ended by this, and as humans we are curious what has happened and how he will be, but if Baseball is the subject, shouldn't the game be the most important thing to discuss?
      Wrong. Just as Barthes discusses in his book Mythologies, we have made the players symbols of importance, of greatness. They are our heroes and when they are injured, it shows us that even the "great" can be brought down and hurt and it has a much larger effect on our personal lives, than if we just saw them as baseball players. Baseball is no longer just aboutthe game, but having something to depend on to give us hope, to gossip about, and the players become people we can idolize. Just like in moneyball, the player is a price, the player is role model, the player is an object, as opposed to just a human. The article doesn't focus on the upcoming starters and a very exciting season for them, because one of our heroes has lost his immortality and that has become what is important and what the fans will care about, as opposed to the game.

Here Batter, Batter, Batter!!

             In his article, No Rust for Mo in Flawless Spring Debut, Bryan Hoch creates the image of an American super hero as he plays out Mariano Rivera's possible last season. The forty-two year old has been playing in the major leagues since some of his colleagues were still in high school. Though they are saying this could be his possible last season, as almost all sports writers must mention at some point, Hoch reminds us that Rivera is still in incredible condition as his spring debut displays his incredible mid-season physique.  He then goes on to discuss his inconceivable talent being premiered at this spring debut.
           "Rivera induced a Ty Wigginton flyout to right field, a Lou Montanez lineout to center field and a Hector Luna groundout to third base in his 14-pitch appearance, kicking off a season that many have speculated could be Rivera's big league farewell tour." His command over the ball is considered to be one of the best in the league, and most players are honored to be able to go up against it, or catch that pitch. He is in control, he is a warrior as he can produce such talent after so many years of being part of the league, and he is rewarded of his years of heroism with a standing ovation. Just like the book Mythology discusses, his original title as just a baseball player, has been displaced by this new meaning of an empowered human being.
           There is nothing saying or giving us reason to care that Rivera is still playing such an incredible game at the age of forty-two, or that it could be his last season, or that we should care what type of pitches he can throw, like the Ty Wigginton flyout to right field. We care about these things and make then news worthy threw giving him this position of heroism. He is someone to idolize for young baseball players, or anyone that thinks their age can stop them from succeeding in doing something they want to do. His importance comes from this need for someone to compare to, someone to give us hope for ourselves, an idol, a hero. Take out this human need for something greater to look up to, and all you have is a baseball player playing a game.