Passing of the torch

The PGA’s changing guard; social media and MLB’s “love” for college baseball

Good morning, all. I hope your week is off to a terrific start.

We are witnessing the PGA Tour’s changing of the guard. The transformation was on full display over the weekend at iconic Riviera, the countryclub in Los Angeles that has been home to many a historic moment. On Sunday, the red-hot Jon Rahm, 28, won the Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods.

Woods, who nearly lost his life in a severe one-vehicle accident two years ago this coming Thursday (after the same tournament), played all four rounds over the weekend and shot a respectable one-under, 16 strokes behind Rahm. At 47 and admitting to persistant leg and back pain, Woods told CBS his steady days on the tour are over. It is likely he will finish tied with Sam Snead for the most PGA Tour victories at 82.

Rahm, now the number one ranked player in the world, has won five of the last nine tournaments in which he has competed and has 10 career wins on tour. The Tour has other up-and-coming stars, namely Scottie Scheffler, 26, Will Zalatoris, 26, Collin Morikawa, 26 and “old” standbys Rory McIlroy, 33, Justin Thomas, 29 and Jordan Spieth, 29. I am sure I have left out a few.

Then, of course, there is the PGA Tour’s rival, the LIV Tour. You know the stories of many of the big name golfers, such as Phil Mickelson, who bolted the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed LIV Tour, where guaranteed contracts are handed out to the players. Without getting into the political ramifications of LIV, and there are many, that tour has led to a huge increase in prize money on the PGA Tour, though guaranteed contracts are still not handed out.

The point is the PGA Tour, which suffered a TV ratings dip with the decline of Woods, may be poised for a comeback with all its new, young talent. If Woods can come to terms with the ending of his career on the regular tour - and it seems he has - he is in position to serve as a high-profile ambassador for the game, if he so chooses. In other words, despite a period of the tour landing in the rough, and even the challenge from LIV, the PGA Tour - with Tiger Woods out front in a non-playing capacity - may not be dead yet on TV or in the public conscience. Now tee’ em up.

Social media and sports

There was a time, when spring training started, that baseball fans would be starved for news about their favorite team. How was the rookie doing? Could the veteran make a comeback? Then channels entirely devoted to sports on television and radio cropped up, helping to whet our appetite. It left you wondering what else could be covered? Then along came social media.

Every professional team, most college teams and even some high school entities now have a presence on all social media platforms. Teams and schools hire people strictly to work on their social media accounts. It allows these entities to fling the hyperbole, while serving as a filter from the ever-exploring mainstream media.

Every game a team now plays is like the seventh game of the World Series. “Don’t miss the action” or “Whatta play” the media accounts scream out. It doesn’t matter that empty seats may serve as the primary backdrop in the social posting, these games are the biggest on the planet. Then some team social media accounts troll other team accounts. It never ends. The cycle is 24/7.

I have noticed, since even before spring training started, MLB clubs are tweeting more than ever. Some of the deluge is obviously coordinated, organized perhaps at a winter meetings seminar. The Super Bowl finish wasn’t even two seconds old and MLB teams had hit send on tweets proclaiming “It is now baseball season!” The college baseball season has already started, leading to even more tweets that the season is underway. It does not matter that the sport may have a niche appeal, the post is plastered across the numerous platforms.

On MLB, it seems every batting practice pitch, every bullpen session is recorded for the social media supplicants to consume. Heck, on Monday morning the Yankees sent out a picture of two of their catchers walking on the field, before practice. Is what they eat for breakfast next?

The media landscape continues to evolve before our very eyes. As much information as is being deseminated through these accounts, it almost makes this old goat yearn for the days when The Sporting News arrived in my mailbox, to learn about the latest news, even if it was a few days late.

College baseball and MLB

Over the weekend, MLB-TV televised the MLB Desert Invitational, featuring top college teams squaring off in a tournament. Do not kid yourself. This is more than MLB suddenly showcasing college baseball. I still believe MLB’s motive, now that it has full operational control of minor league baseball, is to continue to reduce the number of minor league clubs, especially now that MiLB players are unionized.

I maintain MLB would love to eliminated the A-ball level and go with just AA and AAA clubs, while underwriting summer, collegiate baseball and independent leagues. The MLB Desert Invitiational is a step toward fulfilling that blueprint.

Well, that is it for this week’s newsletter. As always, thank you for your support and have a great week!

SPORTSCASTER DAN