Professional baseball finally debuted in the Arabian Peninsula with a two game showcase event hosted in the Dubai International Stadium. It was a fun exhibition with the East All Stars taking both games in the end. But this was less about results and more about starting something. All in all, I think it’s gotten off on the right footing. There are learning opportunities but I think this event laid a solid foundation on which to build off of. The ensuing article will focus mainly on what I think went well, interesting observations, and some learning opportunities for going forward.
The Broadcast
The livestream was of very good quality. The resolution and sound quality were generally very strong and made the viewing experience pleasant both via smartphone and via tablet. The on-air chemistry of the broadcast crew was also a plus. The sideline reporting was also polished and professional even though you could tell baseball is kind of a new thing for the one girl. Still, I thought she held her own. I also read some disparaging comments about Nick Swisher from people who perhaps find his personality a bit too big. I thought he was fine. People want to see and hear enthusiasm for an event like this and he brought that. He’s also knowledgeable given his MLB experience and he did bring that to bear. My one critique is that they could have taken better advantage of the time between innings to liven things up and avoid silence and dead air. What I’m thinking is something like what they do in CPBL Twitch broadcasts where we get to see the cheerleaders, cheer-masters or mascots dance, play a game with some fans etc. to the tune of fun cheer songs. I’d like to see this implemented for when the league kicks off for real next year. Given the diverse cultures of the countries represented, there are a lot of ways in which they can make this work.
The Players
A trip down memory lane was the opening act in what will hopefully be a long and fruitful journey. Bartolo Colon got the best of it, retiring Robinson Cano to open the books on the Baseball United project. It was good seeing former big leaguers there including World Series heroes like Pablo Sandoval and Gold Glover Andrelton Simmons. There were a number of other players involved with big league experience but the best story of all was actually those who aren’t exactly household names, the ones still dreaming of making a name for themselves who would not have otherwise had a chance to do so. For example, Akshay Mone’s duel with MLB vet Simmons gave something of a David versus Goliath moment, the seasoned pro against a raw, 19 year old prospect from India with good stuff but not yet refined. Mone won out with a weak fly ball out and even though he conceded a run to fellow young prospect Wahid from Pakistan, we all got a nice, feel good moment from a matchup that would have otherwise never materialized. That is the point of Baseball United. We want to see people like Uganda’s Dennis Kasumba shine who would not otherwise get a chance to share a field with big-leaguers and rub shoulders with veteran coaches like John McLaren who have much to teach these young, hungry players. I think this was the most satisfying part of this past weekend.
The Stadium
Dubai International Stadium was fitted for baseball in a process spanning several months, well documented on social media. The final result was tidy and the field seemed to be in good condition. Happily, ground balls were not too fast as was feared. The Ring Of Fire type roof also made for a nice fireworks show although I can imagine it must have been a fun challenge for outfielders. Given that this venue is used a lot for cricket, I did notice that there was quite a bit of foul ground, especially down the lines. This made for a rather interesting idea, namely, VIP seating in foul territory. It garnered some snickers online, but viewed from the perspective of the fans seated there it must have been rather nice to be seated so close to the action. And I should note that there was protective screening around each of these rather comfortable looking seats to avoid accidents. That said, I can see how this can be problematic for outfielders chasing down foul balls. To get the best of both worlds, I would keep this VIP on-field seating but arranged such that one screen can be set up to reduce the amount of foul ground, but still keep this interesting idea without making life difficult for fielders. As for dugouts, the open disposition of them made players more accessible than the usual and as a general note, I liked how much fan-player interaction there was before the games, after them and even a bit during the games.
The Rules
Somewhere out there in the galaxy, Charles O. Finley must be smiling at the fact that the Designated Runner rule actually became a thing in baseball. Pablo Sandoval got to make history for being subbed off for a DR. He also got to make another bit of rules-based history. (more in a bit) Basically, managers are allowed to bring in a faster runner to run for a slower one without fully removing that slower runner from the game as would be the case when you pinch run. Another rule that would raise an MLB fan’s eyebrow is the Home Run Derby in lieu of extra innings. We did not see it in this showcase but it was mentioned as being a rule in case of the game being tied after nine innings. Last I recall, this was a rule in the short-lived Israeli pro-league from 2007. To be honest, I would prefer they do without this in Baseball United because I find it gimmicky. Baseball never had the equivalent of a penalty shootout and I think the game should be decided through normal play, even if that means extra innings. What they can do instead is have the ghost runner idea like in MLB but start each inning from the 10th onwards with the bases loaded in case of a tie game after the full 9 innings. The last and most intriguing rule that we saw was something totally new, at least to me. The moneyball rule can be invoked up to three times per game by each team and if a homer is hit during a moneyball at-bat, it counts for double the amount of runs. For example, Pablo Sandoval hit a homer with two men on during a moneyball at-bat which by this rule became a six-run homer. It is unclear if this rule will feature come the first full season though. Honestly, it’s a bit gimmicky for my taste and it wasn’t popular on social media. I think they’re better off without it, although the golden baseballs were a nice touch.
Overall View
“Who dares wins” is the famous slogan of the British SAS. That is a true statement in general. Someone had to bring pro ball to the Arabian Peninsula and Baseball United proved up to the challenge. Are there challenges? Of course. Will there be some things to tweak ahead of the start of the season next year? Absolutely. But there is no understating that this is an important watershed moment in our sport. Baseball has made it to the glitziest city in the Middle East, the one that is so often at the forefront of the goings on of that region. Overcoming some of the inevitable initial skepticism will take some time, but only consistent, disciplined effort will break the barrier. The task ahead for Baseball United will be to continue insisting on their core mission of proselytizing the game to audiences in the Middle East and South Asia as well as further refining their product to make it better, learning from the mistakes of past leagues but also from their successes. The key will be to use the intervening time between now and the 2024 season wisely and make sure that their most important audience, Indians, Pakistanis and Emiratis, do not lose sight of the league or excitement for it. Momentum is everything in a nascent league and once lost it can be hard to recover. For now, they have it, and they must keep it rolling. I trust that they will.
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