With all due respect to the authors of the contraction editorial, you failed to hit on the reason why contraction is being considered. Commissioner Bud Selig said the reason these teams are to be eliminated is because they can’t make money. This is because, unlike the NBA and the NFL, Major League Baseball doesn’t have a salary cap.

This means teams like the Yankees and Diamondbacks can pay more to top-quality free agents because they have more money to spend. A large number of teams go to spring training every year knowing they have no chance of making the playoffs because they can’t afford to compete. The pitching is watered down with 30 teams, but the hitters are much stronger than they were ten years ago.

Look at a picture of Mark McGwire in his rookie year (1987) when he hit 49 home runs. He is much bigger and stronger than he was when he entered the league. As for the fans not supporting the teams, at least in the Twins’ case this isn’t true. They were the first American League team to draw over 3 million fans and with the exception of Yankee Stadium, I have yet to see a ballpark that can match the noise and excitement level I saw when I was at Game 1 of the World Series in 1987 and 1991.

I’m a die-hard Twins fan and I’m crushed that there is a very real possibility my team won’t be there next year, especially with the success they had this past season. I guess if this happens I will have to turn my loyalties to the Cubs and be content with having my heart broken year after year when they don’t win it all.

Nick Serdar

Senior

Aerospace engineering