Parker: Late Series losing luster

Their defeat of the Phillies in six games couldn't have been scripted much better for New Yorkers who got a chance to see their team clinch world championship No. 27 at the new Yankee Stadium with three of the four pitchers used (Andy Pettitte, Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera) being arms their ball club developed.

However, baseball lovers like myself have to tilt their heads and frown some over the timing of the Series itself and its effect on the future.

Shane Victorino's groundout to Yankee first baseman Mark Teixeira to end it came shortly after midnight on the east coast on Nov. 5.

Something about baseball carrying over into November and the regular season of basketball, football and hockey bothers me. That, and how many children were able to stay up to see the final out being made and the presentation of the trophy and MVP?

Cascade baseball coach Brandon Bassham loves his Yankees and has vivid memories of watching the Braves play in the National League Championship Series and the Fall Classic when he was a boy.

"As a baseball purest I would like to see a day game and see it played in October and at a decent time. I can remember sitting up and watching Sid Bream cross home (for Atlanta in 1992). It was late at night, but it wasn't so late that you couldn't stay up and watch it," Bassham said.

Brandon was able to learn the game and enjoy some great moments watching with his father Eddie Bassham, who coaches at Columbia Academy.

But, Brandon was not able to pass along that same father-son love for the Bronx Bombers with his boys Keydon, 5, and Koltt, 2. Momma said it was time for bed shortly into the fifth inning.

"I'd love to see at least one World Series day game," Bassham said. "I can remember my dad talking about that. It seems like when we were kids they'd at least play one on Saturday or Sunday afternoon."

In a country whose national pasttime is quickly being looked over for sports whose seasons are considerably shorter and more visible to youngsters, it's sad to see the game I've spent over a quarter-century playing dwindling away from the hearts of tomorrow.

Then, of course, much of the talk these days is also about the considerable separation between the haves and have-nots of professional baseball. The Yankee payroll of over $200 million eclipsed the payrolls of the Nationals, Pirates, Padres and Marlins combined.

"It is unfair and that's the way baseball is made. Until anything is changed, the Red Sox, Yankees and teams like that should continue to dominate," Bassham admitted.

After not even reaching the postseason in 2008, the Yankees decided enough was enough and they went on a spending spree.

They locked in three players -- Teixeira and pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett -- for a total of 20 years at a price tag of $423.5 million. By contrast, San Diego's largest payday this past offseason went to David Eckstein, who reeled in a ho-hum $850,000 for one year of service.

"When they signed the two pitchers first, I thought, 'Well, that's great, that's what we need is pitching,'" Bassham said. "After we signed Teixeira, I almost got the feeling that this isn't even fair."

Like Bassham said later on in our conversation, teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals will always struggle with the way baseball is currently set up. The window for small-market teams to even reach the postseason, let alone win a world title, remains narrow.

Those organizations have to be flooded with an influx of young talent on the big-league roster in short time frame (before any key contributors hit free agency). They must also be near-perfect with any patchwork done during free-agency. If a 90-100 loss season means high picks in the following June's draft, scouts better have done their homework because their owners can't afford to pay millions of dollars to minor league busts.

In can be done (see 2008 Tampa Bay Rays), but parity remains one of baseball's predominant concerns.

Yet, it's hard to say it matters too much if the kiddies are fast asleep.

At some point, MLB commissioner Bud Selig needs to look 25 years down the road instead of at last night's television ratings when it comes time to make decisions about the schedule.

Trimming a week or two off of spring training, a salary cap and getting the World Series on air when everyone can enjoy it would be a few steps in the right direction.

-- Danny Parker is sports editor of the Times-Gazette. He can be reached at dparker@t-g.com.