| Authored by Christopher Reina - 12th July, 2010 - 5:35 pm
 LeBron James and ESPN drew 10 million viewers in a televised special to reveal his choice in free agency.
At the All-Star Game media session, I asked several players if they could see a situation in the future where a baseball player would do something similar.
"You haven't seen too much of that in this sport, or any sport for that matter," said Tim Lincecum. "But he is the King."
David Wright took a more open view about the matter.
"It's kind of up to the individual," said Wright. "You have a lot of guys who like to do things under the radar and a lot of guys that kind of make it more dramatic, more entertaining. But I know I watched and I was entertained. I'm glad he did it. It's going to be fun to watch the NBA season next year."
"Not necessarily," said Ryan Braun. "It's not something I really thought about too much."
Braun did reveal that he and Troy Tulowitzki discussed putting together a big three similar to what James did in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
"Me and Tulo talked about setting up our own big three. Jokingly."
I asked Braun who would become the third member of the big three.
"Maybe Ryan Zimmerman, some other guy who got drafted the same year as us," said Braun.
Braun, Tulowitzki and Zimmerman are all members of the 2005 MLB Draft class, which also featured Justin Upton, Ricky Romero, Colby Rasmus and Jacoby Ellsbury. The presence of Upton, Zimmerman, Bruan and Tulowitzki being drafted first, fourth, fifth and seventh and being so immediately successful has elicited comparisons to the 2003 NBA Draft class that featured James, Wade, Bosh and Carmelo Anthony.
"I can't see myself doing something like that," said Braun.
Like Braun, Tulowitzki smiled when I asked him about the potential for creating his own big three.
"That's just more, you know, jokingly," said Tuolowitzki. "It's funny how basketball works and that those guys collaborated and built a team. It's one of those things that 'wow what if baseball players started doing that'. Saying let's get some guys and go on this thing. Baseball is a little different, I think. Basketball is a more individual sport. Baseball is a team, you need nine guys, so I don't think even a big three would be able to get it done."
I then asked Tulowitzki if he could see one of his fellow baseball players ever doing something so public.
"Why not? More publicity to baseball. I think the LeBron thing, some people thought it was a little too much. But at the same time, he's the best player in the game. People want to know about him. I respect him for doing it. If you're that good, go ahead and do what you have to do.
Braun is not eligible to become a free agent until after the 2015 season, while Tulowitzki is under Colorado control until after the 2014 campaign. Zimmerman can become a free agent after 2013.
Matt Holliday was a free agent after the 2009 season, so I asked him if he gave any thought to making a dramatic televised announcement about which team to sign with.
"I didn't get many offers for that," said Holliday sarcastically. "LeBron James is about the most covered athlete in the world. I couldn't imagine anybody (from the MLB), not that I know of. Not to discount any of our players.
"If there's interest there's a place for it. He donated a lot of the advertising money to the Boys & Girls Club. I know everyone was watching, so it was worth it."
Jason Heyward is a long ways away from free agency, but the rookie found the television special intriguing.
"I would say it's the first of anything I've seen like that from any athlete, no matter what sports," said Heyward. "It's pretty big news."
Heyward also referenced players like Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and Ken Griffey Jr. who changed teams in free agency and that part of sports is commonplace.
"I hope not," said Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter.
Albert Pujols was uninterested in answering the question when I posed it to him. Pujols is eligible for free agency after the 2011 season and he is understandably sensitive to any question even halfway related to his contract status.
But Pujols also would probably be the only player in the MLB who could generate enough media attention to command a similar one-hour televised special.
I finally asked Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports the same question. Rosenthal is one of baseball's most prominent journalists and famously reported the news of Alex Rodriguez's decision to opt out of his contract with the Yankees during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series.
"Not anyone who is going to be a free agent anytime soon," said Rosenthal. "Definitely not Pujols."
Chris Reina is the executive editor of RealGM. Follow him on Twitter at @CR_Reina. |
