Since the St. Louis Cardinals did not make the baseball postseason (again), I have not been making any effort to watch any games.

Yesterday, I happened to stop on a game when flipping channels on my YouTube TV, and I finally saw the gaudy “Strauss” on both sides of every player’s batting helmet. Keith Olbermann had been complaining about this development on his podcast, so I knew they were going to be on the helmets. I just had no idea how incredibly shitty they’d look.

Helmets as billboards comes across as a cash grab. I’m sure minor league teams are looking at this marketing strategy and thinking there’s some money to be had, but to see it in Major League Baseball is a turn-off.

Just like the complaint regarding All-Star and regular jerseys during the regular season, I’m sure the complaints will be sky high about the ads.

I don’t mind the Nike swoosh on the jerseys. They are, after all, Nike products, and Nike is a partner with MLB. The press release regarding the Strauss partnership is just dumb. I don’t understand the need for MLB to be a vehicle to introduce a European brand to Americans.

Do better Manfred.