In case you missed it, and I hope you did, Stephen A. Smith went off about how no one really cares about baseball:

“… Who gives a damn about baseball? And suddenly these guys have you thinking about baseball.”

—@stephenasmith on the Cleveland Indians pic.twitter.com/F9OisoPIC1

— First Take (@FirstTake) September 15, 2017

I would have missed it too had I not caught it on Twitter.

This once again shows how little regard ESPN and the personalities it chooses to employ has for baseball.

This is exactly why the narrative why football is king, basketball is emerging, and baseball is dying exists.  ESPN is more invested in football and basketball, and they will drive the narrative as such.  This is why ESPN is more focused on the NFL season and NBA free agency as baseball is the middle of a pennant drive.

In the American League, there are six teams within five games of a Wild Card spot.  In the National League there are four.

The Dodgers are amid what could be an epic collapse, and the Indians have won 22 straight.  If not for the latter, Stephen A. and the rest of ESPN would not care about baseball.  That’s no longer perception.  We have an admission from them.

There are many reasons why ESPN has been struggling of late.  You can pick your own reason.  Personally, I like to believe ESPN’s blatant disregard for things they care about ranks chief among them.  Of course, here, I’m talking about baseball.