Kirk Herbstreit goes off with complaints about modern Major League Baseball, gets everything wrong

Todd Ricketts tells Dan Dakich that as a republican in Chicago he has been able to work well with the city as they understand the Cubs are for everyone, regardless of politics.

Major League Baseball, sometimes despite its best efforts, is in the best place that it's been in decades.

Attendance has grown each year for the past several seasons, with some teams, like the White Sox, Blue Jays and Mariners seeing huge increases in 2026. Ratings are up, with the 2025 World Series being the most watched domestically since 2017 and Game 7 drawing a whopping 51 million viewers between the US, Canada and Japan.

National television broadcasts have seen significant increases, pace-of-play is up, the new ABS challenge system has been mostly well-received and small market teams are outperforming big spending clubs through the first half of the season, undermining parity concerns.

BREWERS HUMAN HOWITZER JACOB MISIOROWSKI BREAKS HIS OWN RECORD FOR HARDEST PITCH THROWN BY A STARTER

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski throws during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Milwaukee on May 25, 2026. (Kayla Wolf/AP)

Highlight reels are dominated by exceptional athletes doing exceptional things. Jacob Misiorowski hit 105 mph as a starting pitcher. Shohei Ohtani is dominating as a hitter and a pitcher, something virtually unprecedented over such a lengthy time frame. Kyle Schwarber is threatening home run records, even as pitching continues to improve. Mason Miller has been virtually unhittable. Young stars in small markets, like Jackson Chourio, Konnor Griffin, Bobby Witt Jr., Jackson Merrill, Kevin McGonigle, Colt Emerson and Samuel Basallo, are locked up for most of their primes, ensuring fans can go years without