The greatest differences between baseball now and baseball when it began?

Answer 1

Just the physical condition of the players themselves!
Diet and training has really come a looooong ways!

a couple of decades ago even-the players were not the physical specimens -they are today!

remember how Babe Ruth looked and compare him to A-rod

Answer 2

All the rules changes throughout it's history is a major difference. One rule in the early days, which I did not know until recently, it was okay for a fielder to throw the ball at a runner to get him out. A bad rule that was thrown out.

Another good difference would the rise of the middle relief pitcher or set-up man. It used to be that a starting pitcher had to pitch the entire game or at least most of it. With middle relief, starting pitchers only need to get to the 5th or 6th inning. Also, the move from pitching overhand as opposed to underhand greatly changed the game. Pitchers actually pitched underhand in the early days. It is not against the rules today, but a pitcher can't get the velocity pitching underhand.

The move from being mostly an East Coast institution to encompass the entire country is another good example. As well as the rise of the Player's Union.

Answer 3

The rules haven't evolved much at all. The biggest difference would be ROIDS, ROIDS, and more ROIDS. Players back when Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner played were normal sized. A big slugger was probably like 6'2" and 210 pounds. These days, everybody is huge and there's steroid abuse running rampant. Kirby Puckett played in the 1980's and 1990's with the Minnesota Twins and he was huge because of Steroid abuse. He recently died at like 48 years of age. Baseball has become about nothing more than power and hitting homeruns. I think it used to be more about finesse and coordination that it is these days. I guess homeruns sell tickets and that probably explains why nothing has been done to police the steroids until here recently with Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Jason Grimsley, etc....

Answer 4

Except for the drugs. The only major rule change in baseball in the last hundred years is the DH. Therefore, there really isn’t that much of a difference other then the shallow talent pool that is.

Answer 5

Clearly it's the money...when it began you have players who played for the love of the game and would do anything to play...i could go on and on about this, but i'm keeping my answer brief and to the point

Answer 6

i believe the dh rule has been the biggest difference as far as rules
go and salary arbitration has changed the game itself

Answer 7

steroids. also, now that football is soooo popular, no one cares about baseball anymore. But I still love my Houston Astros. Go Stros!!!!!

Answer 8

The color of the players

Answer 9

Physical fitness of the players.

Color of the players.

Improvments in equipment.

Answer 10

The glove.