Posted By:
Mark LEric,
I don't understand why the average player's skills would be better in modern baseball. There was a greater premium on executing plays during the era of "inside baseball" (known to detractors as the Deadball Era). In addition, it is my impression that kids played a lot more baseball, amateur and professional, before reaching the majors way back when. Finally, baseball was THE team sport for a long time and attracted the best athletes. OK, these arguments don't clinch the argument, but they've persuaded me that there is at least an argument.