Is this the best era for black baseball since the 1990’s? If you are old enough to remember MLB in the 90’s, your mind did the same as mine did; you reminisced to those times and probably came to a resounding no. I’m here to tell you, we are both wrong.
Nothing Will Be the Same
There is no doubt in my mind that the 90’s era of baseball was the golden era of the league. The era of “chicks dig the long ball” which cemented legacies of guys like Barry Bonds who won three out of his seven National League MVPs as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants.
The 90’s also blessed us with the Era of the sweetest swing we’ll ever see by Ken Griffey Jr. A swing that saw hm produce 500 of his 630 career homeruns in the 90s, which helped him capture a 1997 AL MVP. We also witnessed the dominance of the “Big Hurt” Frank Thomas showcasing his power in the batter’s box while still maintaining a .301 career batting average, capturing two MVPs in 1993 and 1994. We also got the speed of Kenny Lofton who led the league in stolen bases for five straight seasons (1992-1997) and the one of the best all-around hitters we’ve ever seen in Tony Gwynn who dominated the era with four batting titles; hitting above .350 consistently and racking up 3,000 hits.
This New Era Will Take No Backseat to the 90’s
It’s hard to draw a comparison between these emerging MLBbros and the perennial All-Stars who absolutely shined during the 90’s era. This is the reason why so many automatically shook their heads no. But the question doesn’t raise a debate about which is the better era, but whether or not this is the best era since the 90’s. Of course, some people will read the question just as it is, but some will make the common mistake when comparing eras. There’s nothing like a “what a time to be alive” era in any sport. When we answer the question as it is, the answer is absolutely yes, and we may need to go a bit further.
New Era Brings New Legends
In this new era, we have our own version of Barry Bonds in MLBbro Aaron Judge who is shattering record every season and showing us that “chicks STILL dig the long ball” by his daily Bro Bomb highlights. Judge is so good at his job that whenever he is out of the lineup his team struggles heavily ,which is why Judge has been able to capture three AL MVPs and a laundry list of awards that would make a trophy room feel like the room of a hoarder who likes shiny things. The most impressive thing is that he does this under the bright lights and immense pressure of playing in NY for the Yankees.
We also have the sure first ballot hall of famer in Mookie Betts who has won anywhere he goes. Betts is a four-time World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox and The LA Dodgers. Another MLBbro who has won almost every award and has done that multiple times including a 2018 AL MVP.
The New Era Might Be On the Road to Better
Here’s the difference between the 90’s era and now. We have Aces and I mean TRUE ACES! Dominant mound marauders in Hunter Greene and Chase Burns, who tally up strikeouts against batters like parts on an assembly line. Oh by the way, both play on the same Cincinnati Reds team, which makes the debate of who’s better almost impossible to answer. They are THAT GOOD!
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We also have up and coming young phenoms in James Wood, CJ Abrams, Money Mike Harris, Drake Baldwin, Lawrence Butler, Byron Buxton as well as Jordan Walker who just gave us one of the greatest Home Run Derby performances we will ever see in our lifetime. These players are no honorable mention but rather a MUST mention due to how good they actually are.
In closing, the answer to this question is a resounding yes, because the great thing about the MLBbros of this era, is some have already cemented their legacies while the younger generation is starting to arrive. None of them are past their prime and nowhere near finished writing their story. While the 80s and 90’s were Golden Eras for Black baseball, we might have to change that narrative in the decade of 2030.
