The Business Of Baseball

(CBS)  The following is a weekly 60 Minutes Wednesday commentary by columnist Steve Hartman.

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The season hasn't started yet, but I'm done with baseball. Every year seems like it's less about the game and more about the business.

I don't even care about the Detroit Tigers anymore, and I used to love them. Now, I just think rooting for any pro-sports team is stupid.

I know, I know. I need a serious attitude adjustment, which is why I came to Lakeland, Fla., to a place they call Tigertown.

I wanted to become a fan again. Unfortunately, it didn't start well. First, there was the rain delay. Then, I got into a little argument with my childhood hero, Tigers legend Al Kaline. He thought I was just upset because they stink.

"You'll come back when we win," says Kaline.

It's about more than victories, as I explained to coach Alan Trammell: "It's a business. Nobody roots like, 'Go IBM.' Baseball is a business, so why would I care if a certain team wins?"

"Can we get you back," asks Trammell.

Not easily. I feel no attachment. Players nowadays are just hired guns. In fact, this year not one Tiger is actually from Michigan. I bet most of them don't even like Detroit.

I've really become quite cynical.

Hartman: Root, root, root for the home team. It's a bunch of propaganda.

Fan: That's one way to look at it.

For some reason, nobody wanted to sit next to me for very long.

Hartman: What does it matter in the world if this team wins or another team wins?

Another Fan: That's moronic to think of it that way.

Hartman: So I'm like a moron?

All I wanted was someone to tell me why I should care. But all I got were vague answers, and blank stares.

I was about to give up on ever being a fan again, when, at the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers hit a ground ball to short. The play went to second and the runner was out. But it was close, and for me that was enough.

Hartman: He was so off the bag ... so off the bag.

That felt good. It really did. Even though I had no logical reason to care either way.

Hartman: Dude was off the bag. Dude was so off the bag.

I still think it's all just a bunch of nonsense. But I also think it's nicer to buy into the myth than to knock it. So go, Tigers; we're No. 5.