Team starters should not be allowed to participate in preseason games
By: Christian Hargas
Sports Editor
This is something that has frustrated me for quite some time because I never understood, and still do not understand, why this is allowed. It is one of the more questionable decisions in professional sports because it could lead to dire consequences, if something goes wrong. In my opinion, team starters should not be allowed to participate in preseason games.
Starters should not have to participate in these games because they have nothing to prove. These players, more than likely, already have the starting job on the team, so they would just be wasting precious energy that could be helpful for when the games really count. The National Football League is a good example of this because you see it happen all the time. I do not understand why a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers has to play these preseason games because the Green Bay Packers already envision him as the starter for the regular season.
Preseason games are not the highest rated games on television and they do not draw the biggest crowds. I understand sports fans are eager to see their favorite teams, but that excitement is mostly geared toward the regular season. I also understand there are many sports fans that do care about preseason games, but there are many other fans that do not. In my opinion, not allowing starters to play in the preseason would bring more attention to these games because fans would be able to see different players.
Last, but not least, starters should not play in preseason games because they can run the risk of getting injured. This is something that has unfortunately become a reality more than once. In 2014, Atlanta Braves Pitcher Kris Medlen tore a ligament in the elbow of this pitching arm. It resulted in Medlen missing the entire 2014 regular season because it happened during Spring Training. The Braves struggled that year because he was their best pitcher and he could not be there to lead his team.
I do not understand why starters have to participate in preseason games. That does not mean they can just sit around and do nothing until the regular season starts, but allowing them to exude unnecessary energy could jeopardize the future. Let them use that time to utilize safer ways to condition for the important games. If a preseason is going to exist, it should only be for those players who consistently compete for spots on the main roster. For this instance only, the starters would receive a free pass because it would be more beneficial in the long run.
