I have memories of Sparky Anderson turning in his lineup card with a smile, and today I see a stressed-out face when Bryan Price turns in his lineup. Which is more battle-tested? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/ Beavercreek.

Actually, Bryan Price smiles when he turns in his card because his lineup is full of good hitters and scores a lot of runs. The frowns come when he has to go to the mound in the fourth inning and take out his starting pitcher. And it was the same with Sparky Anderson, known as Captain Hook for quickly removing his starters. Any stress involving Price involves hoping and praying his pitchers can keep baseballs from limping out of Great American Small Park.

How do the attendance numbers today compare to the attendance numbers in the ’70s and ’80s? It seems like football and basketball have become more popular than baseball. — RYAN, Dayton.

While the NBA and NFL have increased tremendously in popularity over the years, the prevailing theory that baseball is dying is a misnomer. From 1970 through 1976 the average attendance at a baseball game was about 15,000. In the 1990s it was 25,000. Since 2000 it has been slightly above 30,000. And before 2000, every game was not available on television as they are now. And don’t judge the game’s popularity these days by all those empty seats you are seeing in Great American Ball Park. That’s merely a reaction to the team’s rebuilding. Fans still want to see winners. Now.

Is it true there is a Broadway play about the Cincinnati Reds center fielder? — BRAD, Mountain View, Hawaii.

You are referring to the hit musical Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, a show that won 11 Tony Awards last year. I attended, believing it was the story about a kid who runs across the grass without bending the blades, robbing hitters of base hits and getting robbed of a Gold Glove award. Alas, it was a story about some really old guy who had something to do with founding this great nation. Boring.

Those defensive shifts MLB teams put on these days always seem to be against left-handers. Does any team shift against right-handers? — LARRY, Piqua.

Yes, all the time. I saw the Colorado Rockies put three infielders to the left side of second base against Adam Duvall. And I saw the Reds do the same thing against Edwin Encarnacion. There is one major difference. When teams shift against a lefthander, they put the second baseman 30 or 40 feet into right field. When they shift against right handers, all three infielders stay on the dirt. They can’t put one of the infielders in short left field because the throw to first would be too long and too late. Shifts sometimes work when the hitter doesn’t put the ball in the seats, where no defender can stand.

Why do starting pitchers take so long to get ready, up to 20 minutes, when relief pitchers take only five minutes or so? — GREG, Beavercreek.

It’s all about timing. A starting pitcher has as much time as he needs because the game is not underway and he can warm up at his leisure. Relief pitchers are usually called upon in an emergency situation when trouble