I think baseball, the media and the fan base is in a MUCH different place than they were in 1997. Rebuilding or "being bad on purpose" is way more accepted today then it was back then. Additionally, the idea of them selling was talked about for almost this entire offseason. Lastly, the media landscape is so much different with the internet, with so many voices out there, opinions can be formed in a much different way. Even in 1997, if a few beat reporters and columnists killed the move...that basically shaped the entire narrative. It's not the same in 2021. I also think you have much smarter people in the media to give a more nuanced opinion.