Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Go Mets!

Author:Geoff Allen
Posted:10/18/1999; 12:01:06 PM
Topic:Go Mets!
Msg #:12125 (In response to 12119)
Prev/Next:12124 / 12126

I can only speak for myself, of course. I happen to think basketball and football are rather boring, so I may not be the "typical" American. (Ok, so I'm definitely not the typical American.)

Baseball is about details. "It's a game of inches" is the saying. It's almost like chess, with a physical element. Maybe backgammon is a better analogy. It's not purely strategy, but a better strategist will win the majority of the time. (This is one reason why I dislike the designated hitter. Without the designated hitter, managers must do more managing.)

There's a certain amount of subtelty to the details. It isn't "intuitively obvious to the casual observer" whether a slider off the plate or a fastball down and away is a better pitch in a certain situation.

Another thing I like about baseball is the lack of a clock. There's no "running out the clock" to preserve a lead at the end of the game. You've still got to get 3 outs against the other team. Yogi Berra is famous for saying "It ain't over till it's over." I've seen plenty of football games that were over well before they were over, but in baseball there's always a chance.

One doesn't need to be a physical freak to play baseball. Someone 5'8" and 165 pounds can be a professional baseball player.

And stats! "Here's Joe Johnson. He's batting .283 in late innings against left-handed pitchers in afternoon games with a runner on third base." What geek wouldn't love that? I've often thoughtit would be cool to be the guy in the truck with the computer and the databases (aka. the broadcast statistician).

Those are a few thoughts off the top of my head. For more about why I like baseball, read Men at Work : The Craft of Baseball by George Will.

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