I've written in the past in a handful of posts, about my love-hate relationship with the sport of baseball. Hate is a strong word, but it's kind of the closest word I can think of.
Baseball man, what a sport. I do ultimately love it. Yes, it's slow, but I love it. I will say the new timer between pitches actually makes the game better in my opinion. There is a distinct pace to the game now that is actually rather pleasant.
For a large chunk of my childhood I lived and breathed baseball. I would go online and watch this baseball tracker site that would track the MLB games pitch by pitch every day. I would print baseball pictures out, watch 'Baseball Tonight' constantly. I was all in, baby.
I hate blaming others for stuff, I don't enjoy complaining for the most part. I often, very very often beat myself up over, well everything.
But my dislike for baseball ultimately came from a confusing, good and bad childhood. I played baseball, had talent, but I had trouble dealing with any type of failure, or success for that matter. I began playing competitively on travel teams starting at age 10 and that was the beginning of the end in a way. All of a sudden there was significantly more pressure to play well. I was kind of thrust into a world of like, gossipy, bickery parents. It was just my mom and I, and we were in this world of two parent, often wealthy families. Often times those families were friends with each other. Meanwhile mom and I sort of just showed up. It was all so weird. The sport I loved was sort of transforming. I had a lot of trouble fitting in with a lot of these kids.
It's not all bad memories. But the vibe was certainly different.
By the time I was 12 I made 'the Diamond Team' and that was a team that had a reputation, this was a big boy team. More traveling than ever before and all the politics I mentioned got way more in your face. Plus, my mom reminded me quite consistently how much money it cost her for me to actually join the team.
After that season my love of baseball kind of got corrupted I guess. Whenever I thought of the game, just a lot of bad memories came up. I quit baseball and I didn't even know if I really wanted to quit.
It was such a confusing time and well, I feel like I lost my freaking identity at like 13 years old LOL.
That's pretty much a long story short I guess. This actually is supposed to be a positive post.
The other day I saw a local minor league baseball game. Lately I've been creating these card posts and man, I think I could be starting to like baseball again. I've probably said that in past posts, but this feels different.
Watching baseball for the past fifteen years or whatever it's been, would bring back too many emotions and I just couldn't get into it. Plus I was stuck between liking the A's and Phillies.
But today I just didn't care. Writing about my cards lately, and just a sheer amount of time passing since my childhood days, has made me sort of recall the good parts about baseball and why I love it so much.
I had a lot of good times playing. I had amazing times learning the game with my papou. I had great times watching it. The game itself is really beautiful. The glove, bat and ball. The diamond.
The game has less pure athleticism needed compared to other popular sports, sure, but the best players are certainly good athletes. Also, I'd argue that there isn't another sport that requires more hand eye coordination than baseball. Catching and throwing, requires both hands. Reaction time is needed literally at every position. Swinging a bat with great timing and focus is quite a cool skill to watch and appreciate. The swing of a bat connecting with a ball is so simple yet so great.
I believe baseball is more than watchable too. I guess it's an acquired taste or maybe you had to have played it. I mean, it's gotta be the best sport to casually watch.
Today I watched the bulk of a Phillies double header and then I watched the A's as well. I just watched. I didn't overthink it. I just like both teams, and it's just that simple. Watching the Phillies and A's both give me joy.
Man, watching them both today felt like, rejuvenating. It was like I was repressing a large part of my past, a large part of me. I kind of hated myself for turning my back on baseball if I'm being honest.
This all might sound dramatic, but losing baseball was kind of a serious thing for me. I am trying to put it into words with this post, but I doubt that it's really coming off the way I'd like.
Watching baseball today, as an older guy that's been through so much since my baseball loving days, was just a treat. I was chilling, watching the games, while writing about my cards.
Plus, the Phillies and the A's are on opposite coasts, so lots of games are going to be played at different times. That's how it worked out today anyway.
Go Phillies, go A's baby. Phils are doing well in the playoff race, and the A's stink, but I don't care, I love them both, a lot.
Would love to have season tickets to both squads someday. Lofty goal but who cares. Plus the Titans. Plus the Sixers. Plus my local minor league team.
