Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Things that Drive Me Crazy Being a Baseball Fan

We all have things that we do not agree with when it comes to sports. Whether it be not agreeing  with a coach or manager's decision or having a problem with the way a player carries himself on and off the field. These things are different for everyone.  They are what makes sports great and allow us to discuss sports on a regular basis without talking about the same things over and over again. As I have been watching baseball the past week, I have noticed a handful of things that I either do not agree with or do not understand.

1. Why do fans boo every time a pitcher throws to a base to hold a runner close and keep them from stealing, or call balk on each of these moves? Holding runners is part of the game and is a necessity for pitchers to keep from giving up more runs. It is much harder for a player to score from first base than it is to score from second base. I understand that it is only 90 feet, but with a fast player that extra base is the difference between stopping at third and scoring. As for calling balk on every pitcher's move, you either do not know the balk move or feel the need to be heard during the game. Left handed pitchers have a forty five degree grace period on pickoff  moves to first. As long as they do not cross this barrier, they can make a move to first without a balk and the good ones flirt with this line very well. The fake to third and check first base move is legal and it is just another tool to keep that runner close. Please as fans respect the game a little more and let the professionals, both players and umpires, do their job.

2. I do not understand why players do not run full speed to try to avoid being the second out of a double play. Some of the fastest players in the game will jog to first when they hit a ground ball. There is two problems with this. The first being that if the player makes an error and you are not running there is still a good chance you are still going to be out. The other being that there's no telling what is going to happen the rest of the inning if you beat out a double play. Making it to first can always lead to a run, or drive a good pitcher from the game. Plus, as a player they are making millions of dollars to play a game. This should be enough motivation to play every play like it's their last, because a career is never guaranteed.

3. People that want to institute instant replay into every aspect of the game of baseball. Baseball is already a slower played games that can take 3 to 4 hours to play regardless of what happens in the game. Instant replay will just slow the game down more. The human element is baseball is one of the great things about the game. It allows fans to have something to talk about, and discuss what could have happened. A bad call happens, but the umpires get it right most of the time. everyone is human and makes mistakes. The good thing about baseball is it is open to interpretation. The strike zone changes with every umpire and makes the players have to figure out what the strike zone is every night. Otherwise, one of two things would happen. Either there would be more home runs and the batters would know exactly where it  is a strike and where it is a ball, or every game would be a pitchers' duel do to the fact that they could paint the corners because they are so good. This game has been played the same way fro over 100 years and has worked thus far, no need to change it.

4. I do not understand how batters swing at the same bad pitches over and over again. If you swing at it the first time, most of the time the pitcher is going to throw the same pitch again in the same at bat. These players are professionals and should be able to adjust within the at bat. Stop making yourself look bad swinging at pitches that are nowhere close to the strike zone.

5. Players these days do not seem to have any loyalty to their team they came up with. I understand that more money or winning plays a part in this reality, but is a million extra dollars really worth moving to another team and being speculated about your character? In the past, it took a lot more to get a player to leave a team. The players had a loyalty to the fans and organization and wanted to play their whole career for one team. These days players change teams almost as often as they change clothes. I respect the players that choose to stay with one team, like Derek Jeter and Michael Young. Money is not everything, especially when the players are making as much money as they do these days.

These are just a few things that I have noticed the last few weeks that have really gotten to me. Part of it is not understanding, but it is also things that have changed over the years as the people of the world have changed. Feel free to add your own pet peeves for the game of baseball.

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