Though it may not look like it outside, spring has arrived and most of the major sports events are winding down their regular seasons. There is still a month left of English Premier League soccer to keep me happy, followed by some always exciting NHL and NBA playoff action.
But when that is over, what is left for sports fans over the summer break?
Baseball. That is it.
Since it somehow is still considered “America’s past time” over football or even basketball, most sports fans will be ecstatic that baseball will be back in full swing. I, however, see the return of baseball each year as a reminder that all that ESPN will be showing is an absurd amount of inconsequential games until September, when they actually start to matter. Not to mention the fact that the SportsCenter Top 10 will be clogged with the same “amazing” plays on the diamonds by different players on different teams every single day.
I can barely hold back my excitement.
Do not get me wrong, I understand that baseball is an important cultural facet in the United States, and the rest of the world for that matter. I also understand that I am probably in the minority with these views. But baseball is the single most boring major “athletic event” in the American sporting realm.
From a fans perspective, baseball is an ideal spectator sport, especially if you are in the stadium watching the game. You can sit back in the sun, throw back a couple beers and eat a ballpark hot dog. There is little to no participation required of the fan. That is great and all, but what if you are not lucky enough to be at the actual game? How can you sit on the couch and watch three hours of a stale, flow-less program?
My description of baseball is often applied to the sport of my passion, soccer. And I get that to an extent, but even if you hate soccer, you cannot deny that at least something is happening for the full 90 minutes. Every player is involved in every game, whereas in baseball the pitchers and catchers see 90 percent of the action.
Pitchers and catchers are amazing. I will take nothing away from someone who can throw a ball at 95 miles per hour, or from the person who has to squat the entire game and catch those pitches. But any sport where you can eat sunflower seeds or even chew tobacco (insert 2008 American League MVP Dustin Pedroia, who constantly has the fattest dip in) seems more and more like a past time than a sport.
I will admit that baseball has the potential for some fantastic feats of athleticism and determination. Things like the perfect game, a no hitter or even something much more common as a walk-off home run can be great and memorable storylines. But is it worth wading through seven months and 160-plus games for a few special moments?
I will stick to Major League Soccer. Or at least the six games ESPN and NBS air this summer.
