By Asa Fix
You walk into a crowded room and turn on a baseball game and everyone leaves. Why is this? Is this not America? Where are we, Europe? What’s more American than baseball and apple pie? We will talk about apple pie later but nothing is more American than baseball, the sport that has been around in this country for over 150 years. Baseball has been the fabric of America’s pastime.
I have been a fan of baseball since I was six years old. Back then I didn’t really understand all the strategies used during the course of a game but it was still exciting to watch on TV and in person. There are strategies constantly going on during every second of the game on defense and offense. Every single pitch a strategy is involved. For example the hitter is looking for the pitcher to make a mistake and throw a fastball right down the middle. On the other side of things the pitcher is trying to locate a specific pitch where the hitter won’t be able to make solid contact.
Basic strategies are what people with a little bit of baseball knowledge know. Like on the offensive side, getting on base anyway possible, stealing bases, scoring runs, and many more things that anybody watching a game could comprehend. On the defensive side the pitcher always wants to throw strikes and get people out without giving up big plays. I know all of this seems like a slow game that’s not exciting unless someone hits a home run and there are a lot of runs are scored. The thing is for it to be exciting you need to understand many of the situations and strategies that are used throughout the game.
Derek Miles said, “A baseball game is pretty much a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.” Miles understands what is going on throughout the game and says he is at the edge of his seat the entire game because you never know what is going to happen. He also loves the fact there are 162+ games a year way more than any other sport.
When I watch a game I get so excited when someone on my team gets on base because I think of all the ways he could possibly score because you never know if the final score is going to be 1-0 or 15-14. Then when my team is on defense I am hoping for a fast quick inning, when it’s not the case I’m hoping for an amazing defensive play, like an inning ending double play or an outfielder robbing a homerun.
“There is nothing better than 2-1 victory. I like those wins better than blow outs because it shows that our team can win even when our offense is struggling. Of course it’s stressful but it shows that we did everything in our power the right way. Like not walking people, committing no errors, making basic and difficult plays, and getting out of potential big innings. As well as coming through in the clutch on offense,” said, head high school baseball coach, Troy Phillips. “Baseball is an unbelievable game. They tell you to hit a round ball with a round bat and square it up.”
In baseball you are considered good if you succeed three out of ten times. What other sport can you say that for? Of course I love six run innings, 450-foot home runs, and high scoring games just like everyone else. But, I believe everyone should be able to enjoy a low scoring baseball game and be excited for all of the successful situations made by each team, while eating apple pie.