Can someone please explain Baseball?

[freaky]

Most of the time it's either strike out, ball out and free walk, or foul. When you do hit the ball it gets caught 90% of the time. The time when you do hit the ball and it's not caught is A: outfield sucks or B: ball lands short distance and starts rolling off somewhere which usually leads to either catching the third baseman, 2nd baseman or first baseman depending on which direction the ball was rolling to.

There's some strategies to the game but not really. You can play through all 9 innings and still be 0-0. It's more fun than golf though. I don't understand golf at all and can't for the life of me figure out why the super rich play golf of all things. They're so rich and can do whatever they want but they choose golf...I guess cuz it's the only sport that doesn't make you sweat.

 

[blitzk]

Why? Is this exciting or just stupid and scary?

It's definitely not boring.

 

[Poser Caust]

It's the only team sport that is also a 1 on 1 match at the same time. Just you and that pitcher. You have to have inhan reflexes to hit that ball. Its going so fast you dont even see it. It sort of dissappears before ot gets across home plate. It's a beautiful combination of power and timing when somebody hots on over the fence.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

A lot of ignorance and stupidity in this thread. It's a far more technical game then football or basketball where you can't even consider playing those 2 sports unless you fit a certain body type. A guy can be a good high school player without ever playing a single down prior to freshman year but you can't be a good baseball player without having picked up a bat prior to high school.

While that used to be true, all the baseball players are much bigger than they were. Especially all the pitchers ever since Randy Johnson proved you could be super effective if you just threw hard enough.

 

[ralphc1]

A lot of ignorance and stupidity in this thread. It's a far more technical game then football or basketball where you can't even consider playing those 2 sports unless you fit a certain body type. A guy can be a good high school player without ever playing a single down prior to freshman year but you can't be a good baseball player without having picked up a bat prior to high school.

Wouldn't ignorance would be not knowing the difference between than and then?

 

[mime]

here's a serious answer:

start with the battle between the batter and pitcher. the pitcher wins by either getting an out when the batter hits it to a fielder on the fly or is thrown out or if he strikes him out on 3 pitches.

the batter can win by hitting it to where there is not a positioned player or forcing the a walk from the pitcher with 4 balls or hitting it over the wall for a homerun.

every major league hitter can hit a straight ball 70-90 mph no problem, they drill that in batting practice.

the goal of the pitcher is to trick the hitter with a mix of location and off-speed pitches. if a pitcher throws hard enough they can also overpower a hitter with pure velocity.

the hitter often will try to guess what the pitcher will throw. Buster Posey one of the best player is said to be a 100% guess hitter , meaning he guesses before every pitch what the pitcher will throw and prepares himself accordingly.

So if a pitcher knows a hitter has a weakness of off-speed pitches low and outside, he can always throw there or throw him fastballs inside then set him up for a low and away off-speed pitch. there are countless variations where you can work a hitter. it's a game between the hitter and pitcher and catcher who often calls the pitches.

being able to follow this is the difference into thinking whether baseball is slow or not because if you are following every pitch and trying to play along with what they are doing you won't bored.

otherwise waiting for a ball in play or homeruns or runs or diving catches dont happen often enough to keep a casual viewer interested unless they have like money on the game or another vested interest in the team.

 

[mime]

i will also add the only way i think to really understand and enjoy it is to pick a team to root for and watch as many games as possible.

the enjoyment comes from the suspense and anticipation and thrills similar to a horror movie. once you watch enough to understand favorable and unfavorable situations the anticipation and suspense is elevated.

the suspense of having your team with a 1 run lead in the ninth inning where the opposing team has the bases loaded with less than 2 outs can be unbearable with the suspense and can drive you crazy but if your team gets out of that the relief is very satisfying

i think you can only understand why by watching enough to understand what the likely outcomes of each situation will be.

its not for everyone and its an investment in time to learn but a lot of people love it.

 

[ScarHead]

Your friend plays baseball video games....

Seriously time to consider updating your friends pile

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

 

[Nimrod]

i will also add the only way i think to really understand and enjoy it is to pick a team to root for and watch as many games as possible.

the enjoyment comes from the suspense and anticipation and thrills similar to a horror movie. once you watch enough to understand favorable and unfavorable situations the anticipation and suspense is elevated.

the suspense of having your team with a 1 run lead in the ninth inning where the opposing team has the bases loaded with less than 2 outs can be unbearable with the suspense and can drive you crazy but if your team gets out of that the relief is very satisfying

i think you can only understand why by watching enough to understand what the likely outcomes of each situation will be.

its not for everyone and its an investment in time to learn but a lot of people love it.

At least you out some effort into answering, thanks.

I really wanted to be enthused by this game.. maybe I need a little more time.

 

[Nimrod]

Your friend plays baseball video games....

Seriously time to consider updating your friends pile

Er.. he' the only person I know.. so that might be a problem.

 

[Ken Fresno]

Think of the game like a battle from Braveheart times. There are a thousand individual sword fights going on in the beginning. The side that wins the most "1 on 1s" will eventually have the numbers to crush the other side. Sometimes one, or a few, individuals can make up for a lack of skill or numbers on one side by taking out 10 men each themselves. Sometimes you have the war won, but you start a Korean who just got shelled a week ago by the same team instead of the future ace Alex Wood and the fuckin Astros can't miss the sweetspot if they hold the wrong end of the fuckin bat and u make 17 useless fuckin pitching changes after the damage is already fuckin done and the money is already in Darvish's fuckin bank account just so i have to sit through 6 hours of this cocksucking choke artist bum motherfuckin shit. But I digress...