Baseball Season Begins

Baseball season begins this week. For me, this is the unofficial end of winter. It is a bit too chilly here in the north to be playing baseball, but the grass is starting to get green and the days are getting longer. It's time.



There is something special about baseball. It is a game that is both extremely simple and complex at the same time. That probably does not make much sense but it seems that way to me.

The bases are 90 feet apart. Why that distance was picked seems to be a mystery. But the number of split second plays from base to base is amazing. If the bases were farther apart, the defense would have an advantage. If they were closer, the runners would have an edge.



I guess football is more popular with many people but baseball has a special history. Ken Burns did an excellent documentary about it.



I like the Pittsburgh Pirates. They have the longest losing record of any major league team in any sport. If things go as predicted, the Pirates will have their 19th straight losing season this year. However, most people do agree that their stadium, PNC Park, is one of the nicest - if not the nicest - in the major leagues.



Another team I like a lot is the Washington Nationals. I guess I have a thing for perennial losers. I guess you could call them underdogs.



In any event I am looking forward to another season. I am not a die hard fan. I don't know lots of stats and I cannot recite team rosters. I am a casual fan who just enjoys the game in general.



Thanks for stopping by.