Baseball and me (My Baseball Winter #1)
by Steve
I love baseball. But it was never my first love.
I only really took an interest in the sport in 2005, when I spent a summer in New Jersey working on a kid’s summer camp as part of the Camp America programme (or should that be ‘program’?).
Among children and adults alike there seemed to be only two choices. You either supported the New York Yankees or the New York Mets. I was well aware that the Yankees were an all-encompassing monster, the baseball equivalent of Manchester United, and so really there was only one choice.
And a trip to Shea Stadium, the Mets home (until last year, that is, it’s now Citi Field, for those interested in getting me an all-expenses paid trip to see the Mets next summer) sealed it. What a wonderful experience. Much like cricket, this was a sport that you can let wash over you, that you can luxuriate in, that gives you time to think, or just shoot the breeze with friends.
From that day it was clear. I would be a Mets fan.
That that’s not to mention the other wonders of the day, such as the guy who would bring beer and pretzels to us, without us having to leave our seats. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. The Mets scored a run, and the family sat in front of me turned around to give me high-fives. I’d arrived! I was a New York Mets fan, and I realised that baseball was much, much more than the English stereotype of ‘glorified rounders’.
Even though the Mets lost that day. But, hey, I’d get used to that.
In 2007 I went to the United States again, this time to Texas. I spent a week on my own before being joined by friends, in Dallas, and then in Austin. I had plenty of opportunities to watch the baseball, either in my room or, more frequently, as a bit of a barfly. I found one sports bar in Austin that suited me with a world of beers (I remember Fireman’s Four being a particular favourite), huge plates of scorching hot chicken wings and screen upon screen of baseball.
It was the perfect entertainment for me, alone and in a strange town. I could while away a couple of hours, dipping in and out of games, seeing how they all progressed. It didn’t demand my attention, but it certainly kept it. Baseball seems to be a game you just slip into watching, much like cricket, and less like the full-on assault, hype and razzamatazz of football (American and soccer).
But how to follow the game in the UK? Catching the scores in the paper wasn’t really enough, and wasn’t the easiest means of keeping track on a season. Channel 5 showed games, but sadly I was living in one of the few areas left that just couldn’t get Channel 5. Ridiculous. And even so, was two games a week enough? Would there be enough context?
Then I stumbled across mlb.tv, and all was good in my baseball-watching world. Now I had access to each and every game across a season, in full and in highlight form, audio or video, whenever and wherever I wanted. Now I could immerse myself in the sport. I could catch a game live, or catch up later.
And so, here I am. I watch a fair share of baseball, read about it some more, but I want to learn, and preferably in time for the start of next season.
So, what is the plan between now and next April?
Well, I thought I could chronicle my explorations across the next few months in learning more about the sport. I know the basics, I know the big names and fair few of the smaller ones. However, there is always room for improvement.
So, what else can I learn? I tried fantasy baseball and enjoyed it, but how can I improve my team’s chances? Can I find out who is worth tipping for next year? Should I immerse myself in the sport’s statistics? Or its history?
I suppose that is where I hand over to you, dear reader. I’d love any suggestions, or requests, of what I could cover in My Baseball Winter…
I love baseball too! I’m a big sports fan from Boston so you can only imagine how competitive it gets with the Sox and Pats 🙂 Fenway was crazy when we won our first world series in ’04 after decades of fans yelling “reverse the curse”. I was never into fantasy baseball but I’ve got to say a lot of it is luck! Here’s something I found that may or may not come to use: http://www.fantasybaseballdugout.com/win-fantasy-baseball-league-tips/ So good luck to you and keep us posted!!
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Thanks for the link – and will be sure to thank you again if it brings success!
The Red Sox winning in 04, and the comeback against the Yankees before that, must have been incredible to experience. I think that season has to be one of the great sporting stories of the decade.
I really regret not visiting Fenway when I spent a few days in Boston in 2005. I guess I’ll just have to go back to Boston one day, which I would love to. It’s a great city.
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Though I don’t have any specific suggestions about baseball related postings I’d avidly read anything you decided to share as a great opportunity to read what it’s like to come to the game as a fan later in life.
I grew up in a very baseball orientated family in the states and my first few years here in the UK, before I discovered mlb.tv were dry indeed. I can remember a few moments though. Things like watching the ’01 word series in a bedsit in London and, though I was trying to be quiet, becoming so excited and pumping my arm so hard it woke my then girlfriend, now wife. How do you explain that one? Then, once I had my internet subscription there were all those games available and, particularly in the post season I’d find myself sleeping for just a few hours and then getting up to watch some west coast evening game that went on to the early hours and made it pointless for me to try to get back to sleep before it was time to work. After four or five consecutive days of that I looked pretty awful, but I didn’t care.
One thing I’d suggest, if you haven’t tried it, is printing scorecard off the internet and, following one of the simpler systems, scoring a game while you watch. My family always kept a book where we scored the games we saw live and we’d pass it back and forth as the mood suited. I find, especially if I’m watching a game alone it’s a nice way get into the rhythms of a game without having to concentrate too intensely or ignore everything else. You just make a few marks every so often and can keep dipping in and out as the game progresses. Thing is, once you’ve had a few innings you have a visual record of any trends that are already starting to develop and you can get an idea of the strategies some of the managers might be trying to use. All that without having to concentrate like some sort of chess master or the guys I knew always won the fantasy baseball leagues and who could tell you insane statistical facts about every player on the field (a batter’s average with men of first and second, 2 outs in the top of the sixth against a left handed pitcher throwing a low slider over the outside of the plate). The game stays relaxed but you can engage at a slightly deeper level.
Finally, although I can condone your support of the Mets (or any other team from New York) your choice of a National League team reveals you to be an individual of truly discerning taste. . .
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Thanks for the post! Are you a Diamondbacks fan, or were you just pleased to see the Yankees lose?
I’ll certainly give scoring a game a go. I’ll pick a random game from last season I can access on mlb.tv, so I don’t know the result. Any suggestions on a good game to score are most welcome everybody – just don’t give away the score! I’ve been a little intimidated by scoring a game, and particularly by the stats nuts, but I’m going to give it a try. And of course, let you all know how I get on.
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I’ve been a Mets fan since the mid 1960s and, while the losing never feels good, you do sort of get used to it. As Roger Angell once said, “There is more Met than Yankee in all of us. What we experience day to day in our lives is much more losing than winning. That is why we love the Mets.”
Words to live by.
Remember, it’s easy to be a Yankee fan. It takes character and intestinal fortitude to be a Mets fan.
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Thanks Julie – I’ll bear that in mind – I can see Mets fans needing a fair bit of intestinal fortitude this year!
That Roger Angell quote is wonderful. I really need to seek out more of his stuff.
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I’ve been to Wrigley, The Cell, Old Comiskey, Old Miller Park, the MetroDome (Worst by far of any baseball eexreipnce I’ve ever had) Going to the new Twins stadium this summer. Coors field which I liked, and the one right behind Wrigley was Anaheim, watching the Angels and Yanks play. That was a ton of fun very southern California feel to the park. My favorite baseball eexreipnce was minor league though. My wife and I saw a game in Helena Montana, little old ballpark kind of a tried to look a little like Fenway. Great time, a group of about 1000 people many of whom, really knew their baseball. Just an awesome time. The Northwoods league up in Wisconsin and Minnesota is a lot of fun as well. Saw Max Scherzer pitch in LaCrosse for the Lumberjacks. Fun watching kids who later become major leaguers
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