The baseball season has arrived. I like baseball. A lot. I like the athleticism involved. It's difficult, maybe the hardest thing in sports, to hit a round ball with a round bat---and when you hit it good, you square it up. I like the strategy involved. Bunt? Hit and run? Steal? Intentional walk? I like the statistics, the traditions, and the personalities. Unfortunately (for me), I don't care for the way the game has changed. I don't care for the player movement, and the high player salaries. And the high ticket and concession prices that follow. Don't talk to me about parking prices either. I prefer to remember the baseball of my youth, roughly 1967 or so to 1982. I guess that would be the big start of free agency, and steroids.
One of my earliest memories is of watching the '68 World Series. Detroit vs. St. Louis. Have always liked the Cardinals, so of course it causes some problems now. Detroit won the series in 7. Mickey Lolich won 3 games, but Gibson was great. I read a lot of baseball books. Willie Mays was my favorite player. The Sporting News was an amazing paper. I knew all the important numbers. 714. 511. 56. 402. And I knew all about the great players and teams. Ruth, Gerhig, Wagoner, Cobb, Johnson, Foxx. The Yanks, the Philadelphia Athletics, the Cards. I found it all very interesting.
I saw many games at Milwaukee County Stadium, and have many memories. Robin Yount's 3000 hit. Nolan Ryan won his 300th game there. I was there on Bat Day when the original Bernie Brewer came down off the scoreboard when attendance was over 40,000. I remember the Brewers first game in 1970--10-0 lose to the Angels. Messerschmidt beat Krause. I remember Stew's first game--with Grampa. And I remember the last season--kinda sad. Went to a few games just for the memories. Worst seats in the majors. Games with my grandparents. The Last Game, with Aleah.
I have also attended games at other fields. A day game in San Francisco--Bonds took the day off, Stewart was too big, but he went in the giant glove anyways, Ken Griffy Jr. played. I was at old Comisky following the Brewers on there 13-0 streak. Was prepared to follow them to Detroit, but they lost. Been to Wrigley a few times--once or twice is fine for the experience, but it is kind of a dump. Looking forward to St Louis one day, and you never know what else will pop up.
So many more memories about baseball, but I do miss the traditions. I think there are too many teams in the playoffs. Heck, I think there are too many teams. I liked it when pitchers pitched every fourth game, and for 8 or 9 innings. I am not fond of some of these new statistics. Quality start--5 innings, big deal. WHIP. I don't even know what some of this stuff is. I hate that the steroid era happened, and that it skewed the stats, but that nobody will really admit it. I don't like the way players are always hamming it up, but that has happened in all sports (life really, I guess), with the media coverage we have now. I'm not on board with the interleague thing either. You should all play the same teams the same number of times. And I wish they would go back to opening the season in Cinncinatti. The Reds are the oldest team in the majors, and they always used to open the season. and I liked that. I don't like opening in Japan a week before everyone else.
As the season starts everyone has hope of playoffs and World Series dreams. Hopefully the Crew will have a good year, there will be no scandals (ha), and I'll get out to the ol' ball yard for a few games.
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