Thoughts on Baseball

George and I have been watching the Red Sox vs. Indians ALCS series this week, hoping that the games would, at least, be interesting. Alas, it seems that the Red Sox have left behind their pitching, hitting, and even at times, fielding from the regular season. Any one of these things missing from a game can be cause for defeat, as they've repeatedly shown in the last 3 games.

However, this posting is not about the fact that the Red Sox are going to have to step it up if they are to remain in the post-season. This is about a few of the other interesting aspects of the game. Mainly sportsmanship.

First off, the "Manny Ramirez" pose. If I hit a game winning, walk off home run. I, too, might stand at the plate with my arms in the air, rejoicing in the fact that once the ball left the bat, I just knew it was going to travel far enough to advance my team further into the post season. That might be a time when the "Manny pose" would be acceptable. However, this has been happening every time he hits the ball, it seems. What happened to hustle and humility? I was taught that once you hit the ball, you hustle down the first base line so that you could get as far as you could in case there was a fielding mishap, and an extra base could be gained. Varitek runs his home run loop almost as if each were an inside the park home run. Now that's hustle.

Secondly, what's with throwing the ball back into the field when the opposite team hits one out? I don't like that. I think its poor form. This, of course, sparked some conversation between George and I as we watched our three lousy home run balls bounce back onto Jacob's field Tuesday night. (Not that back-to back-to back home runs aren't cool and recording-breaking and all that, but we were still down 4 runs).

I informed George that if I were even lucky enough to afford, and be granted, a seat at the stadium for a post season game, and a souvenir like that came in my direction you can bet I will be taking it home. No amount of jeering will pry that ball from my fingers and I won't be tossing it back onto the field of my own free will. That's a major league baseball we're talking about. Even if it was in a regular season game. And...just to push the issue, George pressed me far enough to state that even if it was off the bat of A-Rod, playing for the Yankees. (ouch) My thought, the pitcher touched it too...what if Curt Schilling threw him that ball?! I'm sticking to my guns on this one. It's America's favorite past time. If a "Tony the Tiger" baseball, free in our box of Frosted Flakes, can mean so much during childhood, just imagine what an official MLB baseball would mean...

Ok. The soapbox is available for someone else now.