It's a perfect game

Major league baseball pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training and it’s been 15 years since I’ve cared about that.

I used to be a big baseball fan. Big. I was the person in my family who when they couldn’t quite think of the perfect birthday or Christmas gift got me something tied to baseball and I was happy with it . . . usually.

Then came 1994.

That was the year major league baseball players went on strike. Can you imagine that? They went on strike because, um, you know, I can’t remember why but whenever ANYONE goes on strike it has to do with money. What was the end result of the strike? I can’t remember that either other than they cancelled the World Series. For me that was a deal breaker.

I grew up playing baseball in Little League, in front of my house on the street, in the backyard, pretty much anywhere anytime I could find a game I’d play. I played softball as an adult and played pick up games with my friends. I played the game because I loved it, it connected me with my passion and perhaps most of all, it was fun.

Baseball is such a beautiful game. It’s the only game where the offense doesn’t have the ball. The dimensions of the field, 90 feet down the base paths, 60 feet six inches to the mound, nine players spread around the field are perfect. The amount of strategy involved on every pitch is mathematically stunning.

A man on first, decent speed, the pitcher has a so-so move to first, the hitter is a left-handed pull hitter, keeping the runner on forces the second baseman to cover a wider area so the first baseman can hold the runner. Can the pitcher keep the ball outside so the hitter doesn’t get a pitch to pull? Does he walk him? Should the hitter bunt?

An amazing game. And I miss that.

But I just can’t go back. They broke their promise to me. They promised to play the game and it’s not that they just quit playing for a while; they didn’t play the World Series. So I quit the game they quit. I never got a chance to pass down that love to my kids. I really miss loving baseball.

And for the record, I was a Red Sox fan and never watched a single inning of any World Series they were in this decade. I couldn’t tell you who their players are, no idea.

I love the game and I really miss it.