Happy Opening Day, my fellow baseball fans! Spring may have just started, but the boys of summer are back and so is America's favorite pastime.
In recent years this title of "favorite" has come into question. Capturing fans' attention has become a number one priority, with the focus being on speeding up the game. This approach is understandable, baseball can be tedious, it kind of misses the point.
Baseball shouldn't be rushed. With a season that stretches over six months and 162 games, baseball is very much a marathon and not a sprint. Much like an actual diamond, the payoff and value of the baseball diamond takes time to form and develop.
It also requires some serious summer heat, a fair amount of pressure, but mostly it requires time and patience. Both of which seem to be in short supply these days, which is why preserving the pace of baseball is so important.
Baseball gives you a chance to sit back, relax, and just let life pass you by for a few hours. I realize that may sound like torture to some, but hear me out. Unlike other sports baseball doesn't demand your attention at all times. That means there's time to do other things like speak to the people you came with or enjoy a beer.
Aside from giving you time to not pay attention to the game, these pauses make the moments of action all the more glorious and memorable.
Is it slow and even boring at times? Yes, most definitely. Boredom is something we could all use a little more of. At least the kind of boredom that exists in baseball. It's that feeling of not having a worry in the world and living life at a slower pace for at least nine innings. It's the feeling of summer.
On that note, I'll leave you to enjoy the general splendor and all the first day vibes. To all my fellow fans, I'll be rooting for you...unless your team is playing the Cardinals (sorry, Brewers), or you're rooting for the Cubs or Boston (you know what you did). Then all bets are off. Happy Opening Day!
...just for fun:
