Who loves Baseball?

I love baseball, too. I don't keep or know stats, however. I think it's just a fun, all-American sport. You don't have to pay that much attention to know what's going on, its fairly simple to understand, and let's face it...

Some of them guys are just DAMN hot.

lol

I'm a total fanatic, but that's true for several sports, not just baseball.

I've revived my former love of baseball thanks to the arrival of the Washington Nationals. If left to only cheer for Baltimore, I'd still be holding a serious grudge because of their owner (who I despise), despite growing up loving the same players you mention and even more.

The last strike, plus Peter Angelos and his ruinous management/ownership of the Orioles almost killed me off permanently as a fan of baseball, though I still tear up when watching "Field of Dreams", laugh like crazy at "Major League", almost start bawling at the end of "League of their Own" and enjoy several other great baseball flicks (like the cheesy, but still enjoyable "The Natural", the cornball "Damn Yankees")

With the Nationals being competitive, I've gotten hooked again. I'd love them, even if they sucked (which has been happening a bit too much lately, in the last couple of series ), but have been really enjoying their great team play. Fantasy Baseball (on and off) over the last several seasons has helped to keep me interested, and there are players I still enjoy, even if they've gone off to teams I truly hate (ex. Randy Johnson). For various reasons, I'm less interested in fantasy baseball now than I had been, but again have gotten much more interested in "my team" and the players on it (and potential players).

I have to admit, the interest has been high enough that with an upcoming family vacation road trip, I went out and got an XM sat-radio receiver so I could get the games while on the road. I don't want to miss the pennant race while the Nats work towards the post-season in this inspired season. I hope that I haven't wasted money on the receiver and the 3 months of sub to XM (which should cover until the end of the season), but thanks to a pathetic radio broadcast deal hastily made by the Nats as the season neared, I'm sure that during the day time games which are broadcast on a very weak AM station, I'll get my $$ worth by listening to XM rather than trying to cut through the fuzz of the wimpy AM signal.

I think you already know how I feel about baseball.

I'm a motorcycle road racing fanatic.

I used to be a huge baseball fan. My favorite teams were and still are the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. I love following stats. Everybody knows baseball stats. I mean records-wise. Doesn't even average fans know '755'?

I used to be into fantasy baseball real big time a few years back. That alone made me look at every boxscore of every game all season. I would constantly check on-going games and upcoming schedules to determine which players to add to my roster based on hot streaks or previous at-bats against pitchers they would face later that week. Yes, I was a real fantasy geek.

Since I no longer play fantasy baseball I rarely watch a non-playoff game. I follow the standings and sometimes even the boxscores but nowhere as religiously as I once did.

BTW .. those Baltimore Orioles teams of the late 60s and early 70s were very underrated in the grand picture of great teams. I'm afraid they might get lumped in with the Atlanta Braves teams of the 90s because both only won the World Series once. Which would be a total injustice.

I think it's just a fun, all-American sport.

The Canadian, Japanese, Cuban, etc. teams notwithstanding?

I was an avid Brookly Dodger fan... they were my heros when I was a kid. I went to their games with my dad in Ebbets Field... I stood by them year after year as they lost the pennant... then they finally won the world series... Brooklyn was in total celebration for months.
Then... in 1956 they packed their gear and moved to Los Angeles. I was devestated. I felt betrayed.
I have not watched one single baseball game since that day...not one!
Today, I couldn't name even one player from either league... no interest whatsoever.
Today, I am an avid soccer fan... my favourite team being Real Madrid. No more baseball for me!

Some of them guys are just DAMN hot.

I really dont look at them that way.

With the Nationals being competitive

Probably the best thing to happen to baseball recently was movingthe Expos.  They never did anything in Montreal, but sure are doing well now.

I'm a motorcycle road racing fanatic.

Not off Road, eh?

BTW .. those Baltimore Orioles teams of the late 60s and early 70s were very underrated in the grand picture of great teams.

I kind of agree, but I am glad that they lost in 69!  I am a Mets fan first and foremost.

The Canadian, Japanese, Cuban, etc. teams notwithstanding?

Given the state of Baseball, I would have to exclude them.  However, the US did export it, and we still grab the best players from those lands (except Cuba unless they can escape).

Then... in 1956 they packed their gear and moved to Los Angeles. I was devestated. I felt betrayed. I have not watched one single baseball game since that day...not one!

Ah gee!  Another one of those!

sheesh

sheesh

Every Booklyn Dodger fan I have ever met expressed the exact same sentiments as you did.  You are not alone!

You wouldn't be Guy Aversa, SPHS '67?

I listened to that '69 Series in a cave near Napa, CA and woulduv cried myself to sleep had it not been for a buddy who showed up late with a cold case of Coors. It was the first Coors I ever drank (since I just hitched out to California from Maryland to earn residency and a deferment. I got drafted the next month anyway.). We listened to game 2 on my old transister by a campfire. Koosman pitched six no-hit innings until singles by Blair and Brooks Robinson broke the spell and tied the score. Then, in the ninth inning, the Mets went on to win the game on two-out singles by Charles, Grote and Weis. I've never gotten over that lost to this day.

I don't LOVE baseball, I LIVE IT! Two of our best family vacations have been to baseball shrines (once to spring training, another time to Dyersville...Coopertown's on my blacklist till Shoeless Joe and Charlie Hustle get their day!) Football is my "filler sport" between the seasons.

You wouldn't be Guy Aversa, SPHS '67?

No, sorry. Guy Faget.

I've never gotten over that lost to this day.

Sorry, as a Met's fan, I still cannot keep the smile off my face.

Joe and Charlie Hustle get their day!)

I agree. It is supposed to be the best of the best, and they are. Their shunning is pure politics, even tho I hate Pete Rose.

I'm not a Pete Rose fan either. But I despise Ty Cobb even more, and he's in there, so Rose DEFINITELY deserves his day, in that light!

I get very frustrated at the Rose situation because I know a ton of other players of questionable moral fiber and character are also in the hall. I understand that baseball had it's dark days with gambling, but the MLB welcomes back drug addicts, boozers, spouse abusers and all sorts of flawed characters and yet they haven't found a way to forgive Shoeless Joe (who never admitted to cheating) or Charlie Hustle.

Put them in the darn hall already. Put a notation about the gambling issue on their plaques. Heck, put an exhibit in the hall that preaches the evils of gambling and refer to that new exhibit when you put Shoeless Joe and Pete Rose in. Turn it into a positive. Remind the world that baseball does give people second chances, even when the crimes are baseball's worst.

As long as Bud Selig is in charge, things probably won't change.

There's also the issue of reporters and others in the media that get sticks up their butts about who they want to put in because of treatment of the media. Those reporters and others should long since have been dropped from the voting roles for that attitude. Heck, many of those reporters are far from saints themselves, and would hate to have someone looking through their personal lives too. The list of players that have been passed over just because they wouldn't kiss up to the media is just plain crazy. Hopefully someday that will be fixed, but I'm not holding my breath.

Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose should both be in the Hall of Fame. Just because Major League Baseball banned them doesn't mean that Cooperstown has to too.

I think if you just put what they did to get banned from MLB on their HOF busts it would be enough. Pete and Joe deserve to be in but their crimes or alleged crimes should be in with them.

I think some players who haven't made the Hall of Fame because the media is holding a grudge could get in if the voting wasn't done so anonymously. What needs to be done is to make each vote public so we can know how each voter voted.

I think its about time that they change the way voting is done for the HOF. Only the Baseball Writers Association is allowed to vote
so a beat writer who's only been working for 10 years can get a vote. That writer probably doesn't even know much about older players that are still eligible for a HOF vote.

Why can't a television broadcaster like Vin Scully get a vote? He's only been broadcasting games for like the last 30 years.
The Football HOF has a variety of voters, but Cooperstown refuses to chang its ways from the last 70 years or so. What about Radio broadcasters at least?

I love baseball and I'm excited about the World Baseball Classic. However, I'm even more excited for the season to start.
So many new players, except for my Angels who have yet to pick up the big bat it lacked last year. The A's at least made a move with The Big Hurt, and the Rangers picked up an arm in Millwood, although we have to see how he fairs in Arlington.

Take me out to the ballgame...