MLB Game Previews

It’s pretty much established that there weren’t many people who would have picked San Francisco to win the Fall Classic in 2010. Nor would many have chosen Texas to represent the American League. The great thing about baseball is that every team has a chance to make it at the start of the year, and it’s very hard to predict who will be there in October of 2011.

But there can’t be a discussion of who has the best odds without bringing up the New York Yankees. A star-studded roster with Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixiera, C.C. Sabathia, and Mariano Rivera will always be in the race. They also resigned manager Joe Girardi to a three year contract extension. Fully expect the Yankees to be one of the front-runners to win the World Series in 2011.

If there’s a National League team that can give New York a run for it’s money, the Philadelphia Phillies are it. Their starting pitching staff, affectionately referred to as H20, is dominant. Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt are all potential Cy Young award candidates, and the Phillie lineup isn’t a slouch either. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth are all very good players. If Jimmy Rollins can Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone knows that the United States is the sports and entertainment capital of the world. It is there where all the major motion pictures are made and it is in the USA that the best in sports can be found. Major League Baseball is one of the sports that are so popular in the country. There is a very good argument that MLB is the most popular and most watched sport in the good old US of A.

Baseball is known as the sport of summer and fall and it is during this time of the year that Major League Baseball starts to get into full swing. One reason that MLB is so popular in the USA is that the summer is time that most kids and high school and college age students are out of school. This allows them more time to be able to go watch games and follow their favorite player or players.

Another reason that baseball is so popular in the United States is the vast amount of sports channels that are on television. As a matter of fact, some MLB teams have their own television channels and programs devoted to the comings and goings of their teams. Better yet, Major League Baseball has their own television channel on satellite television where they broadcast games and programs. It is just alot easier to be able to watch games these days.

Then there is the internet. With just the click of a button and the push of a mouse, anyone can watch a game and follow their favorite MLB team. While the sport is a very popular one amongst school aged kids, when they get older they still want to be connected to the game. This can be done by cheering and rooting for a team. Still, the game is so popular in the United States because it is here that the game originated and it is here where the best players hail from.

Major League Baseball is popular in the US because it has been around for a very long time. The level of play gets better year after year. As long as that happens, the sport will always stay popular as it is.

The trees grow their leaves back, the grass returns to a healthy green color and Major League Baseball is in full swing. There are plenty of reasons why baseball is such a beloved past time and not the least of which is that MLB is a symbol of summer. The symbolism goes beyond the fact that baseball is played almost exclusively outdoors.

Whether you are talking about the sounds of the game, the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd; or the scents, the smell of cut grass and the odor of cooking hotdogs baseball is synonymous with summer and spring. There is also a feel of rebirth when a fan goes to opening day and games throughout the season. When you go to a football game you are generally expecting to be sitting in the middle of 70,000 screaming fans who are all bundled up against the rain and snow. Football is considered a cold weather sport, even though the season actually begins before fall officially begins.

While baseball begins when certain areas of the country are still being snowed on and ends sometime around Halloween, ask a fan to close their eyes and tell you what they think of when you mention baseball they will almost to a person say they think of warm summer afternoons sitting under the baking sun taking in glorious weather. Few will think of having to put on an overcoat to go to a playoff game in the middle of 30 degree temperatures.

Baseball is such a long season that the sport offers hope to all its fans. This too is much like the summer in that it breeds a feeling of anticipation. More teams in baseball are in contention during the final couple of weeks of the season than in any other sport. In the summer all things seem possible. Going outside isn’t something you need to gird yourself against but rather something to look forward to.

But the real reason that baseball is thought of in concert with summer is that it is a game that reminds people of their childhoods. While simply getting ready for a football game means putting on layer upon layer of padding and clothes, baseball can be played simply by slapping on a glove and running out to your neighborhood ball park. It reminds people of school holidays when long summer days are spent playing a game instead of studying a subject. Baseball and summer will always be thought of as one and the same.