“You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball. But in the end it was the other way around the whole time.” -Jim Bouton
I love that quote.
That quote has encapsulated my life.
I feel like I am not alone when I say, baseball dominated my childhood. Well past the point of obsession. It quite literally was my life.
Outside of my formal team, I’d play not just imaginary games with an imaginary team, but whole seasons.
Using my “pitch-back” to be the pitcher as well as the defense. I’d make all kinds of crazy plays.
Tossing the ball up and “robbing a homer” over our 4 foot baby arborvitae trees.
Insane plays at the plate where I’d be getting Ray Fosse barreled by the imaginary opposition and holding on to the ball.
Laying out, making a diving play at shortstop. Shades of Jimmy Rollins.
Tossing the ball up and blasting walk off grand slams into the weeds.
Everywhere I went, baseball was on my mind.
In the classroom, sliding into the carpet in and getting told “this isn’t a baseball field”, hey nobody told me that. The grind wasn’t going to stop for school.
In the grocery store practicing my windup.
Looking out the window, passing by a vacant ballfield imagining I was playing.
All the way into adulthood.
I mean I guess I had stopped playing with my imaginary team..
But even still baseball dominated my mind.
I played ball spring through the fall every year of my life, through my college years.
And not because I was forced or because I was looking to be the #1 draft pick.
I just loved baseball.
There was never anything philosophical about it. It was just pure joy.
Everything about it. Squaring up a ball. Sliding into second. Dotting a corner.
I loved watching, learning, and talking.
Strategy, history, stats, stories, documentaries.
Playing video games, and a board game called APBA with my old man. (Neat game for those who’ve never played”
So yes, my entire life has revolved around baseball…until recently..
Something’s changed.
There are times I feel like a bitter old man.
Everybody knows the old man. The “back in my day” guy. Or the “it was better back in the day” guy.
Right now, that’s me.
More and more I get disgusted with where we’re at in the game, and more importantly where we’re headed..
Homers, bat flips, celebrations.
Rule changes.
The Oakland A’s tragedy.
The overall strategy.
No salary cap.
Playoff expansion and the PLAYOFF SCHEDULE. My god, how do they get away with it?
Major League Baseball is ruining the game for the passionate fan, to coddle to the casual fan who will turn to football.
Everything the game stands for today isn’t for the game. The game is blatantly dollar driven. And the entertainment aspect of the game has unbalanced the purity of the game. And the worst part is the talent level is the best that it has ever been. And it’s not even close.
Maybe it’s just me.
Or maybe it’s not.
But I really don’t want to make this a negative blog post (I’m sure I will at some point)
This is about falling back in love with baseball.
I want that feeling back. The feeling of being completely enthralled in the game.
So how..
The Plan

I do have a job, so the idea of going outside and throwing on my pitch back and hitting imaginary walk off dingers isn’t realistic anymore. But that same spirit can be applied to adult versions of this kids game.
1. Step one is to post this blog post. And get some positive reinforcement from baseball fans telling me it’ll be okay and baseball is still a marvelous game.
2. Write. I have pages in my notes app strictly dedicated to writing ideas. I’m really not a writer by trade, just a baseball guy. But my plan is to write once a week or biweekly for this blog. I’ve always loved history so this blog might see a little transformation. And I have an idea I’m working on for a bigger project.
3. Read. 99% of books I’ve ever read have been baseball books. Nothing like some good baseball literature to boost baseball morale.
4. Visit. The Baseball Hall of Fame never ceases to get my baseball blood flowing. It’s a 4 hour drive. Just need to make the time.
5. Diversify. Come spring I’m making a pact with myself that I will go to a couple of local college games as well as high school and even younger. It’s the truth that Major League Baseball is frustrating to watch for me, but maybe watching some different brands of baseball will help fuel this comeback.
6. PLAY. I played all my life. Why the hell not.

This is an “open for suggestion” post. Maybe I’m not the only one going through this baseball problem.

This is the start of the journey.