Waaaaaay back last year, after inspiration from some fellow bloggers, I decided to compose my list of 25 random things: the baseball version. If you follow the blog, you already know that this list stopped at 9 and never picked back up. Granted, this isn't entirely the list's fault. I take some of the blame for not encouraging it like I should have.
At any rate, given the slowness of the off-season and my boredom from having two extra days off work this weekend (and no trip to take, thank you very much, Slayer), I figured I might just take a shot at finishing the list.
Let me just refresh your memory first. Here's how it starts...
Things I most like about baseball (did I mention these are in no particular order?)
1. The rule of THREEs. I find it absolutely fascinating how baseball's rules and measurements are mostly all divisible by 3: 3 bases, 9 players, 3 games per series (mostly), 9 innings, 3 outs per inning, 3 strikes per out, 90 feet to first base, 60 feet 6 inches between the mound and home plate, et cetera,
which leads me to...
Things that most bother me about baseball
2. The fact that a base on balls requires FOUR pitches.
3. The recent decision to allow umpires to review home run rulings with instant replay.
And now some...
Random things about me related to baseball
4. My foray into blogging began with Microsoft Word and a very colorful chart in which I recorded game scores, wrote important notes, and tabulated averages, saves, and various other stats. After the disappointment that was the 2004 post-season, I decided that the next time the Cardinals played in October, I wanted my own personal record of the season, and the idea for the chart was born. After the 2007 season, I decided to take it up a notch and keep track of things more emotional in nature, and since I'd recently joined facebook, I integrated the two and started writing "notes" about the games. Eventually this lead to an ongoing s*** list in which I kept track of the players who were really aggravating me (and whether they ever redeemed themselves). From there it was a short jump into the world of true blogging, and I've never looked back.
5. I don't just talk to the television when the game's on, I carry on entire, very involved conversations with Dan and Al. Sometimes these conversations get a little heated, but we always make good by the next first pitch. I often wonder how their wives put up with them.
6. I think there's always something new to learn about the game, and I love learning. For example, I used to graciously accept the various announcers' explanations of what makes a balk a balk whenever the subject would come up, but last year I decided I wanted to know the facts. Now that I have a better idea of what to look for, I have one more thing to yell at the tv about.
And then there are these...
Generally random things
7. Baseball makes sense. It is logical and reasonable and understandable. Life should be more like baseball.
8. I used to insist on sitting in the left field bleachers when we would go to games because I had a crush on Ray Lankford. I've never told anyone that before.
9. The only time I ever watched American Idol was the season Nikko Smith was a contestant. No, I don't suppose that one is really about baseball, but it's related. (Ha! Get it? Related? *wink*) He was the only reason I watched and I quit after he got the boot.
