The Wonderful Power of Baseball

So, Arlene and Amianan(my only readers)

last night I got home and decided to check out a little bit of the All-Star game festivities. It was the Home Run derby and it was great. I turned it on just at the moment when Josh Hamilton was hitting. This is Josh Hamilton, the former #1 draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. But, Hamilton was not there representing the Rays. Hamilton plays for the Texas Rangers. The reason is that about 3 years ago, Hamilton was a heroin addict. He was on pills, alcohol and the forementioned heroin. He cleaned himself up with the help of his grandparents and family, and got back into the game and found a chance with the Cincinatti Reds. He did really well and now he leads the Majors in RBI's at the half. So he is participating in the derby and is absolutely on fire. He hits homer after homer, and at one point hits 13 homeruns between outs. He ends the round with 28 homers, a new record. He did not win the derby, but everyone was in awe of the story of Hamilton.

Cut to today and I am watching the All-Star game and it is a really great game. Good pitching, some timely hitting and great effort on all sides. The Giants represent with Brian Wilson getting two outs in the 8th inning, even though he gets taken out in the middle of the inning. Then the next pitcher proceeds to give up the tying run to the American League. Freaking bonehead National League Manager. And then the game keeps going. It goes past the 9th inning tied at 3. It goes to the 11th when Dan Uggla makes back to back errors and almost costs the National League the game, but Aaron Cook absolutely holds it down. He gets back to back ground balls to get the outs at home and preserve the game. Then the game keeps going. It goes past the 12th. Then the 14th. And as I write this its the 15th Inning. If it goes to the 16th it will be the longest game in All Star history. But, as I am writing, the American League has loaded the bases again. And then gets the winning run on a sacrifice fly. SHIT!!! American League wins again. ARGHRGIODGHGJNGNJG!$#%#%!!!!!!!!!

But what my post was supposed to be about was how I love watching baseball. Even when it pisses me off and makes me angry it is still better than other sports. It makes you think along with it and tests you to remember the situations and ponder the possibilities. Only in baseball are you not counting against a clock. You are always in the game, even when you are way down and all seems lost. You are not lost until the final out is made. A small rally can turn into a big one and you are never really out of it. This is not so in games where you are fighting against the clock.

Josh Hamilton is baseball because he was almost out of the game and it seemed that it was over, but he rallied back and now has gotten back into the action. It was not over until the final strike! And he did not allow it to get there. I love this game