Baseball - a mystery to europeans
 

Good morning everybody,

it's 6am here and because I couldn't sleep all night due to me coughing all the time, I was more or less forced to watch TV. So, first I watched "Idle Hands" then "Equilibrium" (again) and then I watched the rerun of a movie with Keanu Reeves. It's called "Hardball" and it's all about a bunch of ghetto-kids who play baseball. About halfway into the movie I suddenly realised...

... I have no freaking idea what Baseball is all about.

Seriously. All I know is that some people throw a ball, then another player hits it with a bat (which I imagine to be really difficult) and then he runs like hell to a base. Apparently there's between 3 and 5 bases in total and a strike is, when the batter misses the ball. That's about all I know.

So here's my question: How does Baseball work?

I know this must sound really silly to you americans, but over here, soccer is THE game, or tennis (depends on who's more succesful).

And now, I shall be off to swallow even more pills in the hope that I can finally get to sleep.

Good night. See you tomorrow.

I dunno, I hate sports :D

Baseball's probably one of the easier American sports to understand. American Football however, that's one helluva mindf*ck. I don't even think I understand that sport enough to follow along.

Essentially... two teams, nine players each. There are a total of nine innings, in which one team hits and another pitches.

The pitcher's job is to throw the ball so that it manages to get over the plate and in the "strike zone" (zone between the batter's knees and belt, generally) without the batter hitting it. If he fails to get it between that zone (and sometimes that means hitting the batter) it's called a "ball". If a pitcher gets three strikes, the batter's out. If the pitcher throws four balls, the batter gets to advance to first base.

The batter's job is to hit the ball and advance to a base without being tagged with the ball. There's no limit as to how far he can run. If the ball he hits is caught in mid air, he's out. If the ball he hits goes outta bounds, its a 'foul ball' and he goes back to the home plate. If he hits it out of the park or into the stands where the opposing team can't get it, it's a home run. He and all of his teammates who are on bases complete the circuit and advance to home base.

You've got a total of four bases. Home, First, Second and Third. For every man that successfully completes the circuit from home base and back again without getting tagged, that team wins a point.

There's a lot more too it, but that's pretty much the basics to understanding baseball. When in doubt, listen to the umpire (referee dude that no one likes). He'll tell ya when someone gets a strike, ball, foul ball, etc.

And all it took was somebody from Germany... :lol:

Very nice, damnhooligan. :D

Ah, but unless I am mistaken, DH isn't from Germany, but is just living there currently. (Unless I am remembering wrong?)

I love you even more, TMB! :D

*pssst, Jester, here lies your chance :P *

You're dead on, AC. I'm just here on a temporary basis. Gone in a couple months.

It's just the nature of the joke, that's all. :D

Me to....I loathe sports....bad...bad I say....

;) thanks Rob...:P

Anybody else watching the all star game right now?

My dad is while I post....

*sighs*

Go away.

:( Oh...ok....I can see when I'm not wanted....

Don't play the pitty game.

I don't think I need to explain what the problem is.

What...I don't like sports....I really don't...they make my brain, and other parts hurt....

Don't worry man, Mario Baseball will teach you all you need to know. :D