Joy and Pain

One of the great things about baseball is happening right now.  It should be on every baseball fan's bucket list.  It celebrates the game and the pure joy of playing ball.  More smiles happen on these fields than in an entire season of Major League Baseball.

I agree with them...to a point.

Little League Baseball/Softball has been a tremendous program, teaching the game to kids 75 years.  Their showcase event at the program's birthplace, Williamsport, PA, is a celebration of most of the best things about baseball.  No admission fees are charged, concession prices are reasonable, and the whole thing is run by volunteers.  All centered around a love that has been baseball.

I am no different.  I love the game.  Each pitch changes the game completely.  The ability or inability to execute should decide the outcome.  Well trained and well coached players know the nuances that break down to a single play that makes or breaks a game.  No other game gives the defense the ball, few other games of reason have no time limit.  Even the field is infinite in an upward direction.

One thing that has changed are the kids.  Most kids today, especially when they have won the lottery of playing time, have good attitudes, and respond to coaching even if they (or their parents) don't agree.  I still smile a lot when I'm on the field.

A large number, however, have been jaded enough to where respect is a major issue.  We should thank society in general for putting results ahead of doing things the right way.  Within baseball, we should thank every player who picked up a needle instead of a weight and every Major League owner who looked at his balance sheet rather than enforcement.  It gave us McGwire, Bonds, and A-Rod.  Interesting how those names could be revered and are reviled like Cicotte, Risberg, and Gandil.

The money involved has parents spending thousands of dollars that they don't have chasing a dream reserved for freakish levels of talent.  Or cheaters.

Play the game as long as you can, because once you quit, it is over.  Keep the dream alive.  Hard work pays off.  Reward it when things are done the right way.  Maybe you can beat the odds.  I know you can do it.

The odds are stacked against you.

So...am I off base?