How not to be romantic about baseball?

An error occurred. – Try watching this video on www.youtube.com, or enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser. Moneyball, the 2011 film starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, highlighted the 2002 Oakland A’s season. There was a clip from the film where Pitt, who played A’s GM Billy Beane, stated, “How can you not be romantic about baseball?” When you look at the 2021 season, there is no way not to be romantic about the greatest game in the world,

Who said it’s hard not to be romantic about baseball?

Peter Brand : The Visalia Oaks and our 240 lb catcher Jeremy Brown, who as you know, scared to run to second base. This was in a game six weeks ago. This guy is going to start him off with a fastball. Jeremy’s going to take him to deep center. Here’s what’s really interesting, because Jeremy’s gonna do what he never does.

1. He’s gonna go for it.
2. He’s gonna around first and he’s gonna go for it.
3. Okay? Peter Brand : This is all Jeremy’s nightmares coming to life.
4. Billy Beane : Awwww, they’re laughing at him.
5. Peter Brand : And Jeremy’s about to find out why.
6. Jeremy’s about to realize that the ball went 60 feet over the fence.
7. He hit a home run and didn’t even realize it.

Billy Beane : It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball. This kind of thing, it’s fun for the fans. It sells tickets and hot dogs. Doesn’t mean anything. Peter Brand : Billy, we just won twenty games in a row. Billy Beane : And what’s the point? Peter Brand : We just got the record.

• Billy Beane : Man, I’ve been doing this for.
• Listen, man.
• I’ve been in this game a long time.
• I’m not in it for a record, I’ll tell you that.
• I’m not in it for a ring.
• That’s when people get hurt.
• If we don’t win the last game of the Series, they’ll dismiss us.
• Peter Brand : Billy.
• Billy Beane : I know these guys.

I know the way they think, and they will erase us. And everything we’ve done here, none of it’ll matter. Any other team wins the World Series, good for them. They’re drinking champagne, they get a ring. But if we win, on our budget, with this team. we’ll have changed the game.

1. And that’s what I want.
2. I want it to mean something.
3. Billy Beane : Would you rather get a bullet to the head or five to the chest and bleed to death? Peter Brand : Are those my only two options? Billy Beane : Let them make the mistakes.
4. When your enemy’s making mistakes, don’t interrupt them.
5. They’re giving you an out.

Just giving it to you. Take it. Say “thank you”. Billy Beane : You get on base, we win. You don’t, we lose. And I *hate* losing, Chavy. I *hate* it. I hate losing more than I even wanna win. And there’s a difference. Peter Brand : I wanted you to see these player evaluations that you asked me to do.

• Billy Beane : I asked you to do three.
• Peter Brand : Yeah.
• Billy Beane : To evaluate three players.
• Peter Brand : Yeah.
• Billy Beane : How many you’d do? Peter Brand : Forty-seven.
• Billy Beane : Okay.
• Peter Brand : Actually, fifty-one.
• I don’t know why I lied just then.
• Billy Beane : Scott Hatteberg.
• Scout Barry : Who? Billy Beane : Exactly.

The guy sounds like an Oakland A already. Peter Brand : There is an epidemic failure within the game to understand what is really happening. And this leads people who run Major League Baseball teams to misjudge their players and mismanage their teams. I apologize.

Billy Beane : Go on. Peter Brand : Okay. People who run ball clubs, they think in terms of buying players. Your goal shouldn’t be to buy players, your goal should be to buy wins. And in order to buy wins, you need to buy runs. You’re trying to replace Johnny Damon. The Boston Red Sox see Johnny Damon and they see a star who’s worth seven and half million dollars a year.

When I see Johnny Damon, what I see is. is. an imperfect understanding of where runs come from. The guy’s got a great glove. He’s a decent leadoff hitter. He can steal bases. But is he worth the seven and half million dollars a year that the Boston Red Sox are paying him? No.

No. Baseball thinking is medieval. They are asking all the wrong questions. And if I say it to anybody, I’m-I’m ostracized. I’m-I’m-I’m a leper. So that’s why I’m-I’m cagey about this with you. That’s why I. I respect you, Mr. Beane, and if you want full disclosure, I think it’s a good thing that you got Damon off your payroll.

I think it opens up all kinds of interesting possibilities. Billy Beane : We want you to play 1st base for the Oakland A’s. Scott Hatteberg : OK, well, I’ve only ever played catcher. Billy Beane : Scott, you’re not a catcher any more. If you were our call wouldn’t be the only one you got when your contract expired.

Scott Hatteberg : Yeah, hey, listen, no I, I appreciate it. Billy Beane : You’re welcome. Scott Hatteberg : But the thing, thing is is that. Billy Beane : You don’t know how to play 1st base. Scott. Scott Hatteberg : That’s right. Billy Beane : It’s not that hard, Scott. Tell him Wash. Ron Washington : It’s incredibly hard.

Billy Beane : Hey, anything worth doing is. And we’re gonna teach you. Billy Beane : I’m not gonna fire you, Grady. Grady Fuson : Fuck you, Billy. Billy Beane : Now I will. Billy Beane : Guys, you’re just talking. Talking, “la-la-la-la”, like this is business as usual.

It’s not. Grady Fuson : We’re trying to solve the problem here, Billy. Billy Beane : Not like this you’re not. You’re not even looking at the problem. Grady Fuson : We’re very aware of the problem. I mean. Billy Beane : Okay, good. What’s the problem? Grady Fuson : Look, Billy, we all understand what the problem is.

We have to. Billy Beane : Okay, good. What’s the problem? Grady Fuson : The problem is we have to replace three key players in our lineup. Billy Beane : Nope. What’s the problem? Pittaro : Same as it’s ever been. We’ve gotta replace these guys with what we have existing.

Billy Beane : Nope. What’s the problem, Barry? Scout Barry : We need 38 home runs, 120 RBIs and 47 doubles to replace. Billy Beane : Ehh! Billy Beane : The problem we’re trying to solve is that there are rich teams and there are poor teams. Then there’s fifty feet of crap, and then there’s us. It’s an unfair game.

And now we’ve been gutted. We’re like organ donors for the rich. Boston’s taken our kidneys, Yankees have taken our heart. And you guys just sit around talking the same old “good body” nonsense like we’re selling jeans. Like we’re looking for Fabio. We’ve got to think differently.

We are the last dog at the bowl. You see what happens to the runt of the litter? He dies. Peter Brand : Hello? Billy Beane : Pete? It’s Billy Beane. Peter Brand : Wh-what time is it? Billy Beane : I don’t know. Pete, would you have drafted me in the first round? Peter Brand : What? Billy Beane : After we talked, you looked me up.

Would you have drafted me in the first round? Peter Brand : Yeah, I did. You-you were pretty good. Billy Beane : Cut the crap, Pete. Would you have drafted me in the first round? Peter Brand : I would have picked you in the 9th round. No signing bonus. I think that would have convinced you to accept that scholarship.

Billy Beane : Pack your bags, Pete. I just bought you from the Cleveland Indians. Billy Beane : I pay you to get on first, not get thrown out at second. Billy Beane : I made one decision in my life based on money. And I swore I would never do it again. Billy Beane : If you lose the last game of the season, nobody gives a shit.

Billy Beane : Where you from, Pete? Peter Brand : Maryland. Billy Beane : Where’d you go to school? Peter Brand : Yale. I went to Yale. Billy Beane : What’d you study? Peter Brand : Economics. I studied economics. Billy Beane : Yale, economics, and baseball.

You’re funny, Pete. Billy Beane : If we try to play like the Yankees in here, we will lose to the Yankees out there. Grady Fuson : Boy, that sounds like fortune-cookie wisdom to me, Billy. Billy Beane : No, that’s just logic. Billy Beane : You’re doing it again. Casey Beane : What? Billy Beane : You’re worrying about me.

Casey Beane : You’re in last place dad. Billy Beane : Do I look worried? Casey Beane : Yeah. Billy Beane : ‘Cause you’re getting on an airplane. Those things crash all the time. Please stop worrying about your dad. Billy Beane : Art, you got a minute? Art Howe : Yeah.

• Take a seat.
• Billy Beane : You can’t start Peña at first tonight.
• You’ll have to start Hatteberg.
• Art Howe : Yeah, I don’t want to go fifteen rounds, Billy.
• The lineup card is mine, and that’s all.
• Billy Beane : That lineup card is definitely yours.
• I’m just saying you can’t start Peña at first.
• Art Howe : Well, I am starting him at first.

Billy Beane : I don’t think so. He plays for Detroit now. Art Howe : You *traded* Peña? Billy Beane : Yeah. And Menechino, Hiljus, Tam are all being sent down. Art Howe : You are outside your mind. Billy Beane : Yeah. Cuckoo. Jeremy Giambi : You wanted to see me? Billy Beane : Yeah, Jeremy, grab a seat.

Billy Beane : Jeremy, you’ve been traded to the Phillies. This is Ed Wade’s number. He’s a good guy, he’s the GM. He’s expecting your call. Buddy will help you with the plane flight. You’re a good ballplayer, Jeremy, and we wish you the best. Billy Beane : Jeremy’s gone, too. Art Howe : You’re killing this team.

Billy Beane : He gets on base a lot. Do I care if it’s a walk or a hit? Billy Beane : Hey. Peter Brand : Hello. Billy Beane : Who are you? Peter Brand : I’m Peter Brand. Billy Beane : What do you do? Peter Brand : I’m special assistant to Mark Shapiro. Billy Beane : So, what do you do? Peter Brand : Mostly player analysis right now.

Billy Beane : Been on the job long? First job in baseball? Peter Brand : It’s my first job anywhere. Billy Beane : Wow, congrats. Peter Brand : Thanks. Billy Beane : First job. Whose nephew are you? Why does Mark listen to you? Peter Brand : I don’t think, uh. I don’t think he does very often. Billy Beane : He just did.

Peter Brand : Well, in that circumstance, I think he was more listening to Bruce than myself. Billy Beane : Mm-hmm. Who are you? Peter Brand : I’m Peter Brand. Billy Beane : I don’t give a rat’s ass what your name is. What happened in there? What happened in that room? Peter Brand : I’m not quite sure what you’re asking me, Mr.

• Beane. Billy Beane : What did you tell Bruce? Peter Brand : I just told Bruce I like Garcia.
• Billy Beane : You like Garcia.
• Why? Why? Peter Brand : I don’t know.
• Billy Beane : We got a problem, David? David Justice : No, it’s okay.
• I know your routine.
• It’s patter, it’s for effect.
• But it’s for them, all right? That shit ain’t for me.

Billy Beane : Oh, you’re special? David Justice : You’re paying me seven million bucks a year, man, so yeah, maybe I am, a little bit. Billy Beane : No, man, I ain’t paying you seven. Yankees are paying half your salary. That’s what the New York Yankees think of you.

They’re paying you three and a half million dollars to play against them. Billy Beane : You think losing is fun? Billy Beane : Guys, you’re still trying to replace Giambi. I told you we can’t do it, and we can’t do it. Now, what we might be able to do is re-create him. Re-create him in the aggregate. Grady Fuson : The what? Billy Beane : Giambi’s on-base percentage was,477.

Damon’s on-base,,324. And Olmedo’s was,291. Add that up, and you get. Peter Brand : Do you want me to speak? Billy Beane : When I point at you, yeah. Peter Brand : 1.092. Billy Beane : Divided by three. Peter Brand :,364. Billy Beane : That’s what we’re looking for.

Three ballplayers. three ballplayers whose average OBP is. Peter Brand :,364. Grady Fuson : Who’s that? Billy Beane : That’s Pete. Grady Fuson : Does Pete really need to be here? Billy Beane : Yes, he does. Billy Beane : Get down. Is losing fun? Billy Beane : Is losing fun? Jeremy Giambi : No. Billy Beane : Then what are you having fun for? Billy Beane : That is what losing sounds like.

Peter Brand : Did you hear that? Billy Beane : All I heard was “seven in a row”. Billy Beane : I’m going in. Text me the play by play. Peter Brand : What? Why? Billy Beane : I don’t watch the games. Billy Beane : I want Dye in right, Justice DHing, Peña on the bench, Hatteberg at first, and anyone but Mags first out of the pen.

Art Howe : You want Peña on the bench? Billy Beane : That’s right. So you can play Hatty. Art Howe : Peña is not only the best first baseman on the roster, he’s the only first baseman on the roster. Billy Beane : Listen to me, Hatty gets on base more than Peña. In fact, twenty percent more. Art Howe : And his fielding? Billy Beane : His fielding does not matter.

Art Howe : I’ve heard enough of this. Billy Beane : Have you? Art Howe : And I, uh. I disagree with you, plain and simple. And moreover, I’m playing my team in a way that I can explain in job interviews next winter. Billy Beane : If he’s a good hitter, why doesn’t he hit good? Billy Beane : I made one decision in my life based on money.

And I swore I would never do it again. Peter Brand : You’re not doing it for the money. Billy Beane : No? Peter Brand : No. You’re doing it for what the money says. And it says what it says to any player that makes big money. That they’re worth it. Billy Beane : What are we doing here, Mark? Is this business? Mark Shapiro : This is the way we do business in Cleveland.

Billy Beane : I gotta ask you, what are we doing here. if it’s not to win a championship? Billy Beane : I need more money. Stephen Schott : We don’t have any. Billy Beane : I can’t compete against a $120 million payroll with $38 million. Stephen Schott : We’re not gonna compete with these teams that have big budgets.

• We’re gonna work within the constraints we have.
• Billy Beane : They played their hearts out. They did.
• They played fantastic and it just didn’t fall our way.
• Stephen Schott : You’ll do better next year.
• Billy Beane : But we were close, though, weren’t we? We were so close.
• Right there.
• Stephen Schott : Almost had it.

You gotta feel good about that. Billy Beane : Oh, I feel great about it. I feel great about it. Um – we’re not gonna do better next year. Billy Beane : We are card counters at the blackjack table and we’re gonna turn the odds on the casino. Billy Beane : Honey, I think people would love to listen to you.

That’s beautiful. Would you – sing a little for your Dad? Right here in the middle of the store? Casey Beane : Little bit. Billy Beane : Little bit. Casey Beane : You ready? Billy Beane : I’m ready. Casey Beane : Okay. Casey Beane : I’m just a little bit, Caught in the middle, Life is a maze, And love is a riddle, I don’t know where to go, Can’t do it alone, I’ve tried, And I don’t know why, I’m just a little girl, Lost in the moment, I’m so scared, But I don’t show it, I can’t figure it out, It’s bringing me down, I know I’ve got to let it go, And just enjoy the show.

Billy Beane : She’s got a cell phone? Sharon : Yeah. Billy Beane : A 12-year-old? Grady Fuson : Major League Baseball and its fans, they’re gonna be more than happy to throw you and Google Boy under the bus if you keep doing what you’re doing. You don’t put a team together with a computer.

Billy Beane : No? Grady Fuson : No. Baseball isn’t just numbers. It’s not science. If it was, anybody could do what we’re doing, but they can’t. They don’t know what we know. They don’t have our experience and our intuition. Billy Beane : Okay. Grady Fuson : Okay. You got a kid in there that’s got a degree in economics from Yale.

You got a scout here with You’re listening to the wrong one. Now, there are intangibles that only baseball people understand. You’re discounting what scouts have done for 150 years? Even yourself? Billy Beane : Adapt or die. Billy Beane : Could this be about your contract? Art Howe : No.

1. This is about you doing your job and me doing mine.
2. Mine’s me being left alone to manage this team you assembled for me.
3. Billy Beane : I didn’t assemble them for you, Art.
4. Art Howe : No shit.
5. Billy Beane : What the hell am I doing? Oh, man.
6. Billy Beane : I should’ve made you a bigger part of the conversation – from day one.

That way it’d be clear what we’re trying to do here. That was my mistake, Art, and I take responsibility for that. Art Howe : What are you trying to say? Billy Beane : I’m saying, it doesn’t matter what moves I make if you don’t play the team the way they’re designed to be played.

1. Peter Brand : This is the kind of decision that gets you fired. It is.
2. Billy Beane : Yes, you’re right.
3. I may lose my job.
4. In which case I’m a 44-year-old guy with a high school diploma and a daughter I’d like to be able to send to college.
5. You’re 25 years old, with a degree from Yale and a pretty impressive apprenticeship.

I don’t think we’re asking the right question. I think the question we should be asking is, do you believe in this thing or not? Peter Brand : I do. Casey Beane : Dad, there’s no way you’re gonna lose your job, right? Billy Beane : What? Casey Beane : Well, I don’t know.

I’m just wondering. Billy Beane : Where’d you hear that? Casey Beane : Well, I go on the Internet sometimes. Billy Beane : Well, don’t do that. Don’t go on the Internet. Or watch TV or read newspapers or talk to people. Billy Beane : Everyone wants to attack. Quit trying to attack. Let the game come to you, man.

There’s no clock on this thing. This is a war of attrition. Billy Beane : David, you’re 37. How about you and I be honest about what each of us want out of this? I wanna milk the last ounce of baseball you got in you. And you wanna stay in the show. Let’s do that.

• I’m not paying you for the player you used to be.
• I’m paying you for the player you are right now.
• You’re smart.
• You get what we’re trying to do here.
• Make an example for the younger guys.
• Be a leader.
• Can you do that? David Justice : All right.
• I got you.
• Billy Beane : We’re cool? David Justice : We’re cool.

Billy Beane : This is a process. It’s a process, it’s a process. Okay? Billy Beane : Everybody, listen up. You may not look like a winning team – but you are one. So, play like one tonight. Billy Beane : How can you not be romantic about baseball? Peter Brand : It’s a metaphor.

Why do people say baseball is romantic?

Defining the Romance of Baseball to a Non-Believer Passionate fans of baseball are often asked to defend their love of the game by people who don’t like the slower pace or the perceived lack of action and in many instances the defense is simply the romance of baseball itself.

Billy Beane speaks about it during his public speaking engagements, as did his movie persona in a pivotal scene from Moneyball, and every baseball fan has specific memories of this simple game bringing a tear to their eye or filling them with immeasurable joy. Baseball is a beautiful game. For many fans, the romance of baseball stems from their youth; staying up late to watch the World Series with your father, trips to the ballpark with your grandmother, skipping school to see Rickey Henderson break the stolen base record with your best friend, all become ingrained into your memory and stick with you forever.

You will never forget sitting in the park on a Sunday afternoon, eating popcorn, and asking your dad about every single thing on the field. “Why do they throw to second instead of first, dad?” or “why don’t those foul balls count as strikes, grandma?” Baseball is handed down through the generations and because it has gone relatively unchanged for over a century, every fan can pass on the knowledge of their parents to their children and baseball lives for another generation.

Beyond the personal memories, though, are collective memories that are shared with hundreds or thousands of people. After years of watching their team lose, every Cubs fan has a shared memory of the team’s 2016 World Series victory and, conversely, every A’s fan has a collective memory of the 2014 Wild Card loss.

Years after a defining game has been played, fans will debate pitching changes and base running decisions, and why the Cespedes trade is to blame for everything wrong in baseball. Baseball is not experienced alone, it is experienced with everyone young and old, black and white, male and female, Republican and Democrat, saint and sinner, Beatles fan and Stones fan, or dog lover and cat lover.

• Then there are the stories within the game.
• An aging hitter with a,200 average and an 0-30 hitting streak driving in the winning run of a game or a pitcher once thought past his prime throwing a no hitter, these are the things that make baseball romantic.
• On any given day something amazing can happen.

Every trip to the park has the potential to be the most exciting and memorable game of your life. Nobody thought they’d see Bartolo Colon hit his first home run in his 40s but 30,000 fans left the ballpark with a story to tell their children and a memory that will last forever.

1. Amazing things happen in baseball every single day.
2. Anyone seeking more evidence of the romance of baseball need look no further than the 2017 World Series.
3. In the first four games, two evenly matched teams traded wins and ultimately played one of the most exciting games in recent memory for game 5.
4. With two aces on the mound and a four run lead, nobody expected a back and forth rally resulting in extra innings, walk-off wins, and the very real possibility that position players may be called to pitch.

It was a game which every fan watching will remember and debate for years to come and has become another shared collective memory in the ever expanding story of the sport. We spend 162 nights a year watching our teams battle it out for glory and, occasionally, we get a few extra games on the end to make our blood pressure rise.

We watch players grow, develop, and improve over time. We’re there during the streaks as well as the slumps and we remain loyal to the name on the front of the jersey. We are sad when players leave but cheer when they return with their new team. From the final out of the World Series to the day pitchers and catchers report in the spring, we are lost without the games and story lines that define the greatest soap opera America has ever produced.

Baseball is not simply a game, it is a part of us. It is a uniquely American experience with the power to bring us great pride, joy, excitement, anger, frustration, and depression. It is a game that can be enjoyed superficially by a four year old or obsessed over by mathematician.

1. It is perfect in its construction (and pace of play) and filled with simplistic complexity.
2. The romance of baseball isn’t just one thing, it is everything.
3. The smell of the yard, the long-standing traditions, the unwritten rules, the predictable unpredictability, the heart and hustle and drive, the romance is endless.

What makes baseball romantic to you? What moments stand out to you as defining your fandom? Share your stories in the comments below. How can you not get romantic over baseball? : Defining the Romance of Baseball to a Non-Believer

How mental is the game of baseball?

Hall-of-Famer Yogi Berra said ‘Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.’ He wasn’t kidding. If you understand old Yogi’s wisdom, you can see that the mental side of this game has a lot to do with performance success!

What did Albert Einstein say about baseball?

You teach me baseball and I’ll teach you relativity No we must not. You will learn about relativity faster than I learn baseball.

What did Mark Twain say about baseball?

Mark Twain, the Hartford Baseball Crank Samuel L. Clemens, also known by his pen name, Mark Twain once boasted about Hartford, “Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see, this is the chief.” Twain and his family were proud Hartford residents from 1874 to 1891. When the Hartford Dark Blues joined the first iteration of the National League in 1874, Twain frequented games at Hartford Base Ball Grounds, a 2,000-seat stadium at the corner of Wyllys Street and Hendrixon Avenue. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) regularly attended Hartford ballgames and took notes of the action on personal stationary. While attending a game between the Brooklyn Atlantics and the Hartford Dark Blues, Twain’s umbrella went missing. In response to the suspected theft, Twain published a reward in the Hartford Daily Courant on May 20, 1875: TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE DOLLARS REWARD — At the great base ball match on Tuesday, while I engaged in hurrahing, a small boy walked off with an English-made brown silk UMBRELLA belonging to me and forgot to bring it back. Twain’s advertisement in the Hartford Courant, May 20, 1875. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), 1870 (c.) The humorous advertisement led to a morbid prank. A local medical student left one of his case studies — the corpse of a boy — on Twain’s porch, along with a note claiming the reward. A nervous Twain thought he might be suspected of murder, until the janitor of the medical college came to claim the body and clear the author. The Mark Twain House, Hartford, Connecticut. After a lackluster 1886 season in the Eastern League, in which the Hartford team traded Connie Mack to the Washington Nationals, a new joint stock company assumed ownership of the Hartford club. Among investors of the Hartford Amusement Association were Samuel Clemens and Mayor of Hartford, Morgan G. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), 1885 (c.) Members of the Hartford Amusement Association, 1887. Morgan G. Bulkeley, 1890 (c.) Later on April 8, 1889, Mark Twain dined with baseball’s “who’s who” at Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City. The grand event was a night to remember, drawing heavy publicity. The Testimonial Banquet was held in honor of Albert Spalding and baseball players of the, “Tour Around the World” brochure cover at Delmonico’s, New York, April 8, 1889. “Tour Around the World” brochure at Delmonico’s, New York, April 8, 1889. “Baseball is the very symbol, the outward and visible expression of the drive and push and rush and struggle of the raging, tearing, booming nineteenth century.” -Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), April 8, 1889.

1. Testimonial Banquet at Delmonico’s, New York, April 8, 1889.
2. Delmonico’s Menu, New York, 1889.
3. That same year, Twain completed writing A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court while living in Hartford.
4. The novel is about a man from East Hartford who time travels to 6th-century medieval England.
5. The book’s main character, Hank Morgan meets King Arthur and teaches noblemen to play baseball.

While living in Hartford, Twain also wrote such works as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, “There was no joy in life for poor Tom. He put away his bat and his ball and dragged himself through each day.” – Mark Twain, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, 1885.

What is the metaphor in Moneyball?

He hit a home run and didn’t even realize it “You hold back only to realize there is nothing keeping you back, except yourself” – Rachel Wolchin One of my favorite books – subsequently turned in to a movie – is Moneyball. It is the story of Billy Beane (then the General Manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team), and how he transformed baseball using a revolutionary approach to assessing, drafting, and ultimately fielding players based on a complex formula of statistics.

1. The approach, called sabermetrics, had only hereto been used by a small following of fans for fantasy and similar tracking of player performance.
2. Billy was the first Manager in professional baseball to embrace the approach and use it as a primary factor in his decision on which players he kept on his team and the order in which he had them bat.

Today most professional baseball teams use this approach – and in many respects this is behind the recent success of the current world champion Houston Astros. Back to Billy – his achievement is even more profound when you consider the circumstances. At the time, the Oakland Athletics were a second-tier professional market with an extremely limited budget to match.

Most of the more successful franchises were spending 2 to 3 times more than the Athletics, allowing them to field the best talent in the league, and in return, consistently outperform other teams. But Billy took a risk on a different approach. He hired a Yale economics graduate and quickly made him his “right hand”.

And while his decisions were quickly criticized by his scouts and team manager, Billy convinces the team owners to stay the course. Over time the team’s performance improved dramatically, moving from the bottom in their league in to playoff contention, and ultimately falling one game short of a World Series appearance.

At the end of this movie is a scene in which Billy Beane and Peter Brand (his sabermetrics whiz kid) are speaking in the club house late at night. In this scene, Billy finds himself questioning his own approach, suggesting that nothing short of a championship is a success. Peter then asks he join him in the film room, and shows the following clip: The scene is prophetic, as it shows one of the players Billy drafted in a minor league game hitting a home run, but tripping as he runs the bases and returning to first in fear he would be thrown out.

“Jeremy hit a home run and didn’t’ even realize it.”, says Peter. The metaphor is clear to Billy – he can’t see his own success beyond his fear of failure. How often in life and in business do we fall prey to the same mentality? We take risks only to pull back at the first sign of success.

Can you play baseball as a girl?

Women in Baseball: Would a woman be allowed to play in the MLB? O ver the last few years there have been no women plying their trades at any Major League Baseball (MLB) team. There are several reasons why women have not been included in MLB teams although there were many female players featuring in other baseball divisions.

“Yeah, I think it’s a definite possibility,” Mike Scioscia, who spent 32 years in the majors as a manager and All-Star catcher with the Angels and Dodgers, told Los Angeles Times.”I don’t think it’s a far stretch to see some girls be able to develop and pitch.”Back in 2018, the MLB announced two significant girls’ baseball events in their second annual ‘Trailblazer Series’ and their first-ever Girls Baseball ‘Breakthrough Series’ Showcase & Development Camp

“Women playing baseball is an important part of our sport’s history,” said Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. “That legacy is also significant to the game’s present and future. We are proud to work alongside USA Baseball in creating events that raise the profile of girls and women baseball.

What is it called when girls play baseball?

Baseball is for boys, and softball is for girls. But why?

Why marriage is like baseball?

1. First Base. – Like the first baseman, married partners need to be sturdy and reliable. He is always consistent and the rock of the team. It’s important to be the type of man that can dig a ball out of the dirt just in the nick of time to beat the runner and get the out. Our wives depend on us in that same way.

Why we chase people who don’t want us?

In other words, chasing someone who elicits a sufficient balance of mixed signals will generate addictive endorphins — even if you never reach the goal. You can forgive yourself for enjoying the game and pursuing the chase aimlessly. Dopamine is unbelievably powerful and rewarding to humans.

Why am I avoiding romance?

You’re Afraid of Getting Hurt – You might want to avoid love because you’re afraid of getting hurt. This might stem from a fear of the unknown, but past negative experiences with love can also play a role. In other cases, watching other people’s relationships crumble and lead to turmoil and strife may have marred the whole idea of love.

Is baseball 90% mental?

Yogi Berra Quotes Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.

Why is baseball so hard mentally?

The Time Gap in Baseball – Baseball is a big time-gap sport, in which players have lots of time to think between plays. This thinking is what allows them to internalize pressure, frustrations, excitement, fear, etc. – both positive and negative emotions and perceptions of the situation.

• BUT. Athletes play best when they don’t think.
• Playing with fluid action–letting the body do what it has practiced to do without any hesitation whatsoever–is how champions turn in their best performances.
• The time-gap kills this, because when we think about what might happen, we start to attempt to control the outcome, which means we try to consciously control our bodies.

It’s counter-productive.

Why is baseball so mentally draining?

Opinion | Baseball is the Most Mentally Challenging Sport of All The mental stress of baseball, Staffer September 11, 2022 Imagine you’re playing in the major leagues of baseball. You’re playing third base and you miss a game-winning ground ball. All your teammates are frustrated and upset with you. Will you make this stick with you for the future? You got to forget about the past but that game was a huge game your team needed to win! You can’t let it get to you and start again in the next game.

1. People may think that baseball is an overall easy sport to play.
2. In reality, it’s a hard and very mentally challenging sport.
3. The thing about baseball is that you have so much dead time waiting for a pitch, this can bring overthinking and anxiety.
4. First of all, there is more failure than success in baseball.

Every player that plays baseball has to hit. A good average in MLB (Major League Baseball) is,300 and higher. This means that a good hitter constantly gets on 3/10 times they go up to bat. This also means that they get out 6 or 7 times they go up to the plate.

Also, tons of players hit in the,200s which means that they have to deal with failure tons of times. This concludes that you have to be prepared for failure and have the mental toughness to play this game. You can even see MLB players having anger tantrums after striking out in a big moment. Another reason is, that playing baseball can take a huge toll on mental health.

Baseball can be psychologically draining at times. The slowed-paced game doesn’t help either. Also, the thoughts and tiny margins or making an error are huge. This can be a reason why baseball players’ mental health can be so vulnerable. According to the National Institute of Mental health, 26.2% of Americans 18 or older suffer from a mental disorder at any time of their life.

1. But from 1972 through 1991, no MLB players were placed on DL for mental health issues.
2. In the past 5 years, there has been a vast variety of them over the years.
3. Last but not least, baseball players have been quitting due to mental issues and exhaustion.
4. One huge example of this is Ian Snell.
5. In his first seasons he was okay and under the radar but the pressure got to him.

During his seasons he put mediocre numbers of an era around 5 and a losing win or loss record. After all this he devoted himself to triple-A. After all of this, he dropped the Pirates organization due to suicidal thoughts. Ian Snell tried to make a comeback to Seattle but later in the season, he announced his retirement.

• Everybody shouldn’t judge a sport by how popular it is or how talented you need to at least have a chance of playing it.
• They should judge it by what’s really inside the sport, what players do to prepare and get ready to play.
• Baseball is the most mentally challenging sport and it shows by what players had said and what we have seen.

: Opinion | Baseball is the Most Mentally Challenging Sport of All

Who said 90% of baseball is half mental?

Over the past week or so, I have been writing a series called “20 Great Quotes From.” The first sport to go under the quote microscope was Baseball, and after a five part series, this special is the final Baseball piece. How fitting that it is dedicated to “Yogiisms.” He is known for his infamous quotes almost as well as he is for his legendary baseball career.

1. Here are 20 great quotes from the great Yogi Berra.
2. Enjoy! “It seems like deja vu all over again.” “Baseball is 90 percent mental; the other half is physical.” “We made too many wrong mistakes.” “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.” “If people don’t want to come out to the park, nobody’s gonna stop them.” “You’ve known me all these years, Jack, and you still don’t know how to spell my name.”— Yogi Berra receiving a cheque that said “Payable to Bearer.” “I always thought that record would stand until it was broken.” “You can observe a lot just by watching.” “Better make it four.

I don’t think I can eat eight.”— Yogi Berra, asked is he wanted his pizza cut into four or eight slices “I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four.” “It ain’t the heat, it’s the humility.” “Never answer an anonymous letter.” “No one goes to that restaurant anymore.

It’s too crowded.” “There’s one word that describes baseball: you never know.” “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Reporter: Has first baseman Don Mattingly exceeded expectations? Yogi Berra: I’d say he’s done more than that. Fan: What time is it? Yogi Berra: You mean now? “Slump? I ain’t in no slump.

I just ain’t hitting.” “I’d like to thank all those who made this night necessary.”— Yogi Berra as a guest of honour at an awards banquet “I really didn’t say everything I said.” Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Other Great Quotes from Baseball: Other great quotes from this series: Twenty Great Baseball Quotes: Part One Twenty Great Baseball Quotes: Part Two Twenty Great Baseball Quotes: Part Three Twenty Great Baseball Quotes: Part Four Twenty Great Baseball Quotes: Part Five

What is Albert Einstein’s favorite sport?

It was his favorite sport, He was fond of saying, “Sailing is the only sport that requires no physical exertion.” Albert Einstein was not only the greatest scientist of the 20th century, but he was also an excellent sailor despite his poor health. And it was precisely because of a heart ailment that he had to retire to Caputh, near Berlin, to a small house overlooking the lake. Einstein (left) on his beloved Tummler

What sport did Einstein like?

He Loved to Sail – When Einstein attended college at the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, he fell in love with sailing. He would often take a boat out onto a lake, pull out a notebook, relax, and think. Even though Einstein never learned to swim, he kept sailing as a hobby throughout his life.

Why do I love baseball so much?

10 Reasons Why I Love Baseball BBRT lists ten great reasons to love our great game and invites your comments, So, let’s get the discussion started.1. Baseball comes along every spring, accompanied by sunshine and optimism. Baseball is the harbinger of better times.

It signifies the end of winter (not a small thing if you’re from Minnesota like BBRT) and the coming of spring, a season of rebirth, new life and abundant optimism. Each season, you start with a clean slate. Last year’s successes can still be savored, but last year’s failures can be set aside (although rival fans may try to refresh your memory), replaced by hope and anticipation.

On Opening Day, in our hearts, we can all be in contention.2. The pace of the game invites contemplation. Between innings, between batters or pitchers, and even between pitches, baseball leaves us time to contemplate what just occurred, speculate on what might happen next and even share those thoughts with nearby spectators.

• Baseball is indeed a thinking person’s game.3.
• Baseball is timeless and, ultimately, fair in the offering of opportunity,
• The clock doesn’t run out.
• There is no coin flip to determine who gets the ball first in sudden death overtime.
• No matter what the score, your team gets its 27 outs and an equal opportunity to secure victory.

What could be more fair? And then there is the prospect of endless “extra” innings, bonus baseball for FREE.4. Plays and players are distinct (in space and time), Baseball, while a game of inches, is also a game of considerable space. The players are not gathered along an offensive line or elbow-to-elbow under a basket.

1. They are widely spaced, each with his own area of responsibility and each acting (as part of a continuing play) in their own time frame.
2. The first baseman can’t catch the ball, for example, until after the shortstop throws it.) This enable fans to follow, understand and analyze each play (maybe not always accurately) in detail.

And, baseball’s distinct spacing and timing makes it possible to see the game even when you are not there. A lot of people grinned at President Gerald Ford’s comment that he “watched a lot of baseball on the radio.” In my view, he was spot on. You can see baseball on the radio – you can create a “visual” of the game in your mind with minimal description.

• That’s why on summer nights, in parks, backyards and garages across the country, you’ll find radios tuned to the national past time.5.
• The scorecard.
• Can there be anything more satisfying than keeping an accurate scorecard at the ball park? It serves so many purposes.
• The keeping of a scorecard ensures your attention to the happenings on the field.

Maintaining the score card also makes you, in a way understandable only to fellow fans, more a part of the game. That magical combination of names, numbers and symbols also enables you to go back and check the progress of the game at any time. “Oh, Johnson’s up next.

He’s walked and grounded out twice.” It’s also a conversation starter, when the fan in the row behind you asks, “How many strikeouts does Ryan have today?” And, it leaves you (if you choose to keep it) with a permanent record of the game, allowing you to replay it in your mind (or share it with others) at will.

Ultimately, a well-kept score card enhances the game experience and offers a true post-game sense of accomplishment.6. The long season, Baseball, so many have pointed out, is a marathon rather than a sprint. It’s a long season with ample opportunity to prove yourself and lots of chances to redeem yourself.

1. For fans, the long season also represents a test of your passion for the game.
2. Endurance is part of the nature of the true baseball fan.
3. And, and in the end, the rigors of a 162-game season prove your mettle and that of your team.
4. Not only that, but like a true friend baseball is there for you every day.7.

Baseball invites, encourages, even demands, conversation. Reason number two hinted at the importance of conversation, noting that the pace of the game offers time to contemplate the action (past and future) and share those thoughts with others. I love that about the game, but I also love the fact that whenever baseball fans gather, their passion comes out in conversation – and they find plenty to talk about:

Statistics, statistics, statistics. Baseball and its fans will count anything. Did you know that Yankee Jim Bouton’s hat flew off 37 times in his 2-1, complete-game victory over the Cardinals in game three of the 1964 World Series? More seriously, statistics are part of a common language and shared passion that bring baseball fans together in spirited conversation. As best-selling author Pat Conroy observed “Baseball fans love numbers. They love to swirl them around in their mouths like Bordeaux wine.” I agree, to the fan, statistics are intoxicating.

Stories, stories, stories. Baseball and its fans celebrate the game’s history. And, I’m not talking just about statistics. I’m talking about the stories that give this great game color, character and characters. Ty Cobb sharpening his spikes on the dugout steps, Babe Ruth’s called shot, Louis Tiant’s wind-up, Willie Mays’ basket catch, Dock Ellis’s LSD-fueled no-hitter.

Trivia, trivia, trivia. This may fall close to the “stories, stories, stories” category, but fans cherish the trivia that surrounds our national past time – whether that trivia is iconic or ironic. For example, it’s ironic that the iconic Babe Ruth holds the best winning percentage against the Yankees of any pitcher with 15 or more decision against them (17-5,,773).

Basically, I took a long time to say I love the fact that baseball fans will talk with passion about something that happened in today’s game, yesterday’s game, over time or even in a game that took place on August 4, 1947. And, as a bonus, all this conversation – all the statistics, stories and trivia – make the games, moments within the games and the characters of the game (heroes, goats and mere participants) as timeless as baseball itself.8.

1. The box score.
2. BBRT editor’s mother used to refer to an accordion as “an orchestra in a box.” That’s how I view the daily box score – the symphony of a game recorded in a space one-column wide by four inches deep.
3. Some would say the box score reduces the game to statistics, I would say it elevates the game to history.

What do you want to know about the contest? Who played where, when? At bats, hits, stolen bases, strikeouts, errors, caught stealing, time, attendance, even the umpires’ names? It’s all there and more – so much information, captured for baseball fans in a compact and orderly space.

I am, of course, dating myself here, but during baseball season, the morning newspaper, through its box scores, is a treasure trove of information for baseball fans.9. The irony of a team game made up of individual performances, While baseball and baseball fans live for individual statistics and, while the spacing of the players drives individual accountability, the game is, ironically, deeply dependent on the concept of “team.” Consider the offense.

Unlike other sports, where you can deliver victory by giving the ball or puck – time and time again (particularly as the clock runs down) – to your best runner, skater, receiver or shooter, in baseball, your line-up determines who will be “on the spot” and at the plate when the game is on the line.

• It may be your,220-hitting second basemen, rather than your,320-hitting outfielder.
• Yet, even as the team depends on the hitter, he is totally alone in his individual battle with the pitcher.
• And, achieving individual statistics that signify exceptional performance also demands a sense of team.
• You don’t score 100 runs without a team mate to drive you in (although the statistic remains your measure of performance) and, you don’t drive in 100 runs if no one gets on base in front of you.

And, can you think of any other sport that keeps track of – and honors – the team-oriented “sacrifice.” On defense, the story is the same. A ground ball pitcher, for example, needs a good infield behind him to optimize his statistical presence in the “win” column.

And the six-four-three double play requires masterful teamwork as well as individual performance – duly recorded in the record books as an assist for the shortstop, a putout and an assist for the second baseman and a put out for the first baseman. Then there is the outfield assist – a perfect throw from a right fielder to nail a runner at third earns an assist – even if the third baseman drops the ball and earns an error.

Two individual results (one good / one bad) highlighted, but without the necessary team work – a good play on both ends – a negative outcome in terms of the game. Ultimately, baseball is a game of individual accomplishments that must be connected by the thread of “team” to produce a positive outcome.10.

Baseball’s assault on the senses, (Indoor ballparks fall a bit short here). The sight of a blue sky and bright sun above the ballpark or a full moon over a black sky above a well-lit stadium. The feel of the warm sun or a crisp evening breeze. The scent of freshly mowed grass or steaming hot dogs. The taste of cold beer and peanuts.

The sound of the crack of the bat, the cheers (or moans) of the crowd, the musical pitch of the vendors. Baseball assaults all the senses ― in a good way. Now, I could go on and on, there are lots more reasons to love this game: its combination of conformity (all infields are laid out the same) and individualism (outfield configurations not so much); its contributions to culture (literature and movies); its strategy (hit-and-run, run-and-hit, sacrifice bunts, infield / outfield positioning, pitching changes, etc.); triples; the 6-4-3 double play; knuckleballs; and more.

But to protect myself – and BBRT’s readers – I’ve limited myself to ten. I probably could have saved a lot of time and words had I just started with this so-perfect comment from sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, “The other sports are just sports. Baseball is love.” That says it all. Do you have some reasons of your own for loving baseball? Or something to add to these observations? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

: 10 Reasons Why I Love Baseball

Why do Americans love baseball so much?

Why Is Baseball So Popular in the USA Baseball is the sport that evokes nostalgia among Americans. It’s considered America’s national pastime. Most Americans like the National Football League, National Basketball League, but they love the Major League Baseball more.

1. The professional baseball game has been part of United States culture for over 150 years.
2. It’s one of the easiest games, and everyone can learn and play, regardless of their age.
3. Even though its popularity has been declining lately and it doesn’t receive high television ratings as it used to in the 1990s, it still one of the most relaxing and fun to watch a game in the United States.

Here are my top 7 reasons why baseball is more popular in the US than other sports. Very Accessible Baseball is a humble/rural game, and most players develop and come out of nowhere. The minor league system allows many players to grow, rise-up the ranks and, with time, join the major league. This is in contrast with basketball, hockey, and football, where there’s always a junior player being hyped as the next big thing.

Early hype around a baseball prospect is unlikely. Furthermore, the individual nature of the games can result in dramatic storylines—for example, the story of 2012’s World Series MVP, Dave Freese. Dave Freese was about to give up the entire game but came back after taking a year off from college. He finally worked his way through the minor league system for the – his home team- propelling them to World Series.

Best Fan Base in the world It’s not every day you find fans of teams that haven’t won for over 100 years. The Chicago fans have been loyal to their team since it was established, and that doesn’t seem to change soon. A good example is the Red Sox team, which for years has crashed its fans’ dreams and hopes but look at where they’re now. Nostalgia America is a nostalgic nation, and baseball is a nostalgic game. America is a very young country compared to most. Unlike other countries, America doesn’t comprise a thousand years of history to draw on and constant in it. America’s brief history is filled with atrocities and constant change.

1. Considering that the US is so heterogeneous compared to most countries, there isn’t a shared culture that is traditionally understood.
2. But since its creation, baseball has been a constant.
3. Although we may not articulate to it, baseball has a certain nostalgic, mythical air.
4. It makes Americans feel connected to their history genuinely.

And it’s not just about American history; it’s about the family history too. Baseball is one of the few games that most kids from all backgrounds play or used to play. It has a sense of memory as fathers have passed it down to their sons for generations.

It connects the past in pure and vibrant ways. Embroils the America Rich History As we mentioned earlier, baseball has a rich and deep history in America. Therefore, being part of it means being part of history. The game has produced some of the best America Icons, including Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Jackie Robinson, Dorothy Schroeder, Tone Stone, etc.

These icons have become an integral part of American society, and they continue to shape the future of Professional Baseball. Appealing to Americans Unlike the other sports where most of the time, only 1% of genetically gifted people can stand out and truly make it in the games. Baseball is accommodating, and anyone can succeed: There’s no baseball “type.” What do I mean by this? Successful baseball players can range between 17 to 50 years, weigh between 145 to 345 pounds, and be 5’4″ to 7’0″.

1. Literally, anyone in these ranges can succeed and even excel.
2. Players can also come from any background you can think- there’s no demographic or cultural cluster, like a Kenyan runner, or Canadian hockey player.
3. In addition, the nature of the game and the presence of many positions mean that no one skill is dominant, like speed or strength.

Baseball is a game of wits and not physical strength. So anyone with athleticism, discipline, and grit can succeed in this game regardless of their background. In a way, it depicts baseball players in the US as a bunch of desperate humans struggling individually to achieve a collective goal.

1. In its way, the game perfectly distills the American experience and philosophy.
2. Longer Schedule Baseball has a 162- game schedule.
3. This means during the Baseball season; you get to see your favorite team or home team play almost every day.
4. So even if you’re held up in school or at work, you’ll still not miss your favorite team game.

You can even start the major league midseason and still understand the game. Hall of Fame Hall-of-fame weekend is one of the most celebrated weekends in America. It’s the chance for baseball fans to appreciate some of the best players from their favorite teams to ever take the field. Conclusion Baseball holds a special place in the hearts and minds of many Americans. The rivalries (NY Giants/Brooklyn Dodgers) and friendships created between the teams in major cities showed a glorious sense of passion and commitment unmatched by other famous professional sports.

Why is baseball so enjoyable?

Mental game. As Yogi Berra once said, ‘Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.’ The strategies employed during a game are fun to follow. Many teams are hiring sports psychologists to help players deal with the mental challenges of a long season.

Why do people like to play baseball?

You’ll connect with your team and make friends during a baseball game – Baseball is a team sport, which means you’ll spend time socializing and getting to know your teammates. You’ll quickly become friends with like-minded people as you practice and play together. Adults and kids who live in Grand Junction and the surrounding area have several options when looking for a baseball league:

Western Colorado Mens Adult Baseball League Grand Mesa Little League Orchard Mesa Little League

For more options, including softball leagues in Grand Junction, visit the Healthy Mesa County website to learn more.