Baseball is estimated to be over 200 years old as a sports discipline. Throughout the years, it has amassed numerous fans from all over the world. However, it’s not only its popularity that makes it stand out – it’s also its unique characteristics.
As baseball kicked off last month, some of the more modern trends we can observe is people placing bets with various cryptocurrencies, including Tron (TRX). But nothing is more characteristic of Baseball than its traditional aspects, some of which we’ll take a look at today:
1. Physical attributes matter less
In most sports disciplines, being muscular, taller, or both tends to be an advantage. In baseball, however, those who have a smaller stature can perform equally well and are not immediately put at a disadvantage because of it. For instance, Jimmy Rollins is only 5’7” and has managed to win an MVP award regardless.
In fact, being taller and muscular can even be a disadvantage in baseball, because it makes it harder to play the middle infield positions compared to someone who’s smaller and more agile. Nevertheless, it boils down to determination, experience, and skill.
2. Short seasons, but plenty of games
Compared to other popular sports, baseball tends to have an above average number of games played in its action-packed, but short seasons. On some occasions, two same teams can be facing each other multiple days in a row (on some occasions even 4). Therefore, it’s going to be almost impossible to run out of games to spectate when the baseball season is in full swing.
In a way, this leaves the teams plenty of time to prepare in-between seasons and analyze what went wrong if they failed to secure a victory. On the flipside, having to play so many games in a row can be incredibly exhausting, so only the fittest will find the will to persevere and perform even in the most demanding of conditions. It can be said that baseball is a game of averages, so having the tenacity and mental toughness to play well consistently counts more than a one-time display of pure strength.
3. You’re not on the clock
In other traditional sports like football, the players are under constant pressure of a ticking clock that ends the match when the time runs out. Not in baseball though. In this sport, every team has exactly 27 outs, so the losing team always has a theoretical chance of turning things around.
In baseball, it’s truly never over until it’s over. So stalling in an effort to lock in the advantage in score is not really a thing. This means that a team getting lazy as the game is drawing to a close could very well cost them the advantage they’ve worked so hard to build.
4. Home runs
It’s always a big deal when someone manages to hit a home run in baseball. So much so that there is a list that tracks career leaders for home runs, listing some of the all-time MLB top performers. There’s simply something magical about hitting the ball with a baseball bat and seeing how far in the sky it can go.
Statistically speaking, home runs tend to be a rare occurrence, which makes them that much more exciting.
5. No two baseball stadiums are alike
For the sake of competing on equal terms, there are certain regulations in baseball, an example of which is having a strict requirement in place that each base should have exactly 90 feet of space in between. But other than that, there’s plenty of freedom in terms of how the stadiums can be designed.
Naturally, this makes it easier for architects to pursue the creative side of their craft. After all, Fenway Park wouldn’t be the same without the triangle in its center and neither would Minute Maid Park without Tal’s Hill. Then there’s the odd Houston’s Minute Maid Park where the home plate is 436 feet away and the outfielders have a flagpole and a hill to worry about.
6. Out of play still counts
In other sports, taking things out of play wouldn’t work, but this is baseball after all! The Oakland Alameda County Coliseum has plenty of territory for this to happen, just to name one example. Hitting the ball outside of these bounds and having the defending team catch it can still result in an out. There is also the option of the defending side deliberately not choosing to catch a ball in foul territory.
Sometimes, that’s where the ball will go after passing third base – technically, the whole ground available can be used in certain cases. In fact, if the ball somehow lands in the stands, that’s where the game is going to go on, which means that fans can either cooperate with the defender or make their life miserable. That’s something quite unlike any sport out there.
7. Different gear is used depending on the player’s role
In baseball, the same player can sometimes take on multiple roles and positions during the game. To complicate matters even more, different roles require different pieces of equipment to be used. So not only will you see a truckload of different gloves, but but helmets, bats, and pads as well.
8. The coach peculiarities
In football, you will most often see managers wearing suits, although it’s by no means a rule (some tend to choose a more casual direction with their outfit). Baseball is a whole different beast in this regard – coaches tend to wear a uniform. In baseball, two coaches can be on the field at the same time.
9. Once a player is substituted, there’s no going back
Once a team substitutes one of their players (at any time the ball is dead), that player that leaves the field will not be allowed to come back. As you can imagine, this can lead to some awkward situations.
Baseball’s key characteristics make it instantly recognizable.
Conclusion
Baseball has several key characteristics that separate it from other popular sports. It is our hope you’ve expanded your horizons and learned something new!
