I miss baseball, but...

[Dipper9]

I really don't miss it as much as I thought I would.  My wife and I used to sit in the family room and watch the games every night after dinner, and we are owners of the 13 game plan and probably went to about 20 games a year.  I want to sit down and watch a game, but I also don't care so much anymore.  We now sit out on the porch or deck and have a drink, have conversations with each other, watch the animals play in the yard.  We enjoy each other's company much more than sitting in front of the TV watching baseball 162 nights a year.  We have already decided that when it comes back, and we know it will at some point, our routine will change.  We will sit outside and listen to more games on the radio.  We may even completely skip a game from time to time.  And I really don't know that I care to support a league with a 13 game plan (and 20 total games) when the greed of the players and the owners is clearly on display at a time when most of America is hurting.  Whether it be the COVID pandemic, or the rioting, or whatever else pains people on a daily basis that we don't have knowledge of, the MLB league is showing their true colors that they only care about their money more-so than any fans opinions, employment status, or anything else.  The greed of MLB is on full display for all to see, when every other major sports league is making concessions to restart their sport.  

 

MLB has opened my eyes.  So while I miss watching the Orioles and other baseball games...I just don't care so much anymore.  At 46 years old, MLB has shown me that there is so much more to do with my life over 6 months than wasting time on overpaid greedy players and owners.  Also, who knows, maybe I will start watching NHL and NBA?  Maybe I will even get hooked and decide to spend my Orioles money on hockey tickets? Thank You MLB, for showing me a new world.  

 

[MDK02]

Without sports on I watched very little to no TV daily. Like you, I’ve been spending a lot of my time on the patio and deck with the wife just relaxing and enjoying the out doors. I’ve also been fly fishing a ton, which I usually do but I am even more so now, knowing I won’t miss a game. 
 

Even when sports comes back, I don’t think it’ll ever consume my time as much as it used to. I guess the absence of it has been a nice change, surprisingly. I miss it but the longer I go without it, the less I miss it. 

[interloper]

Totally agree. It hasn't been that bad. I mostly miss reading about the games and transactions. I've done a lot of sitting on my deck and listening to nature lately lol. 

I will say, when I've missed it most this summer it's been when I feel the need for a distraction from current events. But even when baseball's back this year for 50 or so games, it won't be that good lazy summer baseball vibe. It's going to be full of new rules and COVID talk and tiresome interviews with players about it all. The games will fly by in a weird blur. And then? Some team will win the championship with the biggest asterisk of all asterisks, which doesn't sound that fun or rewarding to me, even if it were somehow the Orioles. Like is a team really going to hang a 2020 World Series banner in their stadium for playing less than a third of an actual season? No thanks. 

[survivedc]

I bought a portable radio a few years ago for use at work when I was there evenings and the last two years it has been nice to use that and go about my evening instead of being glued to the TV (given the game was effectively over after a few innings anyway).

I agree with the larger sentiment but also think when baseball is back people will be back, despite being happy without it.

[Moose Milligan]

I kinda feel the same way.  It's nice to do stuff after work and not have to be glued to the TV or keep checking scores.  

I'm not sure how I'll be when it comes back.  

 

 

[OsEatAlEast]

I was someone who watched about every Oriole game I could along with a game on ESPN here and there. But with the Orioles being bad for 17 out of the last 22 seasons. I was down to about watching half the games while turning off about half of those by the 6th inning. I don't know where I'll be when all of this pans out. I've gained a major interest in learning better gardening with everything being locked down. I might just plant a garden about two to three times the size of normal next year.

[Enjoy Terror]

I feel guilty that I’m not a person that was ever heavily involved with paying attention, but don’t feel like I’ll ever stop paying attention. I love messing with spreadsheets and rosters and baseball really scratches that itch for me.

[spiritof66]

Congratulations -- I'm behind you guys in learning not to miss major league baseball. But I feel like I'm catching up.

As I keep reminding myself, whatever we might have seen in MLB (and still might see) this year won't seem anything like a "real" season. More like an extended series of spring training games followed by a bloated mass of playoff series, MBA-style. It didn't look like it was going to be a very interesting season for Orioles fans anyway, with Mancini out and the team likely trying to trade its remaining veteran talent to one of the 20 or so teams that thinks it's in playoff contention. The only thing worth looking forward to was getting a long look at some of the younger players. I can wait.

The test for me will come after the Fourth of July, as we head through the second half of July and into August. Will I miss baseball if there isn't any? Will I watch games if there are any? Will I go see the defending Atlantic League champion Long Island Ducks and try to get Lew Ford's autograph? I know what I hope the answers are, but I'll have to see.

[mdbdotcom]

IMHO, if the owners and players don't come to terms on a short season this year, a lot of people will write off baseball for good.

[HowAboutThat]

6 hours ago, Dipper9 said:

I really don't miss it as much as I thought I would.  My wife and I used to sit in the family room and watch the games every night after dinner, and we are owners of the 13 game plan and probably went to about 20 games a year.  I want to sit down and watch a game, but I also don't care so much anymore.  We now sit out on the porch or deck and have a drink, have conversations with each other, watch the animals play in the yard.  We enjoy each other's company much more than sitting in front of the TV watching baseball 162 nights a year.  We have already decided that when it comes back, and we know it will at some point, our routine will change.  We will sit outside and listen to more games on the radio.  We may even completely skip a game from time to time.  And I really don't know that I care to support a league with a 13 game plan (and 20 total games) when the greed of the players and the owners is clearly on display at a time when most of America is hurting.  Whether it be the COVID pandemic, or the rioting, or whatever else pains people on a daily basis that we don't have knowledge of, the MLB league is showing their true colors that they only care about their money more-so than any fans opinions, employment status, or anything else.  The greed of MLB is on full display for all to see, when every other major sports league is making concessions to restart their sport.  

 

MLB has opened my eyes.  So while I miss watching the Orioles and other baseball games...I just don't care so much anymore.  At 46 years old, MLB has shown me that there is so much more to do with my life over 6 months than wasting time on overpaid greedy players and owners.  Also, who knows, maybe I will start watching NHL and NBA?  Maybe I will even get hooked and decide to spend my Orioles money on hockey tickets? Thank You MLB, for showing me a new world.  

 

You should put that in letter form and send it to Tony Clark and Manfred 

[HowAboutThat]

2 hours ago, Enjoy Terror said:

I feel guilty that I’m not a person that was ever heavily involved with paying attention, but don’t feel like I’ll ever stop paying attention. I love messing with spreadsheets and rosters and baseball really scratches that itch for me.

Do my taxes?

[catjuggler]

54 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

IMHO, if the owners and players don't come to terms on a short season this year, a lot of people will write off baseball for good.

I'm beginning to think I'm in this group especially if other sports come back....if money is the reason baseball doesnt I'm likely done.

[Orioles0615]

Part of it is the O's stink. if are window was closing  and we were trying to hang on I would be furious right now. 

[HowAboutThat]

15 hours ago, andrewochs615 said:

Part of it is the O's stink. if are window was closing  and we were trying to hang on I would be furious right now. 

I’ve actually been wondering whether a non-season this year will benefit or handicap the Orioles?

On one hand, guys are missing valuable development time, on the other hand they’re not actually in the field tripping over each other.

Edited June 16, 2020 by Philip

[jerios55]

20 hours ago, Enjoy Terror said:

I feel guilty that I’m not a person that was ever heavily involved with paying attention, but don’t feel like I’ll ever stop paying attention. I love messing with spreadsheets and rosters and baseball really scratches that itch for me.

As a kid we didn't have cable, so it was almost always AM radio for me.  I went to college when the internet was starting and did a lot of game tracker following vs game watching.  It was weird when I came in range again, how I'd much rather follow all the stat items on the computer. 

I haven't missed it as much as others have mentioned.  It certainly doesn't help that I mostly expect them to lose. 

Although I haven't missed the Caps as much as I thought either.  They weren't playing great when things ended, but obviously I still expected far more out of them. 

I think as a society we live and die by sports.  There have been other things to think about while sports have been gone that have been a bit more forced.  I won't take it political, but there probably is more to life than the amount of TV watching we do.  I'll be curious how many people will continue some of these habits after sports do come back.  Ironically, we probably won't know as those people will be less likely to post here. 

Either way.  Enjoy time outside, with spouses and kids.  Maybe it's time to go back to good old radio.