Baseball is a strange game. It ebb’s and flow’s like a lazy river meandering its way through a small village. Most folks ignore the lazy river as they plough on with their busy lives. Some will stop to pay attention to the river; they’ll admire nature’s work as it peacefully glides its way around the planet. As calm as the water is, every so often, it will burst into life with a roar full of unpredictability and entertainment. Only then do the observers take in the full beauty, whereas the non-believers will still live in a world of ignorance.
The great game of baseball is similar to that idling river. It ticks on and on, occupying us all Summer. Baseball constantly gets shunned by the big media; it is the ugly, ostracized duckling of the big three sports. Fortunately for those of us who got baptized with Baseball, we understand its charm. The safety-squeeze, slider, and sloppy ballpark dogs are all part of our Summer vernacular. After last year’s snack, last Thursday dawned the start of a new marathon season. Sure, all the critics and naysayers came crawling out of their nasty tiny holes to laugh at us. Well, the joke’s on them; this idling river of a game surged back into life with an epic week of Baseball.
The Ball Game Is Different Now
The season started last Thursday as several teams got their home series’ underway. There was excitement as the reigning World Champion LA Dodgers got started in Colorado. Their in-division rival San Diego Padres got off to a hot start in the west-coast sun; meanwhile, the Astros began a season on the road to face trial by fans. Opening day thrilled from start to finish. Miguel Cabrera slashed an opposite-field dinger in the Detroit snow. The Brewers walked it off in extra innings over the Twins, and the Phillies did the same against Atlanta. Everywhere you looked on Opening Day, there was action all over the place.
From that dramatic start, the drama carried on into the weekend. Yermin Mercedes made history as he went 8-8 in his debut weekend as a big-league ballplayer. Furthermore, after dropping the opener, the Dodgers got into the groove as they dominated Colorado. World Series MVP Corey Seager plated hit after hit as the shortstop led LA to a series win. Staying on the west coast, the Slam Diego Padres breezed past Arizona as their young studs displayed talent and swagger. Two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani shone with his pitching and a 450-yard homer. It isn’t your grandad’s ball game anymore; it is a new ball game for 2021.
We didn’t need to wait till August for Baseball to burst into life; it took one weekend for the best players in the world to serve up world-class entertainment. After another offseason laced with controversy as well as the All-Star game drama, MLB required a hot start. It didn’t get a hot start; the league got a scorching hot start. That’s the kind of heat you only get when a girl whispers ‘Aye Papi’ in your ear; moreover, the great news is there is still a ton of excitement to come.
Baseball Owns All the Superstars
I hate lazy tropes; they’re annoying and stupid. In addition, these tropes almost always come from totally clueless folks. One of the laziest tropes is that there are no stars in Baseball. That is a steaming pile of you know what. Baseball is bursting to the seams with superstars. There’s Fernando Tatis JR and Francisco Lindor; this Latin duo is charismatic and talented. Despite the harmful noise, every time these players are on TV, it is electrifying. Staying in California, Mookie Betts, Walker Buehler, Cody Bellinger, and Corey Seager are all incredible players playing for one of the banner franchises in all of sport. Lastly, we must pivot to Disneyland and mention Baseball’s Buzz Lightyear Mike Trout. The Angels outfielder is the best athlete in North America.
The fun isn’t exclusive to the west coast; however, oh no, there’s more. Christian Yelich flies the flag for the teams in the midwest. Despite his elite talent, he isn’t alone. Former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and his fantastic beard can get found in the South Side of Chicago. Tim Anderson is a former AL Batting Champion, and staying in the AL Central, there is a future Hall of Famer in Miguel Cabrera.
Finally, the east coast boasts Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton. Gleyber Torres, Gerrit Cole, Ronald Acuna JR and Juan Soto, to name a few. Baseball rosters own a plethora of incredible, dynamic, game-changing players. These players play by their own rules, to hell with the unwritten one’s. No league in North America can display as many all-world superstars as MLB.
Baseball is Back, and So are the Fans
There was something gloriously spooky watching last year’s games in empty stadiums. It felt like we were watching a violent scrimmage game take place in front of no one. It never felt right. Therefore, it feels so good to see some fans back at the grounds this year. That first roar emanating from the Bronx sounded terrific. Across the continent, Angels fans made themselves heard as they celebrated Jared Walsh’s walk-off last Sunday, then they made life difficult for the visiting Astros. Finally, Miller Park was back to its loud atmosphere from 2019. Baseball is and always will be America’s national pastime. There is nothing better than spending a rowdy Summer’s night with your friends, snacks and a cold one at a Baseball game.
Buckle Up, The Ride Could Get Wild
The best players in the world are back for a 162 game battle. The fans are back in a limited capacity. The only thing you need to do is ignore all of your errands, put your phone on silent, order in the Dominos Pizza (Forget Papa John’s, it’s a rip-off) and get the channel onto the Baseball.
After one week, these elite teams and players thrilled and encapsulated us with their aggressive play. It’s not dull; it sure as hell, not the little idling river. Baseball is a tidal wave gathering momentum; lord knows what it could look like come September. Forget looking at the past with nostalgia; the 2021 season could be one for the ages. Why? Because after one week, Major League Baseball is back with a huge bang. Buckle up, everybody!
Be sure to check out Belly Up Sports to stay up to date on the wild season we are about to witness!
