Baseball Game: What You Need to Know to Enjoy MLB Season
2019 was a special for Major League Baseball because it was the 150th anniversary of professional baseball. A hundred fifty years ago, in 1869, in Cincinnati, baseball’s first professional team called the Cincinnati Reds was founded. To commemorate the anniversary, Japan, who hosted the 2019 Major League Baseball season, invested a lot of money, energy, and creativity into the event. The Tokyo Dome, the famous stadium in Bunkyo, is ready to accommodate as many as 57,000 baseball lovers flocking to Japan not only from its neighbouring countries but from other parts of the world.
Fast forward to 2022 and the annual Major League Baseball season is about to kick off again! The season begin in April and end on October 2 where the 30 teams will battle it out for a place in the World Series. The 2022 season will see the biggest prize money in any US sport. It’s estimated that total prize money for this season is between $90-100 million! The winning team will receive $35 million while runner up gets $24 million.
The most successful baseball teams of all time
To those readers who are excited by the 2022 Major League Baseball season but who do not feel knowledgeable enough to appreciate its games fully, we are explaining what baseball is and how it is played. In the space below, we are also talking about baseball players and their equipment and dwelling longer on how the score in baseball is counted. Even if you have never watched a single baseball match before, after reading our explanation, you will be able to understand what is happening on the field, correctly predicting the trajectory of a game and its outcome.
Competed only by North American teams but enjoyed worldwide, baseball has a simple objective. A playing team aims to score more runs than its opponent. Players try to hit the ball thrown at them and send it as far as they can. But before the ball lands again, they should quickly run around four bases and complete a run. If the player succeeds in completing four bases before he is tagged out, another batter takes the initiative.
To understand the logic of the players’ movements on the field, you also need to know how the field itself is structured. It is crucial to notice that the field has the shape of a diamond, as it is graphically pictured in playing cards. The four corners of the diamond have their specific names: the home plate, first base, second base, and third base. That part of the field that lies closest to the bases is referred to as the infield. Beyond this area spreads the part known as the outfield. In the middle of the infield, you can see a raised mound. This is the so-called pitcher’s mound, from where the pitcher sends the ball to the batter. When you look attentively at the field, you will also see two foul lines run from the home plate to the outfield and from the home plate to the outfield. The first line is connected by first base; the second is joined by third base.
Wild card teams that won the World Series
Each baseball team has nine players. The duration of the game is nine innings. An inning is simply the basic unit of the game, consisting of two halves: the first half called the “top” and the second half called the “bottom.” In each half, one of the two teams bats until it makes three outs.
The second team, meanwhile, is playing defense, but once the first team has completed three innings, they exchange roles. The scores at the end of every inning are added to the overall score. The team with more points becomes the winner. If there is a draw, the game continues until one team scores more points.
Baseball is one of the five most mentally challenging sports
Players in baseball have distinctive equipment. They hold bats made of wood or metal. They also hit the ball, which is white with red stitches and around 3 inches in diameter. The fielding team also wears huge gloves – mitts – with which they catch the ball or pick it from the ground. The catcher who always stands behind the batter and catches missed balls is equipped with a glove with extra padding. Additional items of the catcher’s attire are leg guards, body pads, and a helmet.
How the score is counted in baseball is also easy to understand. To score, the batter should hit the ball with the bat and send it to the specified fielding area. Before the fielding team can collect the ball and throw it to the base to which he is running, the batter should complete the running around all four bases. The player can stop at any base if he thinks he will not have enough time to reach the next base before he is tagged out. One hit may bring the team many points if more than one player is already standing on one of the bases. The maximum number of points scored on one hit is four. When the batter reaches the first base, all other players standing on the second and third bases can trickle home and, in doing so, earn extra points to their team. To win the game, one of the teams should outscore the other one through nine innings.
If you want to appreciate the drama played out on the baseball field during the Major League Baseball season even more, you should also understand the rules of the game. Armed with this knowledge, you will not only fully enjoy the play’s dynamics but will also be able to predict, with utmost precision, which of the teams is going to come out on top.
Baseball Collectibles and Must-Haves
Baseball gear and other essentials are must-haves when playing or even if you’re just an avid fan at home. They make great collectible items that you can hand out to interested family members in the near future.
Check out these best baseball collectibles and must-haves today:
- Catcher’s Bags: Catchers usually take a lot of gear when they hit the field, and most catchers bags don’t have enough space. Avoid the hassle of carting heavy catcher’s gear by investing in high-quality catcher’s bags from your preferred brands.
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- Baseball Jerseys: You can collect your favorite baseball team’s jerseys and make them your collectibles. Aside from being fashionable and functional, they clearly define you as an MLB fan. The good thing about collecting baseball jerseys is that they’re washable.
- Baseball Caps: Baseball caps have different types of cap crowns, including six-panel caps, high-, mid-, and low-profile caps, five-panel caps, and structured and unstructured caps.
- Baseball Cards: Like NBA cards, MLB cards are still in. While some are copies, there are rare collectibles that you can buy and have them framed to show that you’re an avid MLB fan.
Best Baseball Players of All Time
You’ve probably heard of or seen them play in documentaries or live games. The best baseball players have the right knowledge, skills, and attitude to achieve the legacy they’ve built. They’re role models for aspiring baseball players, who can emulate their best techniques and training routines to achieve greater success in this sport.
Be a genuine MLB fan by knowing the best baseball players of all time, including the following:
- Mike Trout of Lose Angeles Angels
- Babe Ruth of New York Yankees
- Clayton Kershaw of Los Angeles Dodgers
- Barry Bonds of San Francisco Giants
- Justin Verlander of Houston Astros
- Bryce Harper of Philadelphia Phillies
- Roger Clemens of Boston Red Sox
- Miguel Cabrera of Detroit Tigers
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