Saturday Morning Musings, the Baseball Edition

Today is February 11, 2017. Tomorrow, the Cleveland Indians' pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring training in Goodyear, Arizona.

I wish I could be there to watch and lounge in the 75-degree sunshine.

I start getting excited about major league baseball when the Tribe's equipment truck leaves for AZ, a sure sign that spring will arrive for us all...eventually. Although we here in north central Ohio can't complain about our winter ( so far ) this year, I still hate December through March. I hate the snow, the cold weather, crappy driving conditions, the sound of the township's snow plows thundering/scraping along the streets around Ram Field Ranch...I hate it all. The only thing that keeps me going during the frigid, depressing darkness that is winter is the National Hockey League and my Pittsburgh Penguins.

Baseball gives me hope, visions of sunny days and the sound of horsehide meeting wood, of baseballs THWACK!-ing into gloves. Warm temps evolving into downright hot weather, much easier for my arthritic thumbs, shoulders and hips to take instead of cold, damp conditions. And, eventually, that shout which is music to my ears....

"PLAY BALL!!"

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Speaking of MLB, I heard a couple of days ago that they're considering a rules change for extra-inning games: each team starts their half of an inning with a runner on second base.

That has to be a joke. It just has to.

Why in the world would the Rules Committee give thought to such a thing? Why dabble in a game that is perfection as it now stands? Baseball purists such as myself scorn anything that changes our game, but I think I have an idea of the reasoning behind the thought of such a change:

Millennials. The 'everything right this second' generation. You know, those people who grew up on video games, social media and 'participation' trophies. The Generation Without Patience.

Baseball is unlike most other sports in that it doesn't play by a ticking clock, unless you're counting the rule about time-between-pitches ( which I think is ridiculous ). The game goes at its own pace. Granted, regulation ( 9-inning ) games can be four hours long at times, but that's the beauty of no clock. Extra inning games are like an extra helping of dessert for us throwbacks. Younger fans, however, are bored by the game's rules and periods of inaction, and MLB wants to keep the attention of those fans. Thus, starting each half of an extended game with a man on 2nd base may bring about a quicker ending.

Quicker endings mean millennials will have more time with a game controller in their hands when they get home.

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Hey, if you've been following the military veteran profiles that appear every Monday in the News Journal ( mansfieldnewsjournal.com ) and you know of a World War II or Korean War vet that deserves to be featured, please let me know about them. You can submit their names and contact info to me by email at oldcop135@gmail.com.

Have a great Saturday and make today count!