Sports Analogy

To this Red Sox pinkhat, baseball has never exactly screamed team sport. Half the game is spent with all eyes on home plate as a single player swings the bat in a motion reminiscent of golf, the epitome of non-team sports. And then there is the pitcher. Can you imagine the solitude he must feel? I am half convinced the catcher does those silly hand motions to prevent the pitcher from taking to a ledge after the game.

I mentioned golf, but so far this season baseball most resembles the game of marbles, and marbles would probably not be considered a team sport if anyone still living knew the rules. Spring training is all about swapping players, trying out newly acquired players, putting old players in new positions, and saving your big guns (your shooter) for the real game (which in the case of marbles was never actually played).

To the more trained eye of Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, baseball, at least the way it is being played by Marco Scutaro and Dustin Pedroia, resembles basketball. New shortstop Scutaro and second baseman Pedroia have quickly formed the infield bond needed to deliver the ball and execute double plays. "Tentative at first, they now exchange the ball like two basketball players on a fast break," wrote Abraham. I would say it's odd to compare the playing of one sport to another if I hadn't just alluded to golf and marbles (???).

Plus, I kind of get it. A green chalk board with Xs, Os, and arrows is iconic football, not baseball, but the Sox must plan similarly in order to become the syncopated unit that appears on game day. Dave keeps telling me how amazing it will be to watch a game and see plays develop and then unfold before me.

But before that I've got a lot of learning to do.