Edmundo Sosa and Phillies teammate Brandon Marsh after a game against the New York Mets in May.
Mitchell Leff/Getty
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Mitchell Leff/Getty
Look, I love you BearBut not relaxing. I love true crime documentaries, but sometimes they make me want to live in a locked safe. And I love a love story, but kissing isn’t for everyone. So what’s keeping me entertained this summer in a world of endless author choices and on-demand products?
Baseball.
Tuesday night is the All-Star Game, where the best players from the American and National Leagues face off. This is your chance to see a much of great players at the same time, and maybe you can use it to start your own (Very) Hot Baseball Summer. Why should you do this?
1. Low stakes baseball games.
I am writing this the day after my beloved Philadelphia Phillies (the team with the best record in baseball) lost to the Oakland A’s (one of the worst records in baseball). It wasn’t a devastating loss; we lost 18-3. Still, I’m not disappointed, because we’ve played 162 regular-season games. No single regular-season game can ruin a season, even if you lose by a few touchdowns.
2. They did it faster!
Baseball has a reputation for being slow. Or, boring. I consider this a strength, because when it’s 100 degrees outside and the humidity is like a zoo jungle, my pace slows down. I don’t crave nonstop action. But if you like things faster, new stadium clock and the limit on pickoff attempts means less waiting. This probably makes it a little harder for organists “duh-duh-duh-duh da-duuuh, IMPULSE!”But every progress requires sacrifice.
Shohei Ohtani after a hit on Friday, July 12. His double brought up the score in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers.
Duane Burleson/AP
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Duane Burleson/AP
3. Shohei Ohtani.
For decades, there was widespread suspicion that we might never see an elite hitter who was also an elite pitcher again. And then Shohei Ohtani came along, and he is both. Unfortunately, due to an elbow injury, he can’t pitch this year; he’s the Dodgers’ designated hitter. But he might pitch next year, and even if he doesn’t, he’ll still be fun to watch, and not just because The Dodgers will pay him $700 million over ten years.So, you know. Expectations are high. He’s a historic player, no matter what. (In general, it’s great when pitchers hit the ball. Ask Bartolo Colonwho hit his first home run for the Mets when he was 42 years old.
4. Power has shifted.
Any sport needs some team churn or it gets boring. The Red Sox and Cubs, perhaps baseball’s most famous misery factories, have both won World Series in the modern era. And this season, the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians—neither of which are perennial powerhouses—are strong. Most importantly, the Yankees aren’t the best team (especially right now), and that makes any season more interesting and open-ended.
5. No team? Borrow mine!
Last night I watched the Phillies win, and during a postgame interview with outfielder Brandon Marsh, a couple of his teammates threw their drinks at him—no big deal, it happens all the time. But then they gave him a bottle of Uncrustable, which he ripped open like a lion while talking to the announcers. Anyone could have poured Gatorade over his head; who would eat a bottle of Uncrustable? Yes. other clip where he is asked who would be in a rock band if the Phillies started a band, and what would the band be called. He names some guys, and then he says the band name would be Be comfortable and sexy, baby. This makes no sense, but it looks great on a shirt. How do I know? Obviously because I said shirt!
My team is quirky, fun, and full of personality — and they’re good, too. If you haven’t watched much baseball and want to give it a try, or if you’ve given it up and want to get back into it, why not borrow my awesome team? I mean, the Phillies’ “himbo culture” — including the way they wear their jerseys — has even been the subject of an investigation. They must be doing something right.
