BLOG: Baseball Is A Beautiful Game

Baseball is a slow game. MLB has done a lot to try to speed up the pace of play - instituting the pitch clock for pitchers when no one's on base, time between innings, shorten plate music and relievers warm-ups. But it still does not change the fact baseball is a slow game.

It's pace of play doesn't fit with today's youngsters opting to go the route of lacrosse which has become baseball's enemy with the spike of youth lacrosse. Sure the appearance of baseball is there is a lot of standing around doing nothing but is far from the case. If you are a baseball enthusiast and enjoy watching the game, you will see all the subtle intricacies of the game. Baseball is a niche sport.

Despite MLB's efforts to speed up the game, the pace of play still drags. Sunday night's Sox game was no exception. Drew Pomeranz clearly didn't have his "A-game." The southpaw gave up three runs in a 12-minute top of the first inning that saw seven Tigers step to the plate. The Sox ended up losing 11-3 in what turned out to be a long and painful game to watch.

It's true pitchers can do a better job at speeding up the game. When they get the ball back from the catcher they need to get back on the mound and throw the next pitch. Don't stand on the mound for 20 seconds before throwing a pitch. Not only does that ruin the enjoyment for the fans in the stands but it throws off the rhythm of both the pitcher and fielders. The fielders don't want to be standing around waiting for the pitcher to throw a pitch.

Many of the best pitchers in baseball today such as Chris Sale and Justin Verlander are quick workers. They wasted very little time of the mound. "Throw-and-go." It's what has to be done. Like anything else, if pitchers spend to much time thinking about their next pitch they're done. Thinking ruins you.

But you have to take the bad with the good because baseball is a beautiful game.

One day after experiencing one of the more excruciating games to watch, you have one of the best games. Dustin Pedroia's walk-off base-hit into right field that plated pinch-runner Deven Marrero in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Sox the 6-5 victory was one of the best baseball games to watch.

True you could point out that the Red Sox probably shouldn't have need 11 innings to beat the lowly, 21-41 Phillies but that's why they play the game. It had a little bit of everything that makes a great baseball game.

Sandy Leon gunning out second baseman Howie Kendrick trying to steal second in the top of the ninth. A terrific stand by right-hander Matt Barnes stranding two Phillies runners in scoring position in the top of the 10th with a strikeout of shortstop Freddy Galvis to keep the game tied at five. Two outstanding plays by outfielders on both sides.

Mookie Betts' over-the shoulder grab in the top of the fifth to keep the Sox to within a run. If he didn't make that catch Kendrick would've scored from first and given the Phillies an insurance run. If Kendrick scored, it would've made Hanley Ramirez's eighth inning homerun meaningless. But instead Ramirez's ninth homerun of the season tied the game.

In the other dugout, Phillies leftfielder and former Red Sox Daniel Nava ended the bottom of the 10th by turning a double-play. After making a leaping grab against the wall in foul territory to retire Jackie Bradley, Jr., Nava threw out Andrew Benintendi, who was caught too far off the second base bag.

There's nothing better than a tight, extra-inning ball game. Sure it may run three to four hours in length but it there is nothing better than watching a ball-game that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's why baseball fans watch.

Last month, Lesley University's baseball team made their first NCAA Tournament appearance and picked up their first NCAA Regional win with a 6-5 walk-off in the bottom of the 15th against a national ranked RIT team  in York, Pa. Sure the game lasted three hours and 45 minutes and was the first game of the a four that day but it was exhilarating to watch the fourth longest Division III regional game.

The small school in Cambridge put up five runs early on the nationally ranked Tigers. The Lynx scored four runs in the bottom of the third to knock out the RIT starter and take a 5-0. But there was a reason why RIT was ranked 24th in the nation this past year. Their bullpen was solid. Tigers reliever Jameson Moran came on and was dominate striking out 12 batters in 10.1 innings. Just an awesome pitching performance.

But over in the dugout was equally an outstanding performance. Lesley junior starter Nick Iadevaio picked the right day to record his career single-game best, striking out eight RIT batters in five innings. Fellow junior Jeff Heinz earned the "W" after tossing five innings of scoreless relief while striking out four.

In the top of the eighth inning after RIT closed the gap to two runs, 5-3, Lesley first year right-fielder Will Rhone made a "Mookie Betts style of play" with a leaping, over-the-shoulder grab tor rob the Tigers Daniel Zeglin of a triple. Zeglin was even stunned Rhone made the play as he was already standing at third before the umpire put his right fist up in the air, signifying the out.

Although RIT tied the game the following half inning with a two-run blast by Will Gorman, it would've been a three-run shot if it hadn't been for the quick hands of Lynx second baseman Vincent Taliercio. The Tigers had runners at the corners and no outs in the top of the fifth when Taliercio snared line drive out of the air then gunned the ball to first for the double-play. It saved the game for the Lynx because Gorman's homerun only tied the game not put the Tigers up.

There things you wouldn't ordinarily see in a baseball game. In the bottom of the 14th inning, Lesley had the game-winning run just 90 feet away with one out. RIT did something that few rarely see - they brought the infield in as well as a fifth infielder. The Lynx saw this formation earlier in the season when they were playing a conference opponent Newbury College back on March 25th. But unlike in March they were unable to push across the game-winner in the bottom of the 14th. An inning later, they saw the same infield formation an inning later with runners at the corners and one and was able to take advantage of it with a sacrifice fly to center.

While the game may have been longer (and push every other game that day back by two hours) it there was too much suspense that you could not turn away from. That is what makes baseball great and beautiful.