How you watch/enjoy baseball (1 Viewer)

[belljr]

This is something I've always been curious about. This is something I noticed in my personal life but wanted to see if it was a generalization on my part. This is not a knock one way or the other just an observation.

I played baseball for about 18 years of my life, played varsity for 3 years at a small HS, had a couple small college offers but just played intramurals and then a mens league etc etc. I also coached 15 year olds for 5 years. I learned a lot of little things from playing that some casual observers may or may not know. I enjoy watching the game and noticing things and trying to guess the pitch,etc. I don't get too caught up in statistics.

My good friend and my son are the opposite. Neither one of them can play worth a lick. My son struck himself out trying to throw up a ball and hit it . They are not very good at the game BUT LOVE IT WITH A PASSION. My son for example is always spouting off stats to me and telling me things abotu Player A is the first player to do whatever statistical anomaly.

My buddy is the same way.

So you guys that played "semi seriously" do you get into the stats at all? I'm sure it's just me or maybe I don't care as much but I don't follow stats that closely etc.

Just curious

 

[boubucarow]

I never played any organized baseball. I have always been a more cerebral fan who likes to take in the strategy and witness the athleticism. I am a much less "passionate" fan in the sense of booing/cheering. My knee jerk reaction to cheer kicks in really only when i see something amazing/important and I never boo. I watch a game very quietly. However, I am a stats geek in the sense that it can help me to better understand what is going on with players I am less familiar or reinforce things I observe with players. Say with Kosuke. I know that if a pitcher can locate a 95 MPH fastball, he might as well give up. I don't need stats to see that. It maddens me the platoon situation he has been in since becoming a Cub that ignores that. Last game I attended I called a Colvin HR based on the count and the pitcher's stuff that day (needed to throw his weak fastball for a strike) without the need for numbers. Yet for opposing players and to help me understand some Cubs that I haven't gotten a read on as of yet, I will refer to fangraph stats to see what strengths and weaknesses are evident in the numbers to increase my awareness when watching a game.