Boys of Summer

I love baseball! With each spring comes the joy of baseball games and the hopes that one of our Texas teams (preferable the Astros, but either would be awesome!!) will do something exciting! =) After I woke up this evening (that's right . . . I actually slept today! YAY!!), I was flipping through the channels and came across a spring training game between the Cubs & the White Sox. It's my 1st game to see in 2009, and I've already gotten to see a triple! (my favorite & in my opinion, the MOST exciting play of baseball!!) Good times.

People have asked me why I like baseball so much, and really, it's not to just see the players - although I definitely have my favorites! :~) I love to see the teamwork. For example, when an outfielder is eyeing a ball to catch, the other players around him come around him in support: either to high five him for a good catch & throw back or to catch the ball if he misses. When players are crossing home plate, their teammates are standing there to cheer for them. And, if the other team's pitcher hits one of your teammates with the baseball on purpose, you can pretty much rest assured that your team's pitcher is going to return the favor the next time he's on the mound. (NOT that I'm supporting bad sportsmanship, but I do support the camaraderie!)

It reminds me of working in the NICU. Maybe a stretch to everyone else, but it fits perfectly in my mind. For example, when your patient suddenly starts crashing, people seem to come out of the woodwork to help & give support. When all is said & done, those people are there to help get your patient settled again after the excitement; or, they are there for support & to help after "the ball wasn't caught". Another interesting thing (possibly weird to some) is that each thing you learn to do to the babies (i.e. assess for different problems in the babies, insert tubes or IV's, etc.) is exciting to the person learning. I honestly remember most of my firsts at work . . . first IV, first good catch that prevented something bad from happening to the baby, first mistake, first baby going to surgery, first baby under 1kg, first code, first death . . . I could go on. As someone who is certainly NOT an expert in the field but who has been privileged to have many different experiences, it's so exciting to see the new nursing school graduates entering into the world of NICU having their firsts. It's even more fun to help them with whatever the task is and get to celebrate/sympathize with them. I realize this sounds morbid to most people, but there's a certain bond between people that go through stressful situations together. It's unlike any other. Which leads me to the camaraderie comparison between baseball & nursing. For the most part, NICU nurses want to work with babies (the smaller the better!) and not much else. We are often very similar in our personalities. So, when we get sent to work in another unit, it's so nice to see someone from the NICU coming to say hi & check on you during that 12 hours in a foreign land. .

So, sitting here enjoying this game (which is turning out to be a pretty close game) and thinking way TOO much for 11:30PM :), some random thoughts have come to mind:

• I'm not a fan of the sidewinder or submarine delivery pitcher. I think it just looks jerky & sloppy.
• Sports commentators should stick to just that - sports. Now I'm the first to admit I'm not a fashionable person! If it's comfortable, I'll most likely buy it in multiple colors!! :) But, when these guys are announcing pitches and then throw in a comment about someone's new hairstyle, different shave, different way of wearing their pants, it's just amusing (and a bit disturbing!!).
• Speaking of fashion, I wish they'd have the players wear their pants the same way. I honestly don't have a preference: ending at the knees with the color coordinated knee socks or at the ankles with no socks showing. It really doesn't matter, but I wish they would all match!!!! I'm a fan of symmetry, and the different pant lengths are disturbing to this OCD fan! :)
• The "new" catchers' masks. Admittedly, I'm a traditionalist - not too surprising since I went to A&M! :) And, I've heard the arguments about how the new hockey mask like catchers' masks (does that even make sense?!?) are safer and easier to use, but I'm just not a fan. I like the old school version where they can remove the front mask part and leave the "baseball cap" part on while chasing a pop up.
• I appreciate the guys that run full speed out of the batters' box no matter what. I like that sold out approach. Biggio, when he played for the 'stros, was like that. Even when everyone in the ballpark knew that it would be caught, he went full speed ahead towards 1st base. I like that kind of commitment.
• As mentioned earlier, a triple is the most exciting thing for me to see in a baseball game. Sure, I enjoy seeing home runs and pretty swings, but the excitement of someone racing around 270 feet as fast as he can while someone else has gotten the ball and is throwing it to the third baseman is just too much fun!
• I'm sad that some of the players decided to ruin it by abusing steroids.
• I do not think the players should be paid millions of dollars for a God given talent when America's teachers (helping to form our future leaders) are typically on such a low pay scale. Our priorities have gotten off.
• My love for baseball comes honestly . . . I grew up watching it with my grandparents (baseball & Wheel of Fortune - another favorite) when I'd spend time at their houses.
• Aggie baseball games are by far the most fun baseball games in the world!!!! If you haven't been yet, you've missed out and should remedy this ASAP. =)
• I have a signed baseball from my FAVORITE player sitting on a shelf by his baseball card. He wasn't the best by baseball standards, but he was by far the best in my little world!