They say it's a gentleman's game, but us ladies know better.
Image: VictoriasSecret.com
With MLB Opening Day less than a month away, it's every baseball fans favorite time of year. The time when every single team in the game still has a shot at being the best. For my fellow New York Mets fans, it's a time where hope is more than just a four letter word, it's a state of mind that will last as long as I can possibly hold onto the idea that this could be the year. (So probably by June the hope will be diminished). To a fan, baseball is more than just a game, it's a way of life. As a woman who's loved the sport my entire life, I've noticed some differences between the sexes when it comes to the game...
1. We have longer attention spans: A lot can happen in nine innings and every pitch counts. Miss an at-bat and you could be totally lost.
2. We can give our players the benefit of the doubt: We can look at the bigger picture of the game. Not every at-bat is do-or-die.
3. We can put even the worst games into perspective: There's always the "glass half-full" theory that helps us get through even the toughest of days, i.e.: "At least we're not the Cubs," or "Well you have to be happy with the bullpen's performance today if nothing else."
4. We usually know the personal backstory behind our favorite players: The power of Google and gossip sites have really given us an inside look at the personal lives of the players. Whether that's right or wrong, it helps us to get inside their heads more.
5. Once we're devoted to a team, we won't stray:We're loyal and once we're committed to a team, there's no turning back.
6. We know the terminology of a 6-4-3 double play and we look adorable in the Pink clothing line from our favorite team.
7. We take each loss hard, but also know that it's just a game.
8. Yogi Berra once said: "Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half physical." The deep analytical skills women possess can really come in handy for this one.
9. According to a recent study, women are inherently more optimistic than men. That means we have an internal hope that even in the bottom of the ninth, down to the last out and strike, we still believe something great might happen. And those times where it actually does, is what makes baseball America's pastime and the greatest game in the world to be a part of -- regardless of your sex.