Opinion

With the Fourth of July recently passed, it’s time for my yearly patriotic Will B. Not sure what a Yankee Doodle Dandy is exactly but it is in a patriotic song and a few poems. I will have to get with Jim Hammond over at Fort Belknap later to find out. He is very knowledgeable on American history.

Major League Baseball announced its return this past week. Stating that a 60-game regular season will be played beginning on July 23 and ending with the postseason at the end of October right on time as usual. Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association were unable to come to an agreement before the commissioner’s office and baseball owners stepped in to announce that baseball would officially be played this season. It is a long time coming for fans but will also be an unprecedented, exciting and short regular season that will make each game mean almost three times what a regular season game would mean in the past. Major League Baseball announced a few changes to this season including a 16 team postseason, Designated hitter in both leagues, and the runner on second base beginning in extra innings for both teams so that games can be shorter for the teams due to potential health concerns. I for one am delighted by the changes—the “universal DH” as they call it, is a long time coming for the sport, opening of 15 more starting positions for hitters in the National League due to eliminating the pitchers having to bat—which is good for the sport and adds more entertainment to the game. The same can be said for the 16-team postseason since 100 fewer regular season games will be played this season. This keeps most fanbases intrigued in their team’s chances until the end of the regular season. Many baseball traditionalists will not like the change in extra innings, but this does add excitement to extra inning baseball where games have lasted up to six, seven, eight hours in the past. This rule change will speed up the game which is much needed for baseball—it should be noted that this extra inning rule will not be in effect during postseason play. A 60-game schedule is going to change how teams play because the regular season will no longer be considered a marathon, but rather a sprint to the finish line. Teams will use their pitching differently, especially teams with good pitching staffs and bullpens—and this is who will be positively be affected— teams with good pitching staffs because the hitting will be unpredictable at best. This in my opinion will one of the most interesting baseball seasons in recent memory…with every game having much importance from opening day on. It is unknown at this time whether or not fans will be able to attend this season. Baseball isn’t the only sport starting up at the end of July, as basketball and hockey look to begin a week after baseball. Basketball will be playing in a “bubble” in Orlando— finishing the regular season with eight games before beginning the playoffs. This will be the first time that baseball and basketball playoffs will be going on at the same time, but it will set up for nonstop sports action in the Fall after months of almost no sports at all.

Sunday before last was Father’s Day. I have been blessed to have two men in my life who have been inspirational to me.