Baseball season is in swing now (no pun intended). Each game has its share of intensity, with home runs, web-gems, double-plays, and just amazing game-action. On the other hand, it can get ugly, with players being hit by pitches, baserunners sliding into defensive players to avoid double plays-being turned, players taking exception to bat-flips or trash-talk, and of course, brawls. There are aspects of the game that you can absolutely like, and there are others that are just flat out unlikeable.

What to dislike about baseball:

1. Bench-clearing brawls

I understand that teammates will stand up for each other, but there HAS to be a better way to handle these when they happen. Why DO benches have to clear when this happens? Why can't bench players stay away rather than get themselves in unnecessary trouble? They're being IMPULSIVE. What don't they understand about that?

Additionally, umpires can and must do a better job of directing teams away from storming onto the field, especially the 1st base and 3rd base umpires. They are the ones closest to the dugouts and bullpens. Instead of letting all hell break loose to have a bench-clearing brawl, they can restore order in a quicker fashion by consistently confining those who aren't on the field (in the event of somebody getting beaned or a fight starting) back to their benches or bullpens.

When it comes to retaliation and charging the mound, don't even use the 'tradition' excuse. Players need to understand that they are playing baseball PROFESSIONALLY and that they are part of a BUSINESS. It doesn't matter what team they represent or play for, because they are representing that business and EMPLOYED by major league baseball. By intentionally hitting someone else with a pitch, or de-cleating a defensive player with a slide to try to break up a double-play, a player who does that is risking another player's ability to work, and that risk is being taken by someone who is their COLLEAGUE. Josh Donaldson will tell you. Clearing benches in this instance doesn't make things better. If you're the best player on your team and you get suspended indefinitely because you stormed out of the dugout to get involved in a bench-clearing brawl, you are hurting not only yourself but your team.

But, Major League Baseball doesn't discipline players hard enough for their involvement in these kinds of events. When a player purposefully tries to or successfully hurts another player, they aren't receiving a strong enough punishment. For example, last week between the Padres and Rockies, Luis Perdomo bean-balled Nolan Arenado which led to Arenado charging the mound. Arenado received a 5-game suspension, which is fair, but so did Perdomo. That's fair too, right? Wrong. Perdomo typically would pitch every 5 games, so really, he's only missing one game. Not fair if you ask me. What does Perdomo learn from that?

2. Replay

It's great that a replay system is in place, but it is still far from what it needs to be since only a select few varieties of plays are reviewable.

3. Arrogance/egotism

Arrogance is the problem that comes from lack of sportsmanship, where players taunt each other, and talk trash to one another. It's OK if you're a player who celebrates your home run (if you hit one) with a bat-flip or a fist pump, but if you do it while staring down or looking at an opposing player, then there is a problem and you are the one who is arrogant. You also show that you're egotistical too.

That's why handshakes post-game in Major League Baseball need to exist. Playing in the MLB is a PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.

4. Unwritten rules

Why aren't they in the rulebook? That's why you see arrogance/egotism as well as bench-clearing brawls and the like in baseball. Some of these are used as excuses. Be real with me about the rules. Even if they're unwritten at this moment, JUST PUT THEM IN THE RULEBOOK!

Also, it's one person's job to do whatever he needs to do to get on base, and it's their opposition's job to do whatever they need to do to stop that person from getting on base. It's just taking care of business.

5. Fans going to games just to see a brawl/fight

That shows how much of a true fan you actually are. Baseball is a game, not a UFC match.

6. You don't see the good sportsmanship nearly enough

In the midst of all the issues pertaining to retaliation, or bench-clearing brawls, why don't we see better sportsmanship more often, like aside from the All-Star game / Mother's Day / Jackie Robinson Day? I don't have an answer for that. "Its Tradition" is not a reasonable answer anymore. It's also not a reasonable answer for why beaning exists, or why there's retaliation or bench-clearing brawls. There really isn't a reasonable explanation for why it doesn't exist.

On the positive side, at least players show respect when good plays are made. But that doesn't do enough to cover for the fact that there isn't enough good sportsmanship in major league baseball. Teams typically don't shake hands after games and that is absolutely shameful.

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The key point I'm trying to drive home with the above is that Bench-Clearing Brawls are NOT necessary. The shortage of sportsmanship isn't necessary, and the egotism and arrogance are also not necessary. Regardless of who your rooting interest is, the players and coaching staffs need to know better. They need to be more mature. Umpires need to take better control of the situation by disallowing benches to clear and also stepping in rather than backing away (there should be a rule for that where everybody who leaves the dugout should be ejected.). There needs to be better respect for the game, especially when somebody gets beaned or when opponents exchange words and start to put hands on each other. Things like beaning and bench-clearing brawls need to stop being part of the game. What's the joy of seeing them? It's time to break away from the lame, petty 'traditions' of baseball.

What to like about baseball:

1. Grand slams

... or any home run, for that matter. The batter who hits the home run put a lot of power into that swing, and without question, made absolute solid contact. Before you know it, the ball is out of the park and the crowd goes raucous (if it is the home team, and especially if it is a walk-off winner) or it goes deathly silent. That's the beauty of a big hit.

2. Perfect games and no-hitters

A perfect game and/or no-hitter is so hard to achieve that you can't help but admire the effort it took to complete it. It's a masterpiece where somebody just had their stuff. Watching the team celebrate a perfect game or no-hitter just says a lot about how close the team is to one another.

3. Home-run-robberies/catches-over-the-wall

It takes a great swing of the bat to hit a home run, but it is always an impressive feat when an outfielder is able to rob a home run, or for any player to catch the ball over the wall, whether it is the foul areas or over the dugout. It is a display of incredible focus, grit, and body control to maintain the ball after initially catching it.

4. Effort

This is in regards to diving catches by outfielders, or by infielders diving to keep a ball from getting beyond them or catching a line-drive coming right at them. If the outfielder stretches out and makes a leaping grab, it's going to be exciting and you can be sure that the team will congratulate him, especially if it was the last out needed. For the infielders, if they're able to get the ball before it scoots beyond them, they can make a play to get an out, or catch a ball on a line-drive. It's a thing of beauty when a player pulls it off.

5. Replay

I'm absolutely happy that baseball has instant replay, because now you can review most calls on the field to verify whether or not they were correct. It minimizes the human error aspect of the game, especially on close plays.

6. Pitchers going yard

The great thing about this is that the pitcher is the last person you'd expect to hit a home run (Unless you're talking about Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels).

7. Double-plays

A double-play can be a huge game-changer, especially if a team is positioning itself to tie a game. It eliminates the scoring threat most of the time. This includes outfield and/or infield assists where you catch a line drive or fly ball and throw a tagging runner out or get him out on the base he was initially on.

8. Triple-plays

Just like pitchers hitting home runs, this is also very unlikely. It almost never happens, especially one that is unassisted. The key thing that makes these so rare is that there have to be at least two men on base and nobody out to make it happen. You just can't make it up when it happens.

9. Infield hits

Sometimes a player will lay down a bunt and have enough speed to beat the throw to 1st base, and other times, it takes a fortunate bounce (or roll). It's really neat to see a speedy player zoom to a hit like that.

10. Stolen Bases

It's exciting too when a player steals a bag especially in a close game to get themselves into scoring position. When successful, the runner gets a good enough jump on the pitcher. And when it fails, it's because the catcher made a great throw to get the runner.

11. Funny moments during a game

Whether it is the ball being caught inside a jersey, in the glove, or if it is a bad ceremonial first pitch, there are some things that you just can't help but laugh at.

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When it's all said and done, even though there are many more things to like about baseball than to dislike, there are major issues with things like bench-clearing brawls, arrogance, egotism, or not enough sportsmanship, that need to have significant corrections made to them. It's a shame that almost nothing is being done about it. Until then, this is going to continue. There will always be a negative culture about baseball as long as it continues to happen. What will it take to stop such a culture from getting even worse than it already is? I'll let y'all answer that.

Everybody involved has to know that Major League Baseball is a business, and no matter what team you represent, your COLLEAGUES play for other teams too. You need to understand that if you try to hurt somebody whom you compete against, you're hurting those whom you work with because you are part of the same business. Playing major league baseball is a PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.

I won't stop attending baseball games when I get the chance because I'll get to see home runs, diving catches, no-hitters, and the exciting parts of the game, but a bench-clearing brawl or fight doesn't excite me. That's the last thing I want to see. Why does it have to be part of the game? It has no business being in the game of baseball, because the game of baseball is supposed to be about pitching, base hits, outs, walks, double plays, diving catches, etc.

That's the part of the game that you should like, rather than the petty brawls and fights that happen as a result of egotism, arrogance, players not learning from their stupid, impulsive actions, or players intentionally hurting those on other teams whom actually work for the same business as they do.