I cannot help but get a burst of excitement every time I drive past Swayze field and see the Ole Miss baseball team in the middle of batting practice and also get to eye the pitchers and catchers completing a workout. As the season begins, I have gotten to thinking about how much I absolutely love baseball. The smell of fresh cut grass, and the sound of a baseball hitting a bat or a fastball hitting a catcher’s mitt will always give me that warm and fuzzy feeling because I know that spring is finally here. With college baseball starting, and MLB pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in Arizona and Florida, I am beyond excited for the next eight months of baseball. Here are my top 5 reasons why baseball season is truly the best and most magical of all.

1. There is always a game to watch. Whether it is your team, or not, there will be at least one baseball game on TV that day. It is not just once a week, it is every day. Most weeks, your team will have just one off day. And, if your team happens to be on their off day, flip to ESPN or Fox Sports (you might want to mute the TV to avoid listening to Joe Buck) and you will surely find another great game to fill that void. Besides, it is important to keep up with every team.

2. Uniforms. Baseball uniforms are surely the most awesome looking uniforms of any sport. Players have their own pant/sock preference as well -- long pants down to their cleats, high pants and high socks, or high pants with stirrups. If a player is not playing so well, you will most likely notice some sort of uniform change in hopes that this will magically break their slump. Home uniforms and away uniforms, pin striped or solid, baseball uniforms are by far the coolest.

3. Day games. There is nothing better than making baseball an all day event. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the energy is on point. What is the only thing better than a day game? A double-header! Baseball is the only sport with double headers. What could be more fun than dedicating a whole day to your favorite team?

4. Superstitions. There are more superstitions in baseball than any other sport. Whether it is wearing the same shirt under your jersey for every game, rubbing someone’s head, a rally cap during the ninth inning, or anything else that seems to be a good luck charm, every team has their own funky superstitions that every fan knows and takes very, very seriously.

5. Fans are the most loyal. With baseball season being so incredibly long, every team goes through a slump. They call it the “dog days of summer” (July and August). It is boiling hot, players are hurt and tired, your favorite pitcher has not had a win for their last three outings, and the best hitters are struggling for a base hit. The season may seem to drag on, but no matter what, every team’s most loyal fans are still showing up to the ballpark (or to their living room TV) to watch and cheer their team on.

Happy spring and cheers to the most wonderful time of the year!

(www.instertclassyhere.com)

(mississippi.scout.com)