The month of April is probably the toughest one to deal with if you are a Seton Hall student. Spring break was a few weeks ago, but the end of the semester is nowhere in sight. Easter break was of minimal relief. The weather is finally stable, and everyone’s on the green, but you are inside trying to figure out a way to do two research papers, a project, and a presentation without missing work or hanging out with friends. You wonder, “Is there any escape to this?” There is one silver lining to April: baseball is back! Wait, you don’t care about baseball? The great film For Love Of The Game challenges your pessimism by asking, “How can you not be romantic about baseball?” It is very easy to romanticize baseball, as singular moments stand out in a sea of monotony. A home run that brings a team back from the brink of defeat is a moment of victory for the hitter, but the pitcher must wear their mistake like a scarlet letter. A pitcher can singlehandedly carry his team or torpedo him. Simply put, baseball captures the wide gamut of emotions that a person can experience.
So, since you're a Seton Hall student, you have the luxury of choosing between two professional teams with significant talent and storied history. However, I grew up as a Yankees fan, and that love for the team eventually spread to all of baseball. No disrespect to the New York Mets, they’re another team with a fantastic new stadium and solid talent, but I’m writing about my favorites.
The Yankees have been in something of a rut in the 2010s. They have been to the playoffs four times, but only advanced past the wild card or first round once in those four trips. The team has been in a transitional period, and the fruits of those labors are coming to a head this season. Similarly, the Yankees did some renovations to their stadium over the winter to make it feel more fan friendly. Getting to a ballgame is actually quite easy, as you can take the train from South Orange to Penn Station, and then take the 1 train all the way to the Bronx. A ticket in the 400 section will only set you back 5 dollars, and the view is still fantastic. The Yankees have dynamic young talent for the first time in a long time, and they are making waves to set up a new dynasty. Words don't do this team justice, so here are a few choice GIFs that show why people are excited about the Yankees.
They have players who can do this…
In his first plate appearance, Aaron Judge made his presence felt with a towering home run.
Their best player is Gary Sanchez, a catcher who can do this…
And this…
Gary Sanchez burst onto the scene in 2016 by hitting 20 home runs in 51 games, while playing excellent defense.
How about pitching?
A local talent, the gigantic Dellin Betances throws 100 miles an hour with a disappearing curveball.
Another one of the young pitchers, Luis Severino, can do this...
Severino, at an "average" 6 feet tall, can also throw 100 miles per hour and has a slider that can fool the best hitters.
The above words and GIFs do not really do this team justice. These are only little teasers that should make you more interested in following the team day-to-day. They have a certain energy that was missing before, a certain je nais se quoi. The difference between this team and previous teams is probably the young talent that is making a breakthrough for the first time at the big league level. Baseball and regular life go hand in hand. A baseball team will go through ups and downs throughout the season, just like regular people do. If there is one takeaway from this post, it is that we have a lot more in common with baseball players than we may think. It takes a supreme amount of confidence to go out to class every day and try to make strides in a future career while also doing all your work and trying to preserve your sanity. It is probably one of the toughest things to do as a young person between the ages of 18 and 22. Baseball provides comfort in that it’s an escape from the stress of life, but it is also totally relatable and charming enough that one cannot help but fall in love with the game.
