Baseball box scores are one of those truly "old school" delights in a world with scores, video highlights and other technological advancements at your fingertips. There's a certain traditional charm about baseball, that almost always ties back to father and son memories. I recall Sam teaching me how to read and understand box scores (along with baseball itself, as well as "scoring" the game). All sports have some sort of agate type recap, but there's a beauty and simplicity to the baseball box scores that tell a story in a linear fashion.
I almost always read baseball box scores in the paper, and like everything else I do, there's a "process" I go through every day. Because I'm sure that you're fascinated with these little OCD slices of life, I thought I'd share. (Note: I don't play fantasy baseball anymore, in which case the list would be completely different).
1. Braves Box Score
Obviously, I'm a homer and want to see how my favorite team did. Always read these first.
2. Braves Competitors Box Score
Next you move to the teams that are in direct competition with your favorite team. How did the teams in the division do? Phillies, Mets, Marlins (I won't even include the Nationals, as I don't think they qualify as a major league team this year). Also, you check out the team that's up next on the Braves schedule, to see who is hot and who is not coming into the series against your team.
3. Former Braves
I always check to see how former Braves (that I like) are doing. Laroche. Giles. DeRosa. Furcal. Betemit. Franco. Glavine.
4. Prediction Players
Then I check on how my predictions for various MLB honors are doing.
5. Players I Hate
I look in the box scores to check out the games and stats of players I simply loathe, with the fervent hope that it includes a "golden sombrero," HBP, E, GDP, CS or plummeting average (or rising ERA). Box scores don't indicate torn ACLs, but one can hope. These types of players include Barry Bonds, Kenny Lofton, Gary Sheffield, Dan Kolb, among others.
6. Players of Note
Then, time depending, I check out high profile players: popular, big salaries, new location, coming back from injury, etc. Ichiro. Nomar. A-Rod. Pujols. Mauer. Soriano. Zito. Gagne. Matthews Jr. Griffey Jr.
Monday, April 16, 2007
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I'm also a fan of the "old school" boxscore. Braves analysis is always first. Then, analysis of all boxes on what can help my fantasy team. (More for potential pick-ups than anything else, the advent of the live scoring feature on the cbssportslines of the world makes it much easier to see what your players did each day).
ReplyDeleteIts still a blast every now and then to still keep a scorecard yourself at the ballpark. You know someone knows the game when you see a properly filled out scorecard.
However, it has always cracked me up when announcers say "Thats a 6-4-3 if you are scoring at home." I've never been able to picture someone sitting at home in the lazy boy keeping score.