Baseball is definitely a slower sport out there and lots of people would argue that it is too long because games are definitely on the longer end.

Games last 9 innings usually, but they are 6 in high school but some people still think that’s too long. Others would argue that they are not that long regardless of if they play the sport or not. Some students here at Jenison High School talked about their opinion on baseball and if they are a fan of the game or not.

First, we interviewed multiple people. They said why or why not they play the sport and what they thought about it. “I play baseball because it’s a really fun sport to play and it requires a lot of mental and physical discipline. I think it is a lot harder than it is made out to be.” said Zeke Kortman. “It’s my favorite sport out there. I love the game.” said Korbin Berends. Usually, a good amount of students come out in March to tryout for the baseball teams. Only 15 are told that they can be a part of the team. The Jenison Baseball program is known to be good and it is recognizable by how many people play the game.

Next, people answered on why they thought there were only 6 innings in a high school game of baseball instead of 9 like in the major leagues. Korbin Berends said, “I think it’s so our pitchers don’t have to go longer into games. High schoolers obviously aren’t as durable as professional athletes are.” Baseball players in high school tend to throw about 60-70 pitches if they start and performing well, but major league athletes can throw up to 100 pitches every game. 30-40 pitches is definitely a big difference when it comes to high school athletes. Plenty of ice is necessary.

“I don’t think it’s boring, I just think it’s only for certain people,” said Korbin Berends.

Even though baseball is a big sport in America, there are lots of mixed thoughts about it. Some people are in love with the game and even without a ton of movement, they think it’s the hardest sport out there. Yet, since you don’t move around a ton, people think it is dull because of the slow pace. “No it is not boring at all because even if you’re not playing in the game, you can always support your teammates from the bench and learn from them,” said Zeke Kortman.  Baseball is more than just those nine players on the field. Your teammates on the bench are always there to support you and bring you back up. The game can definitely help build relationships as well.

Even though baseball can take a while, it’s a popular sport that many people play. Tons of teams from different countries play each other all throughout the spring. Little league for baseball is a huge program and there’s even a World Series for it. Plus, the MLB has some of the biggest contracts in sports so playing baseball could get you some major cash.

Overall, people can have a different opinion and opinions on baseball are controversial because of how long the games take, but baseball is for sure a big sport.