Baseball is so much closer to Football than Football is to Basketball

It doesn't make sense how so many people like Football and Basketball, namely Football, but not Baseball. Fact is, Baseball is much closer to Football than Football is to Basketball.

Here's why...
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Possessions = Innings

The average Football game will allocate each team about 10 possessions. Baseball, 9 innings. Basketball, each gets ~80.
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Downs = Outs

Let's remove 4th Downs since the vast majority are Special Teams -- Basketball can't replicate 4th's either, so it's fair.

This leaves 3 downs....

1st down = 0 outs
2nd down = 1 out
3rd down = 2 outs

The obvious difference here, Football allows multiple 1st downs per possession - Baseball, only one.

On the flip-side though, in Baseball, you can have multiple plays per Down. You keep going until 3rd Down is completed.

THREE has squat to do with basketball in this sense. Yeah there's 3PTs, but that's a completely different situation.
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Pitcher = QB

Both are 1) the main player and 2) only play one side of the ball.

QBs don't play defense and Pitchers don't hit. Even without the Designated Hitter (NL rules), pitchers are usually hitting-chumps whose teams would rather DH anyway.

Basketball players are subjected and judged on both sides.
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Distance = Scoring

Football's distance increments are obviously yards. Baseball's increments are bases. You must conquer Four Bases - 100 yards - of distance to score.

Specific correlation can be deemed...

- 1st Base - 25 yards - singles, walks, SBs
- 2nd - 50 yards - doubles
- 3rd - 75 yards - triples
- Home Plate - 100 yards - TD

Obviously, not every TD needs 100 yards, but it's somewhat close to that. Plus, hey, I'm relating two completely different sports.

Basketball's only real distance factor, especially nowadays, is whether you're inside or outside the 3PT line and/or inside the paint. Almost 70% of the court is invalid, offensively. Yeah, there's the 8-second rule, full-court pressing, etc, but teams aren't gonna launch from 60' unless they're desparate.
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Common complaints from non-baseball fans... This will incorporate everything stated.

Baseball is boring

False... due to the finality-level of each play.

Every AB is either 1) a minimum 25 yards or 2) a lost Down, which is limited to only ONE per possession.

Add Stolen Bases, Wild Pitches, etc - you can gain a minimum 25 yards within the AB, too.

Football has 1-2 yard plays, constantly.

Football biggest finality on a given play is a TO, sometimes a defensive-score, but that happens far less than Baseball's minimal 25 yards (singles, walks, SBs, etc). And on the flip-side too - Football can only produce ONE score in a possession. Baseball, you can score maximum 4x on a single play, and 10+ times in a given possession.

Also, every single pitch in Baseball changes the likelihood of what will happen (i.e. -- a 1-2 count is far different from 2-1). There's always something going on. Every pitch matters - and a HR, triple, or double is far more likely than a 70-yard Football play.

Baseball games will average 3 total HRs, or three 100-yard plays. Football doesn't even average three 75+ yard plays/game.

It's laughable when non-baseball fans think each pitch should be B2B2B2B. I've heard many suggest that. Football teams often go SLOWLY On Purpose. LOL

Also, let's not act like 3-and-outs, stalled drives, and FGs are exciting. Yeah, a big tackle is nice, and a failed 40+ yard pass attempt is still exciting, but so are line-drive outs and close plays at First Base, or any base.


Baseball doesn't score enough

Baseball and Football score basically the same. Yes, you read that right - THEY SCORE THE SAME. Football just gives More Points per Score !!!

The 16th ranked Scoring NFL team past 4 years -- I only went back 4 years, but willing to bet not little variance beyond that, unless Bart Starr was present -- has been 22 points. MLB teams have averaged about 700 runs/season over that same span.

Now, let's include FGs now to make this point more fair against my own thesis...

TDs = 7 / FGs = 3

I didn't research the ratio of FGs vs TDs, but let's say the average scoring play in Football is 5.5 points.

22/5.5 = 4 scores/game

Baseball

700/162 = 4.32

Pretty close, huh?

Basketball, each team will score 50x.


Baseball is racist

Probably the most ignorant thing non-Baseballers say.

Yeah, it WAS racist - but if you wanna know about Football's past flaws, ask Warren Moon.

 

I'm just relating the distance to football.

30 yards isn't much different than 25 in the first place, ESPECIALLY in this context.

Each base = 25 yards = 25%

So, if you're at 2nd, distance-wise you're HALFway (50%) to the endzone.
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Did you read the OP?

I made about 30 points.

 

Good old, Buck, makes an appearance.

It's pretty dumb to act like college and pro basketball are soooo much different when 95% of the rules are the exact same.

Liking one and not the other is really a "high horse" type issue.

News Flash -- College players flop too.

 

True. Familiarity breeds (non)contempt.

Soccer relates, because everything relates.

1) Soccer has possessions more similar to basketball BUT 2) scores much less than football/baseball.

I'm not a big soccer fan, but my respect/perspective grew this past World Cup.

Most people's main criticism is the lack of scoring, but, Soccer can be EXCITING without a shot attempt.

The closer the ball is to the goal, you can feel the excitement/tension.

Soccer most likens Hockey, IMO --- no Hands, but less scoring. Heck, doesn't soccer sometimes consist of uneven player-count on the field due to penalties?.

 

Everything you responded to was in one line.

Smart of you to agree with the other 28 points.

I'm waiting for you to remove the stick up your ass.

Another example of a "3rd Base" -- 75 yards - 75% -- is a runner scoring from 1st on a double.

 

Not "at all"?

Feel to discuss the other 28 points. And do better because your current argument is disrespecting your own self.

The context of SB is clear, but I understand your desperation is causing crumb-grabbing.

 

Okay -- your point is, two different sports aren't the exact same.

That is so brilliant !!!
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Now, go notify your boyfriend that college-pro basketball are 95% the EXACT same.

 

I've made 30 points that you haven't successfully refuted 5 responses.

Even IF stealing First Base was valid, you're still missing 29 others.

Notify your boyfriend Duke's layups count the same as the Rockets'.