Game Day — Blog by MP

Finally went to my first Ranger game of the 2016 season, yeah I know finally.I'm gonna be real with y'all for a minute here: I don't always prefer going to games.Cue the gasps and shocks of horror.Now don't get me wrong, I love the atmosphere of being at the ballpark. Every Ranger game I've gone to has been with my dad, and watching baseball together has been our thing since I started religiously watching the Rangers. However I can't lie, most days I prefer sitting at home watching the games comfortably, with air conditioning and regularly priced beer and hot dogs. Mostly it's a crowd thing. When watching the game at home, I don't have to hear every comment people feel necessary to yell at the team unless I choose to seek it out on Twitter. And I don't have to worry about anyone starting the wave in one-run games. Or at all.Also, does anyone else feel paranoid they're going to end up on FSSW while you're shoving your face full of nachos or spilling food down your shirt? I just feel like I'd be the one caught in the crowd at a super inconvenient time. Like while looking at my phone "not paying attention to the game," when really I'm scoreboard watching or looking up stats.And don't get me started on my paranoia about getting hit by a foul ball. Even if there’s no immediate threat, I feel like one is going to seek me out and hit me in the face. Or maybe even a bat! In 2012 when Hamilton was constantly losing his bat, there was one game I sat a few rows behind the Rangers dugout. I'm telling you, the paranoia was real that night! If you were curious, there's a well known gif from that particular game. I'm sure you've seen it, the Ian Kinsler sarcastic thumbs up after being ejected from the game? That gif.Fun fact: I had no idea Kinsler had been tossed from the game. Which leads me to the biggest reason I don't always prefer being at games: I feel like I'm missing out on a piece of the game. A little FOMO if you will.I watch 99% of the games with Twitter open. I like to keep up with what other people are noticing from the game and especially what the beat writers are saying. It's like having an inside scoop. *Nerd alert* I like having access to the knowledge; when I have a question about stats, I like being able to look it up, quickly. I like the facts that Tom and Buzz throw out during the game. Being at the game, I almost find it harder to follow. And maybe it's because once the ball gets up in the air, I can barely see it. Maybe it's the fact that I can't tell what the strike zone is like unless I were to sit right behind home plate.I'm not at all complaining about going to baseball games, I really do love it. There’s just like three percent of me that feels like I'm out of touch with everything outside of the game.All that being said, I will neverturn down going to a Ranger game with my dad.Well, unless it's over 100 degrees... I have a low heat tolerance.