| Baseball has been around for decades, often times | | | | mind that your strategy will differ with each team |
| recognized as "America's national sport". Historical | | | | you play against. An important factor to your |
| evidence of baseball indicates that its roots stem | | | | strategy is your batting order and pitching rotation. |
| from cricket and rounders, both very popular games | | | | Batting orders should be based upon your players |
| originating in Great Britain. The baseball we know and | | | | different contributing strengths and sometimes |
| love today has gradually developed over many years. | | | | weaknesses. While one player may be a fast runner, |
| By the end of the 18th century, many forms of | | | | or power hitter, the next could be a dependable |
| baseball were being played all over the United States. | | | | bunter. A batting order is designed so that the |
| In New York City, they played a game called "One o' | | | | players strengths will work together, trying to |
| Cat". Other cities were playing "Town Ball" and "New | | | | advance runners and get players on the |
| York Ball". These early renditions of the sport were | | | | bases.Pitching requires as much mental skill as it does |
| played on a square field. Originally for bases they | | | | physical. A perfect pitching scenario would be a |
| used stakes, later replacing the stakes with stones, | | | | "perfect game", where the opposing team does not |
| but to prevent further injuries, the stones were then | | | | reach base once. The next best scenario and more |
| replaced with sand filled sacks. It wasn't until then | | | | common one, is what we called a "No Hitter". This is |
| that people started to call them bases and this is | | | | where the pitcher does not allow a single safe hit by |
| where the name "baseball" originated.It wasn't until | | | | the opposing team. Pitching line ups change often |
| somewhere between 1850 and 1860 that baseball | | | | because pitchers are usually required two to three |
| became increasingly popular and in 1869, professional | | | | days off between games to allow their arms to rest. |
| baseball was introduced by the Cincinnati Red | | | | However, it is important to try and align your best |
| Stockings. Other official teams represented cities | | | | pitchers to be in rotation when you are facing a |
| from Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Brooklyn, | | | | more competitive team.Today, there are many |
| Cleveland, New York, Ohio and four other cities. | | | | different leagues other than Major League Baseball |
| Several other teams were added throughout the | | | | (MLB), each complete with several divisions within the |
| next quarter of the century. In 1900, what we know | | | | actual league. Baseball is truly a part of American |
| as the American League was founded and fought for | | | | history, where generations have watched the sport |
| many years to be recognized as an equal to the | | | | unfold into the force it is now. It's a flashy, |
| National League. Jackie Robinson was the first black | | | | competitive, skill-driven sport and over the years has |
| player to join the Major Leagues in 1947, playing for | | | | never lost the real reason as to why it is so vastly |
| the Brooklyn Dodgers.There are several aspects that | | | | popular. Year after year, from city to city, stadium to |
| make the game of baseball what it is. For example, a | | | | stadium, people gather for one reason and one |
| teams strategy can make or break whether or not | | | | reason - the simple love of the game. |
| that particular team will win or lose games. Keeping in | | | | |