Sinden.org

Recently, Andrew caused me to articulate my view of baseball. I would consider myself a baseball fan, but I don't follow trades, spring training or pre-season speculation very closely, if at all.

What I came up with is this: I consider baseball to be like the church.

Baseball, like the church, will continue regardless of the cast. In baseball's present incarnation, star "clergy" are paid millions to conduct sports liturgies in large "cathedrals" in designated cities. Meanwhile, tiny parishes continue to observe the sacred rites relatively unnoticed.

(This analogy falls apart fairly quickly given that the liturgists are competitive.)

I do sense that there is some higher power at work with the sport itself. This can be seen numerologically.

3 strikes, outs - reflect the Holy Trinity and its power over the "batter."

4 balls - mirrors the four limbs of humankind and its ability to "walk"

9 innings - (3 x 3) are an extension of the Trinity by itself, representing the church. (Extra innings represent a kind of heaven, a theoretical infinity.)

7^th inning stretch - the incarnational interval wherein God (3) meets humanity (4) in the form of Jesus Christ (3+4=7).

Need I point out that the 7^th inning stretch is accompanied by congregational song and organ improvisation?