As William mentioned in the comments section earlier, there is always something to see when you are the ballpark that you can’t get on TV, even if the ballpark experience features an awful  lot of TV. For instance, last night, I noticed just how slowly the players took the field between innings. They were in no rush. It was hot and humid, and they’ve been playing all summer long. How many trips has this been from the dugout to their respective positions? They were pacing themselves, conserving energy.

Then, I think it was in the top of the third inning, one of the Rays hit a line drive that almost took off the head of their first base coach. The dude hit the deck, then, gingerly, stood up. The crowd gave him a cheer for surviving. A few minutes later, a ground ball up the middle took a late hop and Derek Jeter had to adjust his glove quickly to snare it. After he gloved the ball and flipped to Cano at second for the force, Jeter shook his head as if to say, “Dag, close call.”

And it struck me that even when baseball seems slow, boring and tedious, the action on the field happens lightening fast. The sense of  danger is always there.

P.S. I heard that Jeter is called a “bi-racial angel” in the new Will Ferrell movie. That’s a good line.

[Photo Credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images]