Throughout the offseason, the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we debated the top free agent shortstops. This week we're going to get a little sentimental.
What baseball thing are you most thankful for?
Matt Snyder: I'm thankful that we had a full 2022 season and with everything being back to "normal" -- or, at least, a new normal. After whatever 2020 was (there's really no reason to get into all the details anymore, is there?), the 2021 season was weird and had sporadic seating availability at most ballparks, especially in the early going. Then there was the owner-imposed lockout that threatened the start of the 2022 season and even delayed the start. Up until the 2022 season, it just felt like we had nearly two years of uncertainty and impacted seasons. Once things got going this year, though, it was nice that it all felt familiar and it'll continue to feel that way moving forward. After everything we went through, I'm pretty thankful for what we probably all took for granted back in 2019.
R.J. Anderson: Around-the-horn double plays. One of the most aesthetically pleasing aspects of any sport, let alone baseball. It's not a new thought, but a good 5-4-3 double play highlights the perfection of the diamond's dimensions. I'm a big fan.
Dayn Perry: I remain thankful for the 2016 hot mic that caught then-Mets manager Terry Collins having a vigorous discussion with umpire Tom Hallion. More specifically, I'm thankful that Hallion introduced the phrase "ass in the jackpot" into the lexicon. The world and human existence has gotten worse since then, but that's not because of the honest work performed by ass in the jackpot.
Mike Axisa: The community. I've made a lot of lifelong friends thanks to this game, people I would have never met without baseball, and there's also the fans I get to interact with (even the ones who tell me I suck and keep me honest) and the other writers I see at the ballpark throughout the season. Baseball's great and I love this sport an embarrassing amount. I'm most thankful for the people it has connected me with.
