I play for the Olentangy Braves Varsity baseball team in Lewis Center. This year we are a very young team that looks to prove people wrong. We were number three in the state last year, so we have a very high standard to live up to this year. It will be a hard task to handle but will hopefully be a fun last year as I will most likely be one of the captains of the team. In being so I hope to lead us to a winning record, along with a playoff run of some sort. I love baseball because it's instantaneous. The game to many seems like a slow and boring chess match but to me, it's a game of strategy and adrenaline rushes that makes it so fun. The strategy to get runs and prevent runs is exhilarating. The adrenaline rush of hitting a ball on the sweet spot of the bat and seeing the ball soar through the blue sky of a spring/summer's day is beautiful. Then there are the senses of baseball. The smell of the grass and food of the concession stands. The sound of the crack of the bat, smack of the glove, and click-clack of the cleats on the infield dirt. The feel of the seams of the baseball and grass underneath you. The taste of the gum and seeds. The view of the sun and blue sky of a summer's day. Everything about baseball is just phenomenal and special in an indescribable way. I have also just found baseball to be such a fun way to take my mind off the daily stressors of life. Going to the cage is my way of clearing my mind whenever things are piling up and starting to go south. My favorite player of all time is Asdrubal Cabrera. He played for the Guardians (Indians at that time) and I just fell in love with his play style. He was a middle infielder and was our best player for a while. I always have a memory of him going up to bat while I was watching mesmerized from afar. He became my favorite player from that day on and is one of the reasons the Guardians are my favorite baseball team today. My favorite baseball team is Cleveland Guardians(as I said earlier). I love them as they are an Ohio team but also as they are a team that grinds for everything. They don't have the highest payroll and so they have to really utilize their farm system for great players, which I enjoy watching the new players come up. I get connected to all the players, so I am always sad when we do not have the salary cap to keep them (ex.Lindor). I just love the Guardians and what they are as a team, and I have gotten closer to them over the years. They are just so fun to watch and be a fan. Lastly, my favorite position on the diamond is the pitcher. I love pitching and that is the position I will be playing at Claremont Mckenna College. I love the strategy part of baseball and pitching is all strategy. I love to analyze stances and figure out possible holes in a person's swing as well as possible hot zones. I also love when I snap off a phenomenal curveball that gets an ugly swing and miss from the batter. Everything about pitching is fun, and I have control over most of the game. I love baseball and everything that it has to offer.