Baseball and Pokemon: Like Apple Pie and Chevrolet
Baseball and Pokemon have a lot of important similarities, and also some key differences, that help explain why both are so appealing to some of the same people.
First, in baseball, you need a team of people with diverse and complimentary skill sets in order to be successful. Speedy slap hitters get on base so that big power hitters can drive them in to score runs. Left handed hitters are key to leading a team’s offensive attack against right handed pitchers, and right handed hitters are vital against lefties. Outfielders and pitchers are both absolutely necessary to win a baseball game, but perform very different tasks on the field.
In Pokemon too, a diverse team with complimentary skill sets is important. A lineup of all-electric type Pokemon might be great against a water opponent, but will not stand a chance against rock-types. Instead, a good team of Pokemon has many types, and only a varied team with, for instance, electric, fire, water, grass, rock, and psychic type Pokemon can be the best.
In baseball, exercise is important, but not the point of the sport. No one on a baseball field runs without a reason. Sometimes, players run to catch a fast falling fly ball or to beat a throw to a base, but there is always a purpose.
In Pokemon, players sometimes walk vast distances from city to city, but even that is not just for exercise, there is a purpose- to catch more Pokemon!
Another similarity is that both baseball and Pokemon have balls in very important roles- to play with or to catch the Pokemon.
Also, both baseball and Pokemon have stats. In baseball, stats are used to evaluate the quality of a player and can quantify a batting average, the number of homers a player hits, or his stolen bases. In Pokemon, stats are used the same way but can tell an observer how powerful a Pokemon’s attack is or how much health he has remaining before defeat.
Obviously, there are some important differences between baseball and Pokemon, too. Baseball is a game played by nine players on a relatively small baseball field. Pokemon is a way of life, which takes place across a great distance and has no score.
Much like apple pie and Chevrolets, baseball and Pokemon go great together, but aren’t really the same.
