Defense or Offense??

[coachpipe]

I voted offense. Even though I love a defensive battle. I was at Game 3 and honestly when your team isnt hitting, even if your pitcher is on fire, its extremely frustrating and hard to watch.

But cant I have both. Our pitcher goes complete game solid performance with defensive web gems all game and also have 4 home runs?

[bucksfan2]

5-3 or 4-2 type of game. Some good pitching along with some clutch hitting late in the game. I like when it gets tight at the end of the game but when runners do cross the plate.

[RichRed]

I picked the slugfest because an offense-oriented game lasts longer, and since I don't get to go to many games, I want to soak it in for as long as I can. If I'm watching on TV, I might change my tune.

[smixsell]

I love a good pitching duel, I really do, but for being at the game nothing beats a walk-off homer.

320

Spot on.

[HokieRed]

Under which scenario are my grandchildren with me?

[George Anderson]

Defense.

There's much more strategy to a tight defensive game where every decision and play matters, where one mistake or one great play could decide the game. I love baseball because its the most intellectual, most strategic of all the major sports. If I want action, I'll turn on the NBA or NFL.

Kinda my thoughts to. Baseball to me is more of a chess match than the NFL or the NBA could ever dream of being.

Also just from my perpsective I would rather see a diving Eric Davis type catch in the outfield or Davey Concepcion acrobatic play at short than I would an Adam Dunn type bomb. Good defense to me is a thing of pure unadulterated beauty.

[Tadasimha]

Since you described the offensive choice as a multi-home run affaird, I'm going with the defensive battle. I would actually pick offense but I prefer to see lots of singles and doubles and runners pushed over with timely hitting as opposed to a game with a bunch of big bombs.

Really, the best game is one where the Reds are rolling on offense and the starter is going deep while getting some good put outs behind him!

[klw]

Offense. Hands down.

When I used to see games in Boston and Montreal, I would frequently go to see the Sox once or twice a year. Usually it would be vs Cleveland and inevitably the game would be Pedro vs Colon or someone like that. The day before the game would be like 15-12 and would go for 4.5 hours. We would see a 2-1 game that would be done in 2hrs 5 min. When you only get to a couple of games a year, its nice when the game lasts half as long as the drive.
On the other end of the spectrum was the amazing day I got to see both DT Cromer and Juan Castro go yard as the Reds beat up the Expos 17-4. Now that was fun.
Paid attendance was supposedly 11k but that included everyone who had paid to see the other Expo games that month.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...00108260.shtml

The other problem with a good pitcher's duel- other than the speed of the game- is that really for the first few innings very little in the way of drama. It is not until the 7th or so that there is much excitement.

[DGullett35]

I went with defense. I wasnt a great hitter in high school but i considered myself pretty good with the glove at short and second base, and I like a pitchers duel. Theres nothing like a Verlander vs. Hernandez matchup to watch.

[TOBTTReds]

I had to go w/ defense. I love how thick the air gets at the yard when the zeros are piling up. The anticipation of seeing who will blink first is my favorite kind of ballgame.

This is true. When you know you're in a dual, all the sudden a run scored in the 5th or 6th feels like one in the 8th. If it's a high scoring game, you are excited about the runs, but you know it's never enough until the final out.

I voted the offense though, as someone else said, nothing beats a walk off HR (especially a GS). I've been to a couple walk off GS's: Dunn vs. Wickman and Ramon Hernandez Opening Day. Losing in both games.

[WebScorpion]

Can I have a 0-0 pitching duel where Billy Hamilton bunts his way on in the bottom of the 9th, steals 2nd, 3rd, and then home? That's my idea of excitement!