5 reasons to follow Pesäpallo if you are a baseball fan

Pesäpallo  - so they finally jazzed up baseball!

For years I have watched and followed MLB, but I went in search of something a little more exciting and discovered Pesäpallo, Finland’s version of the game. After a number of years watching Pesäpallo I can firmly say that I am a convert! Whilst I still watch baseball closely, Pesäpallo is my favourite sport. Let me tell you 5 reasons why I think a baseball fan should consider following Pesäpallo too.


5 reasons to follow Pesäpallo

1. Baseball can be slow and uneventful - Pesäpallo is fast paced and exciting

Have you ever watched an MLB game and thought that the game lacked pace? 3 easy outs and the inning is over? Well Pesäpallo could be the antipode for this. Whilst in MLB an average on base percentage of 0.400 is seen as pretty good, a 40% success rate is Pesäpallo is seen as low. There is no waiting around for people to step up to the plate, no lengthy delays when the manager goes to the bullpen to change the pitcher - in Pesäpallo everything is so fast paced that it can be almost dizzying for new fans of the game to get to grips with the rules. The speed at which the ball is thrown about from fielder to fielder, the amount of opportunities batters have to run the bases makes the game highly entertaining and well worth a watch.

If you are new to Pesäpallo check out our “what is Pesäpallo” page and some of the links on our “links” page to find out more.

2. Power is not king - strategy and tactics rule in Pesäpallo 

A thrilling dive for home plate in a typical Pesäpallo game
Photograph from Sotkamo Facebook (c) Sotkamon Jymy 2019

Whilst audiences around the world love watching a baseball sail into the stands for a home run in MLB or other leagues, the thrill of a well worked “small ball” run is hard to beat. In 2011 i was in the USA and went to watch Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS (American League Division Series) game 4 matchup against Texas Rangers. The game was great to attend but the 2 styles of play in the game were such a contrast. Maybe it was being amongst the home fans, but watching Sean Rodriguez round the bases and beat the throw to home plate for Tampa’s first win was far more exciting than watching Beltre or Kinsler hit 4 home runs between them. In the 1980’s and 1990’s power was very much the pinnacle of baseball in the MLB, since the scandal surrounding steroids came to light, teams and players have tried to move away from this model and look to manufacturing runs in the park. Pesäpallo does not have home runs in the traditional sense and a long fly ball past the backfield line will result in a foul hit. Instead the emphasis is on hit placement and finding gaps in the fielding position. Pesäpallo does however have kunniajuoksu which is an equivalent to home runs, where a batter reaches 3rd base from their hit uninterrupted. In that circumstance the player remains on 3rd with the chance to score again as a runner adding even more excitement! If you love the tactical battle in baseball then you will love Pesäpallo - baseball is a game that pits Pitcher v Batter, whereas Pesäpallo pits Runners v Fielders in a battle of tactics and skill.

3. The ball remains in play even when it goes out of bounds

In Pesäpallo a fair hit remains in play even after it leaves the field of play - in outdoor games during the summer this can lead to players leaping into canals and rivers in pursuit or scurrying into woodlands. This adds an extra level of excitement to games and highlights the grit and determination of players to retrieve the ball. In baseball different rules apply and there is little excitement watching a ball bounce into the stands for a ground rule double. In indoor Pesäpallo matches the ball does end up staying into places outside the field of play and ground rule doubles occur, but even here fielders are often scrambling to stop the ball far more than in MLB.

Check out this clip to show what I’m talking about...

https://www.facebook.com/superpesis/videos/2324484954434427/

4. Pesäpallo has a competitive men’s and women’s league system, with all matches available on TV

Baseball is very much a male dominated sport and there is no widely viewed female league that competes with it. In Pesäpallo the men’s and women’s league gain equal status on the TV streaming service Ruutu. Both men’s and women’s teams compete in Superpesis leagues and have strong followings in Finland. Ruutu has a huge catalogue of all Superpesis matches and some special events, such as the East v West games (the equivalent of the All Star game).

5. Pesäpallo players are real people who do extraordinary things

In MLB players are professionals who dedicate their lives to America’s past time. As they ascend the minor leagues to MLB they become almost god-like and obscure figures who are traded or signed as a commodity. The attachment players have to their fans becomes more tenuous and their dedication to the city they play in is low, save for a few individuals. In Pesäpallo the players are semi-professionals who have careers and then go on to play in their other time! The dedication players show to the teams and fans is massive - Pesäpallo players and fans form a close community and have great fondness and mutual respect for one another. It is rare for a player simply to leave a club because someone offers more money - usually there is a core reason for a move and most clubs will assist players and their families to adjust. There is something extraordinary about the level of athleticism that Pesäpallo players show on top of their careers and families that showcases how special this sport is and how remarkable the Finnish people are!

The quote -

For those of you who don’t know the full quote from the beginning of this post, it is from Season 1 of Futurama, episode “Fear of a Bot Planet”, which is as follows:

I don't get this.

Is blernsball exactly the same as baseball?

Baseball? God forbid.

Face it, Fry. Baseball was as boring as Mom and apple pie.

That's why they jazzed it up.

Boring? Baseball wasn't...

Hmm, so they finally jazzed it up.

If that doesn’t neatly describe Pesäpallo - I don't know what does!